The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced the cancellation of the procurement process for the Election Results Management System (ERMS) for the electronic transmission of results from the various constituencies during the 2016 elections.
The Commission has explained that the two IT firms shortlisted for the ERMS, Scytel and Smartmatic, failed to meet the criteria required for the transmission.
[contextly_sidebar id=”0P1NRLHx6J5r9F8GmGUVBqU3xDKf6ad1″]“After a careful assessment of the technical demonstration and evaluation of the technical and financial proposals, the evaluation panel was not satisfied with any of the tenderers,” a statement signed by the EC Head of Communications, Eric Dzakpasu, noted.
Reasons for cancellation
The evaluation panel’s conclusion was influenced by the fact that the tenderers could not match up to the technical criteria alongside major deviations from the administrative criteria and meaning the EC had concerns about the technical ability of the tenderers to perform the project satisfactorily.
The EC also said the tenders submitted highlighted the need to significantly revise the scope of the project.
The Commission has thus said it would “augment its internal capacity to deploy a modest results collation and transmission system for election 2016.
Arguments against the ERMS
The proposed implementation of the ERMS brewed some friction with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) kicking against this new EC reform arguing that process failed to address the critical challenges that the election reform process seeks to overcome.
The NPP also said that the decision to outsource the electronic transmission of results to a third party was a waste of resources because the proposed ERMS for the 275 constituencies, was ostensibly taking place as the Commission already transmits its summary collated sheets from its district offices.
Find below the EC’s full statement
CANCELLATION OF TENDER FOR ELECTION RESULTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ERMS)
The Commission wishes to announce the decision to cancel the tender process for the procurement of the Election Results Management System (ERMS) for the 2016 elections.
As part of the procurement process which began from March 2, 2016, two vendors out of three shortlisted companies, qualified for technical demonstration and financial evaluation of their bids.
After a careful assessment of the technical demonstration and evaluation of the technical and financial proposals, the evaluation panel was not satisfied with any of the tenderers. The panel’s conclusion was influenced by the following:
- There was observed failure to meet the technical criteria and major deviations from the administrative criteria.
- There was also concerns about the technical ability of the tenderers to perform the project satisfactorily.
- The tenders submitted showed the need to significantly revise the scope of the project.
For the above reasons, the Commission endorsed the unanimous recommendations of the evaluation panel and has decided to discontinue the project.
Accordingly, the Commission will augment its internal capacity to deploy a modest results collation and transmission system for election 2016.
This system has been utilised successfully in the four parliamentary by-elections conducted by the Commission since July 2015. The system would be finetuned and demonstrated to the political parties and other stakeholders involved in the elections results collation process before the December 7, 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Signed: ERIC KOFI DZAKPASU Head of Communications
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana