IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati before the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation at Parliament, Nairobi. [David Njaaga, Standard]
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has extended the international tender application deadline for firms wishing to supply election materials.
The submission deadline is now August 27, 2021. This was communicated through an addendum notice posted on IEBC’s website.
In an earlier notice, the Wafula Chebukati-led electoral agency had given suppliers until yesterday (August 13, 2021) to have bid for the provision and delivery of ballot papers; register of voters, and statutory election result declaration forms to be used at the polling station.
The tender opening exercise however failed to take place Saturday morning, leading to the cancellation of a scheduled press conference.
“For clarification; Pursuant to section 75(1) of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act, 2015, the Commission hereby makes an addendum of the above tender as follows: For Tender submission purposes only, the deadline for Tender submission is Friday, August 27, 2021, at 11:00am East African Time,” read the notice.
This is even as it emerged that preparations for next year’s elections could be in limbo following a decision by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB) to stop IEBC from procuring a new technology to manage the polls.
Last month, the electoral agency announced that it is procuring 100 electoral materials in readiness for the 2022 general election and a possible referendum.
In an advert, the IEBC invited international tender bids for a contract that will run three years to supply election and referendum declaration forms, ballot papers, registrar of voters among other electoral materials.
Complicating the matter further however is the existence of a court ruling halting preparations for the planned plebiscite, but Chebukati explained that the international tender for ballot papers will run for three years and taking into account the strict timelines for the exercise, the winner will supply for the same.
Some of the materials in the Sh6.8 billion tender are for the 2022 elections.
“IEBC invites sealed tenders for the supply and delivery of ballot papers, registrar of voters, statutory election result declaration forms to be used at the polling station, election and referendum result declaration forms to be used at the constituency, county and national tallying centre on a three-year framework contract,” stated the advert.
It added, “Tendering will be conducted under open international tendering method using a standardized tender document. Tendering is open to all qualified security printing firms.”
Firms seeking to supply the commission will have their tenders campaigned by a tender security in Kenya shillings or easily convertible currency equivalent to Sh20 million valid for 210 days from the date of opening the tender.
A High Court bench comprising Justices Joel Ngugi, George Odunga, Jairus Ngaah, Teresia Matheka and Chacha Mwita had in May declared the planned referendum through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) as illegal, null and void.
The ruling has since been challenged in the Court of Appeal, and the appellate court directed the IEBC not to engage in any preparations for a possible referendum until the matter is determined next month.
IEBC officials and police officers inspect voting materials at Sega Polytechnic, Ugenya, on April 4, 2019. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]
Speaking to The Standard, Mr Chebukati explained that the three-year contract was basically for the delivery of items for the General Election.
“All ongoing procurement is in preparations for the General Election. The winning company will have a three-year contract. We are procuring for 100 materials,” he said.
Chebukati said the existing tender had expired and the new one will run for three years, which could also cover the referendum.
"We have 1883 elective posts. we seek to procure booklets for the exact number of the registered voters in a particular polling station. We are required to have a maximum of 700 voters per polling station and therefore we will not have extra to curb voter rigging. We never have 100 percent turn out," he explained.
He added, "They will be sealed and coded. Each ballot will be sent to the respective election area. This will be simpler as everything is printed and taken to the polling stations.
The commission boss said in the event the court will rule in favour of pro-BBI, the commission will have at least 90 days to prepare.
