Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco (center) (PNA photo by Ferdinand Patinio)
MANILA – The technical working group (TWG) of the Commission on Elections-Special Bids and Awards Committee (Comelec-SBAC) has declared eligible the lone bidder in the Lease of Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (FASTrAC) project for the 2025 midterm polls.
During the second opening of bids on Monday, the TWG announced that the Joint Venture - Miru Systems Co. Ltd., Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation and Centerpoint Solutions Technology, Inc. is eligible for the procurement project with a total approved budget of PHP18.827 billion.
The Korean firm submitted a bid proposal amounting to PHP17.98 billion.
It was Miru’s initial participation in such a bidding, according to Comelec.
On the other hand, the SBAC has approved the proposal upon the recommendation of the group.
“We found the same to be in order. Therefore, we approve the recommendation of the TWG and the bidder, joint venture Miru Systems, is hereby declared eligible. With that, we may now go to the opening of the financial envelope,” it said.
“Offer of the bidder, as contained in the Annex G, is for the sum of PHP17,988,876,168.80,” the SBAC added.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, six companies have purchased bidding documents but only Miru Systems submitted a bid.
The other bidders were Dominion Voting Systems-IFort City Center, Inc.; Indra Philippines, Inc.; AMA Group Holdings Corp.; Management, Insultant; and SMMT-TIM 2016, Inc.
Laudiangco said the next step would be the post-qualification process, wherein the committee will thoroughly check all the documents.
“Kung makikita nyo, mas madugo ang post-qualification process. Kung ‘di makakalusot as post qualified ang lone bidder, pwede pa din ma-declare na post disqualified. Kung maipasa naman lahat, tatawagin syang (If you look into it, the post qualification process is more tedious. If the lone bidder will not be able to hurdle it as post qualified, then it can be declared as post disqualified. If they are able to pass everything, it would be called) single calculated responsive bid,” he said in an interview.
The post-qualification process would take one week to one month, Laudiangco added.
“Within five days upon receipt of notice, submit nila mga originals na submitted ngayon (they should submit the original copies of the documents they submitted today). For example, Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System registration, audited financial statement, mayor's permit, lahat ‘yan kailangan i-submit at compare namin ‘yan sa nasubmit nila (they would have to submit all of these and we would compare them with the copies they have already submitted),” Laudiangco said. (PNA)
