THE Commission on Elections on Monday said the scheduled biddings for the acquisition of services and supplies for the October Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan will push through despite moves to postpone the electoral exercise.
According to Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez, the bidding process will be conducted but the poll body can delay the awarding of the contracts.
“Kung mag-start tayo sa bidding, pwede namang i-delay yung award. Kumbaga pipili ka na para huwag ka maubusan ng oras, pero the bidders will know that they will not get the award until clear na lahat,” he said in a forum in Manila Monday morning.
The poll body official added, “So alam na nila na may nanalo [They will know if somebody wins, but] pero yung notice of award which will trigger production, delivery, etc. can be held in abeyance.”
Jimenez explained unless Congress passes a law postponing the Barangay and SK laws, they will continue with their preparations.
“Hanggang hindi sila naglalabas ng tapos na batas, hangga’t wala ganun tuloy tayo. [Until they don’t come out with a new law, we’ll go ahead]. In fact late last week nagsimula na request for proposal sa mga suppliers,” he said.
Earlier, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers filed House Bill 5359, which is seeking to postpone the scheduled polls to May 2020.
President Rodrigo Duterte had also proposed to delay anew the Barangay and SK elections and instead appoint village officials.
The poll body, meanwhile, has opened the bidding process for the forwarding services of the deliverables in different regions in connection with the October polls.
In its Invitation to Bid, the Comelec-Bids and Awards Committee revealed that the approved budget for the contract (ABC) is P79,077,479.40.
The Comelec said a complete set of bidding documents is available until May 5. It can be purchased at P25,000 (non-refundable) for each item.
The Pre-Bid Conference will be held on April 17, at 2 p.m., at the Comelec Session Hall located at the Palacio del Gobernador Bldg. in Intramuros, Manila.
The BAC noted that the deadline for the submission of bids is on or before 9 a.m. of May 5, adding that no late bids will be accepted. The opening of the bids will immediately follow at 10 a.m. also at the Comelec Session Hall.
Last week, the poll body has started the bidding process for the supply and delivery of various supplies, with a budget of P164,389,542.14.
