(1)Before publishing a tender notice, a contracting authority may publish a planned procurement notice.
(2)A “planned procurement notice” means a notice setting out—
(a)that the contracting authority intends to publish a tender notice, and
(b)any other information specified in regulations under section 95.
(3)A “qualifying planned procurement notice” means a planned procurement notice published at least 40 days but not more than 12 months before the day on which the tender notice is published.
(4)See section 54(4) for provision for reduced tendering periods in cases where a qualifying planned procurement notice has been published.