Smartmatic to supply PCOS machines for 2016 elections

(Photo from Smartmatic’s official Facebook page)

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) awarded the P1.7-billion contract to Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) Corp. for the supply of 23,000 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to be used in next year’s national elections.

The Comelec Special Bids and Awards Committee-1 awarded the contract to Smartmatic-TIM Corp. after the automation services provider won in the bidding against two other companies.

“We made the decision just this morning after dismissing the motions for reconsideration of two bidders questioning the recommendation of the special bids and awards committee to give the contract to Smartmatic,” Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said.

Smartmatic-TIM Corp. was earlier disqualified from the bidding as its bid documents were “non-responsive” and did not contain Articles of Incorporation and actual bid price offer. The demonstration of its machines during the post qualification stage of the bidding also failed.

The Comelec, however, later on reversed the firm’s disqualification after it appealed for reconsideration. The committee has been scheduled to give the “Notice of Award” today.

Smartmatic-TIM has then been required to ‘post its corresponding performance security in an amount equal to a percentage of the total contract price.’

Aside from the supply of new PCOS machines, the commission has also been considering leasing 70,000 other machines or refurbishing 80,000 automated voting-counting machines used in previous elections.

Should the Comelec push through with its other plans, they would then have to shell out P6.3 billion for the leasing and another P3.1 billion for the refurbishing of machines.

However, if there will be no prospective bidders for the two options, the commission has to directly negotiate the contract with a chosen automation services provider.

The Comelec has already laid out other needed preparations for the coming presidential, congressional and local elections, which included the testing of new PCOS machines and mock elections. The commission has also briefed its people on the computerized conduct of polls.

“I hope that we do not encounter further delay,” Bautista said.