CPK Airport in Poland – Tenders, Procurement Rules and Status 2026

CPK Airport in Poland – key facts

The figures most often asked about, with the state on 6 November 2026. Project values are CPK’s plans, not awarded contracts.

CPK timeline and project milestones: where Port Polska stands in November 2026

Most of what was announced for 2025 has happened; the step that decides the pace of 2027 – the main building permit – has not. The list separates what is done from what is still planned.

PORT POLSKA · STATUS ON 6 NOVEMBER 2026

What is the CPK airport project?

Port Polska is the current name of the programme formerly presented in English as the Solidarity Transport Hub. It combines a new central airport with a high-speed rail network and road links. The investor is Centralny Port Komunikacyjny sp. z o.o. (CPK), a company wholly owned by the State Treasury.

The airport is being built between Warsaw and Łódź, in the municipalities of Baranów, Wiskitki and Teresin in the Mazovia region. Its core is a passenger terminal of 400,000–450,000 m² (figures differ between CPK documents), designed by Foster + Partners, with the main railway station and the bus terminal under one roof. The high-speed “Y” line is to connect the airport with Warsaw and Łódź first, and later with Poznań and Wrocław.

The programme also covers a freight area (Cargo City) and a business district next to the airport (Airport City), which matter for investors in Poland looking at logistics and services rather than construction.

Phased construction and modular airport infrastructure

The airport is planned in phases. The first phase is to include a terminal for 34 million passengers a year and an underground railway station integrated with the terminal. The terminal tender was drafted so that capacity can be increased to 44 million passengers if traffic requires it – for contractors this means change and extension mechanisms built into the contracts rather than a single fixed scope.

CPK tenders and competitive dialogue in practice

CPK awards its contracts under the Polish Public Procurement Law of 11 September 2019 (Pzp), which implements the EU procurement directives. Above the EU thresholds – for works EUR 5,404,000 from 1 January 2026 – notices are also published in the EU’s Tenders Electronic Daily (TED).

The pipeline. In August 2026 CPK announced 58 new procedures worth over PLN 40 billion for the rest of 2026. Together with the procedures already launched this year, the total exceeds PLN 54 billion. These are CPK’s planned values, not awarded tenders or signed contracts, and they may have changed since.

Examples from procedures reported by CPK in 2025–2026. The procedure for a given contract is stated in its notice.

For the rules beyond CPK, see our guide to public procurement regulation in Poland.

How competitive dialogue works in CPK projects

The terminal tender shows the whole sequence. CPK published the notice in May 2025 and limited the dialogue to a maximum of five contractors. After prequalification it held a dialogue with five consortia from December 2025, during which the contractors commented on the documents, the contract terms and the evaluation rules. On 3 July 2026 CPK invited them to submit priced tenders, initially by 1 September 2026. The deadline was then moved to 1 October, 30 October and 9 November and, by an amendment of 30 October 2026, to 9 December 2026 at 12:00, with the opening at 12:10; tenders must remain valid until 7 April 2027.

Tenders are evaluated on price (75 points), the technology and organisation of works (20 points) and the warranty terms (5 points); within the quality criterion, 7.47 points concern the supply chain and the country of origin of products under the EU Customs Code. No tender security (wadium) is required in the terminal tender, but a performance security is. The invited contractors may not form new consortia – neither with companies outside the procedure nor among themselves. The remaining consortia are led by Mirbud, Budimex (with Strabag), NDI (with BESIX) and PORR (with Doraco).

Participation conditions in the terminal tender

Conditions of the terminal tender only (prequalification and tender rules, Part VI). CPK lowered the thresholds by a modification of 17 June 2025; in its judgment of 21 July 2025 (KIO 2312/25, KIO 2313/25, KIO 2342/25, KIO 2363/25) the National Appeal Chamber upheld the PLN 4 billion revenue requirement, the limit of five contractors and the selection criteria. Other CPK tenders set their own conditions.

Can foreign companies bid for CPK tenders?

Yes, but where the company comes from now matters. Following the judgments of the Court of Justice of the EU in Kolin (C-652/22, 22 October 2024) and CRRC Qingdao Sifang (13 March 2025), an amendment to the Pzp in force since 9 September 2025 (Articles 16a and 16b Pzp) gives, in practice, three groups of contractors.

Without such a clause in the documents, contractors from other third countries have no access. The rule is not limited to the bidder: the tender documents also decide whether such companies may act as consortium members, as entities lending their capacity or as subcontractors. A consortium with a non-admitted member has its request or tender rejected, while an entity lending capacity must be replaced. The terminal tender admits only contractors established in the EU, the EEA, a GPA party or a country with an EU procurement agreement, and the restriction also covers consortium members, entities lending capacity and subcontractors – but not suppliers of materials, machinery and equipment (prequalification and tender rules, Part V points 9–13). In procedures started on or after 9 September 2025, contractors from countries not covered by an agreement cannot appeal to the National Appeal Chamber; procedures started earlier, including the terminal tender, follow the transitional rules of the amending act (Articles 3 and 4).

