Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 2009

      The Public Contracts (Works, Services and Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2000


      © Crown Copyright 2000

      Statutory Instruments printed from this website are printed under the superintendence and authority of the Controller of HMSO being the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament.

      The legislation contained on this web site is subject to Crown Copyright protection. It may be reproduced free of charge provided that it is reproduced accurately and that the source and copyright status of the material is made evident to users.

      It should be noted that the right to reproduce the text of Statutory Instruments does not extend to the Queen's Printer imprints which should be removed from any copies of the Statutory Instrument which are issued or made available to the public. This includes reproduction of the Statutory Instrument on the Internet and on intranet sites. The Royal Arms may be reproduced only where they are an integral part of the original document.

      The text of this Internet version of the Statutory Instrument which is published by the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament has been prepared to reflect the text as it was Made. A print version is also available and is published by The Stationery Office Limited as the The Public Contracts (Works, Services and Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 , ISBN 0 11 099646 1. The print version may be purchased by clicking here. Braille copies of this Statutory Instrument can also be purchased at the same price as the print edition by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0870 600 5522 or e-mail:customer.services@tso.co.uk.

      Further information about the publication of legislation on this website can be found by referring to the Frequently Asked Questions.

      To ensure fast access over slow connections, large documents have been segmented into "chunks". Where you see a "continue" button at the bottom of the page of text, this indicates that there is another chunk of text available.


STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2000 No. 2009

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

The Public Contracts (Works, Services and Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2000

  Made 25th July 2000 
  Laid before Parliament 26th July 2000 
  Coming into force 16th August 2000 

The Treasury, being designated[1] for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972[2] in relation to public procurement, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by the said section 2(2)[3] and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations: - 

Citation and commencement
     1. These Regulations may be cited as the Public Contracts (Works, Services and Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 and shall come into force on 16th August 2000.

Interpretation
    
2. In these Regulations - 

Amendment of the Public Works Regulations
     3.  - (1) Regulation 2 of the Public Works Regulations (interpretation) shall be amended - 

      (ii) by omitting the definition of "ECU";

      (iii) by substituting the following definition for the definition of "relevant State" - 

      " "relevant State" means a member State or a State for the time being specified in Schedule 3 to these Regulations;";

    (b) by omitting regulation 2(2).

    (2) Regulation 3 of the Public Works Regulations (contracting authorities) shall be replaced by - 

    " Contracting authorities
         3.  - (1) For the purposes of these Regulations each of the following is a "contracting authority" - 

      (a) a Minister of the Crown,

      (b) a government department,

      (c) the House of Commons,

      (d) the House of Lords,

      (e) the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission,

      (f) the Scottish Parliamentary Body Corporate,

      (g) the National Assembly for Wales,

      (h) a local authority,

      (i) a fire authority constituted by a combination scheme under the Fire Services Act 1947[
      8],

      (j) the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland,

      (k) a police authority established under section 3 of the Police Act 1996[9],

      (l) a police authority established under section 2 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967[10],

      (m) the Police Authority for Northern Ireland,

      (n) an authority established under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1985[11],

      (o) a joint authority established by Part IV of that Act,

      (p) any body established pursuant to an order under section 67 of that Act,

      (q) the Broads Authority,

      (r) any joint board the constituent members of which consist of any of the bodies specified in paragraphs (h), (i), (k), (l), (n), (o) and (p) and (q), above,

      (s) a National Park authority established by an Order under section 63 of the Environment Act 1995[12],

      (t) the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District[13],

      (u) a corporation established, or a group of individuals appointed to act together, for the specific purposes of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character, and - 

        (i) financed wholly or mainly by another contracting authority, or

        (ii) subject to management supervision by another contracting authority, or

        (iii) more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more than half of those individuals, being appointed by another contracting authority,

      (v) an association of or formed by one or more of the above, and

      (w) to the extent not specified in sub-paragraphs (a) to (t) above, an entity specified in Schedule 1 to the Public Supply Contracts Regulations 1995[14].

        (2) In the application of these Regulations to England, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means - 

      (a) a county council, a district council, a London borough council, a parish council, a community council or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

      (b) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as local authority or police authority.

        (3) In the application of these Regulations to Wales, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means a county council, county borough council or community council.

        (4) In the application of these Regulations to Scotland, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above has the same meaning as in section 235(1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973[15] and also includes joint board or joint committee within the meaning of section 235(1).

        (5) In the application of these Regulations to Northern Ireland, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means a district council within the meaning of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972[16].

        (6) Where an entity specified in paragraph (1) above does not have the capacity to enter into a contract, the contracting authority in relation to that entity is a person whose function it is to enter into contracts for that entity.".

    (3) Regulation 4(1)(b) of the Public Works Regulations (contractors) shall be replaced by - 

      " (b) who is a national of and established in a relevant State.".

    (4) Regulation 7(1) of the Public Works Regulations (thresholds) shall be replaced by - 

        " (1) These Regulations shall not apply to the seeking of offers in relation to-

      (a) a proposed public works contract where the estimated value of the contract (net of value added tax) at the relevant time is less than the euro equivalent of 5,000,000 special drawing rights;

      (b) a proposed public works concession contract or a proposed subsidised works contract under regulation 23 where the estimated value of the contract (net of value added tax) at the relevant time is less than 5,000,000 euro.".

    (5) In regulation 7 of the Public Works Regulations (thresholds) the following paragraph shall be inserted after paragraph (1) - 

        " (1A) The value in pounds sterling of any amount expressed in this regulation in euro or in the euro equivalent of special drawing rights shall be calculated by reference to the rate for the time being applying for the purposes of Council Directive 93/37/EEC[17] as published from time to time in the Official Journal[18].".

