FG Demands Proposal from Bidders of Nigerian Airports for Concession
The Federal Government has said it will send requests for proposals to qualified bidders for the concession of Nigeria’s four major international airports after assessing the requests for qualification.
It also said the preceding stage – request for qualifications phase of the Nigeria Airport Concessions Programme – came to a close at 3:00 pm on Monday.
The October 25, 2021 deadline was announced by the Federal Ministry of Aviation on September 13, 2021, after deliberations with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the transaction advisers, as the committee allowed for a four-week extension, in response to requests from would-be bidders.
The Director, Public Affairs, James Odaudu, told our correspondent in Abuja that the committee would assess the RFQs and would send out invitations to qualified bidders.
“There’s a technical committee that will assess the submissions. After the assessment, those deemed qualified will be invited to submit their formal bids,” he said.
The Federal Government has been making efforts towards the concession of the four major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano, and is currently holding meetings with labour unions on the matter.
Providing further insight on the next step, Odaudu said, “The Ministry of Aviation reminds all stakeholders that this is a multistage program and that RFQ stage will be followed with a Request for Proposal, which shall be published and sent directly to qualified bidders for their response.”
He explained that qualified bidders would be announced once the bid opening committee had received, opened, and reviewed each submission, based on the detailed terms of reference and RFQ guidelines contained in the RFQ bidders package.
Foreign Firms Eyeing Nigerian Airports, says Sirika, FG Demands Proposals
The Federal Government has said it will send requests for proposals to qualified bidders for the concession of Nigeria’s four major international airports after assessing the requests for qualification.
It also said the preceding stage – request for qualifications phase of the Nigeria Airport Concessions Programme – came to a close at 3:00pm on Monday.
The October 25, 2021 deadline was announced by the Federal Ministry of Aviation on September 13, 2021, after deliberations with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the transaction advisers, as the committee allowed for a four-week extension, in response to requests from would-be bidders.
The Director, Public Affairs, James Odaudu, told our correspondent in Abuja that the committee would assess the RFQs and would send out invitations to qualified bidders.
“There’s a technical committee that will assess the submissions. After the assessment, those deemed qualified will be invited to submit their formal bids,” he said.
The Federal Government has been making efforts towards the concession of the four major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano, and is currently holding meetings with labour unions on the matter.
Providing further insight on the next step, Odaudu said, “The Ministry of Aviation reminds all stakeholders that this is a multistage program and that RFQ stage will be followed with a Request for Proposal, which shall be published and sent directly to qualified bidders for their response.
He explained that qualified bidders would be announced once the bid opening committee had received, opened, and reviewed each submission, based on the detailed terms of reference and RFQ guidelines contained in the RFQ bidders package.
‘Open for business’: US Rolls out Covid Travel Requirements Starting November 8
The Biden administration has said that minors and people from a dozen countries with a shortage of vaccines will be exempt from new rules that will require most travelers to the U.S. to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The government said it will require airlines to collect contact information on passengers regardless of whether they have been vaccinated to help with contact tracing if that becomes necessary.
Beginning on November 8, foreign, non-immigrant adults traveling to the United States will need to be fully vaccinated, with only limited exceptions, and all travelers will need to be tested for the virus before boarding a plane to the US.
There will be tightened restrictions for American and foreign citizens who are not fully vaccinated.
Move away from restrictions
The new policy comes as the Biden administration moves away from restrictions that ban non-essential travel from several dozen countries – most of Europe, China, Brazil, South Africa, India, and Iran – and instead focuses on classifying individuals by the risk they pose to others.
It also reflects the White House’s embrace of vaccination requirements as a tool to push more Americans to get the shots by making it inconvenient to remain unvaccinated.
Under the policy, those who are vaccinated will need to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test within three days of travel, while the unvaccinated must present a test taken within one day of travel.
Children under 18 will not be required to be fully vaccinated because of delays in making them eligible for vaccines in many places. They will still need to take a Covid-19 test unless they are two or younger.
Others who will be exempt from the vaccination requirement include people who participated in Covid-19 clinical trials, who had severe allergic reactions to the vaccines or are from a country where shots are not widely available.
That latter category will cover people from countries with vaccination rates below 10 percent of adults.
They may be admitted to the US with a government letter authorizing travel for a compelling reason and not just for tourism, a senior administration official said. The official estimated that there are about 50 such countries. Read more
Countries With Shortage of COVID-19 Vaccines Exempt from New U.S. Travel Rules: Biden
Children under 18 and people from dozens of countries with a shortage of vaccines will be exempt from new rules that will require most travelers to the United States to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Biden administration announced Monday.
The government will require airlines to collect contact information on passengers regardless of whether they have been vaccinated to help with contact tracing if that becomes necessary.
Beginning Nov. 8, foreign, non-immigrant adults traveling to the United States will need to be fully vaccinated, with only limited exceptions, and all travelers will need to be tested for the virus before boarding a plane to the U.S. There will be tightened restrictions for American and foreign citizens who are not fully vaccinated.
The new policy comes as the Biden administration moves away from restrictions that ban non-essential travel from several dozen countries — most of Europe, China, Brazil, South Africa, India, and Iran — and instead focuses on classifying individuals by the risk they pose to others.
It also reflects the White House’s embrace of vaccination requirements as a tool to push more Americans to get the shots by making it inconvenient to remain unvaccinated.
Under the policy, those who are vaccinated will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within three days of travel, while the unvaccinated must present a test taken within one day of travel.
Children under 18 will not be required to be fully vaccinated because of delays in making them eligible for vaccines in many places. They will still need to take a COVID-19 test unless they are 2 or younger. Read more
Airlines to Check Vaccination Status as US Borders Reopen
Officials in the United States have outlined new rules for foreign travelers, as flight restrictions lift for the first time since the pandemic began in early 2020.
Borders will reopen on November 8th, with the White House giving more information on who will be allowed to travel.
A statement confirmed a requirement that almost all foreign visitors be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The United States travel ban, introduced in March last year, has grown to encompass dozens of countries, including the UK, much of Europe, China, and India.
The travel industry has been asking for US president Joe Biden to lift the ban for months.
The proclamation signed by Biden on Monday says that airlines will be required to check travelers’ vaccination status before they can board departing planes.
“It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the Covid-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States,” the text explained.
Airlines must confirm that the proof of vaccination comes from an “official source” and was received at least two weeks prior.
Any vaccines approved by US health regulators will be accepted.
Unvaccinated travelers, including Americans, will have to show a negative Covid-19 test taken within one day of departure.
Children under the age of 18 will be exempt from the vaccination requirement but must still provide a negative test taken within three days of travel.
Sources: Voice of Nigeria, Guardian, Punch Newspaper, Global News, CityAM