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LAW FOR THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN BULGARIA
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LAW FOR THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
Prom. SG. 28/6 Apr 2004, amend. SG. 53/22 Jun 2004, amend. SG. 31/8 Apr 2005, amend. SG. 34/19 Apr 2005, amend. SG. 105/29 Dec 2005, amend. SG. 18/28 Feb 2006, amend. SG. 33/21 Apr 2006, amend. SG. 37/5 May 2006, amend. SG. 79/29 Sep 2006, amend. SG. 59/20 Jul 2007, amend. SG. 94/31 Oct 2008, amend. SG. 98/14 Nov 2008, amend. SG. 102/28 Nov 2008, amend. SG. 24/31 Mar 2009, amend. SG. 82/16 Oct 2009, amend. SG. 52/9 Jul 2010, amend. SG. 54/16 Jul 2010, amend. SG. 97/10 Dec 2010, amend. SG. 98/14 Dec 2010, amend. SG. 99/17 Dec 2010, amend. SG. 19/8 Mar 2011, amend. SG. 43/7 Jun 2011, amend. SG. 73/20 Sep 2011, amend. SG. 93/25 Nov 2011, amend. SG. 33/27 Apr 2012, amend. SG. 38/18 May 2012, amend. SG. 82/26 Oct 2012, amend. SG. 15/15 Feb 2013
In force from 1st of October 2004
Part one.
GENERAL RULES
Chapter one.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section I.
Objective and principles
Art. 1. This law determines the principles, the terms and the order of assigning public procurement for the purpose of providing efficiency in spending the budget and non-budget funds, as well as of resources related to implementation of activities of public importance defined by the law.
Art. 2. (1) (Prev. text of art. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The public procurement shall be assigned by way of the procedures stipulated by this law, in compliance with the following principles:
1. publicity and transparency;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) free and loyal competition;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) equality and non-admission of discrimination.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When a contracting authority provides special or exclusive rights for carrying out service to a person, who is not a contracting authority, the act, with which the rights are being provided, must require this person to observe the principle of non-admission of discrimination on the basis of nationality at assigning contracts for deliveries to third persons as a part of the activity, related to these rights.
Section II.
Objects and Subjects of Public Procurement
Art. 3. (1) Objects of public procurement are:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) the delivery of goods, which are being carried out by virtue of purchase, renting, leasing with or without a right of purchase or installment plan, as well as all necessary preliminary activities related to the use of the goods, such as set up, testing of machines and equipment and other;
2. providing services;
3. construction including:
a) building or engineering (designing and building) of a construction;
b) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) fulfilment or designing and fulfilment with any resources of one or several building and mounting works according to Appendix No 1 related to the construction, reconstruction, restructuring, maintenance, restoration or rehabilitation of buildings or construction facilities;
c) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) engineering and fulfilment with any resources of one or more activities related to a construction of a building in compliance with the requirements of the contracting authority, such as feasibility study, designing, organisation of the construction, delivery and mounting of machines, facilities and technological equipment, preparation and commissioning of the site.
(2) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; new – SG 33/12) Objects of public procurement are also:
1. supply of military equipment, including any parts, components and/or fixing components for it, including the equipment, included in the list of products, related to defense, adopted on the grounds of Art. 2, par. 1 of the Law for the export control of products, related to the defense, and of products and technologies of double use;
2. supply of special equipment, including any parts, components and/or fixing components for it;
3. construction and services, directly related to the equipment referred to item 1 and 2, for every and all component of its life cycle;
4. construction and services for specific military purposes or special construction and special services.
Art. 4. Shall not be object of public procurement:
1. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) acquiring or renting of land, existing buildings or other real estates, as well as establishing title over limited real rights, except for the financial services, related to these transactions;
2. acquisition, creation, production and co-production of programmes by radio and television operators and submission of programme time;
3. (amend., SG 53/04, SG 34/2005; suppl. - SG 18/06, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) financial services related to the issuance and transfer of securities or other financial instruments; the services provided by the Bulgarian National Bank; the services provided in connection with the management of the government debt, at buying and qualifying of production, approving of warehouses for storing and carrying out auctions at intervention of the markets for agricultural production referred to in the Law for Encouragement of Agriculture Producers;
4. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) scientific research and experimental works, when the contracting authority pays the service in full, but the benefits from them does not remain explicitly for the contracting authority in fulfilment of his activity;
5. (new, SG 53/04, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10) the arbitration and conciliation services;
6. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the labour contracts.
7. (new - SG 99/10, in force from 01.01.2011) the loans provided by the Bulgarian Development Bank for the purpose of funding financial shortage regarding projects under Operational programmes "Transport", "Environment" and "Regional Development", which have been approved by the European Investment Bank following the Credit Agreement for a Structural Program Loan, Bulgaria co-financing under the European Union Funds 2007 - 2013, between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Development Bank.
8. (new – SG 15/13, in force from 01.01.2014) contracts under Art. 154, Para 9 of the Law on Public Finance; service, software and source provision of the SEBPA and operations for revenue collection and other inflows into the budget organisations through the card payments as per Art. 154, Para 8 and 10 of the Law on Public Finance; operations of liquidity management of the unified account system and the execution of guarantee and other deposits under Art. 154. Para 22 and 23 of the Law on Public Finance.
Art. 5. (1) Public procurement for services, depending on the order by which they are assigned, are divided in:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) public procurement for services, included in appendix No 2, assigned by way of:
a) open or limited procedure by contracting authorities under art. 7, items 1 through 4;
b) open procedure, limited procedure or procedure of negotiation with notice by contracting authorities under art. 7, items 5 and 6;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) public procurement for services, included in Appendix No 3, which shall be assigned by way of open procedure, limited procedure or procedure of negotiation with notice.
3. (new – SG 33/12) public procurement for services referred to in Art. 3, par. 2, included in Attachment No. 5, which shall be assigned by way of a limited procedure or a procedure of negotiation with notice;
4. (new – SG 33/12) public procurement for services referred to in Art. 3, par. 2, included in Attachment No. 6, which shall be assigned by way of a limited procedure, a procedure of negotiation with notice or a procedure of negotiation without notice.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Public procurement including simultaneously services under Appendices No 2 and 3 shall be assigned by the order, provided for the services of higher cost.
(3) (new – SG 33/12) Public procurement including at the same time services referred to in Attachments No. 5 and 6 shall be assigned following the procedures, provided for the services of a higher value.
(4) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10; prev. par. 3, amend. – SG 33/12) Public procurement under para 1, items 1 and 2 shall be assigned for a period of up to 5 years. As an exception in the cases of services related to provision of bank loans for financing of investment projects or European Union projects and programmes a 10-year term may be fixed, provided that the contracting authority states the reasons for this in the decision for initiation of the procedure or in the public procurement notice.
Art. 6. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Subjects of the procedures for assigning public procurement are the contracting authorities, the participants and the contractors.
Art. 7. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Contracting authorities of public procurement are:
1. (suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the bodies of state power, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian National Bank, as well as other state institutions, established by a normative act;
2. the diplomatic and consular representations of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad, as well as the permanent representations of the Republic of Bulgaria to the international organisations;
3. the public organisations;
4. the associations of subjects under item 1 or 3;
5. the public enterprises and their associations, where they carry out one or several of the activities under art. 7a – 7e;
6. the traders or other persons, who are not public enterprises, when on the grounds of special or exclusive rights they carry out one or several of activities under art. 7a – 7e.
Art. 7a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Activities, connected with natural gas, heating or electric power, are:
1. the provision or the exploitation of fixed networks for public services, related to the production, transfer or the distribution of natural gas, heating or electric power, the production of heating or electric power with the purpose of delivery to these networks or
2. the delivery of natural gas, heating or electric power to such networks.
(2) The delivery of natural gas or heating power to fixed networks for public services shall not be deemed as activity within the meaning of par. 1, in case:
1. the production of natural gas or heating energy is a result from the implementation of activity, other than the activities under par. 1 or art. 7b – 7e, and
2. the delivery to these networks aims solely the economical exploitation of the production of natural gas or heating energy, provided that the amount of the deliveries is not more than 20 percent of the average annual turnover of the producer in the last three years, including the current year.
(3) The delivery of electric power to fixed networks for public services shall not be deemed as activity within the meaning of par. 1, in case:
1. the production of electric power is designated for implementation of an activity, different from the activities under art. 7b – 7e, and
2. the deliveries to the network for public services depend entirely on the own consumption of the producer and do not exceed 30 percent of the average annual production in the last three years, including the current year.
Art. 7b. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Activities, connected to drinking water, are:
1. the provision or the exploitation of fixed networks for public services, related to the production, transfer or the distribution of drinking water, or
2. the delivery of drinking water to such networks.
(2) The persons, carrying out activity under par. 1, shall apply the provisions of the law also to activities, related to:
1. irrigation, drainage or other hydro-technical activities, provided that the amount of water, designated for drinking needs is more than 20 percent of the total quantity of water, supplied via these activities, or
2. the discharge or the purifying of waste waters.
(3) The delivery of drinking water to fixed networks for public services shall not be considered as activity within the meaning of par. 1, in case:
1. the production of drinking water is necessary for implementation of activity, different from the activities under par. 1 or art. 7a, art. 7c – 7e, and
2. the deliveries to the network of public services depend entirely on the own consumption of the producer and do not exceed 30 percent or the average annual production in the last three years, including the current year.
Art. 7c. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (suppl. – SG 52/10) Activities, related to transport services, are the providing or exploitation of public services networks in the field of the railway, tramway, trolley or the bus transport, as well as automated transport systems or rope-lines.
(2) Activity in the meaning of para 1 shall not be considered the providing of bus transport services to the population, in case other persons may freely provide these services under the same terms as the contracting authority.
Art. 7d. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Activities, related to providing universal post service, are the services, referred to in art. 34 of the Law on postal services.
(2) The persons, who carry out the activities under par. 1, shall apply the provisions of the law to their overall activity.
Art. 7e. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Activities, related to the exploitation of definite geographical area, are:
1. prospecting, exploration for or production of oil, natural gas, coal or other solid fuel;
2. the operation of aerodromes, ports or other terminal bases, used during air, water or internal water ways transport;
Art. 8. (1) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall be obliged to conduct a procedure for assigning public procurement, if the grounds, provided for in the law, are present.
(2) (Prev. text of par. 1, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority or officials, authorized by them, shall organise and carry out the procedures for assigning public procurement and shall conclude the contracts for them. The authorization may not be used for separation of the public procurement with the purpose of evasion of a law.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 52/10) If the contracting authority is a collective body or a legal entity, the authorities under par. 2 shall be carried out by the person, who represents it.
(4) (Prev. text of par. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009; revoked - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
(6) (Prev. text of par. 3, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Two or more contracting authorities may take a decision for carrying out a joint procedure for assigning public procurement.
(7) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) contracting authorities shall be obliged to adopt internal rules for public procurement assignment, setting out the planning and organization procedures and the control over the implementation of the concluded public procurement contracts.
Art. 8a. (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) (1) Contracting authorities may receive supplies or services from or through a central body for public procurement orders.
(2) The central body for public procurement orders shall be a contracting authority conducting procedures and concluding contracts or frame agreements for the needs of other contracting authorities.
(3) Where the contracting authorities receive supplies or services following the procedure of par. 1, it shall be deemed that they have complied with the legal provisions, as far as the central body for public procurement orders have complied therewith. The central body and the contracting authority shall be held responsible for the legitimacy of the respective procedure conducted by them.
(4) The Council of Ministers upon a proposal of the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism may set up a central body for public procurement orders for the needs of the executive government bodies.
Art. 8b. (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Contracting authorities shall be obliged to accept internal regulations for the assignment of public procurement orders, which shall describe the procedure of planning and organization of conduction of the procedures and of monitoring of the implementation of the concluded public procurement contracts.
Art. 9. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. Art. 9 – SG 33/12) A candidate or a participant in a public procurement procedure may be any Bulgarian or foreign natural or legal person, as well as their associations.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) A candidate or a participant may not be suspended from the procedure for assignment of a public procurement on the grounds of its status or legal and organizational form, where it has been authorized to provide the respective service, carry out supplies or construction works in the Member State, in which it is settled.
Art. 10. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) A contractor of a public procurement shall be a participant in a public procurement procedure, with whom the contracting authority has concluded a public procurement contract.
Art. 11. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10) The decisions of contracting authorities, adopted in relation to the public procurement procedures, are individual administrative acts being issued pursuant to this Law.
(2) (new – SG 52/10) The decisions referred to in para 1 contain the following:
1. name of the contracting authority;
2. number, date and legal ground for issue of the act;
3. the procedure type and the subject of the procurement;
4. operative part, the contents of which depends on the stage of the procedure;
5. grounds – where required;
6. the body before which it can be appealed against an the time-limit;
7. full name and signature of the person who has issued the act, as well as the position he/she is holding.
(3) (new – SG 52/10) Contracting authorities shall not be entitled to admit pre-execution upon issue of decisions referred to in para 1.
Art. 12. (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) For projects referred to in Art. 3, par. 1 the law shall not apply for:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts for granting a concession for construction within the meaning of the Law for the concessions;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts, which the contracting authorities under art. 7, item 5 or 6 conclude in connection with activity, other than the activities under art. 7a – 7c and art. 7e or in connection with some of these activities, carried out in a third country and a network or geographic region in a Member state of the European Union are not used;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts for delivery, concluded by a contracting authority under art. 7, item 5 or 6 for the purpose of sale or renting the object of the contract to third persons, in case that the contracting authority has no special or exclusive rights to sell or rent the object of such contracts, and other persons may freely carry out this activity under the same terms;
4. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts for supply of water, energy or fuel for production of energy, concluded by a contracting authority under art. 7, item 5 or 6, carrying out activity under art. 7a;
5. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts for supply of water, concluded by a contracting authority under art. 7, item 5 or 6, carrying out activity under art. 7b;
6. (prev. text of item 5, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts for services concluded by a contracting authority under art. 7, item 5 or 6 with a related enterprise, on condition that at least 80 percent of his average annual turnover from the sale of services, deliveries or construction in the Republic of Bulgaria in the last three years comes from their provision to related enterprises;
7. (prev. text of item 6, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006, and with regards to second sentence - in force from 01.01.2007) contracts, assigned by association, established by contracting authority for carrying out activity under art. 7a – 7e, to one of the participants in it;
8. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) contracts, assigned by a participant in association, established by the contracting authority for carrying out activity under art. 7a -7e, to the association, if it has been established with the purpose to carry out the respective activity for a period of at least three years and the constituent act provides that the contracting authority will participate in it during the same period;
9. (prev. text of item 7, amend. - SG 37/06 and from 01.01.2007 with regards to second sentence; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) contracts for deliveries, assigned by one contracting authority to another contracting authority under art. 7, item 1 and 3 or to association of such contracting authorities, who have exclusive rights to provide such services by virtue of a law, by law or administrative act, the act for providing the exclusive rights shall be issued, observing the provisions of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union;
10. (prev. text of item 8, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
11. (prev. text of item 9 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) contracts concerning medicinal products, medical devices and dietary food for special medical purposes, concluded by the National Health Insurance Fund under Art. 45, para 8 of the Law for the Health Insurance.
12. (new – SG 19/11, in force from 09.04.2011) contracts for assigning activities related to establishing forests, conducting logging and timber and using of non-timber forest products according to the Law on Forests.
13. (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) contracts for utility services, concluded by contracting authorities under Art. 7, item 1, which are territorial bodies of the executive government bodies or their associations, with a company, established according to the provisions of the Law for the municipal ownership, which is a contracting authority under Art. 7, item 3 and for which the following conditions are met concurrently:
a) its capital is owned by the municipality entirely;
b) it is a subject of control similar to the one exercised by contracting authorities over their own structural units;
c) the subject of business according to its incorporation documents or by-laws is provision of utility services;
d) minimum 90% of the turnover are accumulated from provision of utility services to the respective contracting authority or association of contracting authorities.