    (6) Regulation 11(4) of the Public Works Regulations (the open procedure) shall be replaced by - 

        " (4) Where - 

      (a) the contracting authority has published a prior information notice in accordance with regulation 9 above;

      (b) the prior information notice contained as much of the information referred to in Part B of Schedule 2 as was available at the time of publication; and

      (c) the prior information notice was sent to the Official Journal at least 52 days and no more than 12 months before the date on which the contract notice provided for in regulation 11(2) is despatched;

    the contracting authority may substitute for the period of not less than 52 days specified in paragraph (3) above a shorter period of generally no less than 36 days and in any event no less than 22 days, provided in each case that the period is sufficient to allow for effective tendering.".

    (7) The following paragraphs shall be added to regulation 11 of the Public Works Regulations (the open procedure) - 

        " (8) Tenders shall be submitted in writing either in person or by post, except that a contracting authority may authorise another means of submission provided that the chosen means enables - 

      (a) each tender to contain all the information necessary for its evaluation;

      (b) the confidentiality of tenders to be maintained pending their evaluation; and

      (c) tenders to be opened only after the time limit for their submission has expired.

        (9) Where a contracting authority has authorised another means of submission in accordance with paragraph (8) above, it may require either that the submission of the tender is confirmed in writing or that a copy of the tender is delivered to it in person or by post in either case as soon as possible after the submission of the tender by another means.".

    (8) Regulation 12(12) of the Public Works Regulations (the restricted procedure) shall be replaced by - 

        " (12) Subject to paragraph (14) below, where - 

      (a) the contracting authority has published a prior information notice in accordance with regulation 9 above;

      (b) the prior information notice contained as much of the information referred to in Part C (or, if appropriate, Part D) of Schedule 2 as was available at the time of publication; and

      (c) the prior information notice was sent to the Official Journal at least 52 days and no more than 12 months before the date on which the contract notice provided for in regulation 12(2) is despatched;

    the contracting authority may substitute for the period of not less than 40 days in paragraph (11) above, a period of not less than 26 days.".

    (9) The following paragraphs shall be added to regulation 12 of the Public Works Regulations (the restricted procedure) - 

        " (16) Tenders shall be submitted in writing either in person or by post, except that a contracting authority may authorise another means of submission provided that the chosen means enables - 

      (a) each tender to contain all the information necessary for its evaluation;

      (b) the confidentiality of tenders to be maintained pending their evaluation; and

      (c) tenders to be opened only after the time limit for their submission has expired.

        (17) Where a contracting authority has authorised another means of submission in accordance with paragraph (16) above, it may require either that the submission of the tender is confirmed in writing or that a copy of the tender is delivered to it in person or by post, in either case as soon as possible after the submission of the tender by another means.".

    (10) Regulation 22 of the Public Works Regulations (information about contract award procedures) shall be replaced by - 

    " Information about contract award procedures
         22.  - (1) Where a contracting authority decides either to abandon or to recommence an award procedure in respect of which a contract notice has been published it shall inform the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities[19] and shall inform promptly any contractor who submitted an offer or who applied to be included amongst the persons to be selected to tender for or to negotiate the contract of the reasons for its decision and shall do so in writing if so requested.

        (2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, a contracting authority shall, within 15 days of the date on which it receives a request in writing from any contractor who was unsuccessful (whether pursuant to regulation 11(7), 12(4), 12(5), 13(7), 13(8) or 20), inform that contractor of the reasons why he was unsuccessful and, if the contractor submitted an admissible tender, the contracting authority shall inform him of the characteristics and relative advantages of the successful tender as well as the name of the person awarded the contract.

        (3) A contracting authority may withhold any information to be provided in accordance with paragraph (2) above where the disclosure of such information would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of any person or might prejudice fair competition between contractors.

        (4) A contracting authority shall prepare a record in relation to each public works contract awarded by it specifying - 

      (a) the name and address of the contracting authority;

      (b) the work or works to be carried out under the contract and the value of the consideration to be given under it;

      (c) the names of the persons whose offers were evaluated in accordance with regulation 20 and, where the contracting authority has used the restricted or negotiated procedure, the reasons why those persons were selected;

      (d) the names of the persons who were unsuccessful pursuant to regulation 11(7), 12(4), 12(5), 13(7) or 13(8) and the reasons why they were unsuccessful;

      (e) the name of the person to whom the public works contract was awarded and the reasons for having awarded the contract to him;

      (f) if known to the contracting authority, the works under the contract which the person to whom the contract has been awarded intends to sub-contract to another person; and

      (g) in the case of a contracting authority which used the negotiated procedure, which of the circumstances specified in regulation 10(2) constituted grounds for using that procedure.

        (5) If the Commission requests a report containing the information specified in paragraph (4) above, the contracting authority shall send a written report containing that information, or the main features of it, to the Treasury for onward transmission to the Commission.".

    (11) Regulation 28 of the Public Works Regulations (statistical and other reports) shall be replaced by - 

    (12) Regulation 31 of the Public Works Regulations (enforcement of obligations relating to a public works contract) shall be amended - 

    (a) by inserting the following paragraphs after paragraph (1) - 

        " (1A) The duty owed to a contractor pursuant to paragraph (1) above, except in relation to regulations 23, 25 and 26 (1) and(2), shall be a duty owed also to a GPA provider.

