THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday announced the awarding of the online voting and counting system (OVCS) project to the joint venture of SMS Global Technologies Inc. and Sequent Tech Inc.
In a resolution, the Comelec en banc adopted the recommendation of the Special Bids and Awards Committee to award the project to be used in the 2025 overseas voting to the SMS-Sequent JV.
The SMS-Sequent joint venture (JV) submitted a bid proposal of P112 billion for the OVCS project with an approved budget of P465.8 billion for a total savings amount of P353.810 billion for the government.
“The JV of SMS and Sequent is the bidder with the lowest calculated and responsive bid for the project,” said the Comelec quoting the SBAC recommendation.
The Comelec also said SMS-Sequent passed the post-qualification evaluation of the SBAC.
“After careful review and re-evaluation of the requirements submitted and presented to the SBAC, the latter found that the bidder complies with all the legal, technical, and financial requirements of the project,” said the poll body.
In winning the project, the SMS-Sequent JV bested three other bidders, namely the Voatz Inc.-ePLDT Inc.-and EBizolution, Inc. JV; Indra Soluciones Technologias de la Information; and the JV of AMA Group Holdings Corporation, Dasan Network Solutions, Inc, and Kevoting Inc.
The AMA-Dasan-Kevoting JV was declared ineligible, while Indra was disqualified during the financial evaluation.
Declared as the second lowest calculated bidder, on the other hand, was Voatz Inc.-ePLDT Inc.-and EBizolution, Inc. JV.
With the decision, the Comelec en banc is expected to issue a notice of award to the SMS-Sequent JV. This will be followed by the contract negotiations, contract signing, and the notice to proceed.
Earlier in the day, the SBAC denied the motion for reconsideration of Voatz Inc.-ePLDT Inc.-and EBizolution, Inc. JV for being “bereft of merit.”
“Based on the above disquisition, this Committee finds no reason to reverse its decision of declaring the Joint Venture of SMS Global Technologies, Inc. & Sequent Tech Inc. as the bidder with the ‘Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bid’,” said the SBAC.
The SBAC said it disagreed with the claim of the Voatz Inc.-ePLDT Inc.-and EBizolution, Inc. JV that the winning bidder has failed to comply with the certain project requirements.
“After careful review and re-evaluation of the requirements submitted and presented by Joint Venture of SMS Global Technologies, Inc. & Sequent Tech Inc., this Committee found that it complies with all the legal, technical, and financial requirements of this procurement project,” said the SBAC.
