The Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016

Enforcement of duties through the courts

101.—(1) A breach of the duty owed in accordance with regulation 100 (duty owed to economic operators) is actionable by any economic operator which, in consequence of the breach, suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage.

(2) Any proceedings for the purposes of paragraph (1) must be brought in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.

(3) Proceedings under this regulation may not be brought unless—

(a) the economic operator bringing the proceedings has informed the utility of—

(i) the breach or apprehended breach of the duty owed to it in accordance with regulation 100 (duty owed to economic operators); and

(ii) of its intention to bring proceedings under this Part in respect of that breach or apprehended breach; and

(b) the proceedings are brought in accordance with paragraph (4).

(4) For the purpose of paragraph (3)(b), proceedings must be brought—

(a) in the case of proceedings seeking an ineffectiveness order (as defined in regulation 104 (ineffectiveness orders))—

(i) where paragraph (5) applies, within 30 days from the relevant date referred to in that paragraph; and

(ii) in any other case, within 6 months from the date of the contract being entered into or the date of conclusion of the framework agreement; and

(b) in any other case, within 30 days beginning with the date when the economic operator first knew or ought to have known that grounds for starting the proceedings had arisen unless the court considers that there is a good reason for extending the period within which proceedings may be brought, in which case the court may extend that period up to a maximum of 3 months from that date.

(5) For the purpose of paragraph (4)(a)(i), this paragraph applies where—

(a) the utility has sent a contract award notice to the Official Journal in accordance with regulation 69 (form and manner of sending notices for publication at EU level), including reasons for its decision to enter into the contract or conclude the framework agreement without prior publication of a call for competition, in which case the relevant date is the date of publication of the notice in the Official Journal; or

(b) the utility has by notice in writing informed all tenderers concerned and all candidates concerned (if any) of its decision in relation to the award of the contract or the conclusion of the framework agreement, and the notice includes the information referred to in regulation 98(2)(d)(i) or, as the case may be, (e) (notices of decisions to award a contract or conclude a framework agreement), in which case the relevant date is the date of sending of the notice.