        (1B) References to a "contractor" in paragraphs (3), (5) and (6) below shall be construed as including a reference to a GPA provider.";

    (b) by inserting the following words after the words "pursuant to paragraph (1)" in paragraphs (3), (5), (6) and (7), -  "or paragraph (1A)"; and

    (c) by adding the following paragraph - 

        " (9) In this regulation - 

      (a) a "GPA provider" shall mean a person from a GPA State who sought, or who seeks, or would have wished, to be the person to whom the contract is awarded;

        (b) a "GPA State" shall mean any country other than a relevant State which, at the relevant time is a signatory to the GPA and has agreed with the European Community that the GPA shall apply to a contract of the type to be awarded[21]; and

        (c) "relevant time" shall mean the date on which the contracting authority would have sent a contract notice in respect of the contract to the Official Journal if it had been required by these Regulations to do so.".

    (13) Schedule 1 to these Regulations (which substitutes a new Schedule 2 to the Public Works Regulations) shall have effect.

    (14) Schedule 2 to these Regulations (which adds Schedule 3 to the Public Works Regulations) shall have effect.

Amendment of the Public Services Regulations
     4.  - (1) Regulation 2 of the Public Services Regulations (interpretation) shall be amended - 

      (ii) by omitting the definition of "ECU";

      (iii) by substituting the following definition for the definition of "relevant State" - 

      " "relevant State" means a member State or a State for the time being specified in Schedule 4 to these Regulations;";

    (b) by omitting regulation 2(3).

    (2) Regulation 3 of the Public Services Regulations (contracting authorities) shall be replaced by - 

    " Contracting authorities
         3.  - (1) For the purposes of these Regulations each of the following is a "contracting authority" - 

      (a) a Minister of the Crown,

      (b) a government department,

      (c) the House of Commons,

      (d) the House of Lords,

      (e) the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission,

      (f) the Scottish Parliamentary Body Corporate,

      (g) the National Assembly for Wales,

      (h) a local authority,

      (i) a fire authority constituted by a combination scheme under the Fire Services Act 1947[
      23],

      (j) the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland,

      (k) a police authority established under section 3 of the Police Act 1996[24],

      (l) a police authority established under section 2 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967[25],

      (m) the Police Authority for Northern Ireland,

      (n)an authority established under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1985[26] ,

      (o) a joint authority established by Part IV of that Act,

      (p) any body established pursuant to an order under section 67 of that Act,

      (q) the Broads Authority,

      (r) any joint board the constituent members of which consist of any of the bodies specified in paragraphs (h), (i), (k), (l), (n), (o), (p) and (q), above,

      (s) a National Park authority established by an Order under section 63 of the Environment Act 1995[27],

      (t) the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District[28],

      (u) a corporation established, or a group of individuals appointed to act together, for the specific purposes of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character, and - 

        (i) financed wholly or mainly by another contracting authority, or

        (ii) subject to management supervision by another contracting authority, or

        (iii) more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more than half of those individuals, being appointed by another contracting authority,

      (v) an association of or formed by one or more of the above, and

      (w) to the extent not specified in sub-paragraphs (a) to (t) above, an entity specified in Schedule 3.

        (2) In the application of these Regulations to England, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means - 

      (a) a county council, a district council, a London borough council, a parish council, a community council or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

      (b) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as local authority or police authority.

        (3) In the application of these Regulations to Wales, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means a county council, county borough council or community council.

        (4) In the application of these Regulations to Scotland, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above has the same meaning as in section 235(1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973[29] and also includes joint board or joint committee within the meaning of section 235(1).

        (5) In the application of these Regulations to Northern Ireland, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means a district council within the meaning of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972[30].

        (6) Where an entity specified in paragraph (1) above does not have the capacity to enter into a contract, the contracting authority in relation to that entity is a person whose function it is to enter into contracts for that entity.".

    (3) Regulation 4(1)(b) of the Public Services Regulations (service providers) shall be replaced by - 

      " (b) who is a national of and established in a relevant State.".

    (4) Regulation 7(1) of the Public Services Regulations (thresholds) shall be replaced by - 

        " (1) These Regulations shall not apply to the seeking of offers in relation to a proposed public services contract where the estimated value of the contract (net of value added tax) at the relevant time is less than the relevant threshold, which, in relation to a Part A services contract, other than

      (a) a subsidised services contract under regulation 25,

      (b) a contract for research and development services specified in category 8 of Schedule 1, or

      (c) a contract for telecommunication services specified under CPC[31] references 7524, 7525 and 7526 within category 5 of Schedule 1, Part A,

    shall be - 

        (i) in the case of offers sought by Schedule 3 entities the euro equivalent of 130,000 special drawing rights; and

        (ii) in the case of offers sought by any other contracting authority the euro equivalent of 200,000 special drawing rights;

      and in relation to any other public services contract shall be 200,000 euro.".

    (5) In regulation 7 of the Public Services Regulations (thresholds) the following paragraph shall be inserted - 

        " (1A) The value in pounds sterling of any amount expressed in these Regulations in euro or in the euro equivalent of special drawing rights shall be calculated by reference to the rate for the time being applying for the purposes of Council Directive 92/50/EEC[32] as published from time to time in the Official Journal[33].".

    (6) Regulation 11(4) of the Public Services Regulations (the open procedure) shall be replaced by - 

        " (4) Where - 

      (a) the contracting authority has published a prior information notice in accordance with regulation 9 above;

      (b) the prior information notice contained as much of the information referred to in Part B of Schedule 2 as was available at the time of publication; and

      (c) the prior information notice was sent to the Official Journal at least 52 days and no more than 12 months before the date on which the contract notice provided for in regulation 11(2) is despatched - 

    the contracting authority may substitute for the period of not less than 52 days specified in paragraph (3) above, a shorter period of generally no less than 36 days and in any event no less than 22 days, provided in each case that the period is sufficient to allow for effective tendering.".