14. (new – SG 33/12) contracts, awarded for implementation of an international treaty, concluded subject to compliance with the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, between the Republic of Bulgaria and a third party and providing supplies, services or construction of projects, meant for joint implementation or operation by the parties having signed it;
15. (new – S 33/12) contacts, awarded under specific procedural rules of an international organization.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the cases under par. 1, item 6, when the related enterprise has not achieved turnover for the precedent three years because of the date of its establishment or the initial moment of its activity, it is enough its business plans to provide for at least 80 percent of its average annual turnover to be achieved from the deliveries, the services or the construction, which shall be provided to related enterprises.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) If one or more than one enterprise, related to the contracting authority, provides the same or similar services, deliveries or construction, the value under par. 1, item 6 shall be calculated, taking into account the total turnover, achieved respectively from the provision of services, deliveries, or construction to these related enterprises.
(4) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In cases referred to in par. 1, item 13, where the company has not achieved a turnover due to the date of its establishment or the time of commencement of its business, it shall be sufficient that at the time of its establishment it has been provided that its annual turnover shall be accumulated from the services, provided to the contracting authority.
(5) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case of withdrawal of any of the conditions referred to in par. 1, item 13, the contracting authority shall be obliged to terminate the contract within one month.
(6) (Prev. text of par. 2 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 4 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall notify the Public Procurement Agency, upon its request, of:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the cases for which the exceptions under para 1, item 2 shall apply;
2. the subject of the contracts under para 1, item 3;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the name of the related enterprise, the object and the cost of the contract, as well as proof of the presence of the circumstances under para 1, items 6, 7 and 8 in the cases where these exceptions apply.
(7) (new – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in par. 1, item 14, the contracting authority shall notify the Public Procurement Agency of the concluded contracts within 7 days.
Art. 13. (amend. – SG 33/12) (1) The law shall not apply to contracts with the subject referred to in Art. 3, par. 2:
1. to be awarded under specific procedural rules:
a) in compliance with international treaties, concluded by and between the Republic of Bulgaria, individually or jointly with one or more European Union Member States as one party and one or more third parties as second party;
b) of an international organization, carrying out purchases for its own needs or for orders which have to be assigned in compliance with these rules;
2. the awarding of which is related to provision of information, the disclosure of which contradicts the key interests of state security according to the provision of Art. 346 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
3. to be awarded for the needs of intelligence operations;
4. to be awarded within the cooperation program based on research and development activity, carried out by minimum two European Union Member States, for the development of a new product, and, where applicable, at the later stages for the entire or for parts of the life cycle of this product;
5. to be awarded in a third country, where the operative needs require the contracts to be concluded with contractors, located in the area of the operations, including for civil orders, implemented in the process of accommodation of forces outside the territory of the European Union;
6. to be awarded by the Council of Ministers of a different government, related to:
a) supplies of military equipment or special equipment, or
b) construction works and services, directly related to the equipment referred to in item "a", or
c) construction works and services for specific military purposes or special construction works and special services;
7. for financial services, except for insurance services;
8. to be awarded for the fulfillment of an international treaty, related to accommodation of military forces and police forces in international missions and trainings.
(2) Upon accomplishment of the program referred to in par. 1, item 4 the participant from the Bulgarian side shall notify the European Commission of the share of expenditures for research and development as a part of the total cost of the cooperation program, of the agreement for sharing of expenditures, and of the estimated share of purchases of a European Union Member State, if any.
(3) The Council of Ministers, upon a proposal of the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Economy, Energy and tourism, the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Finance shall adopt an ordinance, regulating:
1. the criteria and the procedure of determination of the major national interests in the field of security and defense in the meaning of Art. 346 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and
2. the procedure of awarding of execution of investment projects for acquisition and/or upgrading of armaments, machinery and equipment for the needs of armed forces in cases referred to in par. 1, item 6;
3. the terms and conditions and the procedure for conclusion of compensatory (offset) agreements – in cases referred to in par. 1, item 2.
Art. 13a. (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authorities shall not have the right to apply the grounds under Art. 4, par. 12 and 13 in order to bypass the law.
Art. 14. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2011) (1) (suppl. – SG 33/12) The procedures referred to in this shall apply obligatorily in assigning public procurement with a subject under Art. 3, par. 1 of the following cost without VAT:
1. (amend. – SG 33/12) for construction – such exceeding 264 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – such exceeding 1 650 000 BGN;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) for deliveries, services and a project competition – such exceeding 66 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – such exceeding 132 000 BGN;
(2) (new – SG 33/12) Where the public procurements are with a subject referred to in Art. 3, par. 2, the contracting authorities shall apply the procedures under the law for the following costs, VAT exclusive:
1. for construction works – equal to or exceeding 4 000 000 BGN;
2. for supplies, services and a project competition – equal to or exceeding 400 000 BGN.
(3) (prev. par. 2, suppl. – SG 33/12) Contracting authorities may apply the simplified rules provided in this law, where the public procurement orders with a subject referred to in Art. 3, par. 1 are of the following cost, VAT exclusive:
1. (amend. – SG 33/12) for construction – higher than 264 000 BGN and up to 2 640 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – higher than 1 650 000 BGN and up to 6 600 000 BGN;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) for deliveries, services and a project competition – higher than 66 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – higher than 132 000 BGN up to the respective limit, referred to in Art. 45a, par. 2.
(4) (prev. par. 3, suppl. – SG 33/12) Contracting authorities may not conduct the procedures referred to in the law, but they shall be obliged to apply the terms and conditions and the procedures referred to in Chapter Eight "a" in case of public procurement orders with a subject referred to in Art. 3, par. 1, the cost of which, VAT exclusive, is:
1. (amend. – SG 33/12) for construction – from 60 000 BGN to 264 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – from 670 000 BGN to 1 650 000 BGN;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) for deliveries or services – from 20 000 BGN to 66 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – from 66 000 BGN to 132 000 BGN.
(5) (prev. par. 4, amend. – SG 33/12) Contracting authorities shall not be obliged to apply the procedures referred to in the law or the terms and conditions and the procedures referred to in Chapter Eight "a" for procurements under Art. 3, par. 1 the cost of which, VAT exclusive is:
1. (amend. – SG 33/12) for construction – less than 60 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – less than 670 000 BGN;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) for deliveries or services – less than 20 000 BGN to 60 000 BGN, and where the procurement has a place of fulfilment outside the country – less than 66 000 BGN.
3. (amend. – SG 33/12) for a project competition – less than 66 000 BGN.
(6) (prev. par. 5, amend. – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in par. 5, item 2 and 3 contracting authorities may not conclude a written agreement, and in this case they shall substantiate the expense by a primary payment documents.
(7) (new – SG 33/12) Contracting authorities shall not apply the procedures under the law and the terms and conditions and the procedures of Chapter eight "a" for public procurements under Art. 3, par. 2 of a cost less than those, referred to in par. 2, but shall be obliged to conclude a written agreement.
Art. 14a. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) In case an object of public procurement is provision of services, however including construction also, which ensues from the main object of the procurement, it shall be assigned as a public procurement for services.
(2) In case of assignment of a public procurement order including provision or goods and provision of services at the same time, the procedure applicable for the scope with a higher cost shall apply.
(3) (amend. – SG 33/12) When a contracting authority under art. 7, item 1 – 4 finances by more than 50 percent a construction contract, the persons, obtaining the financing and assigning the contract, shall be obliged to observe the provisions of this law as a contracting authority where the total value of the contract, VAT exclusive, is equal to or exceeds 2 640 000 BGN.
(4) (amend. – SG 33/12) Where a contracting authority under art. 7, item 1 – 4 finance by more than 50 percent a services contract, related to the construction contract, the persons obtaining the financing and assigning the contract for services shall be obliged to observe the provisions of this law as a contracting authority where the total value of the contract VAT exclusive is equal to or exceeds 391 160 BGN.
(5) In the cases referred to in par. 3 and 4 the contracting authority shall be obliged to exercise control for observing the law over the persons, having obtained the financing.
Art. 15. (1) (amend – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The estimated cost of the public procurement shall be determined as of the date of the decision for opening the procedure for assigning of public procurement.
(2) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) For determining the order of assigning public procurement its cost shall be calculated as follows:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for a contract for delivery through leasing, renting with or without a right of purchase, as well as for purchase on the installment plan, in case the term:
a) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) is up to one year – the total cost for the term of its validity;
b) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) is more than one year – the cost for the term of its validity plus the reference remaining value of the delivery;
c) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) is not fixed or can not be fixed – the monthly value, multiplied by the figure 48;
2. for periodical contracts for delivery and/or service – on the basis of:
a) the actual total value of similar contracts concluded during the preceding financial year and adjusted by the provided changes in the quantity or value of the respective delivery or service; or
b) the expected value of the delivery and/or services during the next 12 months after the first delivery or service or for the period of the deliveries and/or services when it is longer than 12 months;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 33/12) for a contract for delivery, service and/or construction, providing options – amounting to the maximum admissible total value, including the option and renewals clauses;
4. for a contract for service which does not determine a total price:
a) if it is for a period of up to 4 years – the total value of the contract for the term of its validity;
b) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) if the term could not be fixed in advance or it is longer than 4 years – the value of the monthly payment multiplied by the figure 48;
5. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for a contract for insurance service – the due insurance premium and other payments;
6. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for a contract for financial service – the price of the service, including the fees, commissions and interest and other payments;
7. for a contract for service preceded by a project competition, as well as for a project competition followed by a contract for service, the value shall be determined by the price of the service and the total value of the awards and other payments to the participants in the competition;
8. for a construction contract – on the basis of the value of the construction and the delivery of all goods and services for fulfilment of the construction, where they are provided by the contracting authority;
9. for a project competition the value of the procurement shall include the total value of the awards and other payments to the participants in the competition.
10. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for a frame agreement or dynamic purchasing system – on the basis of the maximum value expected, without VAT, of all contracts, envisaged to be concluded within the term of effect of the agreement or the system;
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) In determining the value of a public procurement shall be included all payments without VAT to the provider of the public procurement, including the options provided and repeat of the service or the construction under art. 90, par. 1, item 9, art. 103, par. 2, item 8 and art. 119c, par. 3, item 12=
(4) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Where the public procurement includes several detached positions, each of them being object of a contract, the value of the procurement shall be equal to the sum of the values of all positions. If the total value of the positions is equal to or exceeds the limits under art. 14, par. 1, 2, 3 or 4 upon the assignment of the procurement at each detached position shall be observed the procedure, applicable to the total cost of the procurement.
(5) The choice of a method for determining the value of the contract for public procurement shall not be used for the purpose of avoiding the application of the law.
(6) Not admitted shall be the partition of a public procurement for the purpose of avoiding the application of the law, including through a progress construction, where the concluded stage cannot obtain a permit for using as an individual site.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) At determination of the value of a construction contract the including of deliveries or services, which are not necessary for its fulfilment, shall not be admitted.
Section III.
Types of Procedures
Art. 16. (1) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The public procurement referred to in Art. 14, par. 1 shall be assigned by way of holding an open procedure, a limited procedure, competitive dialogue and procedures of negotiation.
(2) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
(3) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
(4) Open procedure is the procedure whereupon all interested persons may file offers.
(5) Limited procedure is the procedure whereupon offers may be filed only by candidates having received invitation from the contracting authority upon a preliminary selection.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Competitive dialogue is a procedure, where every interested person can submit application for participation and the contracting authority conducts a dialogue with the candidates, admitted upon a preliminary selection, with the purpose of definition of one or more proposals, which meet his/her requirements and after that he/she invites the candidates with suitable proposals to submit offers.
(7) (prev. text of par. 6 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The procedures of negotiation are:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) procedure of negotiation with notice, whereupon the contracting authority holds negotiations for determining the clauses of the contract with one or more participants chosen by him/her upon a preliminary selection;
2. procedure of negotiation without notice, whereupon the contracting authority holds negotiations for determining the clauses of the contract with one or more concretely chosen persons.
(8) (prev. text of par. 7, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority under art. 7, items 1 – 4 shall take a decision for assigning public procurement by way of open procedure and limited procedure at all times, when the conditions for conducting competitive dialogue or procedures of negotiation are not present.
Art. 16a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Project competition is the procedure whereupon the contracting authority acquires a plan or a project, chosen by an independent jury on the grounds of a competition with or without adjudgement of awards.
Art. 16b. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authorities may choose a contractor of a public procurement by way of open, limited procedure or procedures of negotiation with notice in the cases under art. 84, item 1, using electronic auction, as well as in the cases under art. 93b, par. 3 and art. 93i, if the technical specifications for the public procurement can be precisely defined.
(2) Object of electronic auction may not be public procurement for service and construction, whose subject is intellectual activity such as designing construction sites.
(3) The use of electronic auction shall be indicated in the notice for public procurement.
(4) The electronic auction may not be applied, if it prevents, restricts or violates the competition, provided that it also may not change the object of the procurement, indicated in the promulgated notice and in the specifications.
(5) The terms and the order for application of the electronic auction shall be settled by the Regulations for implementation of the law.
Art. 16c. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) (1) The contracting authority shall be obliged to keep their right to participate in procedures for assigning public procurement for specialized enterprises or cooperations of people with disabilities, where:
1. the object of the procurement is included in a list, approved by the Council of Ministers, or
2. the procurement is being fulfilled according to programmes for protection of the employment of people with disabilities.
(2) The contracting authority must point out the requirement under par. 1 in the notice for opening the public procurement.
(3) (new – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in par. 1, item 1 specialized enterprises or cooperations of people with disabilities shall participate, provided that they can fulfill minimum 80 per cent of the subject of the public procurement with their own production and resources or with subcontractors, which are also specialized enterprises or cooperations of people with disabilities.
(4) (new – SG 33/12) Nationally represented organizations of and for people with disabilities annually by 30 September of the current year shall publish on the Internet site for public procurement information about the capacitive power of their members.
(5) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall open for the subsequent calendar year a public procurement referred to in Art. 1, item 1, where it can be fulfilled by specialized enterprises or cooperations of people with disabilities according to the information under par. 4.
(6) (new – SG 33/12) Where after conducting a procedure under par. 1 no contractor has been selected, the contracting authority can open a new procedure under Art. 16, par. 8 or Art. 103, par. 1, without keeping the right for participation of specialized enterprises or cooperations of people with disabilities. The contracting authority shall indicate in their decision for opening the reasons for termination of the previous procedure.
Chapter two.
BODIES. PUBLIC PROCUREMENT REGISTER
Section I.
Bodies
Art. 17. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009) The Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism shall carry out the state policy in the sphere of public procurement.
Art. 18. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009) Established with the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism shall be Public Procurement Agency, called hereinafter "the Agency", which shall support him in implementing the state policy in the sphere of public procurement.
(2) The Agency is a corporate body with a seat in Sofia.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The financial support of the Agency shall be formed by budget revenue.
(4) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009; revoked – SG 38/12, in force from 01.07.2012)
(5) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; revoked – SG 38/12, in force from 01.07.2012)
(6) (prev. text of para 4 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The activity, the structure, the organisation of the work and the number of personnel of the Agency shall be determined by structural regulations adopted by the Council of Ministers.
Art. 19. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009) The Agency shall be managed and represented by an executive director who shall be appointed by the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism.
