The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared 2 consortiums–Indra Sistemas S.A. and Smartmatic International–eligible to vie for the P11.2 billion poll automation project.

"We have declared two [consortiums] eligible after going over their legal eligibility documents,” said Ferdinand Rafanan, chairman of the Comelec special bids and awards committee. Four groups have submitted their bids after Comelec reconsidered its disqualification of all the participants in the first round of bidding.

Found ineligible to bid was the consortium on AMA Group of Holdings Corp and ES&S International, while that of Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. and FF Cruz is still under review. (Read story on controversy about FF Cruz and Rafanan.)
 
"The  lowest calculated bidder will present his machine on monday," Rafanan said, adding that the Comelec is still hopeful that poll automation will push through in the 2010 elections despite the setbacks in the bidding process.

"We still have enough time. We have lost 7 days but we estimate that before the end of this month we shall have fully recovered these 7 days. By the end of May we will  be awarding the contract to the successful bidder," Rafanan said. – with reports from Timi Nubla, ABS-CBN News