MANILA – One bidder has so far bought bid documents for the procurement of Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) for overseas voting for the 2025 midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported on Thursday.
In a statement, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the company SMS Global Technologies Inc. represented by Ma. Cerestina Zurbano, bought the documents on Tuesday.
“As of now, there is a lone purchaser of the bidding documents. Bid documents may be purchased until Feb. 8, 2024, the deadline for Bid Submission, which will be followed by the bid opening,” Laudiangco said.
“Though isa pa lang po ang bumili ng Bid Docs (only one has so far purchased bid documents), several potential bidders are present here at the Pre Bid Conference, which is being live streamed at the Comelec Facebook and YouTube Channels, plus hybrid mode through MS Teams for the benefit of interested bidders who cannot physically attend,” he said.
The Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the online voting system is PHP465.8 million.
Among those who attended the Pre-Bid Conference at the Training Room 2, 4th flr., Bureau of Treasury (BTR), Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila on Thursday were representatives from prospective bidders Scytl, Makopa, Edge Com, SMSGT, Sisco, AMA group, Vohtz, Indra, and Tambuli Labs.
The observers were from National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), Comelec Advisory Council-Department of Information and Communications Technology, Commission on Audit and SMMT.
Online participants were representatives of MYBUSBEE Inc.,Kolonwel Trading, WJD Total, Secur Links, among others.
The opening of the bids will be on Feb. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at the third floor of the Palacio del Gobernador. (PNA)