(2) The executive director of the Agency:
1. (suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall issue methodological instructions for unification of the practice of implementation of the law and the related by laws;
2. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall issue opinions on principals’ inquiries;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. and suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) notify competent bodies in view of exercising control for compliance with the law;
4. (amend. – SG 52/10) appeal before the Commission for Protection of Competition the decisions of contracting authorities with which have been committed violations of the procedure for assigning public procurement, an which have been established by the European Commission prior to concluding the contract and are specified in the notification as per Art. 122p, para 1;
5. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) shall work out draft normative acts and give opinion on international agreements in the sphere of public procurement;
6. shall keep Public Procurement Register;
7. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006 and from 01.01.2007 in the part, regarding the notification of the European Commission of amendments in the lists) shall maintain lists of the contracting authorities under art. 7 and notify the European Commission of amendments in the lists;
8. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall maintain, with the assistance of the professional associations and organisations in the respective branch, a list of persons who may used by the contracting authority as external experts for preparation and conducting of public procurement procedures;
9. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall work out standard forms of documents for publishing of information in the Register of public procurement orders;
10. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) shall co-ordinate the activity, connected to the training of the subjects of the public procurement;
11. shall participate in the international cooperation of the Republic of Bulgaria with organisations from other countries in the sphere of public procurement;
12. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009) shall present to the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism an annual report for the activity of the Agency;
13. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) shall compile and summarise the practice of applying the law and implement monitoring of the public procurement;
14. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall carry out co-operation in the sphere of public procurement with other bodies and with branch organisations;
15. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. and suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) provide generalized information from the Public Procurement Register via the web-site of the Agency;
16. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) shall support the process of electronic assignment of public procurement;
17. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) shall notify the European Commission of all international contracts under art. 12, par. 1, item 14;
18. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall send upon request of the European Commission the information under art. 12, par. 46;
19. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 52/10) shall send to the European Commission annual statistical accounts, as well as the orders as per Art. 121b, para 3 which have entered into force and the related thereto resolutions under Art. 122d, para 4 of the Commission fro Protection of Competition;
20. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) shall notify the European Commission of legal or factual problems in connection to participation of Bulgarian persons in procedures for assigning public procurement for services in third countries;
21. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) shall notify the European Commission of legal or factual problems in connection to participation of Bulgarian persons in procedures for assigning public procurement in third countries, which are result of non-observance of the provisions of the international labour law;
22. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 24/09; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall carry out preliminary control carried out by the managing bodies of the respective operational programmes, over public procurement procedures, financed entirely or partially by resources from the European funds, as follows:
a) (amend. – SG 33/12) for construction, the cost of which is equal to or exceeding BGN2.640.000;
b) for supply or service, the cost of which is equal to or exceeding the respective cost, indicated in Art. 45a, par. 2;
23. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) shall promote the Good practices in assignment of public procurement orders, including those related to application of environmental, social and innovative requirements;
24. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) shall exercise preliminary control on the decisions for initiation of negotiation procedures without notice on the ground of Art. 90, para 1, items 1 through 9 and item 12, issued by a contracting authority as per Art. 7, items 1 through 4;
25. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) shall keep a list of the persons who have failed to fulfil a public procurement contract, this being established by a final court ruling;
26. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
(3) (suppl. – SG 33/12) In connection with the implementation of his legal capacity the executive director of the Agency shall have the right to require from the contracting authority of public procurement the necessary information, and also to approve samples of documents.
(4) The contracting authority shall be obliged to submit the required information under para 3 within a period set by the executive director of the Agency.
(5) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The directions contained in par. 2, item 1 shall be obligatory for the control bodies referred to in Art. 123, par. 1, where they are agreed upon with them. The agreeing procedure shall be determined by the regulations for application of the law.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall send to the Executive director of the Agency the decisions under para 2 by electronic means within 14 days from their entry into force.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009) The forms under par. 2, item 9 shall be approved by the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism and shall be promulgated in State Gazette.
(8) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The following shall be published on the internet site of the agency:
1. the information referred to in par. 1, items 1, 6 – 8, 12, 13 and 25;
2. the approved forms referred to in par. 1, item 9;
3. the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV), adopted by Regulation (EC) No. 2195/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 November 2002 on the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV);
4. other information, determined by the regulations for application of the law.
Art. 20. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
Art. 20a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The preliminary control as per Art. 19, para 2, item 22 shall comprise:
1. the notice for the public procurement;
2. the decision for opening of a limited procedure on the grounds of Art. 76, par. 3, procedure of negotiation with an notice or a procedure of competitive dialogue;
3. Methodology of offers assessment – based on the most cost-efficient offer criterion.
(2) For the implementation of preliminary control the contracting authority shall be obliged prior to the opening of the procedure, to send to the agency the drafts of the documents referred to in par. 1.
(3) (amend. – SG 33/12) Within 14 days after the receipt of the drafts referred to in par. 2, the agency shall issue an opinion about the compliance with the provisions with this law and shall send it to the contracting authority. In case of identified inconformity, the opinion shall contain recommendations for their elimination.
(4) (amend. – SG 33/12) Together with sending of the decision and the notice for opening a procedure for publishing in the register, the contracting authority shall send to the agency also the approved methodology of assessment of proposals – in case of criterion of economically most favourable offer. Failing to take into consideration the recommendations in the opinion referred to in par. 3, the contracting authority may attach also written justification thereof.
(5) Within 10 days after the publication of the documents referred to in par. 1, items 1 and 2, the agency shall carry out assessment of their conformity with the issued recommendations and shall prepare a final legitimacy report.
(6) The report shall be sent to the contracting authority referred to in Art. 123, par. 1 and to the bodies responsible for funds management and spending under the respective program within the term referred to in par. 5.
(7) Preliminary control over the procedures referred to in Art. 76, par. 3 and in Art. 86, par. 3 shall be finalized with the opinion under par. 3.
(8) Exchange of information regarding the implementation of preliminary control shall be regulated by the regulations for the application of the law.
Section II.
Public Procurement Register
Art. 21. (1) Created shall be Public Procurement Register.
(2) The Public Procurement Register shall be open for the public.
(3) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall be obliged to send the information (in Bulgarian) intended for entry in the Public Procurement Register to the Executive director of the Agency.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The Executive director of the Agency shall specify by an order the electronic format and the technical requirements concerning the information under para 3. The order shall be published on the web site of the Agency.
(5) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) Any piece of information sent in violation of the order as per para 4 shall not be published in the register and shall be considered unsent.
(6) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The terms and procedure for operation of the register shall be defined by the regulations for implementation of the law.
Art. 22. The Public Procurement Register shall contain:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the decisions for opening, amendment and termination of procedures for assigning of public procurement;
2. the notices required for entry in the register;
3. the information regarding the assigned public procurement;
4. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) information concerning the fulfilled public procurement contracts;
5. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) information in the progress of the procedure in case of appeal proceedings;
6. (prev. text of item 4 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. item 5 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) other information determined by the regulations for implementation of the law.
Art. 22a. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) Registration of particulars in the register shall be refused in the cases, where:
1. the information is provided not in compliance with the form approved for the respective type of a contracting authority;
2. the fields which are obligatory to be filled out are not;
3. the information has not been provided in compliance with the procedure provided in the regulations for the application of the law;
4. there is a discrepancy in the information, provided in the documents related to the same order.
(2) The refusal under par. 1 shall be advised to the contracting authority within 5 days after the information has been received by the agency.
Part two.
ASSIGNING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
Chapter three.
GENERAL RULES FOR ASSIGNING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
Section I.
Advance notice
Art. 23. (1) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send to the Agency for entry in the Public Procurement Register or publish in the buyer profile an advance notice for all procedures for assigning public procurement or for concluding frame agreements, which they intend to open in the following 12 months:
1. (amend. – SG 52/10) for delivery of goods and for services under art. 5, para 1, item 1 in categories, when the total value without VAT of the respective category of goods or services is exceeding 450 000 BGN;
2. (amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) for construction, where the total value of the procurement without VAT is equal to or exceeds BGN2 640 000, and where the public procurement is under art. 3, par. 2 – equal to or exceeding BGN4 000 000;
3. (new – SG 33/12) for supplies of goods under art. 3, par. 2 and for services under par. 5, par. 1, item 3 by categories, where the total value, VAT exclusive for the respective category of goods or services is equal or exceeds BGN1 000 000.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) When publishing advance notice at the buyer profile, the contracting authority shall send via electronic means to the agency a notice according to a confirmed form. The advance notices may not be published in the buyer profile before the date of sending the notice.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The notices, indicated in par. 1, and the notice under par. 2 for deliveries and services must be sent till the 1st of March.
(4) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005, prev. text of par. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authorities shall be obliged to send an advance notices only when they are intending to use shortened terms under art. 64, par. 2, art. 81, par. 2 and art. 104, par. 1.
(5) (prev. text of par. 3, suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) In the cases under para 1, item 1 the category of goods shall be determined by the contracting authority according to the Nomenclature of the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV), and the category of services – according to Appendix No 2..
(6) (prev. text of par. 4 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Publishing of an advance notice shall not oblige the contracting authority to carry out the respective procedures for assigning public procurement.
Art. 24. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
Section II.
Decision for Opening a Public Procurement Procedure and Notice for Public Procurement
Art. 25. (1) The contracting authority shall take a decision for opening a procedure for assigning public procurement by which shall approve the notice for public procurement and the documentation for participation in the procedure. The decision and the notice shall be sent to the Agency for entry in the Public Procurement Register in electronic form as well.
(2) The notice for public procurement shall contain at least the following information:
1. name, address, telephone, fax, electronic address of the contracting authority and a person for contact;
2. type of the procedure;
3. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) object and subject of the procurement and also quantity or volume, including of detached positions;
4. (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) code according to the nomenclature of the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV);
5. place and term of fulfilment of the procurement;
6. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) the selection criteria, including minimal requirements for the economic and financial status of the candidate or the participant or his/her technical capacities and qualification, where the contracting authority has set such, as well as indication of the documents proving them;
7. terms and size of the guarantee for participation and of the guarantee for fulfilment of the contract;
8. terms and way of payment;
9. (suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) term of validity of the offers in open procedures;
10. (suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) criterion for assessment of the offers, and in case the relevant criterion is the economically most favourable offer – also the indices for complex assessment along with their relative weight, or, in those cases where their relative weight may not be specified due to objective reasons – the rating in descending order according to their significance;
11. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) opportunity for providing options in the offers;
12. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) opportunity the participants to submit offers only for one, for all or for one or more detached positions – in case the subject of the procurement includes several detached positions;
13. (prev. text of item 11 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) place and term of receiving, price and way of payment of the documentation for participation in the procedure;
14. (prev. text of item 12, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) place and term of receiving the applications or the offers;
15. (prev. text of item 13 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) place and date of opening the offers or the applications for participation;
16. (prev. text of item 14 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) date of publication of the advance notice under art. 23, if there is any;
17. (prev. text of item 15 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the date of sending the notice.
(3) The notice of the contracting authority may also stipulate:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) opportunity for conducting electronic auction;
2. (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006, amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) requirement for establishing a legal person where the participant, appointed for a contractor, is an association of natural and/or legal persons. The newly established legal person shall be bound by the offer, submitted by the association;
3. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006);
4. (revoked – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009)
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In case of limited procedures, procedures of negotiation with notice and competitive dialogue procedures the contracting authority may also include in the notice a restriction of the number of candidates, who shall be invited to present offers, to negotiate or to take part in a dialogue, provided that there is sufficient number of candidates, meeting the requirements. In these cases in the notice shall be pointed out objective and non-discriminatory criteria or rules, which the contracting authority intends to apply, the minimum number of candidates, who will be invited, and in the contracting authority’s opinion – also the maximum number.
(5) (prev. text of par. 4 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall not have the right to include terms or requirements, giving privilege or restricting the participation of persons in the public procurement without a ground, in the decision, notice or documentation.
(6) (prev. text of par. 5, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The selection criteria referred to in par. 2, item 6 and the documents required for their implementation must correspond to and be in compliance with the cost, complexity and the subject of the public procurement. Where the contracting authority sets a requirement for existing turnover under Art. 50, par. 1, item 3 related to the subject of procurement, this turnover may not exceed three times the estimated cost of procurement. Where the procurement contains detached items, the selection criteria for each individual detached item must correspond to the complexity, cost and scope of the respective item.
(7) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The selection criteria referred to in par. 2, item 6, set out by the contracting authority, must be the same for all participants in the procedure.
(8) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case of participation of associations, which are not legal entities, the selection criteria shall be applied to the participating association, instead of to each person involved herein, except for relevant registration, provision of a certificate or any other term and condition, required for the implementation of the procurement in compliance with the provisions of a regulating or administrative act and in consideration of the share of involvement of the persons in performance of works, as provided by the agreement for the establishment of the association.
(9) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The parameters of complex assessment referred to in par. 2, item 10 must be related to the subject of the public procurement.
(10) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. par. 7, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the relevant criterion is the economically most favourable offer, the contracting authority shall not be entitled to include selection criteria as offers assessment parameters.
(11) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) For determination of the term referred to in par. 2, item 14 the contracting authority must take into consideration the complexity of the procurement and the time, required for preparation of applications for participation or of offers.
Art. 26. (1) (prev. text of art. 26, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority may also provide for in the notice under art. 25 additional requirements for the fulfilment of the public procurement, related to the protection of the environment, the unemployment and the opening of new positions for disabled persons, in compliance with the requirements of art. 25, para 5.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) In case of assignment of public procurements under art. 3, par. 2, in addition to the requirements referred to in par. 1, the contracting authority may provide also special requirements for implementation of the public procurement, related to reassignment to subcontractors, or such, intended to guarantee the classified information safety and/or supplies safety.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 2 – SG 33/12) In the cases under par. 1, at preparation of the offer the participants shall also specify the manner of fulfillment of the additional requirements.
Art. 26a. (new – SG 52/10) (1) Upon assignment of a public procurement for delivery of transport vehicles, specified in Appendix No 3a, contracting authorities shall be obliged to take into account the energy aspects and the environmental impacts throughout the operational lifetime of the transport vehicles, including the following minimum requirements:
1. energy consumption, and
2. emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), and
3. emissions of nitrogen oxides (Nox), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and particulate matter.
(2) In order to fulfil the requirements set out in para 1 contracting authorities shall:
1. set technical specifications for energy and environmental performance in the documentation of the public procurement, or
2. include indices where the assessment criterion is the most economically favourable offer.
(3) (suppl. – SG 33/12) In the cases referred to in para 2, item 2, where the impact aspects referred to in par. 1 are displayed in monetary form shall be applied methodology for calculation of costs of energy consumption, emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane hydrocarbons and particulate matter throughout the operational lifetime of transport vehicles. The methodology shall be defined by an ordinance of the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications.
(4) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Contracting authorities are allowed not to apply the requirements set out in para 1 in those cases where:
1. they assign a public procurement for delivery of transport vehicles which are not subject to compulsory type approval or to individual approval pursuant to an ordinance of the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications adopted on the grounds of Art. 38, para 4 of the Road Traffic Law or
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) the public procurement is for the cost referred to in Art. 14, par. 3.
Art. 27. (1) (new – SG 33/12) The notices for public procurements of a value under the thresholds, determined in Art. 25a, par. 2, shall be issued in the respective form, approved according to the procedure of Art. 19, par. 7.
(2) (amend. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005; amend. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. art. 27 – SG 33/12) After the publication of the notice referred to in Art. 25, par. 2 the contracting authority may publish information regarding the public procurement also in a local newspaper or in a national daily newspaper. The publication shall indicate at least the subject of the public procurement and the date of publication of the notice in the Register of public procurement orders and it cannot include information not contained in the notice.
Art. 27a. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may on its own initiative or upon an interested person’s proposal, to make single amendments of the notice and/or the documentation of the public procurement, related to provision of legitimacy of the procedure, correcting of blanks or of an obvious error of fact.
(2) Each interested person may make a proposal for amendments in the notice and/or the documentation within 10 days after the publication of the notice for opening of the procedure.
(3) The amendments referred to in par. 1 shall be carried out through a decision for an amendment which shall be published in the Register of public procurement orders within 14 days after the publication of the notice for opening of the procedure.
(4) By the decision for amendment the contracting authority shall not have the right to amend the works and/or supplies according to the announced subject of procurement.
(5) In the decision referred to in par. 3 the contracting authority shall set out also a new term for receiving of offers or of applications, which may not be shorter than the initially fixed one.
(6) The contracting authority may not determine a new term referred to in par. 5, where the amendments do not affect the selection criteria, the requirements to the offer or the implementation of procurement.
