Electoral Commission chiefs went against the advice of their own tender evaluation committee and went ahead to award a Sh3.8 billion contract for the supply of voter technology to a French firm which had failed to meet the criteria set out in the bid document. The Nation has learnt that the firm – Safran Identity and Security – had been disqualified by a six-member committee set up to evaluate the bids by 10 companies that had expressed interest in supplying a system for voter identification and results transmission for the August 8 General Election. Despite the disqualification, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced last Friday that it had resolved to directly procure the election equipment from Safran, following the cancellation of a previous tender awarded to Gemalto SA – another French firm.
Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said the tender was cancelled because Gemalto SA, the only company that had gone to the level of financial evaluation, had quoted Sh5.2 billion against the available budget of Sh3.8 billion.
The company, he said, was also incapable of meeting the commission’s operation and legal timelines to manufacture, delivery, install and commission the system.
Safran was chosen because “it had undertaken to deliver the technology within the statutory timelines” of May 10 this year, said Mr Chebukati.
Full Article: Kenya: Electoral Commission Defied Expert Advice in Sh3.8bn Polls Kit Tender – allAfrica.com.
