Cosmocolor Asks Mexico’s ASF to Audit INE Voter ID Tender, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico): Cosmocolor has formally asked Mexico’s Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) to open a comprehensive investigation into public tender LP-INE-033/2025 and has placed its case files at the authority’s disposal. The request follows allegations of a lack of transparency and favoritism in the hiring process for the new voter ID card.
The December 10, 2025 ruling awarded the contract to an alliance formed by Cosmocolor, ICards Solutions, Talleres Gráficos de México and Servicios de Ingeniería y Tecnología. Company representatives stated that every change to the tender rules was recorded in public minutes and applied equally to all participants.
The firm also rejected any involvement of outside intermediaries and said the only legal challenge filed during the competition was voluntarily withdrawn by the competitor itself. On reported improper meetings with electoral authorities, it said a company official attended a presentation meeting held after the ruling, which the council president did not attend.
On cost, Cosmocolor said its offer was the most advantageous for public finances. The consortium priced each polycarbonate card component at US$0.65, which it said was 7.1% lower than the US$0.70 quoted by the Veridos México consortium, which placed second.
Responding to critics who allege a cost increase compared with the 2019 rate, when Veridos won at US$0.52 per unit and the card cost 9.99 pesos, the company said the new cost of 11.70 pesos, a nominal increase of 17.1%, remains well below cumulative inflation for the period, calculated at 38.5%. Adjusted for that inflation, the 2019 price would equal 13.83 pesos at late-2025 values.
The firm argues the new contract represents a real reduction of 15.4%, a saving of 2.13 pesos per card produced.