(7) Upon expiration of the term referred to in par. 3 the contracting authority may publish a decision for amendment, only in case of extending of the terms announced in the procedure.
(8) The contracting authority shall be obliged to extend the terms announced in the procedure:
1. where it is found out, that the initially determined term is not sufficient for preparation of offers, including because of required on the spot reviewing of additional documents to the documentation or a site visit;
2. in cases referred to in Art. 29, par. 2.
(9) The contracting authority may extend the terms announced in the procedure, where:
1. within the initially determined term there are no submitted applications or offers or only one application or offer have been submitted;
2. this is required following appeal proceedings;
3. (new – SG 33/12) the term referred to in art. 51, par. 3 is not sufficient.
(10) By the publication of a decision for amendment in the Register of public procurement orders it shall be deemed that all interested parties have been duly notified.
Art. 27b. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) Article 27a shall not apply in the cases referred to in Art. 76, par. 3 and Art. 86, par. 3.
(2) In cases referred to in par. 1 the contracting authority may publish a decision for amendment in the Register of public procurement orders, thus extending the announced terms for submission of applications, where:
1. within the initially fixed term there are no submitted applications or only one application has been submitted;
2. this is required following appeal proceedings.
Section III.
Documentation for Participation in the Public Procurement Procedure
Art. 28. (1) The documentation for participation in public procurement procedure shall contain:
1. the decision for opening public procurement procedure;
2. the notice for the public procurement;
3. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the full description of the subject of the procurement, including the detached positions;
4. the technical specifications;
5. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the minimum requirements, which the options must meet, and the special requirements for their presentation, in case the contracting authority admits options;
6. (prev. text of item 5, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the investment projects when public procurement for construction requires such;
7. (prev. text of item 6 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the indices, their relative weight and the methodology for determining the complex assessment of the offer when the criterion for the assessment is economically the most favourable offer;
8. (prev. text of item 7 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) a form of the offer, as well as instructions for its preparation;
9. (prev. text of item 8 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the draft contract;
9. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006).
(2) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The methodology under para 1, item 7 shall contain exact instructions for determining the assessment by each indicator and for determining the complex assessment of the offer, including of the relative weight, with which the contracting authority awards each of the indices for assessment of the most favourable offer economically. The relative weight of the individual indices may be expressed by maximum values within the frames of the general assessment.
(3) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall apply the methodology as per para 1, item 7, to all offers admitted to assessment, without changing it.
(4) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 3, amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where payment for the documentation for participation is provided, the contracting authority may not determine a price, which is higher than the real cost covering its printing and copying. Upon request by the interested person the contracting authority shall be obliged to send the documentation at the expense of the person, having addressed the request.
(5) (new – SG 33/12) The Contracting authority may indicate in the documentation the bodies, from which the applicants or the participants may obtain relevant information about the obligations related to taxes and insurances, environmental protection, protection of employment and labor conditions, applicable in the country of in the state, where the construction works are to take place or the services are to be provided, and which are applicable to construction works or to the provided services.
(6) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 4, amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 5, amend. – SG 33/12) The documentation for participation may be purchased or obtained within 10 days prior to expiration of the term for receiving the offers or of the applications, and for procurement referred to in Art. 14, para 3– within 7 days.
(7) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 6 – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in Art. 76, par. 3 andArt. 86, par. 3 – the documentation may be purchased or obtained within three work days prior to expiration of the term for receiving of the applications for participation.
(8) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 7 – SG 33/12) The persons shall have the right to review the documents on the spot, prior to purchasing it.
(9) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 8 – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in Art. 27a, par. 1 the contracting authority shall be obliged to provide free of charge the amended documents to the persons having purchased them prior to issuance of the decision for their amendment.
Art. 29. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The persons may request in writing from the contracting authority clarifications on the documentation for participation prior to expiration of the term for its purchasing or obtaining. The contracting authority shall send the clarifications within 4 days after the receipt of the request.
(2) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Provided that from the provision of the clarification by the contracting authority to the deadline for receiving of offers or applications for participation remain less than 6 days, and in cases referred to in Art. 14, par. 3 – less than three days, the contracting authority shall be obliged to extend the term for receiving of offers or of applications for participation by a number of days, equal to the delay.
(3) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. par. 2, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send the elucidation under para 1 to all persons having bought documentation for participation and having indicated an address for correspondence, without noting in the reply the person who has made the request. The elucidation shall also be attached to the documentation which is to be provided to other applicants or participants.
Section IV.
Technical Specifications
Art. 30. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) In the documentation for participation in public procurement procedure the contracting authority shall determine the technical specifications by:
1. indicating in the following order of:
a) Bulgarian standards introducing European standards;
b) European technical approvals;
c) Generally accepted technical specifications;
d) Bulgarian standards, introducing international standards;
e) other international standards;
f) other technical references, issued by European standardization bodies, or ins case such are missing – other national standards, national technical approvals or national technical specifications, related to engineering, calculation method and execution of construction works, and also to use of goods;
g) technical specifications, produced and widely adopted by the industry;
h) national standards in the field of defense and similar specifications of equipment and supplies in the field of defense;
2. indication of operating parameters of functional requirements, allowing precise determination of the subject of order; functional requirements may include requirements for environmental protection ;
3. determination of operating characteristics or functional requirements by referring to technical specifications under item 1, reference to which shall be accepted as achievement of compliance;
4. indication of specifications under item 1 for a part of the parameters, and for others – by reference to operating parameters or functional requirements under item 2.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) Each reference to a particular standard, specification, technical approval or other technical reference under par. 1, item 1 shall have to be supplemented by adding the words "or equivalent".
(3) (prev. par. 2, amend. - SG 33/12) In the cases under par. 1, item 2, when the contracting authority has provided requirements for protection of the environment, he/she may use specifications or parts of European or national schemes of ecomarking of other ecomarkings, meeting simultaneously the following requirements:
1. (amend. – SG 33/12) the specifications are suitable for determining the characteristics of the goods and the services;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) the requirements to ecomarking are prepared on the basis of scientific information;
3. (amend. – SG 33/12) the ecomarkings are accepted following a procedure, in which all interested parties man take part – state bodies, consumers, producers, distributors and organizations for protection of the environment;
4. they are accessible to all interested parties.
(4) (prev. par. 3, amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may point out that the goods and the services having ecomarking are considered to correspond to the technical specifications, provided in the documentation for participation in a procedure for assigning public procurement.
(5) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 4, amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases under par. 3 the contracting authority shall accept also any other facility, proving conformity, such as manufacturer’s technical file or a test report, or a certificate, issued by a recognized body.
Art. 31. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) When providing technical specifications to the applicants or the participants in the procedures and when concluding the public procurement contract the contracting authority may place requirements for protection of information of confidential nature or of classified information. The contracting authority may request from the applicants or the participants to guarantee compliance with these requirements by their subcontractors, too.
(2) (suppl. – SG 33/12) The applicants or the participants, including their subcontractors shall not have right to disclose the information under par. 1.
Art. 32. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The technical specifications shall provide equal access of the candidates or the participants for participation in the procedure and shall not create obstacles to the competition without a ground.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The technical specifications shall not be determined by indicating a specific model, source, process, trade mark, patent, type, origin or production, which would lead to the provision of privilege or the elimination of certain persons or products. In exclusive cases, where it is impossible for the subject of the procurement to be described precisely and clearly by the order of art. 30, par. 1 and Art. 33 such indication is admissible, provided that the words "or an equivalent" are obligatorily added.
Art. 33. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases of art. 30, para 1, item 1 the contracting authority may not reject an offer on the grounds that the offered goods or services do not correspond to the technical specifications he indicated where the participant proves in his offer by any relevant means, which satisfy the contracting authority that the solution offered by him solution meets equivalently the requirements determined by these technical specifications.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases of art. 30, para 1 where technical specifications are determined through operating parameters or functional requirements, the contracting authority may not reject an offer corresponding to a Bulgarian standard introducing an European standard, to European technical approval; to generally accepted technical specification; to international standard or technical reference, established by European standardization bodies, where the participant proves in his offer by relevant means that these standardization documents are related to the requirements determined by the contracting authority.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases of para 1 and 2 as relevant means for proving of achieved equivalency subject to satisfying of requirements, indicated in technical specifications, shall also be deemed manufacturer’s technical file or test reports or certificates, issued by a recognized body.
(4) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When submitting the offer the participant may point out which part of it is of confidential nature and require from the contracting authority not to disclose it.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall not have right to disclose information, provided to him/her by candidates and participants, indicated by them as confidential with regards to technical or commercial secrets, except for the cases under art. 44 and art. 73, par. 4.
Art. 33a. (new – SG 33/12) Contracting authorities shall acknowledge certificates issued by recognized bodies.
Section V.
Consideration, Assessment and Rating of the Offers
Art. 34. (1) The contracting authority shall appoint a commission for holding a public procurement procedure, determining its members and reserve members.
(2) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The commission shall include obligatorily one qualified lawyer, and the remaining members shall be persons having adequate professional qualification and practical experience in compliance with the subject and the complexity of the procurement. The commission shall consist of an odd number of members – minimum five persons, and in cases referred to in Art. 14, par. 3 – minimum three persons.
(3) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority referred to in Art. 7, items 1 through 4 may involve as a member of the commission an external expert as well, who has been included in the list as per Art. 19, para 2, item 8 and is qualified as required by the subject of the procurement.
(4) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; .revoked. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; new – SG 33/12 ) In case of assignment of public procurement orders containing or requiring classified information, commission members can be only individuals, holding a permit for access to classified information in compliance with the requirements of the Law for protection of classified information.
(5) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 4 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) In case of open procedure the commission shall be appointed by the contracting authority upon expiration of the term for accepting the offers, and in case of limited procedure, competitive dialogue or procedure of negotiation - upon expiration of the term for accepting the applications for participation.
(6) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 5, amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall set a term for conclusion of the work of the commission which must be in accordance with the specific nature of the public procurement. The said term may not be longer than the term of validity of the offers.
(7) (prev. text of para 6 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 82/12) All expenses related to the commission activity shall be paid by contracting authority. Commission members shall receive remuneration for their work, determined by the order of appointment, unless the law provides otherwise.
Art. 35. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Members of the commission or consultants may be persons who declare that:
1. they have no material interest in the assignment of the public procurement to a definite candidate or participant;
2. (amend. - SG 52/10; amend. - SG 97/10, in force from 10.12.2010; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) they are not "affiliated persons" with an applicant or a participant in the procedure or with subcontractors appointed by him/her, or with members of their management or control bodies;
3. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. - SG 97/10, in force from 10.12.2010) have no private interest within the meaning of the Law on Prevention and Establishment of Conflict of Interests as regards to assigning the public procurement.
(2) The members of the commission and the consultants shall be obliged to keep secret the circumstances they have learned in connection with their work in the commission.
(3) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The members of the commission and the consultants shall present to the contracting authority a declaration for compliance of the circumstances under para 1 and for observance of the requirements under para 2 after receiving the list of candidates or participants and at each stage of the procedure where a change of the declared circumstances occurs.
Art. 36. (1) The decisions of the commission shall be taken by a majority of its members. When a member of the commission is against the decision taken he/she shall sign the records with reservation and shall present his/her motives in writing.
(2) Where, due to objective reasons, a member of the commission cannot fulfil his/her duties and he/she cannot be substituted by a reserve member, the contracting authority shall issue an order for appointing a new member.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009)
Art. 36a. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The contracting authority or an authorized person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 shall have the right to monitor the work of the commission in charge of conducting of the procedure prior to issuance of relevant decisions.
(2) In the course of monitoring referred to in par. 1 the contracting authority shall review only the content of the records produced by the commission on the conformity with the legal provisions and preliminary announced terms and conditions of the public procurement.
(3) Provided that in the course of monitoring referred to in par. 1 violations in the commission work are identified, which may be corrected, without having to suspend the procedure, the contracting authority shall issue written instructions for their correction.
(4) The contracting authority instructions referred to in par. 3 shall be binding for the commission. The undertaken actions and the adopted decisions for fulfillment of instructions shall be recorded in a protocol, whereas in case of any disagreement, a dissenting opinion shall be attached thereto.
Art. 37. (1) (prev. text of art. 37, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall determine the contractor of the public procurement on the grounds of an assessment of the offers by one of the following criteria, indicated in the notice:
1. the lowest price;
2. economically most favourable offer.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) If the chosen criterion is economically the most favourable offer, the contracting authority shall be obliged to determine the indices, their relative weight and methodology for determining the assessment by each index, including digital admissible values and its evaluation within limits set in advance. Where, due to objective reasons, it is impossible the relative weight to be indicated, the contracting authority shall arrange them by importance in descending order.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The criteria under para 1 shall apply for evaluation of offers, which:
1. meet the requirements announced in advance by the contracting authority, and
2. have been filed by participants with regards to whom there are no circumstances under Art. 47, para 1 and 5 as well as the ones indicated in the notice as per Art. 47, para 2, and who meet the requirements for financial and economic standing, technical possibilities and qualification.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) If the chosen criterion is economically the most favourable offer and the contracting authority has indicated in the notice that he/she admits presentation of options, subject to assessment shall be all options proposed, which meet the announced requirements under art. 28, par. 1, item 5.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the cases under par. 4 the participant shall take part in the rating only with the option, which has acquired the highest assessment
Art. 38. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10) All procedures under this Law shall wind up by a decision for:
1. designating a contractor under a public procurement contract, as well as under a contract concluded by implementation of frame agreement, a dynamic delivery system or a system for preliminary selection;
2. concluding a frame agreement;
3. (revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
4. classifying the participants and/or awarding a prize and/or other payments in a project competition;
5. termination of the procedure.
Art. 39. (1) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall terminate the procedure by a justified decision when:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. And suppl.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) not a single offer, application or a project have been filed, or there is no candidate or participant who meets the requirements set out in Art. 47 through 53a;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) all offers or projects do not meet the requirements announced by the contracting authority in advance;
3. all offers meeting the requirements announced in advance by the contracting authority exceed the financial resource he can provide;
4. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. And suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the first and the second rated participants refuse to conclude a contract;
5. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) there is no more a necessity of holding the procedure as a result of substantial change of the circumstances or in case of impossibility of providing financing for fulfilment of the procurement for reasons which the contracting authority could not have foreseen;
6. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) violations in its opening and holding are established, which cannot be removed without changing the terms under which the procedure has been announced;
7. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) due to presence of some of the grounds under art. 42, para 1, public procurement contract is not concluded.
(2) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) Contracting authorities may terminate the proceedings by a reasoned decision, in case:
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) only one offer, application for participation or project have been submitted;
2. (amend. and suppl. – SG 52/10; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) there is only one candidate or participant who meets the requirements set out in Art. 47 through 53a or only one offer or project meets the prerequisites announced in advance by the contracting authority;
3. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the applicant, having been ranked first:
a) refuses to sign a contract, or
b) fails to meet any of the requirements referred to in Art. 42, par. 1, or
c) does not meet the requirements of Art. 47, par. 1 and 5 or the requirements of Art. 47, par. 2, where these are mentioned in the notice;
4. (new – SG 33/12) where the grounds referred to in Art. 79, par. 9, item 2, Art. 83d, par. 8, item 2 and Art. 88, par. 8, item 2 are existing.
(3) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 2, suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall be obliged, within 3 days from the decision under para 1 or 2, to notify the candidates or the participants of the termination of the public procurement procedure, as well as to send a copy of it to the executive director of the agency.
(4) (prev. text of para 3 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) In the cases of para 1, item 3 the contracting authority shall obligatorily include in the decision the lowest offered price and he may not conclude a contract for the same object at a price equal or higher than the one indicated by the decision, on holding another procedure within the same year.
(5) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 4, suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) On termination of the public procurement procedure under para 1, item 3, 5 and 6 or para 2 the contracting authority shall reimburse to the candidates or the participants the expenses incurred by them for buying the documentation for participation in the procedure within 14 days from the decision under para 1 or para 2.
