Invitation to Bid

1. The COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS (COMELEC), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA), intends to apply the sum of Fifty-Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php58,500,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments to the above-named contract which is inclusive of all taxes, such as, but not limited to, value added tax (VAT), income tax, local taxes, and other fiscal levies.
   
   Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
2. The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) now invites bids for the Provision of Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Hardware and Software Updates, Security Enhancement Solutions and Related Services. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.
3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non- discretionary "pass/fail" criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the "Government Procurement Reform Act".
   
   Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.
4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from Mondays to Saturdays.
5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on September 8, 2017 to September 29, 2017 (before the deadline of the submission of bids) from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) for the Bidding Documents.
   
   It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity.
6. The BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 15, 2017, 10:00 a.m. at the COMELEC Session Hall, 8th Floor, Palacio del Gobernador Bldg., Gen. Luna cor. Postigo Sts., Intramuros, Manila, which shall be open to prospective bidders.
7. Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 9:00 a.m. of September 29, 2017. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.
   
   Bid Opening shall be on September 29, 2017, 10:00 a.m. at the COMELEC Session Hall, 8th Floor, Palacio del Gobernador Bldg., Gen. Luna cor. Postigo Sts., Intramuros, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders' representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.
8. The COMELEC reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.
9. For further information, please refer to:

SIGNED:

1. DOMA, REY D., BAC Vice Chairperson