    (7) The following paragraphs shall be added to regulation 11 of the Public Services Regulations (the open procedure) - 

        " (9) Tenders shall be submitted in writing either in person or by post, except that a contracting authority may authorise another means of submission provided that the chosen means enables - 

      (a) each tender to contain all the information necessary for its evaluation;

      (b) the confidentiality of tenders to be maintained pending their evaluation; and

      (c) tenders to be opened only after the time limit for their submission has expired.

        (10) Where a contracting authority has authorised another means of submission in accordance with paragraph (9) above, it may require either that the submission of the tender is confirmed in writing or that a copy of the tender is delivered to it in person or by post, in either case as soon as possible after the submission of the tender by another means.".

    (8) Regulation 12(12) of the Public Services Regulations (the restricted procedure) shall be replaced by - 

        " (12) Subject to paragraph (15) below, where - 

      (a) the contracting authority has published a prior information notice in accordance with regulation 9 above;

      (b) the prior information notice contained as much of the information referred to in Part C (or, if appropriate, Part D) of Schedule 2 as was available at the time of publication; and

      (c) the prior information notice was sent to the Official Journal at least 52 days and no more than 12 months before the date on which the contract notice provided for in regulation 12(2) is despatched;

    the contracting authority may substitute for the period of not less than 40 days in paragraph (11) above, a period of not less than 26 days.".

    (9) The following paragraphs shall be added to regulation 12 of the Public Services Regulations (the restricted procedure) - 

        " (17) Tenders shall be submitted in writing either in person or by post, except that a contracting authority may authorise another means of submission provided that the chosen means enables - 

      (a) each tender to contain all the information necessary for its evaluation;

      (b) the confidentiality of tenders to be maintained pending their evaluation; and

      (c) tenders to be opened only after the time limit for their submission has expired.

        (18) Where a contracting authority has authorised another means of submission in accordance with paragraph (17) above, it may require either that the submission of the tender is confirmed in writing or that a copy of the tender is delivered to it in person or by post, in either case as soon as possible after the submission of the tender by another means.".

    (10) Regulation 23 of the Public Services Regulations (information about contract award procedures) shall be replaced by - 

    " Information about contract award procedures
         23.  - (1) Where a contracting authority decides either to abandon or to recommence an award procedure in respect of which a contract notice has been published it shall inform the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities[34] and shall inform promptly any service provider who submitted an offer or who applied to be included amongst the persons to be selected to tender for or to negotiate the contract of the reasons for its decision and shall do so in writing if so requested.

        (2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, a contracting authority shall, within 15 days of the date on which it receives a request in writing from any service provider who was unsuccessful (whether pursuant to regulation 11(8), 12(4), 12(5), 13(7), 13(8) or 21), inform that service provider of the reasons why he was unsuccessful and, if the service provider submitted an admissible tender, the contracting authority shall inform him of the characteristics and relative advantages of the successful tender as well as the name of the person awarded the contract.

        (3) A contracting authority may withhold any information to be provided in accordance with paragraph (2) above where the disclosure of such information would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of any person or might prejudice fair competition between service providers.

        (4) A contracting authority shall prepare a record in relation to each public services contract awarded by it specifying - 

      (a) the name and address of the contracting authority;

      (b) the services to be provided under the contract and the value of the consideration to be given under it;

      (c) the names of the persons whose offers were evaluated in accordance with regulation 21 and, where the contracting authority has used the restricted or negotiated procedure, the reasons why those persons were selected;

      (d) the names of the persons who were unsuccessful pursuant to regulation 11(8), 12(4), 12(5), 13(7) or 13(8) and the reasons why they were unsuccessful;

      (e) the name of the person to whom the contract was awarded and the reasons for having awarded the contract to him;

      (f) if known to the contracting authority, the services under the contract which the person to whom the contract has been awarded intends to sub-contract to another person; and

      (g) in the case of a contracting authority which used the negotiated procedure, which of the circumstances specified in regulation 10(2) constituted grounds for using that procedure.

        (5) If the Commission requests a report containing the information specified in paragraph (4) above, the contracting authority shall send a written report containing that information, or the main features of it, to the Treasury for onward transmission to the Commission.".

    (11) Regulation 24(1) (design contests) shall be replaced by - 

        " (1) This regulation shall apply to a design contest if it is organised as part of a procedure intended to lead to the award of a public services contract whose estimated value (net of value added tax) is not less than the relevant threshold, which, in relation to a Part A services contract other than - 

      (a) a contract for research and development specified in category 8 of Schedule 1, Part A; or

      (b) a contract for telecommunications services specified under CPC[35] references 7524, 7525 and 7526 within category 5 of Schedule 1, Part A,

    shall be - 

        (i) in the case of offers sought by Schedule 3 entities the euro equivalent of 130,000 special drawing rights;

        (ii) in the case of offers sought by any other contracting authority the euro equivalent of 200,000 special drawing rights;

      and in relation to any other public services contract shall be 200,000 euro.

        (1A) This regulation shall apply to a design contest whether or not it is organised as part of a procedure leading to the award of a public services contract, if the aggregate value of the prizes or payments for the contest is not less than 200,000 euro.".