(6) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the initially announced procedure has been terminated, the contracting authority may open a new procedure for assignment of a public procurement order with the same subject only if the decisions for termination has been enforced.
Art. 40. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may revoke the decision for selection of a contractor upon its enforcement, but prior to conclusion of the contract, and to issue a decisions for termination of the procedure, where the circumstances referred to in Art. 39, par. 1, item 4, 5 and 7 and par. 2, item 3 have occurred.
Section VI.
Public Procurement Contract
Art. 41. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority shall conclude a written public procurement contract with the participant, chosen for contractor as a result of conducted procedure.
(2) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall be obliged to conclude a contract, conforming with the project attached to the documentation, supplemented with all proposals of the offer of the participant, on the ground of which he/she has been selected as a contractor.
(3) (amend. – SG 52/10) The contracting authority shall not be entitled to conclude the contract prior to expiry of the 14-days term from the notification of the interested candidates and/or interested participants of the decision for designation of a contractor.
(4) (amend. – SG 52/10) The contracting authority shall conclude the contract within one month from entry into force of the decision for designating a contractor or of the order with which has been admitted pre-execution or this decision, however not prior to the expiry of the term fixed in para 3.
(5) (new – SG 52/10; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall not be entitled to conclude a contract with the designated contractor before all decisions related to the procedure enter into force, unless preliminary execution has been admitted.
(6) (prev. text of para 5 – DG 52/10) Shall not be admitted conclusion of termless public procurement contracts.
Art. 41a. (new – SG 52/10) The contracting authority may conclude a public procurement contract prior to the expiry of the term fixed in Art. 41, para 3, where:
1. the contractor is designated as a result of a negotiation procedure without an notice where only one participant has been invited;
2. the designated contractor is the only interested participant and there are no interested candidates;
3. the contract is concluded on the grounds of a frame agreement with one participant.
Art. 41b. (new – SG 52/10) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) As regards to the persons under Art. 122i, para 1, null and void shall be considered contracts or frame agreements, concluded:
1. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) without public procurement assignment procedure, regardless the grounds for its conduction;
2. (prev. item 1, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) in case of unlawful implementation of the grounds under Art.4, Art. 12, para 1, Art. 13, para 1, Art. 90, para 1, Art. 103, para 2 or Art. 119c, par. 3;
3. (prev. item 2 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) prior to entry into force of any of the decisions of the contracting authority issued in relation to the procedure, and an infringement is established which has affected the ability of:
a) an interested person to submit an application for participation or an offer;
b) an interested candidate to submit an offer;
c) an interested candidate or participant to take part in the process of designating a contractor.
(2) (suppl. – SG 33/12) The contract or the frame agreement shall retain its effect in those cases where a decision as per Art. 122d, para 4 has entered into force.
Art. 41c. (new – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may publish a voluntary transparency notice, where Art. 4, item 2, 4 and 5, Art. 12, par. 1, items 2 – 9, 11 - 15, Art. 13, par. 1, Art. 90, par. 1, Art. 103, par. 2 or Art. 119c, par. 3are applied.
(2) The voluntary transparency notice is an individual administrative act, containing minimum:
1. name and information about the contracting authority;
2. description of the subject of the contract, which the contracting authority is planning to conclude;
3. justification for application of the grounds referred to in par. 1;
4. name and information about the selected contractor.
(3) The notice referred to in par. 1 shall be issued in Bulgarian language in a form, approved by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 842/2011 of 19 August 2011 establishing standard forms for the publication of notices in the field of public procurement and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 1564/2005 (OJ, L 222/1 of 27 August 2011), herein after referred to "Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 842/2011".
(4) In those cases where the contracting authority uses a voluntary transparency notice, they shall forward it to the Public Procurement Register for publication, and where the procurement value is equal to or exceeding those fixed in Art. 45a, para 2 – the notice shall also be sent to the Official Journal of the European Union.
(5) In cases referred to in Art. 41b, par. 1, item 2 the contract shall remain valid, if concluded after entering of voluntary transparency notice into force and the contracting authority has met the provisions of par. 1 – 4.
Art. 42. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (prev. text of Art. 42 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The public procurement contract shall not be concluded with a participant chosen for contractor who, on signing the contract:
1. does not present a document for registration in compliance with the requirement of art. 25, para 3, item 2;
2. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) does not fulfil the obligation under art. 47, para 10 and art. 48, para 2;
3. does not present the fixed guarantee for performance of the contract;
4. (new – SG 52/10) fails to make the respective registration, does not provide certain document or fails to fulfill some other requirement required for the performance of the public procurement set out in a statutory instrument or in an administrative act, provided that the said requirement has been set by the contracting authority upon initiation of the procedure.
(2) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Paragraph 1, item 2 shall not apply in the cases referred to in Art. 47, para 11.
Art. 43. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The parties to the public procurement contract may not amend it.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Amendment of a public procurement contract shall be admitted by way of an exception:
1. (suppl. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) in case as a result of unforeseeable circumstances the following required:
a) amendment of contractual terms, or
b) partial replacement of works subject to a construction or service order, where this is in contracting authority interest and does not lead to an increase of contractual price, or
c) reduction of the total cost of the contract in contracting authority interest due to reduction of contractual prices or agreed quantities or cancelling of works, or
2. (amend. and suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012);
3. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) in case of change of prices regulated by the state, where main subject of the public procurement contract is activity whose price is regulated by the state and its term for implementation exceeds 12 months, or
4. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) where an increase of the price is required due to an adopted regulating act – up to the amount, arising as a direct and immediate result thereof, or
5. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) in case of extension of the validity of a delivery or service provision contract with recurring or continuous implementation, provided that the following conditions are met concurrently:
a) not later than 6 months prior to expiration of the validity of the contract the contracting authority has opened a procedure with the same subject for a subsequent period, which has not been finalized with a selection of a contractor;
b) the validity of the contract is extended until a contractor is selected, however for not more than 6 months;
c) any termination of the delivery or of the service would result in major difficulties for the contracting authority;
6. (new – SG 33/12) in contracts referred to in Art. 3, par. 2 for a value exceeding 50 million BG levs in case of occurrence of circumstances, which could not be foreseen as of the time of conclusion of the contract and as a result of which the contract affects the legal interests of any of the parties thereto.
(3) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) A change of prices on the ground of para 2, item 3 may be up to the amount of the actual costs increase of the contractor occurred as a result of alteration of prices regulated by the state.
(4) (prev. text of par. 2- SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of para 3 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority may terminate the public procurement contract if, as a result of circumstances having occurred after its conclusion, he/she is not in a position to fulfil his obligations. In this case the contracting authority shall owe to the contractor indemnification for suffered damages from the conclusion of the contract.
(5) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall be obliged to terminate a contract concluded based on a frame agreement, which has been announced invalid on any of the grounds referred to in Art. 41b, par. 1.
Art. 44. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall be obliged to send an information for every concluded public procurement contract or for concluded frame agreement to the Agency for entry in the Public Procurement Register not later than 7 days from the conclusion of the contract or of the frame agreement.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The information under para 1 shall be worked out in the form under art. 19, par. 7.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) Information under par. 1, whose notice contradicts the law or public interest, including in the field of defense and security, shall not be entered in the Public Procurement Register. In this case the contracting authority shall provide reasons before the Agency.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Information, which, according to the form under art. 19, par. 7, is not designated for publishing, shall be used for statistical objectives.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The information about concluded contracts on the basis of dynamic purchasing system may be sent once in a quarter. In this case the contracting authority must send the information within 7-days term after the end of each quarter.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall be obliged to send to the Agency information about every contract, concluded on the grounds of a frame agreement, within 7-days term after its conclusion.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authorities may publish information about the concluded contract subject to application of:
1. Art. 4, items 2, 4 and 5, Art. 12, para 1, items 2 through 9, 11 through 15 and where the prices of the contracts exceed the minimum thresholds referred to in Art. 14, par. 4;
2. Art. 13, par. 1, if the contracts are for the values referred to in Art. 14, par. 2.
(8) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The information specified in para 7 shall be prepared according to the respective form under Art. 19, para 7 and shall be sent to be entered in the Public Procurement Register within 7 days from the concluding of the contract. The contracting authority must obligatorily indicate in the information its justifications for the application of the respective grounds.
(9) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send to the Agency information within one month after the accomplishment of public procurement contact or after its premature termination.
(10) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Not later than 31 March every year, following the reference year, the contracting authority shall send summarized information in a form approved by the Agency Managing Director regarding all spent funds for public procurement orders in an amount referred to in Art. 14, par. 4 and 5.
Art. 45. For all unsettled issues in connection with the conclusion, fulfilment and termination of the public procurement contracts shall apply the provisions of the Commercial Law and of the Law for the obligations and contracts.
Section VII.
Sending information to the European commission (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.01.2007)
Art. 45a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.01.2007) (1) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Contracting authorities shall be obliged to send for promulgation, in addition to the Register of Public Procurement Order, also to the Official Journal of the European Union the following documents:
1. (suppl. – SG 52/10) the advance notices or messages for publication of advance notices in the buyer’s profile – in the cases of public procurement for construction;
2. advance notices - invitations;
3. notices for initiation of proceedings;
4. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) information on amendment of the notice and/or the documents;
5. (prev. item 4 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) information concerning concluded contracts or frame agreements;
6. (prev. item 5 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) information concerning project competitions which have been held;
7. (prev. item 6 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) simplified public procurement notices within the frames of dynamic purchasing.
(2) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The documents referred to in para 1 shall be sent, where:
1. contracting authorities under Art. 7, par. 1, which are central executive power bodies, their associations, and also contracting authorities under Art. 7, item 2 and 4 assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 1 for amounts, VAT exclusive equal or higher than:
a) BGN9 779 000 – for construction;
b) BGN254 254 – for supplies, services under Attachment No. 2 and a project competition;
c) BGN391 160 – for services under Attachment No. 2, category 8, telecommunication services of category 5, equivalent to reference numbers as per CPV 7524, 7525 and 7526, services under Attachment No. 3, and also a project competition, related to these services;
2. contracting authorities referred to in Art. 7, item 1, which are territorial executive power bodies, their associations and also contracting authorities under Art. 7, item 3 which assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 1 amounting to, VAT exclusive, or higher than:
a) BGN9 779 000 – for construction;
b) BGN391 160 – for supplies, services and a project competition;
3. contracting authorities under Art. 7, item 1, carrying out activities in the field of defense, shall assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 1 amounting to, VAT exclusive, or higher than:
a) BGN9 779 000 – for construction;
b) BGN391 160 – for supplies, and 254 254 – for supplies under Attachment No. 4;
4. contracting authorities, carrying out activities in the field of defense and which are central executive power bodies, shall assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 1 amounting to, VAT exclusive, or higher than:
a) BGN254 254 – for services under Attachment No. 2 and project competition;
b) BGN391 160 – for services under Attachment No. 2, category 8, telecommunication services of category 5, equivalent to reference numbers under CPV 7524, 7525 and 7526, services under Attachment No. 3, and a project competition, related to these services;
5. contracting authorities, carrying out activities in the field of defense and which are territorial executive power bodies, shall assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 1 for services and a project competition amounting to, VAT exclusive, or higher than BGN391 160;
6. contracting authorities referred to in Art. 7, item 5 and 6 shall assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 1 amounting to, VAT exclusive, or higher than:
a) BGN9 779 000 – for construction;
b) BGN782 320 – for supplies, services and competition for a design;
7. contracting authorities under Art. 7 shall assign public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 2 amounting to, VAT exclusive, or higher than:
a) BGN9 779 000 – for construction;
b) BGN782 320 – for supplies, services and competition for a design;
(3) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in Art. 14a, par. 3 the documents under par. 1 shall be sent, where the total estimated cost of construction works order, VAT exclusive, is equal to or higher than BGN 9 779 000.
(4) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in Art. 14a, par. 4 the documents under par. 1 shall be sent, where the total estimated cost of a service order, VAT exclusive, is equal to or higher than BGN391 160.
(5) (new – SG 52/10; prev. par. 3 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Contracting authority shall also send the advance notices according to para 1 or the messages for publication of advance notices in the buyer’s profile in those cases where the public procurement under Art. 3, par. 1 by category of deliveries and services according to Appendix No 2 to Art. 5, para 1, item 1 has an equivalent in BGN equal to or exceeding EUR 750 000 as per the official exchange rate of BG lev to EUR, and for orders under Art. 3, par. 2 – amounting to or exceeding those referred to in par. 2, item 7. Contracting authorities shall be obliged to send notifications in advance only when they intend to use the shorter terms referred to in Art. 64, par. 2, Art. 81, par. 2 and Art. 104, par. 1.
(6) (prev. text of para 3 – SG 52/10; prev. par. 4 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall be obliged to send the notices for establishing systems of preliminary selection pursuant to para 1.
(7) (prev. text of para 4, amend. – SG 52/10; prev. par. 5, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may send the documents referred to in para 1, 5 and 6 and to the Official Journal of the European Union by post, fax or by electronic means, and in the cases of Art. 76, para 3 and Art. 86, para 3 – by fax or by electronic means. The message under para 1, item 1 shall be sent by electronic means.
(8) (prev. text of para 5 – SG 52/10; prev. par. 6, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may not publish advance notices in the buyer profile prior to the date of sending the notice as per para 1, item 1 for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
(9) (prev. text of para 7 – SG 52/10; prev. par. 8 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The documents referred to in par. 1, 5 and 6 shall be sent for promulgation in the Official Journal of the European Union in Bulgarian language, in compliance with forms, approved by Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 842/2011. The version in Bulgarian language shall be the only authentic text.
(10) (prev. text of para 8, amend. – SG 52/10; prev. par. 9, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall be obliged to send the documents under para 1, 5 and 6 for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union not later than their sending for publication in the Public Procurement Register. The documents sent for publication in the state shall also indicate the date of their sending to Official Journal.
(11) (prev. text of para 9 – SG 52/10; prev. par. 10 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall be obliged to
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) publish the same data in the documents which are to be sent to the Official Journal of the European Union and the ones sent to the Public Procurement Register;
2. to present upon request proofs of the dates, on which the documents are sent, and the confirmation of the date of their publication, provided by the Official Journal of the European Union.
(12) (prev. text of para 10 – SG 52/10; prev. par. 11, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where there are any discrepancies between the information published in the Public Procurement Register and in the Official Journal of the European Union, the information promulgated in the Official Journal shall be considered genuine.
(13) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authorities may sent to the Official Journal of the European Union an notice of an assigned public procurement order also in cases, where the provision of Art. 4, item 2, 4 and 5, Art. 12, par. 1, items 2 through 9, 11 through 15 and Art. 13. par. 1 apply, where the cost of the contract is equal or higher than the ones, referred to in par. 2. The contracting authority must indicate in the notice justifications for applying the respective exception.
Chapter four.
GENERAL RULES FOR PARTICIPATION IN A PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE
Section I.
Requirements to the Candidates and the Participants (Title amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Art. 46. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Participant in a public procurement procedure may be every candidate or participant who meets the requirements announced in advance.
Art. 47. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority shall remove from participation in a public procurement procedure a candidate or participant who:
1. has been convicted by an enacted sentence, unless rehabilitated, for:
a) a crime against the financial, tax or insurance system, including money laundering;
b) bribe under art. 301 – 307 of the Penal code;
c) participation in a criminal organisation under art. 321 – 321a from the Penal code;
d) a crime against the property under art. 194 – 217 from the Penal code;
e) offence against the economy under art. 219 – 252 from the Penal code;
f) (new – SG 33/12) an offence under Art. 108a of the Penal Code – for assigning of public procurement orders under Art. 3, par. 2.
2. has been declared bankrupt;
3. is in liquidation proceedings or in a similar procedure according to the national laws and by laws.
