39.—(1) When fixing the time limits for the receipt of applications or of tenders, contracting authorities and utilities shall take account, in particular, of the complexity of the concession contract and the time required for drawing up tenders or applications, without prejudice to the minimum time limits set out in this regulation.
(2) Where applications or tenders can be made only after a visit to the site or after on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the concession documents, the time limits for the receipt of applications for the concession contract or for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed so that all economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce applications or tenders and, in any event, shall be longer than the minimum time limits set out in paragraphs (3) and (4).
(3) The minimum time limit for the receipt of applications (whether or not including tenders for the concession contract) shall be 30 days from the date on which the concession notice was sent for publication in accordance with regulation 33.
(4) Where the concession contract award procedure takes place in successive stages the minimum time limit for the receipt of initial tenders shall be 22 days from the date on which the invitation to tender is sent.
(5) The time limit for receipt of tenders may be reduced by 5 days where the contracting authority or utility allows the submission of tenders by electronic means in accordance with regulation 29.