Comelec to sign internet deal for overseas voting

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) and winning bidder SMS Global Technologies Inc. and Sequent Tech Inc. joint venture (JV Global Technology) will sign on Tuesday the contract for the online voting and counting system (OVCS) that will be used in the first-ever online voting of overseas Filipinos in the 2025 midterm polls.

Chairman George Erwin Garcia and his JV Global Technology counterpart will lead today's contract signing at the poll body's main office in Intramuros, Manila, which will be highlighted thereafter by an internet voting demonstration.

Garcia said the winning bidder in the OVCS should guarantee that the votes from day one of the monthlong overseas voting should be secured.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco. Photo from COMELEC

«We would like to show the public how the OVCS would be used to protect the security and integrity of the votes. We must remember that the overseas voting will run for one month, and the Comelec must be able to secure their votes. These are the guarantees that we ask to the winning bidder,» Garcia said.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said that JV Global Technology's P112-million bid was declared by the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) as the lowest calculated offer, besting three other firms, during the second round of bidding.

The JV Global Technology's offer was far too low from the commission's approved budget contract of P465.8 million. It outbid Voatz lnc., EPLDT Inc., Ebizolution Inc. Joint Venture at P435,528,888.

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On the other hand, Indra Soluciones was disqualified for submitting a non-responsive or non-compliant bid of P459 million, while the JV of AMA Group-Dasan-Kevoting was declared as a non-eligible bidder for failure to submit the credential of the certifying entity as required under Section VII, Sec. 4,5 of the bidding documents.

Voatz filed a petition before the Comelec en banc seeking to disqualify the winning bidder for alleged failure to comply with certain technical requirements of the bidding documents.

But the petition was shot down by the commission, saying that the request for reconsideration of the Voatz joint venture to disqualify the winning bidder does not possess