44.—(1) The obligation on a utility to comply with the provisions of these Regulations, other than regulations 30(9) and 38, and with any enforceable EU obligation in respect of a contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or design contest (other than one excluded from the application of these Regulations by regulation 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 or 34) is a duty owed to an economic operator.
(2) The duty owed to an economic operator in accordance with paragraph (1) is also owed to a GPA economic operator, except in relation to—
(a)a Part B services contract; or
(b)a contract for research and development services specified in category 8 of Part A of Schedule 3.
(3) Notwithstanding regulation 4, references to an “economic operator” in this Part, except in paragraph (1) of this regulation, include a reference to a GPA economic operator.
(4) A breach of the duty owed under paragraph (1) or (2) is actionable by any economic operator which, in consequence of the breach, suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage and such proceedings may be brought in either the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
(5) Proceedings under this Part shall 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 paragraph (1) or (2); and
(ii)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 (6).
(6) For the purposes of paragraph (5)(b), proceedings shall be brought—
(a)in the case of proceedings seeking an ineffectiveness order (as defined in regulation 46)—
(i)where paragraph (7) applies, within 30 days from the relevant date referred to in that paragraph; or
(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.
(7) For the purposes of paragraph (6)(a)(i), this paragraph applies where—
(a)the utility has sent a contract award notice to the Official Journal in accordance with regulation 32 (contract award notices), including reasons for its decision to enter into the contract or conclude the framework agreement without making 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 33(2)(d), in which case the relevant date is the date of sending of the notice.
(8) Except in the case of a contract or framework agreement to which regulation 6, 7 or 9 applies, and without prejudice to the application of any relevant standstill period, where proceedings under this Part are served on a utility in relation to a contract that has not been entered into or a framework agreement that has not been concluded, the utility shall not enter into the contract or conclude the framework agreement unless—
(a)the proceedings are determined, discontinued or disposed of; or
(b)the Court, by interim order, brings to an end the prohibition.
(9) In this regulation—
“GPA economic operator” means a person from a GPA State who sought, who seeks, or would have wished, to be the person to whom the contract is awarded;
“GPA State” means any country other than a relevant State which at the relevant time is a signatory to the GPA and has agreed with the European Union that the GPA applies to a contract of the type to be awarded; and
“relevant time” has the same meaning it has in regulation 11(19).