Comelec opens bidding for ballot packaging

AMID the controversy surrounding the bidding for the ballot papers to be used in next year's polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) opened the public bidding for the supply and delivery of official ballot packaging that they will be using.
 
In its Invitation to Bid, the Comelec–Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) said a complete set of Bidding Documents for the P291.58-million project is already up for purchasing.

"A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from October 31 to November 21… in the amount of P50,000," said SBAC chairperson Helen Flores.
 
The documents can be purchased at the SBAC Secretariat Office, 7th Floor Palacio del Gobernador building, General Luna corner Postigo sts., in Intramuros, Manila.
 
The SBAC said the bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary "pass/fail" criterion as specified in the Government Procurement Reform Act or the Republic Act 9184.
 
It said, however, that the bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least 60 percent interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.
 
Submission of Bids shall be on November 21 on or before 9 a.m. at the SBAC Secretariat Office while the Opening of Bids shall be on the same day at 10am at the Bureau of the Treasury Convention Hall, 3rd Floor, Palacio del Gobernador building.
 
Flores said a Pre-Bid Conference is scheduled on November 9 at 2 p.m. at the Project Management Office Ground Floor, Palacio del Gobernador building.
 
The bidding comes just days after reports came out that two losing bidders are protesting the National Printing Office's (NPO) decision to award the P780-million contract to supply and print the 55 million official ballots for the 2013 midterm elections to Holy Family Printing Corp. and its partner, Canon Marketing Philippines.
 
The protests of Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) and a consortium, led by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), stemmed from the alleged favoring of the NPO to the winning bidder despite their sample ballots not being read or getting jammed in the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines that will be used in the next elections. (HDT/Sunnex)