Foreign subsidies (FSR)

Under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 a bidder must notify foreign financial contributions where the estimated value of the contract is at least EUR 250 million and, in addition, the bidder – together with its group and its main subcontractors and suppliers – has received foreign financial contributions of at least EUR 4 million per third country in the three years before notification. Below that threshold the bidder submits a declaration instead. Where a contract is divided into lots, the lots applied for must also be worth at least EUR 125 million. The terminal contract is not divided into lots and meets the value condition; it requires one form per consortium, and a main subcontractor or supplier is one with a share of more than 20% of the tender value.

Sanctions

EU law prohibits awarding public contracts to Russian nationals, to entities established in Russia, to entities more than 50% owned by them and to entities acting on their behalf or at their direction, including where they account for more than 10% of the contract value as subcontractors, suppliers or entities whose capacity is relied on. Polish law adds exclusion of persons and entities on the national sanctions list (Article 7(1) of the Act of 13 April 2022); awarding a contract with an excluded entity is punishable by a fine of up to PLN 20 million. Our guide to economic sanctions in Poland explains the lists.

Do you need a Polish company?

The Pzp does not make a Polish company a condition of bidding, provided the company is established in a country the tender admits and submits documents in Polish or with a Polish translation. Foreign contractors usually enter CPK tenders through a consortium formed before the request to participate. Performing a contract in Poland raises separate questions: a branch in Poland or a subsidiary, tax registration and work permits for site staff.

CPK project conditions and requirements for contractors

Beyond the participation conditions of each tender, CPK applies contract terms and policies that affect pricing and the choice of partners.

Sustainability, BIM and ESG requirements in CPK

CPK’s communications and tender documents emphasise low-carbon construction, BIM-based design and documentation for major structures, and its Code of Contractor Conduct. CPK has also signed an agreement with the state development bank BGK on strengthening the participation of Polish firms in Port Polska supply chains, which explains the weight of Polish partners in the consortia.

Price indexation

Works and services contracts concluded for more than six months must contain indexation clauses setting how the remuneration changes when the cost of performance changes (Article 439 Pzp). The clause gives a mechanism agreed in the contract – its thresholds, index and cap – not an automatic right to a higher price.

Legal and compliance requirements for CPK contractors

• Exclusion grounds. The mandatory and optional grounds of the Pzp – such as certain criminal convictions, tax and social security arrears, insolvency or serious professional misconduct – apply to every consortium member and to entities lending capacity.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD). In above-threshold procedures the contractor first confirms in the ESPD that it is not excluded and meets the conditions; the supporting documents follow on request. In two-stage procedures the ESPD is submitted with the request to participate, and each consortium member and entity lending capacity submits its own.
• Cybersecurity. Under the National Cybersecurity System Act a tender may not include ICT products from suppliers designated as high-risk; the terminal tender makes this a ground for rejection.
• Code of Contractor Conduct. CPK’s own rules on ethics, anti-corruption and fair competition, applied in its procedures and contracts.
• Voluntary certification. From 12 July 2026 contractors may obtain a certificate confirming that they are not excluded and meet selected conditions. It is optional and does not replace the documents a tender requires; capability levels for works are to apply from 1 January 2027.

CPK tender readiness checklist: is your company ready to bid?

Nine categories to check before you commit to a CPK tender. Choose your role – bidder, consortium member or subcontractor – and tick off each category once you have checked it against the tender documents. Your ticks stay in this browser, and you can print the list or save it as PDF.

Subcontractors in CPK projects: rules, roles and opportunities

With 14 of the 16 companies in the terminal tender being Polish, the realistic route into Port Polska for many foreign firms is a role in a consortium formed at the start of a procedure, or as a subcontractor or supplier of a specialist system. In the terminal tender no new consortia may be formed at this stage, so the route there is subcontracting or supply. The main contractor remains responsible to CPK for the whole contract.

Legal framework for subcontracting in CPK

• Penalties and payment terms (Article 463 Pzp). A subcontract may not impose contractual penalties beyond those in the main contract, and its conditions and terms of payment may not be less favourable than those agreed between CPK and the contractor. The provision covers these terms, not every clause of the subcontract.
• Payment within 30 days (Article 464(2) Pzp). In a works contract, the payment term in any subcontract may not exceed 30 days from delivery to the contractor of the invoice or bill confirming performance of the subcontracted works, supplies or services.
• Submission to CPK (Article 464 Pzp). In works contracts the draft subcontract for works and its amendments are submitted to the contracting authority, which may object within the period set in the main contract; no objection means acceptance. A copy of the signed subcontract follows within 7 days, and copies of supply and service subcontracts are also submitted.
• Exclusion checks of subcontractors (Article 462(5) Pzp). Subcontractors are checked for exclusion grounds only where the procurement documents provide for it; in the terminal tender CPK checks selected mandatory and optional grounds.
• Direct payment (Article 465 Pzp). Where the contractor fails to pay, the contracting authority may pay the subcontractor directly – only the remuneration due, without interest, under an accepted works subcontract or a submitted supply or service subcontract – and deduct it from the contractor’s remuneration. The contractor has at least 7 days to comment, and repeated direct payments or payments above 5% of the contract value entitle the authority to withdraw from the contract.

