Sealed applications for eligibility and bid documents for the procurement of voting/counting machines, including the supply of ballot paper, where applicable; electronic transmission facilities/equipment; city and municipal consolidation/canvassing software and hardware; provincial and district consolidation/canvassing software and hardware; regional and national consolidation/canvassing software and hardware; training; technical support; warehousing, deployment; installation; pull-out; systems integration; and overall project management, to be used in the Automation of the Voting, Counting, Transmission and Canvassing of Votes for the August 11, 2008 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Elections, namely:

Lot 1:
	A.	Electronic Voting System (EVS) Integrated with Election Management System (EMS); and
	B.	Automated Counting System (ACS) Integrated with Election Management System (EMS)
Lot 2:
	A.	Secure Electronic Transmission System (ETS) for Election Results; and
	B.	Consolidation/Canvassing System (CCS)
Lot 3:
		Systems Integration and Overall Project Management

shall be received at the COMELEC Session Hall, 8th floor, Palacio del Gobernador, General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila, on 10 March 2008 at 10:00 a.m., at which place, date and time, said sealed bids shall be opened in the presence of the members of the Bids and Awards Committee, representatives of the Commission on Elections, Commission on Audit, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, the participating bidders and the public, with an Approved Budget for the Contract in the amount of Eight Hundred Sixty-Seven Million Three Hundred Twenty-Nine Thousand (PhP 867,329,000.00) Pesos, charged against the 2008 appropriations for election modernization.

     Bid documents may be obtained starting 14 February 2008, during regular office hours from the BAC Secretariat, Property Division, Administrative Services Department, Casa Rocha Building, Andres Soriano Street, Intramuros, Manila, upon payment with the Cash Division, Commission on Elections, in cash or Manager’s/Cashier’s check, payable to “The Commission on Elections”, of a non-refundable amount of Eighty-Six Thousand (PhP 86,000.00) Pesos. A Special Power of Attorney, made and executed by the prospective bidder, shall be required should it assign a representative to secure the bid documents.

     A Pre-Bid Conference is scheduled on 25 February 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at the Session Hall, Commission on Elections, 8th Floor, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila.

     Deadline for submission to the BAC of sealed application for eligibility and bid envelopes shall be at 10:00 o’clock in the morning at the Session Hall, Commission on Elections, Palacio del Gobernador Condominium, General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila on 10 March 2008, at which time, date and place the sealed applications and bid envelopes shall be opened.

     Bids shall be accompanied by a Bid Security equivalent to one per centum (1%) of the Approved Budget for the Contract, or a total of Eight Million Six Hundred Seventy Three Thousand Two Hundred Ninety (PhP 8,673,290.00) Pesos, in the form of cash or manager’s check, cashier’s check, bank draft or irrevocable letter of credit in favor of “The Commission on Elections”.

     The delivery schedules are indicated in the General Implementation Calendar, Part IV, Project Relevant Information, of the Terms of Reference/Request for Proposal.

     The COMELEC reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any formal defect contained therein, and accept the lowest calculated responsive bid that is most advantageous to the Commission. Likewise, it reserves the right to review the qualifications of the bidders after the bidding and before the contract is executed. Should such review uncover any change in the situation of the bidder to materially downgrade the substance of such statements, the COMELEC shall disqualify the bidder upon due notice without any obligation whatsoever on the part of the COMELEC for any expense or loss that may be incurred by the bidder in the preparation of its bid.

     February 12, 2008