PCOS machine. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has opened the bidding for the systems upgrade of the old precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, which is being eyed for re-use in the May 2016 polls.
Interested bidders have until June 30 to purchase a complete set of bidding documents from the Coemelec’s office in Intramuros, Manila, for a nonrefundable fee of P75,000, according to the Comelec’s special bids and awards committee (SBAC).
In its invitation to bid, the Comelec–SBAC disclosed that the refurbishment of the more than 81,000 PCOS machines has an approved budget of P2.88 billion.
“Bids received in excess of the approved budget for the contract (ABC) per component shall be automatically rejected at bid opening,” said the SBAC.
The Comelec has set a prebid conference on June 17 at 2 p.m. at the Bureau of Treasury Hall at its office in Intramuros.
The PCOS machines shall be made available for viewing and inspection by prospective bidders until June 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Project Management Office (PMO) also at the Comelec office.
Deadline for the submission of bids is at 9 a.m. on June 30, with the bids to be opened an hour later.
The project includes the upgrading and/or replacement of parts, replacement of irreparable units, preventive maintenance and warranty, and hauling of the 81,896 units of PCOS, personnel services, consumables for the PCOS machines such as external memory storage device, marking pen, thermal paper, ballot scanner cleaning sheet, and provision of 47 million ballots.
The bidding for the PCOS machines repair services, to be supplemented by the 23,000 optical mark reader (OMR) machines, is one of the two options being eyed by the Comelec for the 2016 polls.
The other option is the lease of all new OMR machines.
The Comelec said Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) Corp. may still join the public bidding for the PCOS repair deal.
It can be recalled that the Supreme Court had previously junked the P268.8-million negotiated contract between the Comelec and Smartmatic-TIM, citing violations of Republic Act No. 9184, or the Government Procurement Act.
“Yes, Smartmatic-TIM may join in this bidding because they are not blacklisted,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told reporters in an interview.