The government is asking contractors in Anguilla to outline their capacity to support the runway expansion at Clayton J Lloyd International Airport.
The request for information (RFI) is for market research and information-gathering purposes only, according to a procurement notice published on 5 February.
It invites specifically earthworks contractors, trucking services and concrete contractors to offer submissions.
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RFI documents can be obtained by sending a request to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Local Sub-Contractor Support’.
Responses must be submitted in PDF format to the same email address by 19 February.
Information obtained will then be shared with pre-qualified general contractors for potential subcontracting opportunities.
An 18-month project
The runway extension will be delivered in two stages, allowing work to start while the government continues land acquisition talks.
The first phase will include the widening of the runway, the runway profiling, the rehabilitation of the existing apron, and the introduction and creation of the partial parallel taxiway.
The project, expected to take about 18 months from mid-2026 to early 2028, will also see upgrades to the airfield lighting and the creation of safety areas at both ends of the runway.
Most of the works will be undertaken at night from 8pm to 8am to maintain airport operations.
The Public Procurement Office released an invitation to bid (ITB) for the first phase of works on 23 December, with a closing date for submissions of 10 March.
Once the necessary land to the east has been acquired, a second procurement process will begin for phase two which will see the 1,633 metre runway lengthened.
Airport Masterplan
The newly opened terminal and extended runway are part of an EC$473 million project as envisioned in the government’s Airport Masterplan 2022-2041.
The plan explains that lengthening the runway is required for current commercial airlines to operate with maximum loads and to allow Anguilla to attract new operators with larger aircraft.
It will also mean the island will meet regulatory compliance and reduce its dependence on St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport as a connecting hub, the plan says.
The aim is to extend the runway to the east to 2,068.8m – which equates to a 1,829m take-off length, as well as widening it from 30m to 45m.
This will allow it to accommodate the A220-300, EMB 175/190, A319 and similar aircraft up to about 120-seats.
Government land acquisition in Anguilla is governed by the Land Acquisition Act, which provides the legal framework for compulsory purchase of private land for public purposes.