(2) (amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may remove from participation in the public procurement procedure a candidate or a participant:
1. (suppl. – SG 33/12) who is in initiated bankruptcy proceedings or has concluded out-of-court settlement with his/her creditors within the meaning of art. 740 of the Commercial law, in case the candidate or the participant is a foreign person - is in a similar procedure according to the national laws and by laws, including when his/her activity is under court injunction, or the candidate or participant has discontinued his/her activity;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) who is divested of the right to practice a definite profession or activity according to the legislation of the country, where the violence is committed, including for violations related to export of products in the field of defense and security;
2a. (new – SG 33/12) who is liable for non-fulfillment of obligations under a public procurement contract, including regarding information safety and supplies safety in orders under Art. 3, par. 2 evidenced by the contracting authority by an enforced court decision;
3. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; suppl. – SG 33/12) who has got liabilities in the meaning of art. 162, par. 2, item 1 of the Tax-insurance Procedure Code to the government or to a municipality established by an act of a competent body, unless deferring or postponement of the liability has been admitted, or has got liabilities for taxes or social insurance contributions according to the laws of the state, where the applicant or the participant is established;
4. (new - SG 43/11, in force from 15.06.2011; suppl. – SG 33/12) who has been imposed an administrative penalty for employment of foreigners residing illegally during the last 5 years;
5. (new – SG 33/12) who has been convicted with an enforced sentence for an offense under Art. 313 of the Penal code regarding conducting of procedures for assignment of public procurement;
6. (new – SG 33/12) for whom it has been found out by the security services in the meaning of the Law for protection of classified information, based on whatever evidences, including intelligence means, that he/she is not adequately reliable, which excludes threat for the national security, when assigning orders under Art. 3, par. 2.
(3) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the contracting authority is planning to remove an applicant or a participant subject to existence of any of the circumstances referred to in par. 2, the contracting authority is obliged to indicate these circumstances in the public procurement notice, and in case of contracting procedures without prior notification – in the notice of invitation.
(4) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The provisions of par. 1, item 1 and of par. 2, item 2 and 5, where indicated by the contracting authority in the notice, shall be applied, as follows:
1. as regards to general partnerships - to the persons referred to in Art. 84, para1 and Art. 89, para 1 of the Commercial Law;
2. as regards to limited partnerships - to the persons referred to in Art. 105 of the Commercial Law, without the limited liable partners;
3. as regards to limited liability companies - to the persons referred to in Art. 141, para 2 of the Commercial Law, and in case of single person limited liability company - to the persons referred to in Art. 147, para 1 of the Commercial Law;
4. as regards to joint-stock companies - to the persons referred to in Art. . 235, para 2 of the Commercial Law, and where there is no authorization - to the persons under Art. 235, para 1 of the Commercial Law;
5. as regards to partnerships limited by shares - to the persons referred to in Art. 244, para 4 of the Commercial Law;
6. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) as regards to single owners – for the natural person who is a businessman;
7. (suppl. – SG 52/10; prev. item 6 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) in all other cases, including for foreign persons - to the persons representing the candidate or participant.
8. (new – SG 52/10; prev. item 7, amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In the cases referred to in items 1 through 7 also regarding the administrators, where applicable; in those cases where a foreign person has more than one authorized representative, the declaration shall be submitted only by the person whose representative powers cover the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, respectively the territory of the state in which is conducted the procedure with a contracting authority as per Art. 7, item 2.
(5) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) May not participate in a procedure for assigning public procurement candidates or participants:
1. (amend. – SG 52/10; amend. - SG 97/10, in force from 10.12.2010; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) where the persons under para 4 are affiliated persons with the contracting authority or with employees, holding managerial position at his/her organization;
2. (amend. - SG 97/10, in force from 10.12.2010) who have concluded contracts with a person under Art. 21 or 22 of the Law on Prevention and Establishment of Conflict of Interests.
(6) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Regarding the circumstances referred to in Art. 47, par. 1, item 2 and 3, par. 2, item 1, 3 and 4 and par. 5, item 2, where the applicant or the participant is a legal entity, submission of a declaration by one of the persons, authorized to represent it severally, shall be sufficient.
(7) (prev. par. 6 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases under art. 90. par. 1, item 12, art. 103, par. 2, item 11 and art. 119c, par. 3, item 10 the requirements under par. 1, item 2 and 3 and par. 2, item 1 shall not apply.
(8) (prev. par. 7 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case the applicant or the participant provides for the participation of subcontractors in the fulfilment of the procurement, the requirements under par. 1 and 5 and the ones, indicated in the notice under par. 2 shall also be applied to the subcontractors.
(9) (prev. par. 8 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In filing the offer or application for participation the applicant or the participant shall certify by a declaration the absence of the circumstances under para 1 and 5 and the requirements, indicated in the notice under par. 2, item 1 - 5.
(10) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. par. 9 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) At signing the public procurement contract the participant chosen for a contractor shall be obliged to present documents by the respective competent bodies for certifying the absence of the circumstances under para 1 and the circumstances referred to in the notice under para 2, items 1, 2, 3 and 5.
(11) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. par. 10, amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority, with regards to whom Art. 23, para 4 of the Law of the Commercial Register is applied, may not require the documents under para 10, if these documents refer to circumstances entered in the Commercial register.
Art. 48. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) A foreign natural or legal person, for whom in the state, where he/she is established, a circumstance under art. 47, par. 1 and 2 is present, may not participate in a procedure for assigning public procurement.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) At signing the public procurement contract the participant, chosen for a contractor, shall be obliged to present documents for certifying the absence of the circumstances under art. 47, para 1 and the ones, indicated in the notice under art. 47, par. 2, issued by a competent body, or an extract from a court register or an equivalent document by a judicial or administrative body in the country where he/she is established.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In case the documents under par. 2 are not being issued in the respective country or if they do not include all cases under art. 47, par. 1 and 2, the participant shall present an affidavit, if such is of legal importance according to the law of the country, where he/she is established.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) If the affidavit is of no legal importance according to the respective national law, the participant shall present an official application, made before judicial or administrative body, notary or competent professional or commercial authority in the country where he/she is established.
Art. 49. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority may require from every candidate or participant to prove his/her registration in some of the professional or commercial registers in the country where he/she is established, or to present a declaration or a certificate for the presence of such registration by the competent authorities according to the national legislation.
(2) In the procedures for assigning public procurement for services, as far as the candidates or the participants must have a special permission or must be members of a definite organization in order to fulfil the respective service in their country, the contracting authority may require from them to prove the presence of such permission or membership.
(3) (new – SG 52/10) For the purpose of admission to a procedure the contracting authority shall not be entitled to require a certificate or another document of registration from an administrative body, if the candidates or participants established in another Member state of the European Union provide an equivalent document issued in the state where they are established.
Art. 50. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) For proving the economic and financial status of the candidates or the participants, the contracting authority may require from them the presentation of one or several of the following documents:
1. certificates by banks or a copy of insurance for professional liability;
2. (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) an annual financial report or some of its constituents when their publication is required by the legislation of the state in which the candidate or the participant has been established;
3. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) information for the total turnover and for the turnover of goods, services or construction, which are subject of the procurement, for the last three years depending on the date, on which the candidate or the participant has been constituted or has started his/her activity.
(2) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where, for objective reasons, the candidate or the participant cannot produce the documents required by the contracting authority he may prove his economic and financial status by any other document accepted by the contracting authority as appropriate.
(3) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
Art. 51. (1) (prev. text of art. 51, suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) For proving the technical capacity and/or the qualification of the applicants or the participants the contracting authority may require from them to produce one or several of the following documents:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 33/12) a list of the basic contracts for deliveries and services fulfilled during the last three years, and in case of orders under Art. 3, par. 2 – over the last 5 years, including the values, the dates and the recipients, accompanied by references for good fulfilment;
2. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) a list of the contracts for construction, fulfilled during the last 5 years, accompanied by references for good fulfilment for the most important construction sites; these references indicate the value, the date and the place of the construction, as well as whether it is performed professionally and in compliance with the normative requirements;
3. (prev. text of item 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) a description of the technical equipment and the measures for providing the quality, and also of the equipment for testing and studying, and in case of orders under Art. 3, par. 2 – also of the internal rules of the participant regarding the intellectual property;
4. (prev. text of item 3 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) a list of technical persons, including those in charge of quality control;
5. (prev. text of item 4 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) samples, description and/or photos of the goods to be supplied, whose authenticity must be proven if the contracting authority so requires;
6. (prev. text of item 5, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) certificates issued by accredited persons for quality management, certifying the compliance of the goods with the respective specifications or standards;
7. (prev. text of item 6, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) documents certifying the degree of education and professional qualification of the candidate or the participant and/or of his managerial employees, or of the persons in charge of the fulfilment of the service or construction, as well as the delivery, in case it includes services and/or the preparation and entering the site into exploitation;
8. (prev. text of item 7, amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) declaration for the average annual number of workers and employees and for the number of managerial employees of the candidate or the participant during the last three years;
9. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) a declaration of the technical equipment, which the candidate or the participant possesses for fulfillment of public procurement for services or construction, and in all cases of assignment of orders under Art. 3, par. 2 – also for the number of workers and employees and know-how and/or the sources of supply with indication of geographical location, where it is outside the territory of the European Union, which are available to the applicant or the participant for the implementation of the order, in order to meet possible increase of contracting authority’s needs resulting from a crisis or for provisions for maintenance, upgrading or adapting the supplies, covered by the order;
10. (prev. text of item 8, suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) data for own or hired technical persons to be used by the candidate or the participant for the construction;
11. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for the public procurement for construction - a description of the measures for protection of the environment, which the candidate or the participant shall apply in fulfilment of the procurement, if the contracting authority has provided such in the notice;
12. (new – SG 33/12) a permit, a certificate or approval of access to classified information in the meaning of the Law for protection of classified information, including the opportunity for processing, storage and transmission of such information at the protection level, required by the contracting authority – in case of orders, containing or requiring classified information.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) In the procedures for assigning public procurement for deliveries, which require research of the terrain or installation work, provision of services and/or fulfilment of construction, the contracting authority can lay down requirements to the candidates or the participants with regards to their skills, efficiency and experience to provide the service or to implement the mounting or the construction works.
(3) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may determine in the notification an additional term, within which persons, not holding a permit, a certificate or an approval referred to in par. 1, item 12 are to provide the respective document. Within the term for receipt of applications for participation these persons shall file to the contracting authority a declaration of consent for carrying out of a study and shall attach the required documents under the Law for protection of classified information, which shall be sent by the contracting authority to the competent security service.
Art. 51a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Candidate or participant may use the resources of other natural or legal persons in fulfilment of the procurement, on the condition that he/she proves that he/she will have at his/her disposal these resources.
(2) The terms under par. 1 shall also apply when a candidate or a participant in the procedure is an association of natural and/or legal persons.
Art. 52. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; suppl. – SG 33/12) Where the subject of a public procurement is complex or of special purpose, and also in all cases of assignment of orders under Art. 3, par. 2, the contracting authority may inspect the technical capacity of the candidate or the participant and, where necessary, the equipment for testing and studying and the possibilities of providing the quality. The contracting authority may also require this from a competent body of the state where the candidate or the participant is established, if this body agrees to carry out inspection on behalf of the contracting authority.
Art. 53. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the contracting authority requires presentation of certificates certifying the compliance of the candidate or the participant with standards of systems of quality management the contracting authority shall indicate the systems of quality management through the respective series of European standards.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In the cases under art. 51, par. 1, item 11 the contracting authority shall require the submission of certificates, certifying the compliance of the candidate or the participant with certain standards for protection of the environment, and shall indicate the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme of the European Union (EMAS) or the standards for protection of the environment via the respective European or international standards.
(3) (prev. text of par. 2, suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The certificates referred to in par. 1 and 2 must be issued by independent persons, accredited according to the respective series of European standards by Executive Agency "Bulgarian Accreditation Service" or by another national accreditation body, which is a party to the Multinational Agreement for Mutual Recognition of the European Cooperation for Accreditation, in the respective field or to meet the recognition requirements according to Art. 5a, par. 2 of the Law for the national accreditation of conformity recognition bodies.
(4) (prev. text of par. 3, amended. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall accept equivalent certificates, issued by authorities, established in other Member States, as well as other proof of equivalent measures for ensuring the quality or for protection of the environment.
Art. 53a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Candidate or participant may present a certificate for registration in official list of approved economic entities of a Member state of the European Union.
(2) In the cases under par. 1 the contracting authority may not remove a candidate or a participant from procedure for assigning public procurement or to refuse to conclude a contract with him/her on the ground that he/she has not presented some of the documents under art. 48, par. 2, art. 50, par. 1 and 2, art. 51 and art. 53, par. 1, if the fact is proved by the presented certification.
Art. 53b (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may not remove an applicant or a participant from the public procurement procedure or to refuse to conclude a contract with him/her for the reason of non-presentation of any of the documents referred to in Art. 50, par. 1, Art. 51 and Art. 53, par. 1, where he/she has submitted a certificate of registration in the Central Professional Constructors Register, whereas the terms and conditions of registration in the Register are identical or higher than the requirements placed by the contracting authority.
Art. 53c. (new – SG 33/12) (1) In cases referred to in Art. 51, par. 1, item 12 contracting authorities shall recognize the permits for access to classified information issued in compliance with the laws of the European Union Member State, in which the applicant or the participant is based, subject to existence of an enforced international treaty or a bilateral agreement for protection of classified information, to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party. This does not exclude the opportunity, under the terms and conditions and following the procedure of the Law for protection of classified information, to request carrying out of additional research in the respective European Union Member State.
(2) Subject to the provisions of the Law for protection of classified information the contracting authority may request the national security body in the applicant’s state to verify the compliance of the premises or the systems, which would possibly be used, the production and administrative procedures, which will be followed, the information management methods and/or the condition of the personnel, which may be hired for the implementation of the public procurement.
Section II.
Offer
Art. 54. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) In working out the offer every participant shall comply exactly with the requirements announced by the contracting authority.
(2) Until the expiration of the term for filing the offers every participant in the procedure may amend, supplement or withdraw his offer.
Art. 55. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Every participant in the public procurement procedure shall have the right to present only one offer.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When the criterion for assessment of the offers is the economically most favourable offer and the contracting authority has admitted presentation of options, the participant may propose several options in his/her offer.
(3) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the prices of goods or of services subject to public procurement are subject to regulation, the participants may submit budget offers with prices lower than the regulated.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 3 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Admitted for consideration shall be only the options, which meet the minimum requirements, set by the contracting authority.
(5) (prev. text of par. 3, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 4, suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A person participating in an association or having given consent and is in the offer as a subcontractor of another participant may not present an independent offer.
(6) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In a public procurement assignment procedure a natural person or a legal entity may participate in one association only.
Art. 56. (1) Every offer shall contain:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) a copy of the registration document or unified identification code according to Art. 23 of the Law of the Commercial Register in case the participant is a legal entity or a sole trader; a copy of the identification document where the participant is an individual;
2. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) where participants are associations – a document, undersigned by the persons in the association, where the representing person must be indicated obligatorily;
3. (prev. item 2 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) a document for guaranteeing participation;
4. (prev. item 3 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) proof of the economic and financial status under art. 50, indicated by the contracting authority in the notice for public procurement;
5. (prev. item 4 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) proof of the technical capacity and/or qualification under art. 51 indicated by the contracting authority in the notice for public procurement;
6. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. item 5 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) declaration for absence of the circumstances under art. 47, para 1, 2 and 5;
7. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) technical proposal for the fuflfillment of the public procurement;
8. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; prev. item 7 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the subcontractors, if the participants envisages such, as well as the kind of activities to be carried out, and the share of their participation;
9. (prev. item 8 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) term of fulfilment of the procurement;
10. (prev. item 9 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) offered price;
11. (prev. item 10, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) declaration stating that the requirements for protection of employment, including minimal labour price and labour conditions has been complied with – in the cases referred to in Art. 28, par. 5;
12. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) declaration of agreement to the terms and conditions laid down in the draft contract;
13. (prev. item 11 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012other information indicated in the notice or documentation for participation;
14. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. item 12 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) list of the documents contained in the offer signed by the participant.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the participant plans a participation of subcontractors the documents under para 1, item 1, 4, 5, 6 and 11 shall be presented for each of them and the requirements thereto shall be applied according to the type and share of their participation.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where a participant in the procedure is an association which is not a corporate body:
1. the documents under para 1, item 1 and 6 shall be presented for each individual or corporate body included in the association;
2. the documents under para 1, item 4 and 5 shall be presented only for those participants, through which the association is evidencing its compliance with the selection criteria referred to in Art. 25, par. 2, item 6;
3. (suppl. – SG 33/12) declaration under par. 1, item 11 shall be presented only for those participants in the association, who will be carried out only construction-related activities or services.
