The Public Contracts Regulations 2015

Setting time limits

47.—(1) When fixing the time limits for the receipt of tenders and requests to participate, contracting authorities shall take account of the complexity of the contract and the time required for drawing up tenders, without prejudice to the minimum time limits set out in regulations 27 to 31.

(2) Where tenders can be made only after a visit to the site or after on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the procurement documents, the time limits for the receipt of tenders, which shall be longer than the minimum time limits set out in regulations 27 to 31, shall be fixed so that all economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce tenders.

(3) Contracting authorities shall extend the time limits for the receipt of tenders so that all economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce tenders in the following cases:—

(a) where, for whatever reason, additional information, although requested by the economic operator in good time, is not supplied at the latest 6 days before the time limit fixed for the receipt of tenders;

(b) where significant changes are made to the procurement documents.

(4) The length of the extension shall be proportionate to the importance of the information or change.

(5) In the case of an accelerated procedure, the period mentioned in paragraph (3)(a) shall be 4 days.

(6) Where additional information has either not been requested in good time or its importance with a view to preparing responsive tenders is insignificant, contracting authorities are not required to extend the time limits.