    (12) Regulation 27 of the Public Services Regulations (statistical and other reports) shall be replaced by - 

    (13) Regulation 32 of the Public Services Regulations (enforcement of obligations relating to a public services contract) shall be amended - 

    (14) Schedule 3 to these Regulations (which substitutes a new Schedule 2 to the Public Services Regulations) shall have effect.

    (15) Schedules 4 and 5 to these Regulations (which add Schedules 3 and 4 to the Public Services Regulations ) shall have effect.

Amendment of the Public Supply Regulations
     5.  - (1) Regulation 2 of the Public Supply Regulations (interpretation) shall be amended - 

      (ii) by omitting the definition of "ECU";

      (iii) by substituting the following definition for the definition of "relevant State" - 

      " "relevant State" means a member State or a State for the time being specified in Schedule 4 to these Regulations;";

      (iv) by omitting the definition of a "GATT contracting authority";

    (b) by omitting regulation 2(2).

    (2) Regulation 3 of the Public Supply Regulations (contracting authorities) shall be replaced by - 

    " Contracting Authorities
         3.  - (1) For the purposes of these Regulations each of the following is a "contracting authority" - 

      (a) a Minister of the Crown,

      (b) a government department,

      (c) the House of Commons,

      (d) the House of Lords,

      (e) the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission,

      (f) the Scottish Parliamentary Body Corporate,

      (g) the National Assembly for Wales,

      (h) a local authority,

      (i) a fire authority constituted by a combination scheme under the Fire Services Act 1947[
      38],

      (j) the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland,

      (k) a police authority established under section 3 of the Police Act 1996[39],

      (l) a police authority established under section 2 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967[40],

      (m) the Police Authority for Northern Ireland,

      (n) an authority established under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1985[41],

      (o) a joint authority established by Part IV of that Act,

      (p) any body established pursuant to an order under section 67 of that Act,

      (q) the Broads Authority,

      (r) any joint board the constituent members of which consist of any of the bodies specified in paragraphs (f), (g), (i), (k), (l), (m) and (n), above,

      (s) a National Park authority established by an Order under section 63 of the Environment Act 1995[42],

      (t) the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District[43],

      (u) a corporation established, or a group of individuals appointed to act together, for the specific purposes of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character, and - 

        (i) financed wholly or mainly by another contracting authority, or

        (ii) subject to management supervision by another contracting authority, or

        (iii) more than half of the board of directors or members of which, or, in the case of a group of individuals, more than half of those individuals, being appointed by another contracting authority,

      (v) an association of or formed by one or more of the above, and

      (w) to the extent not specified in sub-paragraphs (a) to (q) above, an entity specified in Schedule 1.

        (2) In the application of the Regulations to England, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means - 

      (a) a county council, a district council, a London borough council, a parish council, a community council or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

      (b) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as local authority or police authority.

        (3) In the application of these Regulations to Wales, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means a county council, county borough council or community council.

        (4) In the application of these Regulations to Scotland, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above has the same meaning as in section 235(1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973[44] and also includes joint board or joint committee within the meaning of section 235(1).

        (5) In the application of these Regulations to Northern Ireland, "local authority" in paragraph (1) above means a district council within the meaning of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972[45].

        (6) Where an entity specified in paragraph (1) above does not have the capacity to enter into a contract, the contracting authority in relation to that entity is a person whose function it is to enter into contracts for that entity."

    (3) Regulation 4(1)(b) of the Public Supply Regulations (suppliers) shall be replaced by - 

      " (b) who is a national of and established in a relevant State."

    (4) Regulation 7(2) of the Public Supply Regulations (thresholds) shall be replaced by

        " (2) The relevant threshold for the purposes of paragraph (1) above - 

      (a) is the euro equivalent of 130,000 special drawing rights where a Schedule 1 entity seeks offers for a public supply contract, but in the case of such a contract in relation to which offers are sought by the Secretary of State for Defence, only if it is for the purchase or hire of goods specified in Schedule 2; and

      (b) is the euro equivalent of 200,000 special drawing rights in relation to all other public supply contracts."

    (5) In regulation 7 of the Public Supply Regulations (thresholds) the following paragraph shall be inserted after paragraph (2) - 

        " (2A) The value in pounds sterling of any amount expressed in these Regulations in euro or in the euro equivalent of special drawing rights shall be calculated by reference to the rate for the time being applying for the purposes of Council Directive 93/36/EEC[46] as published from time to time in the Official Journal[47]."

    (6) Regulation 11 of the Public Supply Regulations (the open procedure) shall be amended as follows - 

    (a) Regulation 11(3) shall be replaced by -

        " (3) Subject to paragraphs (3A) and (6) below, the date which the contracting authority shall fix as the last date for the receipt by it of tenders made in response to the contract notice shall be specified in the notice and shall be not less than 52 days from the date of despatch of the notice;".

    (b) The following paragraph shall be inserted after paragraph 3 - 

        " (3A) Where - 

      (a) the contracting authority has published a prior information notice in accordance with regulation 9 above;

      (b) the prior information notice contained as much of the information referred to in Part B of Schedule 3 as was available at the time of publication; and

      (c) the prior information notice was sent to the Official Journal at least 52 days and no more than 12 months before the date on which the contract notice provided for in regulation 11(2) is despatched,

    the contracting authority may substitute for the period of not less than 52 days specified in paragraph (3) above a shorter period of generally no less than 36 days and in any event no less than 22 days, provided in each case that the period is sufficient to allow for effective tendering.".

