TITLE II RULES APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS

CHAPTER III Conduct of the procedure

Section 1 Preparation

Article 66Setting time limits

1.When fixing the time limits for requests to participate and the receipt of tenders, contracting entities shall take particular account of the complexity of the contract and the time required for drawing up tenders, without prejudice to the minimum time limits set out in Articles 45 to 49.

2.Where tenders can be made only after a visit to the site or after on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the procurement documents, the time limits for the receipt of tenders, which shall be longer than the minimum time limits set out in Articles 45 to 49, shall be fixed, so that all economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce tenders.

3.Contracting entities shall extend the time limits for the receipt of tenders so that all economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce tenders in the following cases:

(a)where, for whatever reason, additional information, although requested by the economic operator in good time, is not supplied at the latest six days before the time limit fixed for the receipt of tenders. In the event of an accelerated open procedure as referred to in Article 45(3), that period shall be four days;

(b)where significant changes are made to the procurement documents.

The length of the extension shall be proportionate to the importance of the information or change.

Where the additional information has either not been requested in good time or its importance with a view to preparing responsive tenders is insignificant, contracting entities shall not be required to extend the time limits.