Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared on Tuesday (June 30) a failure of bidding for the refurbishment of 81,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan or PCOS machines used in the 2013 elections because potential bidders found the government’s offer too low.
“What happened was that it was originally 2.8 billion. But the Bids and Awards Committee last June 23, basically, recommended that we can bring it down to 2.07 billion,” said Comelec Chair Andres Bautista in an interview with CNN Philippines Tuesday night.
While Bautista said that the offer was slashed because the government was aiming for a better deal, Smartmatic Asia, the company that manufactured the government’s PCOS machines, explained why they could not say yes to the rate.
“The new package is not feasible. Smartmatic cannot do the work with that rate,” said Smartmatic president Cesar Flores.
Earlier this year, Smartmatic had closed a refurbishment agreement with the Comelec, but the Supreme Court blocked the deal because there was no public bidding. Previously, the poll body also cancelled a deal with Smartmatic because its machines failed to simultaneously record data on two memory cards.
Even with issues surrounding Smartmatic, Bautista said that the public still has to consider the company’s track record. Smartmatic Asia also recently proved that its machines could meet the government’s requirement in terms of recording data.
“We also have to look at their track record in respect of getting elections done. We have 2010 and 2013 to assess. On the other hand, we also have to consider what are our choices — why Comelec has been trying to consider other options,” Bautista said. “Last June 27, we had an end-to-end demonstration of the so-called hybrid system wherein there was a manual counting, but automated transmission and canvassing.”
Related: Comelec holds mock elections, tests hybrid system
Other options
The public bidding held on Tuesday, meanwhile, featured three contracts — one for the lease of 23,000 vote counting machines, another for the lease of over 70,000 more machines, and a third for the refurbishment of 81,000 PCOS machines.
While the Comelec called off the bidding for the 23,000 machines after reinstating its previous deal with Smartmatic, two companies — Smartmatic and Indra Sistemas — placed bids for the leasing of the 70,000 counting machines.
But with no takers for the refurbishment deal, it seems that the government might have to lease around 90,000 new voting machines for next year’s polls. Whatever its decision, the Comelec will have to act fast in considering other options given the limited time left.
“At this point, given that we’re about 10 odd months before our May 9 2016 elections. We really have to focus on what option we have to take,” Bautista said.
“As far as the Comelec is concerned, we need to make a decision by the end of July. That’s why we’re trying to consider what options are remaining,” he added.
Bautista also assured the public that in making its final decision, the poll body will be “consultative.”