    (7) The following paragraph shall be added to regulation 11 of the Public Supply Regulations (the open procedure) - 

        " (8) Tenders shall be submitted in writing either in person or by post, except that a contracting authority may authorise another means of submission provided that the chosen means enables - 

      (a) each tender to contain all the information necessary for its evaluation;

      (b) the confidentiality of tenders to be maintained pending their evaluation; and

      (c) tenders to be opened only after the time limit for their submission has expired;

        (9) Where a contracting authority has authorised another means of submission in accordance with paragraph (8) above, it may require either that the submission of the tender is confirmed in writing or that a copy of the tender is delivered to it in person or by post, in either case as soon as possible thereafter."

    (8) Regulation 12 of the Public Supply Regulations (the restricted procedure) shall be amended as follows - 

    (a) Regulation 12(11) shall be replaced by - 

        " (11) Subject to paragraphs (11A) and (14) below, the date which the contracting authority shall fix as the last date for the receipt by it of tenders made in response to the invitation to tender which shall be specified in the invitation to tender in accordance with paragraph 10(b) above shall be not less than 40 days from the despatch of the invitation.";

    (b) The following paragraph shall be inserted after paragraph (11) - 

        " (11A) Where - 

      (a) the contracting authority has published a prior information notice in accordance with regulation 9 above;

      (b) the prior information notice contained as much of the information referred to in Part B of Schedule 3 as was available at the time of publication; and

      (c) the prior information notice was sent to the Official Journal at least 52 days and no more than 12 months before the date on which the contract notice provided for in regulation 12(2) is despatched,

    the contracting authority may substitute for the period of not less than 40 days specified in paragraph (11) above, a period of no less than 26 days.".

    (9) The following paragraph shall be added to regulation 12 of the Public Supplies Regulations (the restricted procedure) - 

        " (16) Tenders shall be submitted in writing either in person or by post, except that a contracting authority may authorise another means of submission provided that the chosen means enables - 

      (a) each tender to contain all the information necessary for its evaluation;

      (b) the confidentiality of tenders to be maintained pending their evaluation; and

      (c) tenders to be opened only after the time limit for their submission has expired.

        (17) Where a contracting authority has authorised another means of submission in accordance with paragraph (16) above, it may require either that the submission of the tender is confirmed in writing or that a copy of the tender is delivered to it in person or by post, in either case as soon as possible thereafter.".

    (10) Regulation 23 of the Public Supply Regulations (information about contract award procedures) shall be replaced by - 

    " Information about contract award procedures
         23.  - (1) Where a contracting authority decides either to abandon or to recommence an award procedure in respect of which a contract notice has been published it shall inform the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities[48] and shall inform promptly any supplier who submitted an offer or who applied to be included amongst the persons to be selected to tender for or negotiate the contract of the reasons for its decision and shall do so in writing if so requested.

        (2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, a contracting authority shall, within 15 days of the date on which it receives a request in writing from any supplier who was unsuccessful (whether pursuant to regulation 11(7), 12(4), 12(5), 13(7), 13(8) or 21), inform that supplier of the reasons why he was unsuccessful and, if the supplier submitted an admissible tender, the contracting authority shall inform him of the characteristics and relative advantages of the successful tender as well as the name of the person awarded the contract.

        (3) A contracting authority may withhold any information to be provided in accordance with paragraph (2) above where the disclosure of such information would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of any person or might prejudice fair competition between suppliers.

        (4) A contracting authority shall prepare a record in relation to each public supply contract awarded by it specifying - 

      (a) the name and address of the contracting authority;

      (b) the type of goods purchased or hired or to be purchased or hired under the contract and the value of the consideration to be given under it;

      (c) the names of the persons whose offers were evaluated in accordance with regulation 21 and, where the contracting authority has used the restricted or negotiated procedure, the reasons why those persons were selected;

      (d) the names of the persons who were unsuccessful pursuant to regulation 11(7), 12(4), 12(5), 13(7) or 13(8) and the reasons why they were unsuccessful;

      (e) the name of the person to whom the public supply contract was awarded and the reasons for having awarded the contract to him;

      (f) if known to the contracting authority, which parts of the contract the person to whom the contract has been awarded intends to sub-contract to another person; and

      (g) in the case of a contracting authority which used the negotiated procedure, which of the circumstances specified in regulation 10(2) constituted grounds for using that procedure.

        (5) If the Commission requests a report containing the information specified in paragraph (4) above, the contracting authority shall send a written report containing that information, or the main features of it, to the Treasury for onward transmission to the Commission".

    (11) Regulation 24 of the Public Supply Regulations (public service bodies) shall be amended by substituting "Schedule 1 entity" for "GATT contracting authority".

    (12) Regulation 25 of the Public Supply Regulations (statistical and other reports) shall be replaced by - 

    (13) In regulation 29 of the Public Supply Regulations (enforcement of obligations relating to a public supply contract) shall be amended - 

    (14) Schedule 6 to these Regulations (which substitutes a new Schedule 1 to the Public Supply Regulations) shall have effect.

    (15) Schedule 7 to these Regulations (which substitutes a new Schedule 3 to the Public Supply Regulations) shall have effect.

    (16) Schedule 8 to these Regulations (which adds Schedule 4 to the Public Supply Regulations ) shall have effect.


