on the avoidance of the most common errors in projects funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT GUIDANCE FOR PRACTITIONERS

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European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban policy Competence centre Administrative Capacity Building; Solidarity Fund Pascal Boijmans Avenue de Beaulieu 1 1160 Brussels BELGIUM E-mail: regio-publication@ec.europa.eu Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.cfm Print ISBN 978-92-79-50323-8 doi:10.2776/578383 KN-02-15-15-570-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-79-51749-5 doi: 10.2776/7059 KN-02-15-758-EN-N European Union, 2015 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015 Printed in Luxembourg

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Public Procurement -

Guidance for practitioners on the

avoidance of the most common errors

in projects funded by the European

Structural and Investment Funds

This document has been drawn up by the Commission Services in consultation with the

European Investment Bank.

Guidance for practitioners

on the avoidance of the most

common errors in public procurement

of projects funded by the European

Structural and Investment Funds

DISCLAIMER

This document contains guidance on how to avoid errors frequently seen in public procurement for projects co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds. It is intended to facilitate the implementation of operational programmes and to encourage good practice. It is not legally binding but aims to provide general recommendations and to reflect best practice. The concepts, ideas and solutions proposed in the guidance are without prejudice to national legislation and should be read and may be adapted taking into account the national legal framework. This guidance is without prejudice to the interpretation that the Commission may in the future give to any provision of the applicable legislation.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 4

Glossary of acronyms .................................................................................................................... 6

Foreword ............................................................................................................................................. 7

How to use this guidance.............................................................................................................. 8

1. Preparation and planning ................................................................................................... 11

1.1 Preliminary scoping ....................................................................................................................................... 11

1.2 Contract/project management ................................................................................................................. 15

1.3 Developing the business case .................................................................................................................. 17

1.4 Selecting the procedure............................................................................................................................... 17

1.5 Thresholds and advertising ....................................................................................................................... 21

1.6 Operational requirements to launch a tender ................................................................................. 22

2. Publication ............................................................................................................................... 26

2.1 Publication of EU Notices ........................................................................................................................... 26

2.2 Procedures and timetables ........................................................................................................................ 27

2.2.1 Minimum time limits ............................................................................................................ 27

2.2.2 Accelerated procedure......................................................................................................... 29

2.3 Tender documents.......................................................................................................................................... 30

2.3.1 Setting up selection criteria ................................................................................................. 30

2.3.2 Setting up Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) .............................................................. 31

2.3.3 Setting up award criteria and their weightings .................................................................... 31

2.3.4 Pricing schedule ................................................................................................................... 32

2.3.5 The contract ......................................................................................................................... 32

2.4 Specification and standards...................................................................................................................... 33

2.4.1 Specification drafting ........................................................................................................... 33

2.4.2 Standards to be used when drafting specifications ............................................................. 34

2.4.3 Social, ethical and environmental criteria ........................................................................... 35

2.4.4 Variants ................................................................................................................................ 35

2.5 Obtaining and submitting tenders ......................................................................................................... 36

2.6 Complaints, remedies and liability......................................................................................................... 36

3. Submission of tenders and selection of tenderers ................................................... 41

3.1 Delivery of the tender according to instructions ............................................................................ 41

3.2 Follow tendering instructions ................................................................................................................... 41

3.3 Safe custody of tender documents ....................................................................................................... 42

3.4 Opening ceremony ......................................................................................................................................... 42

4. Evaluation of tenders .......................................................................................................... 44

4.1 Lowest price ...................................................................................................................................................... 44

4.2 Most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) .......................................................................... 44

4.3 Dealing with abnormally low tenders .................................................................................................. 45

4.4 Clarifications ..................................................................................................................................................... 45

4.5 Post tender negotiations ............................................................................................................................. 45

4.6 Evaluation Committee decision ............................................................................................................... 46

5. Award ......................................................................................................................................... 48

5.1 Award notice ..................................................................................................................................................... 48

5.2 Standstill period and informing the tenderers ................................................................................ 48

6. Contract implementation .................................................................................................... 50

6.1 Supplier/contractor relationship .............................................................................................................. 50

6.2 Contract modifications................................................................................................................................. 50

6.3 Closing the contract ...................................................................................................................................... 50

TOOLKITS ........................................................................................