Comelec extends bids deadline for 2025 polls system

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has extended the deadline for interested bidders for the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (FASTrAC) project.

Instead of Jan. 4, the Comelec gave interested bidders until Jan. 8 to submit their bids for the P18.8-billion project.

In its Bid Bulletin No. 1, the Comelec-Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) said they gave additional time for the submission and opening of bids for the 2nd bidding cycle of the FASTrAC project.

The SBAC said the move aims to “give ample time to all bidders to prepare their bids due to the magnitude and numerous requirements of the project.”

At the same time, the SBAC said that no one has so far purchased the bid documents for P75,000 despite being available since Dec. 15.

SBAC chairman Allen Francis Abaya added that a Bid Bulletin will be issued by the SBAC to formally announce any possible changes.

“We will discuss on the possibility of extending the submission of bids considering the tightness of the (schedule), particularly on the renewal of licenses,” Abaya said.

Present during the conference were potential bidders Unisyn Voting Solutions, Dominion Voting Systems, Miru Systems Co. Ltd. and International Lottery and Totalizor Systems Inc.

Venue for the submission of bids will be at the SBAC Secretariat office at the Far East Managers and Investors Incorporated Building in Intramuros, Manila on or before 9 a.m., while the opening of bids will be at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila at 10:30 a.m.