Comelec to start bidding for 2013 polls next week

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident that it can meet its self-imposed deadline of March 7 as the start of the bidding process for the 2013 midterm polls, an official of the poll body said yesterday.

In an interview, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said Comelec commissioners were asked for their written opinions on the possibility of buying the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines used in the 2010 presidential polls.

“We’ll wait for their final decision and let their written opinions speak for themselves... At this point, there’s no decision yet. In our initial timetable, we should start by March 7,” Jimenez said.

The Comelec is studying the possibility of just buying some 81,000 PCOS machines used in the 2010 presidential elections since this will only require P1.8 billion.

If the Comelec chooses to lease brand new machines through a public bidding, it will need P6.2 billion, leaving not much for logistics, services and other electoral expenses since the agency was given merely P7 billion for the 2013 elections.

Based on Comelec’s timeline, the bidding process shall run from March 7 to June 4 this year.

March 7 has been seen as the date of publication of the Invitation to Bid and April 2 for the submission and opening of bids.

May 8, meanwhile, has been set as the date for the issuance of the Notice of Award and June 4 for the issuance of the Notice to Proceed with the bidding.

According to Jimenez, the Comelec is formulating the terms of reference so that the agency can immediately proceed with the bidding once they come up with a decision on the PCOS machines.

The Comelec has also named those who will compose the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) that will conduct the bidding for next year’s polls.

They are deputy executive director for administration Helen Aguila-Flores as chairman; Comelec director for Metro Manila lawyer Jubil Surmieda as vice chairman and Eden Bolo of the Information Technology Department, Norma Galutera of the Finance Service Department and lawyer John Rex Laudianco of the Law Department as members.