South Sudan's government is to establish a flag-carrier for the newly-created African state, and is formally seeking a consultant to assist with drawing up a business plan.
The country's ministry of transport, in a public notice, is inviting international consultants to submit offers to formulate the plan for a "national airline to provide public air transport services".
Bids will be opened in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, on 22 January 2013.
The ministry has not given any details on the airline's potential size or operational scope.
South Sudan became an independent state in July 2011. Beforehand its national carrier had been Khartoum-based Sudan Airways.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news