(4) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the candidate in a procedure is a foreign individual or corporate body or their associations the offer shall be filed in Bulgarian language, the document under para 1, item 1 shall be presented in an official translation and the documents under para 1, item 4, 5, 6 and 11 which are drawn in foreign language shall also be presented in translation.
(5) (new – SG 52/10) In those cases where the place of performance of the public procurement is outside the territory of the state, the contracting authority may allow the application for participation and the offer to be presented in an official language of the respective state.
Art. 57. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The offer shall be filed in a sealed opaque envelope by the participant or by a representative authorised by him personally or by return mail. The participant shall indicate on the envelope an address for correspondence, telephone and, where possible, fax and e-mail, and where the offer regards individually detached positions – the positions it regards.
(2) (amend. – SG 52/10) The envelope under para 1 shall contain three individual sealed non-transparent envelopes with addresses thereon, as follows:
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) envelope No 1 with a notice "Documents for selection", in which shall be put the documents required by the contracting authority pursuant to Art. 56, para 1, items 1 through 8, 11 through 14, referring to the selection criteria for the participants and candidates;
2. (suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) envelope No with a notice "Offer for the public procurement performance", in which shall be put the documents referred to in Art. 56, par. 1, item 7 and 9, referring to the public procurement performance, according to the criterion chosen by the contracting authority and the requirements laid down in the documentation;
3. envelope No with a notice "Offered price", containing the price offer of the participant.
(3) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where a participant is submitting an offer for more than one separate item, the envelopes No. 2 and 3 shall be presented for each item. If the contracting authority has required presentation of various documents evidencing the compliance with the selection criteria under various separate items, the participants shall present also separate envelopes No. 1.
(4) (prev. par. 3 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) On accepting the offer the envelope shall be marked by the serial number, the date and the hour of receipt and the indicated data shall be entered in an incoming register for which a document shall be issued to the bearer.
(5) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 4 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall not accept for participation in the procedure, and shall return immediately to the participants the offers filed after the expiration of the deadline for receiving or presented in unsealed or torn envelope. These circumstances shall be noted in the register under para 3.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 5 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The offer may also be presented by electronic means under the conditions and by the order of the Law for the electronic document and the electronic signature. In this case the participant shall be obliged to present to the contracting authority all contracts, which are not in electronic form, following the procedure of par. 1, prior to the expiration of the term for receiving the offers.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 6 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The terms and the procedure for receiving and preserving the offers, sent by electronic means, shall be settled by the regulation of implementation of the law.
Art. 58. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The term of validity of the offers shall be the time during which the participants are bound with the terms of the offers they have filed.
(2) (suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall determine the term under para 1 in calendar days. The term shall start elapsing from the date, fixed as a deadline for receiving of offers.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority may require from the rated participants to extend the term of validity of their offers until the moment of conclusion of the public procurement contract.
(4) (new - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2008) Except for the open procedure the assigner shall specify the offers’ validity term in the invitation for providing an offer.
Art. 58a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The preparation and implementation of the procedures shall be carried out by the contracting authority. The latter shall be responsible for the acceptance and the preservation of the applications for participation, the offers and the projects.
(2) The exchange of information may be implemented by post, via fax, by electronic means under the conditions and following the procedure of the Law for the electronic document and the electronic signature or by combination of these means by choice of the contracting authority. The chosen means of communication must be accessible to all.
(3) The exchange and the preservation of information in the course of conducting the procedure for assigning public procurement shall be carried out in a way, ensuring the integrity, the authenticity and the confidentiality of the applications for participation and the offers.
(4) All actions of the contracting authority towards the candidates or the participants shall be in writing.
(5) The decisions of the contracting authority, about which he/she shall be obliged to inform the candidates or the participants, shall be handed over personally against signature or shall be sent by registered letter with return of service, via fax or by electronic means under the conditions and following the procedure of the Law for the electronic document and the electronic signature.
(6) The contracting authority shall be obliged to preserve the overall documentation for the implementation of every procedure for assigning public procurement for at least 4 years after concluding the fulfilment of a contract.
Section III.
Guarantees
Art. 59. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The candidate or the participant shall file a guarantee for participation in the public procurement procedure, and the chosen contractor shall file a performance guarantee on signing the contract.
(2) The contracting authority shall set the terms and the size of the guarantee for participation in an absolute sum, but no more than 1 percent of the value of the procurement.
(3) (amend. – SG 52/10) The contracting authority shall set the terms and the size of the performance guarantee under the contract as a percentage of the value of the public procurement, but no more than 3 percent of the value of the procurement.
(4) The contracting authority shall also require other performance guarantees in the cases determined by a law.
(5) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may not request a participation guarantee or a performance bond, where:
1. a procedure of contracting without notice is being conducted, or
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) the cost of the public procurement is as referred to in Art. 14, par 3.
(6) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall not request guarantees for participation and performance bonds in case of assignment of public procurements under Art. 16c.
Art. 60. (1) The guarantees shall be presented in one of the following forms:
1. cash;
2. bank guarantee.
(2) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The candidate, the participant or the chosen contractor himself shall choose the form of the participation, respectively performance guarantee.
(3) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the applicant, the participant or the selected contractor is an association, which is not a legal entity, each partner therein may be the bank guarantee assignor, respectively depositor of the amount for the guarantee.
Art. 61. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The contracting authority shall have the right to retain the guarantee for participation until the final settlement of the dispute, when the candidate or the participant in a public procurement procedure is protesting the decision, by which the preliminary selection results are announced, or the decision nominating a contractor.
(2) The contracting authority shall have the right to use the participation guarantee, regardless its form, where an applicant or a participant:
1. withdraws his/her application after the expiration of the term for receiving applications or withdraws his/her offer after the expiration of the term for receiving the offers;
3. has been selected as a contractor but he does not fulfil his obligations to conclude a public procurement contract.
Art. 62. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall release the guarantees for participation of:
1. excluded candidates within five working days from expiration of the term for appealing the decision of the contracting authority for preliminary selection, respectively – the term for selection of a contractor;
2. participants rated first and second – after the public procurement contract is concluded, and the rest of the rated participants - within five working days from expiration of the term for appealing the decision for choosing a contractor.
(2) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) On termination of the public procurement procedure the guarantees of all candidates or participants shall be released within five working days after the expiration of the term for appealing the decision for termination.
(4) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall release the guarantees under para 1, without owing interest for the period during which the funds have legally be held by him.
Art. 63. (1) (prev. Art. 63 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The terms and the conditions of keeping or releasing the performance guarantee shall be settled by the public procurement contract.
(2) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the public procurement contract is being implemented by stages, the contracting authority may include in the draft contract a clause of partial exemption from the guarantee referred to in par. 1, respectively of the already fulfilled part of the subject of the public procurement.
Chapter five.
OPEN PROCEDURE
Section I.
Preparation of the Open Procedure
Art. 64. (1) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. and suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In holding an open procedure the contracting authority shall send the notice for the public procurement to the Registry Agency in the Public Procurement Register not later than 52 days before the deadline for receiving of the offers, and in cases referred to in Art. 14, par. 3 – minimum 40 days before the deadline.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The terms under para 1 may be reduced to 36 days where the advance notice has been sent for publication from 52 days to 12 months before the date of sending the notice under para 1 and contains the information, available by the date of its sending.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The terms under para 1 and 2 may be reduced by 7 days, if the notice has been sent by electronic means, and by 5 more days, if from the date of publication of the notice in electronic form the contracting authority provides full access via electronic means to the documentation for participation in the procedure and in case an Internet address has been indicated in the notice, where the documentation can be found.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
Art. 65. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
Art. 66. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Art. 67. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Section II.
Considering, Assessment and Rating of the Offers
Art. 68. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The commission appointed by the contracting authority for consideration, assessment and rating of the offers shall start its work upon receipt of the list of participants and the filed offers.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) For change of the data and hour of opening the offers, the participants shall be notified in writing.
(3) (amend. – SG 52/10) The opening of the envelopes is public and all participants in the procedure or their authorized representatives may be present, as well as representatives of the mass media and of the non-profit legal entities.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10) The commission shall open the envelopes following the order of their filing and shall ascertain the presence of three separate sealed envelopes, and after that at least three of its members shall sign envelope No 3. The commission shall propose one representative of all the present participants, who shall sign the other participants’ envelopes No 3.
(5) (prev. text of par. 4, amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) At the presence of the persons referred to in para 3 the commission shall open envelope No 2 and at least three of its members shall sign all the documents, included therein. The commission shall propose a representative of each of the present participants who shall sign the documents of other participants’ in envelope No 2. Afterwards the commission shall open envelope No 1, shall declare the documents included therein and shall verify the compliance with the list referred to in Art. 56, par. 1, item 14.
(6) (prev. text of par. 5 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10) After carrying out the actions under paragraphs 4 and 5 the public part of the commission’s session shall be considered concluded.
(7) (prev. text of par. 6, amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The commission shall review the documents contained in envelope No. 1 for compliance with the selection criteria, set by the contracting authority, and shall issue a protocol thereof.
(8) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where missing docum entand/or non-conforming with the selection criteria or non-conforming with any other requirements of the contracting authority, the Commission shall send the protocol referred to in par. 7 to all participants.
(9) (new – SG 52/10) Participants shall submit to the commission relevant documents within 5 work days after the receipt of the protocol referred to in par. 7. A participant shall not be entitled to provide documents other than the missing ones and those meant for elimination of non-conformity, indicated in the Commission protocol.
(10) (new – SG 52/10; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) After the term under para 9 expires the Commission shall proceed with revision of additionally submitted documents regarding the conformity of participants with the selection criteria, set by the contracting authority. The Commission shall not consider the documents of the participants in envelope No 2 which do not comply with the selection criteria.
(11) (new – SG 52/10; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where necessary, the Commission may at any time:
1. verify the information stated by the participants, including by requesting information from other bodies and persons;
2. require from the participants:
a) explanations on the stated by them information;
b) additional proof of the information in the documents, contained in envelopes No 2 and 3, whereas this opportunity may not be used for modifications of the technical and price offer of the participants.
Art. 68a (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The commission shall notify the contracting authority, where in the course of its work justified doubts have occurred of agreements, decisions of coordinated practices between participants within the meaning of Art. 15 of the Law for the protection of competition.
(2) In cases referred to in par. 1 the contracting authority shall notify the Commission for protection of competition. Notification shall not suspend the conduction and finalization of the procedure.
Art. 69. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The commission shall propose for removal from the procedure a participant:
1. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) who has not presented some of the necessary documents under art. 56;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for whom present are circumstances under art. 47, para 1 and 5 and the ones, indicated in the notice under art. 47, para 2;
3. (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) who has filed an offer which does not meet the terms of the contracting authority announced in advance;
4. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) who has filed an offer which does not meet the requirements of art. 57, para 2;
5. (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) about whom following the provision of Art. 68, par. 11 it has been identified, that he/she has provided incorrect information for proving of his/her compliance with the selection criteria announced by the contracting authority.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 33/12)
(3) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The participants shall be obliged, in the process of holding the procedure, to inform the contracting authority for all occurring changes in circumstances under art. 47, par. 1 and 5 and the ones, indicated in the notice under art. 47, par. 2, within 7 days from their occurrence.
Art. 69a. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) (1) The envelope containing the price proposed by a participant whose offer does not meet the contracting authority’s requirements, shall not be opened.
(2) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the criterion is economically the most favourable offer, the commission shall open the envelope containing the proposed price, after having carried out the following:
1. has considered the offers in the envelope No. 2 for verification of their compliance with contracting authority requirements;
2. has verified the existence of the grounds referred to in Art. 70, par. 1 for the offers contained in envelope No. 2;
3. has assessed the offers against all other parameters, except for the price.
(3) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The commission shall announce in an appropriate way the date, time and place where the price offers will be opened, whereas the participants in the procedure or their authorized representatives, as well as representatives of non-profit legal persons and of the mass media shall have the right to attend. The commission shall announce the quoted priced at the time of opening.
(4) Where the criterion is economically the most favourable offer, the commission shall announce the assessment results regarding the offers by the other indices to the persons present under para 3.
Art. 70. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the offer of a participant contains a price quotation subject to assessment, and it is by more than 20 per cent more favourable than the average cost of the proposals submitted by other participants in terms of the same assessment criteria, the commission shall require from him/her a detailed written substantiation of the offered price. The commission shall set a reasonable term for producing the substantiation, which may not be shorter than three working days from the receipt of the request for that.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The commission may accept the written substantiation under para 1 and not to propose elimination of the offer if objective circumstances are pointed out related to:
1. an original solution of fulfilment of the public procurement;
2. the offered technical resolution;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the presence of exceptionally favourable conditions for the participant;
4. frugal fulfilment of the public procurement;
5. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) providing government support.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where the participant does not present the written substantiation in time or the commission deems that the pointed circumstances are not objective, the commission shall propose the participant for removal from the procedure.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) If the commission establishes that the offer of a participant is with unusually low price because of government support provided, the legal ground of which is not possible to be proved within the fixed term, it may propose the offer to be rejected and the participant - removed.
Art. 71. (1) The commission shall consider the admitted offers and shall assess them in compliance with the terms announced in advance.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where the contracting authority has admitted presenting options in the offer, the commission may not reject an option only on the grounds that the choice of this option would lead to a conclusion of a contract for services instead of a contract for delivery and vice versa.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The commission shall rate the participants by the degree of compliance of the offers with the terms announced by the contracting authority in advance.
(4) (new – SG 52/10) If the complex assessments of two or more offers are identical, where the selected criterion is the one under Art. 37, para 1, item 2, as economically the most favourable offer shall be considered the one with the lowest price. In those cases where the offered prices are also equal, the assessments shall be compared on the basis of the index with the highest relative value and shall be selected the offer with the most favourable value of the said index.
(5) (new – SG 52/10) The Commission shall conduct a public lot in order to designate a contractor among the first rated offers, provided that the public procurement is being assigned:
1. with the "the lowest price" criterion and this price is offered in two or more offers, or
2. with the "the most favourable offer economically" criterion, however this offer may not be assessed pursuant to para 4.
Art. 72. (1) The commission shall draw up written records for the consideration, assessment and rating of the offers, containing:
1. members of the commission and a list of the consultants;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) a list of the participants, proposed for removal from the procedure and the motives for their removal;
3. statements by the consultants;
4. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the results from the consideration and the assessment of the admitted offers, including a brief description of the offers of the participants and the assessment by each index where the criterion of assessment is economically the most favourable offer;
5. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the rating of the participants whose offers have been admitted to consideration and assessment;
6. date of drawing the written records;
7. (new – SG 52/10) dissenting opinions, where there are such, along with the respective grounds thereof by the commission members.
(2) The written records of the commission shall be signed by all members and shall be submitted to the contracting authority along with the whole documentation.
(3) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The commission shall complete its work by acceptance of contracting authority report.
Section III.
Choosing Contractor of the Public Procurement
Art. 73. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 24/09; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Within 5 working days after the conclusion of the work of the commission, the contracting authority shall issue a motivated decision, announcing the rating of the participants and the participant, chosen as a contractor.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Pointed in the decision under para 1 shall be the participants and offers removed from participation in the procedure and the motives for their removal.
(3) (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006 and from 01.01.2007 regarding second sentence) The contracting authority shall send the decision under para 1 to the participants within three days from its issuance. The contracting authority shall notify the European commission in the cases under art. 70, par. 4.