Bob Ainsworth

David Jamieson
Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury

25th July 2000



SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 3(13)

     Schedule 2 to the Public Works Regulations shall be replaced by - 






SCHEDULE 2
Regulation 3(14)

     The following Schedule shall be added to the Public Works Regulations - 






SCHEDULE 3
Regulation 4(14)

     Schedule 2 to the Public Services Regulations shall be replaced by - 






SCHEDULE 4
Regulation 4(15)

     The following Schedule shall be added to the Public Services Regulations - 




SCHEDULE 5
Regulation 4(15)

     The following Schedule shall be added to the Public Services Regulations - 




SCHEDULE 6
Regulation 5(14)

     Schedule 1 to the Public Supply Regulations shall be replaced by - 




SCHEDULE 7
Regulation 5(15)

     Schedule 3 to the Public Supply Regulations shall be replaced by - 




SCHEDULE 8
Regulation 5(16)

     The following Schedule shall be added to the Public Supply Regulations-




EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These Regulations implement European Parliament and Council Directive 97/52/EC (OJ No. L328, 28.11.97, p.1) in its entirety and for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Directive 97/52/EC amends Council Directives 92/50/EEC (OJ No. L209, 24.7.92, p.1), 93/36/EEC (OJ No. L199, 9.8.93, p.1), and 93/37/EEC (OJ No. L199, 9.8.93, p. 54) concerning the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public services contracts, public supply contracts and public works contracts respectively. Those directives have been implemented for the United Kingdom by the Public Services Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/3228) ("the Services Regulations"); the Public Supply Contracts Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/201) ("the Supply Regulations") and the Public Works Contracts Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/2680) ("the Works Regulations"), respectively.

The Works Regulations, the Services Regulations and the Supply Regulations specify the procedures to be followed by public bodies, called "contracting authorities", when they seek offers for certain contracts for the provision of works, services or supplies. The principal purpose of Directive 97/52/EC is to ensure that contractors, service-providers and suppliers in the European Union are treated no less favourably under the Council Directives on public procurement than third country contractors, service-providers and suppliers are treated under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) where it applies. These Regulations amend the requirements of the Works Regulations, the Services Regulations and the Supply Regulations accordingly. Information on the GPA (Cm 2572) and where it applies may be found on the WTO web-site (www.wto.org).

In the interest of transparency, these Regulations bring up to date the descriptions of the contracting authorities to whom the Works Regulations, Services Regulations and Supply Regulations apply and modify the lists of relevant States in Europe whose contractors, service-providers and suppliers are owed duties of compliance under those Regulations, in the same way as contractors, service-providers and suppliers who are nationals of or established in a Member State.

Where the GPA applies, these Regulations extend the benefit of the duty of compliance with the Works Regulations, Services Regulations and Supply Regulations to contractors, service-providers and suppliers who are nationals of or established in third country signatories to the GPA.

Thus these Regulations make the following amendments to the Works Regulations, the Services Regulations and the Supply Regulations respectively:

    (a) The definition of "contracting authority" is revised and up-dated (regulations 3(2), 4(2) and 5(2)), as is the definition of a "relevant state" (regulations 3(1), (3), 4(1), (3), 5(1), (3) and Schedules 2, 5 and 8);

    (b) The financial thresholds, for the purpose of defining contracts to which the Works Regulations, Services Regulations and Supply Regulations apply are modified to align these with the thresholds of the GPA (regulations 3(4), 4(4), 4(11) and 5(4));

    (c) Contracting authorities are permitted to reduce the time limit for the receipt of tenders when using the open and restricted procedures provided certain conditions are met (regulations 3(6), 3(8), 4(6), 4(8), 5(6) and 5(8));

    (d) Contracting authorities are permitted to authorise the submission of tenders by electronic means and other alternative methods to submission in person or by post, provided certain conditions are met (regulations 3(7), 3(9), 4(7), 4(9), 5(7) and 5(9));

    (e) Additional requirements about the information to be given by contracting authorities when de-briefing unsuccessful candidates and tenderers are specified (regulations 3(10), 4(10) and 5(10));

    (f) Contracting authorities are required to comply with amended statistical reporting obligations (regulations 3(11), 4(12) and 5(12));

    (g) The benefit of a contracting authority's duty of compliance with the Works Regulations, Services Regulations and Supply Regulations is extended to contractors, service-providers and suppliers respectively who are nationals of or established in GPA states, where the GPA applies (regulations 3(12), 4(13) and 5(13)); and

    (h) Revised forms of model notices for publication in the Official Journal are provided (Schedules 1, 3 and 7).


Notes:

[1] S.I. 1991/755.back

[2] 1972 c. 68.back

[3] The powers remain exerciseable by the Treasury as regards Scotland by virtue of section 57(i) of the Scotland Act 1998 c. 46.back

[4] S.I. 1991/2680 which is amended by S.I. 1992/3279, S.I. 1995/201, S.I. 1996/2911, S.I. 1999/1042 and S.I. 1999/1820.back

[5] S.I. 1993/3228 which is amended by S.I. 1995/201, S.I. 1996/2911, S.I. 1999/1042 and S.I. 1999/1820.back

[6] S.I. 1995/201 which is amended by S.I. 1996/2911, S.I. 1999/1042, S.I. 1999/1820 and section 1 of the Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 c. 8.back

[7] Cm 2575. As at 1st January 2000, parties to the Government Procurement Agreement other than relevant States were Aruba, Canada, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States of America.back

[8] 1947 c. 41.back

[9] 1996 c. 16.back

[10] 1967 c. 77.back

[11] 1985 c. 51.back

[12] 1995 c. 25.back

[13] Created by section 1 of the Metropolitan Police (Receiver) Act 1861 c. 124.back

[14] S.I. 1995/201 which is amended by S.I. 1996/2911, S.I. 1999/1042, S.I. 1999/1820 and section 1 of the Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 c. 8.back

