10.—(1) A tender exercise to be held in accordance with these Regulations shall comprise the following stages–
(a)a pre-qualification stage in order to determine which bidders shall become qualifying bidders in respect of all qualifying projects within that tender exercise;
(b)a qualification to tender stage in order to determine which qualifying bidders shall be invited to participate in an invitation to tender stage in respect of each qualifying project within that tender exercise;
(c)an invitation to tender stage in order to determine which qualifying bidders shall be selected to become preferred bidders or reserve bidders in respect of each qualifying project within that tender exercise;
(d)in the event that the Authority considers that it is unable to determine a preferred bidder in respect of a particular qualifying project, a best and final offer stage in respect of that particular qualifying project; and
(e)a preferred bidder stage in order to determine the successful bidders to whom offshore transmission licences are to be granted in respect of each qualifying project with that tender exercise.