IEBC ordered to revise Integrated Elections Management System tender

The Public Procurement Administrative Review Board has ordered Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to revise its tender for an Integrated Elections Management System (IEMS). The ruling follows a challenge by Galadriel Investments Limited regarding the Ksh6.5 billion procurement process intended for the 2027 General Election.

The Board identified several deficiencies in the tender document, noting that technical evaluation criteria lacked clarity on how compliance would be assessed and how scores would be allocated. Additionally, the Board found that the document failed to resolve which international arbitration framework would apply to disputes involving international suppliers, creating uncertainty for bidders. Provisions concerning hardware and technology ownership were also flagged as insufficiently clear to ensure objective evaluation.

Rather than canceling the tender, the Board directed the IEBC to correct the disputed sections and publish an amended version. Prospective bidders must be granted at least seven days to review the changes. The IEBC is also permitted to seek technical guidance from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) during this process. The commission had previously acknowledged an error regarding performance security requirements, which had incorrectly requested 20 per cent of the contract value instead of the legal 10 per cent limit.