The Commission on Elections has directed the Smartmatic-Total Information Management 2016 Inc. to proceed with the refurbishment of 97,145 vote counting machines (VCMs) for 2022 national and local elections.
In a Notice to Proceed posted on the Comelec’s website on June 25, the poll body gave the international company to start the restoration of the VCMs.
The Comelec has approved over P637.4 million for the “refurbishment with consumables.”
The refurbishment contract, signed by Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas, also includes 109,745 pieces of secure digital cards, 109,745 pieces of worm SD cards (back-up), and 250,000 pieces of cleaning sheets.
The same VCMs were used in the mid-term elections in 2019.
Last week, SMMT-TIM 2016 Inc. was declared as the sole bidder for the lease contract for the supply and delivery of VCMs external batteries.
It submitted a proposal for the P162.13 million supply contract during the opening of bids by the Special Bids and Awards Committee of the Comelec.*PNA
