Comelec ready to sign poll automation contract with Smartmatic/TIM

MANILA, July 8 (PNA) -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is ready for the signing of the P7.2-billion poll automation contract with the Smartmatic Corporation and Total Information Management Inc. (TIM) on Friday.

“It is already pretty much in the form of what would be signed (by the two parties). It is just practically crossing the T's and dotting the I's,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

He said they are just waiting for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve the joint venture application of the two firms.

The firms submitted the requirements for incorporation last Monday after reconciling their differences last week at the Comelec office.

Last June 10, Smartmatic and TIM were declared as the winning bidders for giving the lowest calculated bid to automate the 2010 national and local polls.

However, prior to the signing of their incorporation papers, TIM executives declared they were backing out of the consortium. The two firms were able to settle their differences after the Comelec acted as mediator.

Meanwhile, Comelec Law Department Director Ferdinand Rafanan said that after the signing of the contract, he would issue a Notice to Proceed early next week.

The company will start manufacturing the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in Taiwan. The first batch of delivery is expected by October and the last set in February.

A total of 82,200 PCOS machines will be utilized in the first-ever automated polls of the country.