Schiphol | Assessments of tender has begun

Interested parties had until Tuesday, 24 March, to submit their bids for the airport's ground handling contract. The next step, the evaluation of all tenders, is now underway. This is a crucial part of the process to improve the quality of ground handling and working conditions for ground handling staff on a permanent basis.

Over the coming period, Schiphol will carefully assess all tenders. This will be done in a structured manner based on pre-determined assessment criteria. We will focus on five main areas:

Management, organisation and continuous improvement: the knowledge and experience of the team, how the organisation is structured, and how companies continue to improve their services, measuring and reporting on performance.
Transition: ensuring the transition to the new situation proceeds smoothly and without disruption.
Disruptions and emergencies: how companies deal with unexpected situations and maintain operations.
Safety: focus on working safely and fostering a strong safety culture.
Quality of work: focusing on good working conditions, a healthy working culture, and sufficient, well-trained staff.

On 30 June, Schiphol will announce the provisional award. This will specify the three ground handling companies that have been provisionally awarded the contract. Provided no objections are raised, we expect to finalise the award in summer 2026. The new partnership will begin in the first quarter of 2027.

Recently, the ground handling companies that are members of the WPBL and FNV Luchtvaart reached additional agreements on the sectoral collective labour agreement for the transition phase.

Through this tender, Schiphol aims to improve service quality and ensure better working conditions for the thousands of employees who contribute to safe operations every day. Currently, these activities are carried out by six different parties.