Types of subcontractors in airport infrastructure projects

Specialist technical subcontractors (MEP, baggage handling, security screening, airfield systems, rail signalling), local construction firms for earthworks and foundations, and support services such as logistics, temporary works and environmental monitoring. Some systems – baggage handling or boarding bridges – are procured by CPK separately, so suppliers may bid directly rather than through the terminal contractor.

Strategic opportunities for subcontractors in CPK

Because the large contracts are design-and-build, subcontractors are often lined up during tender preparation through letters of intent or framework agreements with the consortia. Being ready means documents in order for the exclusion and capacity checks, BIM-compatible workflows and a clear answer to the third-country rule if any part of the supply chain comes from outside the EU. We draft and negotiate these consortium and subcontract agreements.

KIO appeals in CPK tenders: deadlines and fees

Disputes in CPK procedures go to the National Appeal Chamber (Krajowa Izba Odwoławcza, KIO). A complaint against a KIO judgment is filed within 14 days of its delivery with the Regional Court in Warsaw, the public procurement court. The terminal tender has already produced appeals against the participation conditions in 2025 and against the tender documents in 2026.

CPK tenders in Poland – 3 compliance requirements

Anna Szymielewicz, Attorney (radca prawny), Partner, on the digital, sustainability and ethical requirements that international contractors meet in CPK tenders on top of financial and technical capacity.

How to track CPK tenders and investment opportunities

• portpolska.pl. CPK’s official website with the procurement plan, links to current notices and the Code of Contractor Conduct: portpolska.pl.
• TED. Above-threshold notices in the EU’s Tenders Electronic Daily: ted.europa.eu.
• The tender documents. The only place that says whether third-country contractors, consortium members or subcontractors are admitted in a given procedure.

News portals report on CPK quickly, but dates and values should be checked against CPK’s own announcements before they go into a bid.

FAQ – CPK Airport and CPK tenders

When will CPK Airport open?

The official target is 2032 and the tender documents require the terminal contract to be performed by 15 November 2032, but the new CPK management is reviewing the schedule until the end of 2026, so the date is not guaranteed.

Where is CPK Airport located?

Between Warsaw and Łódź, in the municipalities of Baranów, Wiskitki and Teresin in the Mazovia region of Poland.

What is Port Polska?

Port Polska is the current name of the CPK programme – a new central airport, a high-speed rail network and road links – run by the state-owned company Centralny Port Komunikacyjny sp. z o.o. and formerly presented in English as the Solidarity Transport Hub.

Has construction of CPK Airport started?

Preparatory works and trial piling have been carried out, but the main building permit for the airport is expected only in December 2026, and the main foundation and terminal works depend on it.

Who is bidding for the CPK passenger terminal?

After the Polimex Mostostal – Hochtief consortium withdrew on 7 October 2026, four consortia remain, led by Mirbud, Budimex (with Strabag), NDI (with BESIX) and PORR (with Doraco); tenders are due on 9 December 2026.

How much is CPK tendering in 2026?

According to its announcement of August 2026, CPK plans 58 new procedures worth over PLN 40 billion for the rest of 2026 and, with those already launched, more than PLN 54 billion in total – planned values, not awarded contracts.

Can a company from outside the EU bid for CPK tenders?

A company from a country covered by the WTO GPA or another EU procurement agreement is treated equally within that agreement; a company from any other country has no guaranteed right to bid and may take part only where the tender documents expressly allow it.

Do I need a Polish company to bid for a CPK tender?

No, a Polish company is not a condition of bidding under the Pzp if your company is established in a country the tender admits and submits documents in Polish or with a translation, but performing the contract may require a branch or subsidiary, tax registration and work permits for staff, which are best planned before the bid.

What is competitive dialogue in CPK tenders?

A procedure in which CPK prequalifies contractors, discusses the solution and the contract terms with a shortlist and then asks for final priced tenders; CPK used it for the passenger terminal, the baggage handling system and the boarding bridges.

How quickly must a CPK subcontractor be paid?

The payment term in a subcontract under a public contract may not exceed 30 days from delivery of the invoice or bill confirming the subcontracted work (Article 464(2) Pzp), and the contracting authority may pay an accepted subcontractor directly if the contractor fails to pay.

How long do I have to appeal in a CPK tender?

In above-threshold procedures the deadline is 10 days from the electronic notice of the decision (15 days if sent by other means), and the entry fee for an appeal in a works procedure is PLN 20,000.

Does the Foreign Subsidies Regulation apply to CPK tenders?

Notification is required where the contract is worth at least EUR 250 million (EUR 125 million for the lots applied for in a contract divided into lots) and the bidder, with its group and main subcontractors and suppliers, received at least EUR 4 million from one third country in the previous three years; below that, a declaration is submitted.