The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is considering bids from Bombardier Aerospace and Embraer for a mid-size twin-engine jet after Falcon Air Express dropped out of the contest after an earlier expression of interest, reports India's Free Press Journal.
It quotes unnamed state aviation department sources who said the price of a Falcon had been more expensive than the alternatives offered by the other two manufacturers.
According to the tender documents seen by ch-aviation, the state's aviation department launched the RFP on March 9, 2024. Bombardier and Embraer submitted proposals by April 26 and April 29, respectively. Both bids were accepted on their technical submissions.
The department is now in the process of evaluating the financial proposals attached to each bid. The tender documents do not specify which jets the companies are putting forward for the tender.
According to Free Press Journal, the transaction is expected to cost around INR2.5 billion rupees (USD29.9 million). Taxes are estimated to add 30 to 35% to the cost. The RFP requires the selected bidder to maintain the aircraft for 12 months after its arrival in Bhopal and to deliver the plane within 20 months of receiving an initial 10% payment.
This marks the state government's second attempt at purchasing a mid-size twin-engine jet. The first attempt was reportedly abandoned due to price issues and because a leading US aircraft manufacturer could not meet the delivery timeline.
