Deadline for submission of poll automation bid deferred

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has deferred for the third time the deadline for the submission and opening of bids for its full automation system with transparency audit/count or FASTrAC project.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said they had to move the deadline again due to the introduction of additional project specifications.

The FASTrAC is intended to be used for the 2025 national and local elections.

According to the Comelec special bids and awards committee (SBAC), the submission of bids and opening of bids for the P18.8-billion project is still up until Dec. 14.

“In view of the above-mentioned clarifications and the issuance of this supplemental/bid bulletin, the schedule of the submission and opening of bids is hereby rescheduled from Dec. 12 to Dec. 14,” the SBAC announced in its bid bulletin.

The deadline for the submission and opening of bids was originally set for Nov. 20, but was eventually moved to Nov. 28.

However, the SBAC rescheduled the deadline to Dec. 12 to give technology providers sufficient time to comply with the requirements.

“We added specs in the material of the ballot boxes. And with this new provision, it is only fair to give new time to file queries. Thus, we should move the bid opening,” Laudiangco explained.

He said the submissions of bids would start at 9 a.m. at the SBAC Secretariat Office in the Far East Managers and Investors Inc. building in Intramuros, Manila.

The opening of bids will be held at the Palacio del Gobernador, also in Intramuros, at 10:30 a.m.