[15] 1973 c. 65; section 253(1), as substituted by section 180(1) of, and paragraph 92(66)(c) of Schedule 13 to, the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 c. 39, now provides that a local authority means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 c. 39.back

[16] 1972 c. 9 (N.I.).back

[17] OJ L 199, 9.8.1993, p. 54.back

[18] The rates are determined every two years in principle and published in the Official Journal. The calculation is based upon the average of the daily exchange rates between special drawing rights and the euro and between the euro and sterling over a period of 24 months preceding the determination.back

[19] The address for the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities is 2 Rue Mercier, L-2985, Luxembourg (tel: 29 291; telex: 1324 PUBOF LU; fax: 29 29 42 670/ 29 29 44 623/ 29 29 44 619).back

[20] S.I. 1995/201; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1999/1042, S.I. 1999/1820 and section 1 of the Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 c. 8.back

[21] Information on the detailed application of the GPA under bilateral agreements between the EU and other signatories is maintined in the annexes and general notes in Appendix I to the GPA. Access to this information is available through the WTO website at www.wto.org.back

[22] Cm 2575. As at 1st January 2000, parties to the Government Procurement Agreement other than relevant States were Aruba, Canada, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States of America.back

[23] 1947 c. 41.back

[24] 1996 c. 16.back

[25] 1967 c. 77.back

[26] 1985 c. 51.back

[27] 1995 c. 25.back

[28] Created by section 1 of the Metropolitan Police (Receiver) Act 1861 c. 124.back

[29] 1973 c. 65; section 253(1), as substituted by section 180(1) of, and paragraph 92(66)(c) of Schedule 13 to, the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 c. 39, now provides that a local authority means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 c. 39.back

[30] 1972 c. 9 (N.I.).back

[31] CPC stands for the Central Product Classification of the United Nations, published in the United Kingdom by The Stationery Office; ISBN 9211613981.back

[32] OJ L 20, 24.7.1992, p.1.back

[33] The rates are determined every two years in principle and published in the Official Journal. The calculation is based upon the average of the daily exchange rates between special drawing rights and the euro and between the euro and sterling over a period of 24 months preceding the determination.back

[34] The address for the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities is 2 Rue Mercier, L-2985, Luxembourg (tel: 29 291; telex: 1324 PUBOF LU; fax: 29 29 42 670/ 29 29 44 623/ 29 29 44 619).back

[35] CPC stands for the Central Product Classification of the United Nations, published in the United Kingdom by The Stationery Office; ISBN 9211613981.back

[36] Information on the detailed application of the GPA under bilateral agreements between the EU and other signatories is maintained in the annexes and general notes in Appendix I to the GPA. Access to this information is available through the WTO website at www.wto.org.back

[37] Cm 2575. As at 1st January 2000, parties to the Government Procurement Agreement other than relevant States were Aruba, Canada, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States of America.back

[38] 1947 c. 41.back

[39] 1996 c. 16.back

[40] 1967 c. 77.back

[41] 1985 c. 51.back

[42] 1995 c. 25.back

[43] Created by section 1 of the Metropolitan Police (Receiver) Act 1861 c. 124.back

[44] 1973 c. 65; section 253(1), as substituted by section 180(1) of, and paragraph 92(66)(c) of Schedule 13 to, the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39), now provides that a local authority means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39).back

[45] 1972 c. 9 (N.I.).back

[46] OJ L 199, 9.8.1993, p. 1.back

[47] The rates are determined every two years in principle and published in the Official Journal. The calculation is based upon the average of the daily exchange rates between special drawing rights and the euro and between the euro and sterling over a period of 24 months preceding the determination.back

[48] The address for the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities is 2 Rue Mercier, L-2985, Luxembourg (tel: 29 291; telex: 1324 PUBOF LU; fax: 29 29 42 670/ 29 29 44 623/ 29 29 44 619).back

[49] Information on the detailed application of the GPA under bilateral agreements between the EU and other signatories is maintined in the annexes and general notes in Appendix I to the GPA. Access to this information is available through the WTO website at www.wto.org.back

[50] In accordance with regulation 12.back

[51] In accordance with regulation 13.back

[52] In accordance with regulation 13(1).back

[53] CPC stands for the Central Product Classification of the United Nations, published in the United Kingdom by The Stationery Office; ISBN 9211613981.back

[54] CPC stands for the Central Product Classification of the United Nations, published in the United Kingdom by The Stationery Office; ISBN 9211613981.back

[55] In accordance with regulation 12.back

[56] CPC stands for the Central Product Classification of the United Nations, published in the United Kingdom by The Stationery Office; ISBN 9211613981.back

[57] In accordance with regulation 13.back

[58] In accordance with regulation 13(1).back

[59] CPC stands for the Central Product Classification of the United Nations, published in the United Kingdom by The Stationery Office; ISBN 9211613981.back

[60] Only in respect of public supply contracts for the purchase or hire of non-warlike materials specified in Schedule 2.back

[61] Only in respect of public supply contracts for the purchase or hire of non-warlike materials specified in Schedule 2.back

[62] CPA stands for the Classification of Products by Activity as referred to in Council Regulation 3669/93 of 29 October 1993, OJ No. L 342 p. 1, 31.12.93.back

[63] In accordance with regulation 12.back

[64] In accordance with regulation 13.back

[65] In accordance with regulation 13(1).back



ISBN 0 11 099646 1


 

Other UK SIs | Home | National Assembly for Wales Statutory Instruments | Scottish Statutory Instruments | Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland |  Her Majesty's Stationery Office


We welcome your comments on this site
© Crown copyright 2000
Prepared 4 August 2000