Section I. Invitation to Bid (IB)

Procurement of Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) for 2022 NLE Election Results

(SBAC Ref No. 03-2021SETS)

Approved Budget for the Contract: Php1,056,000,000.00

1. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for FY 2021, intends to apply the sum of One Billion Fifty Six Million Pesos (Php1,056,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payment under the contract for the Procurement of Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) for 2022 NLE Election Results with details as follows:

Deion Qty Total Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC)

(VAT Exempt)

(Php) Cost/Price of Bid Documents

(cash payment only) (Php)

Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) for 2022 NLE Election Results 1 Lot 1,056,000,000.00 75,000.00

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

2. The COMELEC now invites bids for the above Procurement Project. Delivery of goods/ services is required as per attached Section VI – Schedule of Requirements.

Bidders should have completed, within eight (8) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. Similar in nature shall mean contracts involving “Nationwide Electronics Data Transmission using Public Telecommunication Networks”

The deion of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II-Instructions to Bidders (ITB).

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 No. 5183.

4. Prospective bidders may obtain further information from the SBAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents, subject to standard health protocols being implemented, at the SBAC Secretariat Office at 305-A 3/F Annex Building, Far East Managers and Investors Incorporated (FEMII) Building, A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM from Mondays to Fridays or call at Tel No. 8254-3611 Telefax No. 8254-3523, email address sbac@comelec.gov.ph / comelec.sbac.aes.secretariat@gmail.com and at the COMELEC website www.comelec.gov.ph.

5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested bidders on the date and address specified below. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the COMELEC website, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

Fees may be paid in person at the address specified below or online through fund transfer or account deposit to COMELEC’s Landbank of the Philippines Peso Current Account as specified below:

• Peso Current Account No. 0012-1042-86

In which case, a copy of the transaction slip or deposit slip shall be sent via email by the bidder to sbac@comelec.gov.ph copy furnished the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) Secretariat at comelec.sbac.aes.secretariat@gmail.com, immediately upon payment or not later than the submission of their bids.

The Schedule of Bidding Activities shall be as follows:

ACTIVITIES TIME VENUE

1. Sale and Issuance of Bidding Documents 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Mondays to Fridays

starting 25 March 2021 SBAC SECRETARIAT OFFICE

Procurement Management Department,

Commission on Elections

305-A 3/F Annex Building, Far East Managers and Investors Incorporated (FEMII) Building, A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila

2. Pre-Bid Conference 07 April 2021 (Wednesday),

2:00 PM Online via Microsoft Teams

3. Deadline for Submission of Bids 20 April 2021 (Tuesday),

9:00 AM Bureau of the Treasury (BTR) Convention Hall

3rd Floor, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila

4. Opening of Bids 20 April 2021 (Tuesday),

10:00 AM BTR Convention Hall

3rd Floor, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila

6. The COMELEC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on the scheduled date and time as indicated in Paragraph 5 of this IB through video conferencing/webcasting via Microsoft Teams, which shall be open to all prospective bidders.

7. Bids must be duly received by the SBAC Secretariat through manual submission at the location address indicated in Paragraph 5 of this IB on or before 20 April 2021, 9:00 AM. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 14.

9. Bid opening shall be on the time and date and at the given address indicated in Paragraph 5 of this IB. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend the activity. However, to reduce the risks and hazards of community transmission of COVID-19, physical attendance of the bidders’ representative shall be limited to a maximum of two (2) duly authorized representatives. Bidder’s representative/s who will physically attend the Opening of Bids shall submit to the SBAC Secretariat a negative RT-PCR Test Result taken within three (3) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

Others may attend online via MS Teams, with each bidder being given a maximum of two (2) online access points to log in and join. Please refer to Paragraph 10 of this IB for instructions.

10. Additional Instructions for the Pre-bid Conference and Bid Opening

In line with the precautionary health measures being adopted by the COMELEC, prospective bidders interested to join the Pre-Bid Conference and Bid Opening via video conference (MS Teams) may send request for MS Teams Invitation to the sbac@comelec.gov.ph / comelec.sbac.aes.secretariat@gmail.com with the following information together with proof of identity of the attendee/s or duly authorized representative/s a day before the scheduled conference.

(1) Name of Project

(2) Project Identification No.

(3) Activity

(Indicate whether Pre-Bid Conference or Bid Opening)

(4) Company Name

(5) Address

(6) Name of Representative (maximum of two [2])

(7) Contact Number/s

(8) Designated Email Address

(to which all communications from the SBAC shall be sent)

(9) Scanned copy of Photo of Proof of Identity

(Please attach Company ID or any Government Issued ID)

For detailed instructions, please see Section X of the Bidding Documents for the: (1) Notice on the Conduct of Online Pre-Bid Conference; and (2) Notice on the Precautionary Measures to Reduce the Risks and Hazards of Community Transmission of COVID-19 during the Submission, Receipt and Opening of Bids.

11. 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/s.