PART 2RULES IMPLEMENTING THE PUBLIC CONTRACTS DIRECTIVE

CHAPTER 2RULES ON PUBLIC CONTRACTS

SECTION 3Procedures

Open Procedure28

1

In an open procedure, a contracting authority must permit any interested economic operator to submit a tender in response to a call for competition within the time period set by the authority in accordance with this regulation.

2

The tender must be accompanied by the information for qualitative selection that is required by the contracting authority.

3

Subject to paragraphs (4) to (6), the minimum time period for the receipt of tenders shall be 35 days from the date on which the contract notice is F1submitted for publication.

4

Where a contracting authority has published a prior information notice F5..., the minimum time limit for the receipt of tenders may be reduced to 15 days, provided that—

a

the prior information notice included all the information required F2by regulation 49(2) insofar as that information was available at the time the prior information notice was published; and

b

the prior information notice was F3submitted for publication between 35 days and 12 months before the date on which the contract notice was F3submitted for publication.

5

Where a state of urgency duly substantiated by a contracting authority renders it impracticable to apply the minimum time limit set out in paragraph (3), the authority may fix a time limit which must not be less than 15 days from the date on which the contract notice was F4submitted for publication.

6

A contracting authority may reduce the minimum time period referred to in paragraph (3) by a period of up to 5 days where it accepts that tenders may be submitted by electronic means in accordance with regulation 23 (rules applicable to communication).