US company to conduct compliance audit of October 1 elections and electronic means employed
The US-registered and accredited company, Pro V&V will conduct a compliance audit of the October 1, 2023 midterm/extraordinary elections and the electronic means employed during these elections.
According to the Central Election Commission, the company, selected by them through market research is accredited in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025 standards. The company has experience in conducting audits of electronic technologies used in elections across different countries (including the USA, Philippines, Republic of Dominique).
“It should be noted that conducting an audit ensures even more transparency and publicity of the election process. At the same time, it reaffirms the commitment of the Election Administration to adhere to international standards, especially in the process of introducing electronic technologists.
The first stage of the audit envisaged the visit of auditors in Georgia, conducting preparatory activities, and developing the action plan which is already completed. The second phase entails conducting the audit and preparing a report by November 1 of the current year”, said Central Election Commission.
According to the agreement signed with the company Pro V&V, the audit services include the preparation of the audit report and recommendations on the following issues:
Audit of compliance of elections (voting) conducted using electronic means to ensure that it aligns with international electoral principles; Audit of compliance of elections (voting) conducted using electronic means to ensure that it aligns with the electoral legislation of Georgia; Audit of the technical and software functionality of electronic voting capabilities (electoral technologies):voter verification devices VIU Desktop 818-100; special vote counting devices PCOS SAES-1800Plus;tablet computer VIU Tablet 100;Software for devices;Overview of source code.
In order to procure compliance audit services, the Central Election Commission conducted a market survey, in which three audit companies with experience in the same field participated. One of them refused to provide the service, and two submitted a proposal, of which the company Pro V&Vb was chosen on the lowest price principle.
