1. - Period before Tenders Submission –
Tender Process
- Period before Tenders Submission –

2. Additional information
Tender Dossier should be drafted clear enough for the Tenderers not to require further information.
There may be however various aspects that are not well enough understood.
Also there may be Tenderers that can not fulfil the requirements in the TD and through “twisted” questions, may attempt to obtain answers altering the initial requirements – particular attention in drafting the answers.
Tenderers may ask for additional information up to 21 days before the submission deadline.
Contracting Authority must reply no later than 11 days before the submission deadline.

3. Additional information – 13 ITT
Contracting Authority shall provide all received questions and related answers, to all known Tenderers, without disclosing the source of the questions and shall also publish them on the EuropeAid website.
Cc of the letters to be sent to the tenderers should also be sent to the EC Delegation (until EDIS).
In case you can not identify all potential Tenderers, you must publish a Corrigendum Notice setting out eventual changes to TD. Bear in mind you have to send the Notice at least 15 days before the intended date for publication.
In case of significant changes, Contracting Authority, up to 11 days before, may extend this deadline, for allowing Tenderers to comply with the changes.

4. Additional information - 14 ITT, Information meeting – Site visit
In case of complex technical content of TD, or for clarifying various procedural aspects, Contracting Authority may organise an information meeting or a site visit. These will be announced and scheduled no later than 21 days before the deadline for offers submission.
- at the site visit no questions or answers can be dealt regarding the TD!
Minutes must be sent afterwards to all known Tenderers, whether or not they participated.
Contracting Authority/ Beneficiary will ensure full and equal access to information to all Tenderers, without discriminating any of them.
No visits by individual companies are allowed.

5. Tenders alteration/ withdrawal – 15 ITT
Tenderers may alter or withdraw their tenders by written notification prior to the deadline for offers submission.
Any notification of alteration or withdrawal must be prepared, sealed, marked and submitted in accordance with Clause 10 of ITT, and the envelope must also be marked with “Alteration" or “Withdrawal".
No tender may be altered after the deadline for submission. The withdrawal of a tender in the period between the deadline for submission and the date of expiry of the validity of the tender will result in forfeiture of the tender guarantee provided for in Clause 22 of ITT.

6. Tenders submission – Clause 10 ITT
Technical and Financial offers must be placed in a single sealed envelope, itself placed in a package or an outer envelope and must be:
received before deadline and include all documents indicated in Clause 11 of ITT.
submitted in one original and the number of copies stated in TD.
outer envelope shall indicate:
address where to be submitted
reference code (publication reference)
number of Lot(s) – if applicable
“Not to be opened before the tender opening session”, both in tender language and local language
name of Tenderer

7. Where a tender is submitted by post or delivered by hand, the following rules should apply:
The Tenderer should seal the original and copies of the tender in an envelope, duly marking them as ORIGINAL and COPY.
The envelope should be addressed to the purchaser and bear the procurement references indicated in the tender document and with a statement “Not to be opened before the tender-opening”, in both English and local language
An incorrectly sealed and marked tender may run the risk of misplacement or premature opening, for which the Contracting Authority cannot be held responsible
In case the tender is received after the tender submission deadline the tender will be returned to the tenderer.
The tender must be signed by an authorised person according to the instructions stated in the tender dossier

8. Tenders submission
On the Contracting Authority side, in case of institutions located in buildings with restricted access, make sure you establish an easy access of Tenderers for submitting their bids and advise accordingly the person in charge.
The deadline for submissions must fall on a working day (recommended the second half of the week and afternoon).

9. Tenders submission
On receiving tenders, the Contracting Authority must register them (date/time) in the order of receipt and provide a signed receipt for those delivered by hand
The outer envelopes of tenders should be numbered in order of receipt
Tenders must be handled with care for avoiding damaging the outer envelope and placed in a secure location.
No tender should be accepted after the deadline, or if submitted at a wrong address.
Such acceptance may trigger claims from other Tenderers eager to eliminate a competitor.