The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday officially awarded the P1.4-billion Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) project contract for the 2025 automated polls to the winning bidder —the joint venture of iOne Resources Inc. and Ardent Networks, Inc.
The notice of award released by Comelec on Thursday stated that as a result of winning the transmission contract, the joint venture is tasked to complete the requirements within 10 calendar days from receipt of the notice of award.
The requirements include the signing of the contract; submission of a supply and delivery management plan; presentation of a valid joint venture agreement document, and payment of a post-performance security in an amount equal to a percentage of the total contract price.
Should the winning joint venture fail to provide the performance security and/or sign the contract within 10 calendar days, such will be deemed sufficient ground for the cancellation of the award, disqualification, forfeiture of bid security; and imposition of appropriate sanctions as provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations and existing laws, except where such failure, refusal, or inability is through no fault of the winning bidder under Section 40 of the Procurement Law (RA 9184) and its implementing rules and regulations.
The Comelec said it will impose a blacklisting penalty as provided under the said law.
Comelec chairman George Garcia earlier said that Comelec procured the SETS project since the poll body will not be using the transparency server provided by the winning bidder for vote counting machines for the 2025 automated polls.
With SETS in place, Garcia said that the poll results will be sent to the telecommunications companies.
The joint venture of iOne and Ardent will provide the equipment to reconcile the data from the telecommunication companies before they are sent to the five citizens arms of the Comelec, the majority and minority parties, the municipal or city board of canvassers, and the poll body’s national server.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
