NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 19 – A Greek firm which quoted €7,172.85 per 3,000 ballot papers has been awarded a tender to print ballot papers and the voters roll for the 2022 General Election.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said Inform Lykos quoted the lowest evaluated responsive price equating to Sh921,326 per 3,000 ballot papers.
The three year contract will entail supply and delivery of ballot papers, register of voters, statutory declaration forms to be used in polling stations, as well as election and referendum result forms to be used at constituency tallying centres.
Close to 14 foreign firms tendered for the contract with local companies showing no interest.
Al Ghurair printing and publishing company which was awarded the tender for 2017 general elections was denied business on the basis that it didn’t meet the 40 per cent local content threshold.
“The commission hereby regrets to inform you that your tender was unsuccessful due to the following reason. You did not meet the requirement for 40 percent local content,” a letter addressed to the firm read.
In 2017, IEBC awarded Dubai-based Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company a Sh2.5 billion tender to print ballot papers.
There was controversy over the tender award to the Dubai-based firm to print the ballot papers for the 2017 general election after the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) claimed the firm could be used to manipulate the poll outcome by printing extra ballots.
Among the 13 firms that sought the tender for the 2022 election include United Printing and Publishing , Go Inspire Solutions, Aerovote Security Print and Electoral Supplies, as well as Masar Printing and Publishing.
Go Inspire and Masar Printing and Publishing were locked out for failing to submit certified audited accounts for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020 as well as an auditor’s certificate indicating the companies’ unqualified report.
Uniprint – a division of Insidedata (South) PTY, Aerovote Security Print and Electoral Supplies, Tall Security Print Ltd and Ellams Products Limited were denied the tender because they did not submit a certified ISO 14298 certificate or its equivalent for security printing from a recognized authority.
Africa Infrastructure Development Company, Seshaasai Business Forms PVT Ltd, and Kwanginsa Co Ltd also did not make the cut.
In a statement signed by acting IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan, the electoral agency advised aggrieved firms to file procurement-related complaints by October 28.
The commission also said the standstill period, a time-frame within which unsuccessful bidders have an opportunity to challenge an intended contract award decision before the actual notification of award, will end at midnight on October 28.
“The standstill period last ten business days after the date of transmission of this notification of intention to award,” Marjan stated.
