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COMAC declined to comment on which company would be the potential winner but indicated foreign suppliers that design and manufacture products with Chinese companies would be preferred candidates.
Among the key selling points that would help China take on Boeing and Airbus are efficiency and costs, according to Chen Jin, COMAC's sales and marketing chief.
Compared to similar jets made by the two global aviation giants, the C919s will be cheaper for airlines to operate. They will also use between 12 and 15 percent less fuel, Chen said in an interview with The Associated Press.
But the day when China is poaching orders from Western companies in their own markets is still far off. Marketing of the C919 will be directed at the mainland at first, likely local carriers such as Air China and China Eastern, before going global.
"It depends on the market," Chen said. "The market is changing all the time."
Also in development by Shanghai-based COMAC is a 70 to 110-seat ARJ-21 passenger jet, designed for the local market.
Last year, General Electric Commercial Aviation Services signed a deal to order 25 of ARJ-21s. GE is supplying the engines for the project.
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