Comelec: iOne joint venture offers lowest bid for 2025 polls transmission services

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) on the Automated Election System (AES) has declared the joint venture led by iOne Resources, Inc. as having submitted the lowest calculated bid for the procurement of Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) which will be used in the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).

"Whereas, after the Opening of the Financial Component of the above-mentioned
ELIGIBLE BIDDERS, the SBAC-AES proceeded with the bid evaluation in accordance with Section 32.2.1 of IRR of RA 9184 and DECLARED IONE RESOURCES, INC. JOINT
VENTURE WITH ARDENT NETWORKS, INC. as the bidder which submitted the LOWEST CALCULATED BID," the SBAC resolution read.

The joint venture of iOne Resources, Inc. and Ardent Networks, Inc. set its bid offer at P1,426,000,348, while the other bidder, the joint venture of eBiZolution, Inc.-Secur Links Network and Technologies Inc.-Systems Information and Solutions Corporation, which was also declared eligible to bid for the project, set its bid offer at P1,628,888,888.

Since the joint venture of iOne has the lowest calculated bid, the Comelec SBAC has directed a technical working group to conduct a post-qualification evaluation to determine whether or not the bidder complies with and is responsive to all the requirements and conditions of the SETS project.

This process should be completed within 12 calendar days which can be extended to 45 days but subject to the approval of Comelec Chairman George Garcia being the Head of the Procuring Entity.

The joint venture is likewise directed to submit several documents to the SBAC within five days from the receipt of the Notice of Lowest Calculated Bid.

In a text message, Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco, who also sits as vice chairman of the SBAC, said that if the joint venture of iOne is "post-disqualified" then the joint venture of eBiZolution, Inc. will be allowed to undergo the post-qualification evaluation. — BM, GMA Integrated News