DHV looks for operator for re launch of Twente Airport

The Overijssel provincial authority and the municipality of Enschede are going to transform the former Twente military airbase in the east of the Netherlands and expand it into a commercial airport.

ADT Managing Director Peter Kuenzli (left) and DHV director Eugene Grüter during the signing of the contract at the Twente airfield

Engineering consultancy DHV won the contract to provide the transaction team charged with managing the call for tenders to find an operator for the airport.

An economically strong and sustainable Twente region is central to redeveloping Twente Airport. The new airport will be a regional civil airport with space for commercial aviation such as charters, low‑cost carriers, general aviation and freight, including commercial development of aviation‑related activities.

Peter Kuenzli, Managing Director of Area Development Twente (ADT), said: “We chose DHV because they possess all the in‑house knowledge and experience needed for this job.” DHV will deploy a team of six experts relying on the airport experience of its subsidiaries NACO and InterVISTAS.

Experienced DHV team

The DHV team consists of experts in planning business cases, managing area planning, developing sustainable airports, establishing/managing contracts, arranging state aid, ensuring compliance with tendering law, engineering of airports and controlling projects. The team will start by defining frameworks for such matters as safety, nuisance, nature and employment. Everything will take place within the confines of the decision‑making framework of the municipality of Enschede and the Overijssel provincial authority. The scope includes an examination of risks, a stakeholder analysis, review of the relevant legislation and the business case. The call for tenders will start after the relevant frameworks have been adopted by the Enschede city council and the Overijssel provincial council.

Procedure for call for tenders

It has been decided to adopt an international tendering procedure generally used for projects of this kind in order to maximize a successful call for tenders. The multi‑step procedure is based on the free movement principles embedded in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (the old EU Treaty). These principles require transparency, non‑discrimination and a level playing field.

An important feature of this procedure is its built‑in consultation phase. The DHV team will enter into discussions with qualified market parties. The objective is to create clarity and fine‑tune the conditions. Market parties will be able to examine the project scope in more detail while the contracting authority will be able to examine new insights and creative solutions. Based on the outcomes of these talks, ADT will determine the awarding criteria and the contract. After their adoption by the city and provincial councils qualified parties will be invited to submit a definitive tender.

The project is estimated to take eighteen months to complete.