TORONTO - Aecon Group Inc. (ARE.TO) says it's focused on securing and completing projects while it continues to move forward with a proposed takeover by CCCC International Holding Ltd.

The engineering firm says it booked $910 million in new contract awards in the quarter ending March 31, compared to $836 million for the same period last year.

he company says it had a loss of $19.2 million, or 32 cents per share, in the quarter, compared to a loss of $18.3 million or 32 cents per share last year.

Aecon says it had a work backlog of $4.6 billion at the end of March, compared to $4.2 billion at the end of December.

Last October, the CCCC International Holding Ltd., of China made a $1.5-billion bid to acquire Aecon Group Inc., which has a long history of participation in Canadian construction and engineering projects such as the CN Tower, Vancouver's SkyTrain, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Halifax shipyard.

At the end of March, Aecon extended until July 13 a self-imposed deadline to close the transaction as Ottawa continues its national security review of the deal.