Comelec throws out 1 more bidder

MANILA, Philippines – The Comelec had formally thrown out one more bidder, leaving three bidders fighting for the contract to automate the 2010 polls.

In Resolution 09-004, Comelec’s SBAC denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the consortium of Gilat and F.F. Cruz and Company Inc.

The bidder had failed to justify why it was not able to submit various documents pertaining to the security features of the ballots, the master ballot generation plan, certificate of election authorization under the bidders’ name and five items in the technical specification of the Term of Reference.

“We find no more necessity to discuss the other issues raised by the movant in its motion for reconsideration. Hence, the motion is denied. No additional motion will be entertained by the committee,” the resolution said.

But as of press time, SBAC was still deliberating on similar motions filed by the group of Indra Sistemas, Strategic Alliance Holdings Inc. and Hart Intercivic and the consortium of AMA Group of Companies and Election System and Software.

SBAC had disqualified Indra, whose bid offer was P11.2 billion, after finding that it could only supply 50,000 of the required 80,000 voting machines.

AMA, on the other hand, was disqualified for failing to submit certificates of acceptance pertaining to its previous automation contracts with the States of Michigan and Minnesota, United States.

This means that only the consortium of Smartmatic and Total Information Management Corp. is close to bagging the contract after passing SBAC’s eligibility, technical and financial screenings.

Smartmatic, whose bid offer is P7.2 billion, is waiting for the go-signal of SBAC to demonstrate its voting machines.

SBAC chairman Ferdinand Rafanan said that Smartmatic has not yet been declared as the bidder with the “lowest calculated bid,” owing to the pending motions.

Rafanan added that Smartmatic machines could still be rejected by SBAC if they fail to pass 26 criteria.