Regulation 49. Electronic availability of procurement documents

(1) With regard to tenders with an estimated value which falls under Schedule 5, the authority responsible for the tendering process shall by electronic means offer unrestricted and full direct access free of charge to the procurement documents from the date of publication of a notice in accordance with regulation 44 or the date on which an invitation to confirm interest is sent. The text of the notice or the invitation to confirm interest shall specify the internet address at which the procurement documents are accessible.

(2) With regard to tenders with an estimated value which falls under Schedule 5, where unrestricted and full direct access free of charge by electronic means to certain procurement documents cannot be offered for one of the reasons stipulated in regulation 48(2), the authority responsible for the tendering process may indicate in the notice or the invitation to confirm interest that the procurement documents concerned will be transmitted by means other than electronic means: Provided that in such a case, the time limit for the submission of tenders shall be prolonged by five days, except in the cases of duly substantiated urgency referred to in regulations 116(3), 122 and 125.

(3) With regard to tenders with an estimated value which falls under Schedule 5, where unrestricted and full direct access free of charge by electronic means to certain procurement documents cannot be offered because the authority responsible for the tendering process intends to apply the provisions of regulation 40(3), it shall indicate in the notice or the invitation to confirm interest which measures aimed at protecting the confidential nature of the information it requires and how access can be obtained to the documents concerned: Provided that in such a case the time limit for the submission of tenders shall be prolonged by five days, except in the cases of duly substantiated urgency referred to in regulations 116(3), 122 and 125.