(4) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Upon a written request by a participant, filed within the term of protesting of the decision, the contracting authority shall be obliged, within three days from the receipt, to provide for him/her a copy or access to the written records, depending on participant’s request. The contracting authority may refuse access to information contained in the written records when its submission contradicts a normative act or prevents, restricts or violates the competition.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012).
Art. 74. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority shall conclude a public procurement contract with the participant, rated first by the commission and chosen for contractor.
(2) (amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may by a decision nominate a contractor and conclude a contract with the second rated participant in those cases where the participant who was been rated first:
1. refuses to conclude a contract;
2. fails to fulfill any of the requirements set out in Art. 42, para 1;
3. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) does not meet the requirements referred to in Art. 47, par. 1 and 5 or the requirements referred to in the notification of Art. 47, par. 2.
Chapter six.
LIMITED PROCEDURE
Art. 75. (1) (prev. text of art. 75, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 33/12) In the notice for public procurement assigned by way of a limited procedure, the contracting authority may limit the number of candidates he/she intends to invite to present offers, provided that this number may not be less than 5, and in cases referred to in Art. 3, par, 2 – less than 3. The contracting authority may also point out the maximum number of candidates. The number of the invited candidates must be sufficient in order to guarantee free and loyal competition.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall point out in the notice for public procurement objective and non-discriminatory criteria or rules, which shall be applied in the selection of the candidates under par. 1.
Art. 76. (1) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send the notice for public procurement to the Registry Agency in the Public Procurement Register at least 37 days before the deadline for receiving the applications for participation in the preliminary selection of candidates.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The term under par. 1 may be reduced by 7 days, if the notice is sent by electronic means also.
(3) (prev. text of par. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Upon occurrence of circumstances of exceptional urgency, as a result of which it is impossible to meet the deadline under para 1, the contracting authority under art. 7, items 1 - 4 may determine a term for receiving the applications for participation in the preliminary selection, not shorter than 15 days from the date of sending the notice – or not shorter than 10 days, if the notice is also sent by electronic means.
(4) (prev. text of par. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the cases of para 3 the contracting authority shall be obliged to indicate in the notice for public procurement the concrete circumstances of exceptional urgency.
(4) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Art. 77. (1) The contracting authority shall carry out a preliminary selection for the purpose of determining the candidates having the necessary financial and technical resources to fulfil the public procurement.
(2) Every candidate may file an application for participation in the preliminary selection.
(3) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The application for participation in the preliminary selection contains:
1. (amend. SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) a copy of the registration document of the candidate or unified identification code according to Art. 23 of the Law of the Commercial Register, where the participant is a legal entity or a sole trader; a copy of the identity document, if the participant is a natural person;
2. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) a declaration for absence of the circumstances under art. 47, para 1 and 5, as well as for the circumstances referred to in Art. 47, para 2, if this is specified in the notice;
3. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) where the participants are associations – a document, undersigned by the persons in the association, whereas the representing person must be indicated obligatorily;
4. proof of the economic and financial status under art. 50, indicated by the contracting authority in the notice for public procurement;
5. proof of the technical capacity and/or qualification under art. 51 indicated by the contracting authority in the notice for public procurement;
6. (suppl. – SG 52/10; suppl. – SG 33/12) the subcontractors who will participate in fulfilment of the procurement the type and the share of their participation when participation by subcontractors is planned, except for cases of orders with a subject under Art. 3, par. 2;
7. document for guarantee for participation;
8. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) declaration, that the requirements for protection of employment, including the minimum price of labor and working conditions have been met – in cases under Art. 28, par. 5;
9. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) declaration of acceptance of the terms and conditions set out in the draft contract;
10. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) any other information, referred to in the notice or in the tender documentation;
11. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) list of documents, contained in the application, signed by the applicant.
(4) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the candidate plans a participation of subcontractors the documents under para 3, item 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 shall be produced for each of them and the requirement shall be applied according to the type and the share of their participation.
(5) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) When a candidate in the procedure is an association which is not a corporate body:
1. the documents under para 3, item 1 and 2 shall be submitted for every natural person or corporate body included in the association;
2. the documents under par. 3, item 4 and 5 shall be submitted only for the participants, through whom the association is proving its compliance with the selection criteria referred to in Art. 25, par. 2, item 6;
3. (amend. – SG 33/12) the declaration of par. 3, item 8 shall be presented only for those participants in the association, who will carry on construction-related works or services.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
Art. 78. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The application shall be produced by the order of art. 57, para 1, 4, 6, by fax or announce on the phone.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When the application for participation is announced on the phone, the candidate must confirm it in writing before the expiry of term for receiving applications.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When the application for participation is sent via fax, the contracting authority may oblige the candidate to confirm it by a letter, sent with return of service or by electronic means. This requirement, as well as the term for receiving the written confirmation, must be pointed out in the notice for public procurement.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The conditions and the procedure for receiving and preserving the applications, sent by electronic means or via fax, shall be settled by the regulation for implementation of the law.
(5) (prev. text of par. 2 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) During the preliminary selection the contracting authority shall not have the right to require, and the candidate shall not have the right to present an offer.
Art. 79. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) For conducting the procedure the contracting authority shall appoint a commission by the order of art. 34 - 36.
(2) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 52/10) The commission shall consider the filed applications by the procedure set out in Art. 68, paras 7 through 11 and shall make a selection of the candidates on the grounds of the documents, presented according to the notice, certifying their economic and financial status, their technical capacity and/or qualification for fulfilment of the public procurement. The candidates or their authorized representatives, representatives of the mass media and of non-profit legal persons shall have the right to be present at opening of the applications.
(3) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall determine the terms and conditions for participation of other persons beyond the commission members for orders under Art. 3, par. 2, containing or requiring classified information.
(4) (new – SG 33/12) Where the number of applicants meeting the requirements, indicated in the notice for the procedure, exceeds the announced maximum number of persons, to be invited to submit offers, the commission shall make a selection based on the objective and non-discriminatory criteria indicated in the notice.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) The commission shall issue a protocol for the result of the selection, containing:
1. commission members and list of consultants;
2. list of applicants, not meeting the requirements announced by the contracting authority, and also the reasons thereof, including in cases of a subject under Art. 3, par. 2, where the requirements regarding protection of classified information and supplies safety have not been complied with;
3. list of applicants, meeting the requirements announced by the contracting authority, respectively selected applicants based on the objective and non-discriminatory criteria indicated in the notice – where their number exceeds the limitation, indicated in the notice;
4. date of drawing up of the protocol;
(6) (new – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006, prev. par. 3 – SG 33/12) In case the contracting authority has not included in the notice a restriction of the number of candidates, who shall be invited to submit offers, he/she shall be obliged to invite all candidates, who meet the criteria for selection and the minimum requirements of technical resources.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 4 – SG 33/12; prev. par. 4 – SG 33/12) In case the contracting authority has included in the notice a restriction of the number of candidates, who shall be invited to submit offers, he/she shall be obliged to invite a number of candidates, at least equal to the minimum, determined in advance.
(8) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 6, amend. – SG 33/12) In case the number of the candidates, meeting the criteria for selection and the minimum requirements, is below the minimum, indicated in the notice, the contracting authority may continue the procedure by inviting all candidates, who possess the required resources.
(9) (prev. text of par. 3, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 7, amend. – SG 33/12) In case of assignment of public procurement under Art. 3, par. 2, where after the initial selection the contracting authority finds out, that the number of applicants meeting the selection criteria and the minimum requirements, is too low to guarantee real competition, the contracting authority may:
1. publish again the initial notice and to repeat the stage of selection of the newly submitted applications, or
2. terminate the procedure.
(10) (new – SG 33/12) In cases under par. 9, item 1 the contracting authority shall invite the applicants shortlisted after the first and second notice, to submit offers.
(11) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may not invite to submit offers persons, who have not filed an application for participation, or applicants who do not have the required capacities.
(12) (prev. text of par. 4, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) Within 5 working days from the date of the adoption of the written records, containing the final results of the selection, the contracting authority shall announce by a decision the applicants to be invited to present offers. The decision shall also include the candidates who do not meet the requirements announced by the contracting authority and the motives thereof.
(13) (prev. text of par. 6, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 9, amend. – SG 33/12) Within three days from taking the decision under par. 12 the contracting authority shall send it at the same time to all applicants, and to the selected applicants he/she shall send also a written invitation for submission of offers.
(14) (new – SG 33/12) In case of a written request by an applicant, submitted within the term for appealing of the decision, the contracting authority shall be obliged within three days after its receipt to provide him/her with a copy of it or access to the protocol, depending on applicant’s request. The contracting authority may refuse access to information contained in the protocol, where its provision disputes a regulating act or prevents, limits or violates the competition, or the disclosure of which contradicts country security interests.
Art. 80. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The invitation for presenting offers for participation in the limited procedure shall contain:
1. term and place of filing the offers;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) date of publication of the notice for public procurement;
3. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) a copy of the specifications and all additional documents, if they are not included in the documentation for participation, or electronic address for access to the specifications and additional documents, in case they are provided by electronic means;
4. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) the assessment methodology by each of the indices and the complex assessment methodology regarding the offer, where the criterion is economically the most favourable offer.
Art. 81. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority shall set, in the invitation under art. 80, a term for receiving of the offers which may not be shorter than 40 days from the date of the sending.
(2) The term under para 1 may be reduced up to 22 days when the advance notice has been sent for publication from 52 days to 12 months prior to the date of sending the notice under art. 76, para 1 and shall contain the information, available by the date of its sending.
(3) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The term under par. 1 may be reduced by 5 days, if from the date of publication of the notice the contracting authority provides full access to the documentation for participation in the procedure by electronic means, provided that he/she shall point out an Internet address, where it could be found.
(4) In the cases under art. 76, para 3 the contracting authority may set a term for receiving the offers not shorter than 10 days from the date of sending the invitation under art. 80.
(5) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In the cases under art. 76, para 3 up to 7 days before the expiration of the term for receiving the offers, every candidate may request in writing from the contracting authority elucidation on the documentation for participation. The contracting authority shall be obliged to answer within three days from receiving the request and to notify the other candidates by the order of art. 29, para 3.
(6) (revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
(7) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall be obliged to prolong the term for receiving the offers:
1. where it has been found out that the initially set term is not sufficient for the preparation of the offers, including where it is necessary to consider additional documents ad hoc;
2. in the cases referred to in Art. 29, par. 2;
3. where this is required as a result of an opened appealing procedure.
Art. 82. (amend. – SG 33/12) (1) The offer shall be submitted in a sealed non-transparent envelope according to the procedure referred to in Art. 57, par. 1, 4 – 6.
(2) The envelope referred to in par. 2 shall contain two separate sealed non-transparent and inscribed envelopes, as follows:
1. envelope No. 1 with an inscription "Proposal for implementation of public procurement", in which the documents referred to in Art. 56, par. 1, item 7 and 9 shall be inserted, related to the implementation of the public procurement according to the criterion selected by the contracting authority and indicated in the documentation requirements;
2. envelope No. 2 with an inscription "Bid price", containing applicant’s price quotation.
(3) The commission appointed by the contracting authority for consideration, evaluation and ranking of offers, shall start working upon receipt of the list of submitted offers.
(4) In case of a change of the date and time of opening of offers the applicants shall be notified thereof in writing.
(5) Opening of offers shall be public and it may be attended by the participants in the procedure or their authorized representatives, and also mass media representatives and non-profit legal entities.
(6) The commission shall determine the terms and conditions for participation of other persons beyond the commission members in case of public procurements under Art. 3, par. 2, containing or requiring classified information.
(7) The commission shall open the offers following the order of their receipt and shall check for the existence of two separate sealed envelopes, and after that minimum three of its members shall undersign the envelope No. 2. The commission shall propose one representative of the attending participants to undersign envelope No. 2 of the remaining participants.
(8) In the presence of the persons referred to in par. 5 the commissions shall open envelope No. 1, shall announce the documents, contained therein, and minimum three of its members shall undersign them. The commission shall propose one representative of the attending participants to undersign the documents in envelope No. 1 of the remaining participants.
(9) Upon accomplishment of the activities referred to in par. 7 and 8 the public part of the commission sessions shall be over.
(10) The commission shall consider, evaluate and rank the offers following the procedure of Art. 69a, 70 propose one representative of the attending participants to undersign envelope No. 2 of the remaining participants and 71, whereby in the course of its work it can check the information from the offers subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 68, par. 11.
Art. 83. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) (1) Upon accomplishment of its work the commission shall issue a protocol, containing:
1. commission members and list of consultants;
2. the results of consideration and evaluation of shortlisted offers, including brief description of applicants’ proposals and scores by each individual parameter, where the evaluation criteria is economically the most favorable offer;
3. list of participants, whose offers have been suggested to be withdrawn, and the justification thereof;
4. ranking of participants, whose offers have been shortlisted for consideration and evaluation;
5. date of drawing up of protocol;
6. as the case may be – dissenting opinions with respective justifications of the members of the commission.
(2) The commission protocol shall be undersigned by all members and shall be submitted to the contracting authority together with all the documentation.
(3) The commission shall complete its work upon adoption of the protocol by the contracting authority.
(4) The contracting authority shall nominate a contractor by a justified decision within the term referred in Art. 73, par. 1. The decision shall indicate participants’ ranking, the disqualified participants and the reasons for their disqualification.
(5) The contracting authority shall conclude a contract with the participant nominated as a contractor. The contract may be concluded with the participant ranked the second subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 72, par. 2.
(6) The contracting authority shall provide access to the protocol to the participants subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 79, par. 14.
Chapter six.
"A" COMPETITIVE DIALOGUE (NEW - SG 37/06, IN FORCE FROM 01.07.2006)
Art. 83a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority may assign public procurement by way of competitive dialogue, in case the procurement is extremely complex, due to which its assignment by way of open or limited procedure is impossible.
(2) The public procurement is extremely complex, in case the contracting authority can not determine for objective reasons:
1. the technical specifications under art. 30, and/or
2. the financial or the legal framework of the procurement.
(3) In the decision for assigning public procurement by way of competitive dialogue the contracting authority shall give reasons for the choice of this procedure and shall approve the notice and a descriptive document.
(4) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The decision under para 3 shall be taken on the basis of a proposal of a commission appointed by the contracting authority, with the participation of experts of the latter, at least two external experts, included in the list as per Art. 19, para 2, item 8, and at least one external independent consultant, provided that all of them have qualifications corresponding to the subject of the procurement.
(5) (prev. text of para 4 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The contracting authority shall define his/her necessities and the requirements in the notice for public procurement and/or in the descriptive document, which substitutes the technical specifications.
(6) (prev. text of para 5 – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) Upon assignment of public procurement by way of competitive dialogue the contracting authority shall assess the offers only according the criterion economically the most favourable offer.
Art. 83b. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send the notice for public procurement to the agency for entry into the Public Procurement Register at least 37 days prior to the deadline for receiving the applications for participation in the competitive dialogue.
(2) The deadline under par. 1 may be reduced by 7 days, if the notice has been sent also by electronic means.
(3) (revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
Art. 83c. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority may point out in the notice the minimum and maximum number of candidates, who he/she intends to invite to take part in a competitive dialogue, provided that the minimum number may not be less than three. The number of the invited candidates has to be sufficient in order free and loyal competition to be guaranteed.
(2) The contracting authority may consider the competitive dialogue to be implemented at consecutive stages in order to reduce the number of the proposals which are to be discussed during the dialogue, by applying the criteria, indicated in the notice or in the descriptive document.
Art. 83d. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) (1) For conducting the procedure the contracting authority shall appoint a commission following the provisions of Art. 34 – 36.
(2) The commission referred to in par. 1 shall consider the filed applications subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 68, par. 7 – 11 and shall shortlist the applicants based on the documents the submitted according to the notice, which evidence their economic and financial situation, their technical ability and/or qualification for the fulfillment of the public procurement. The applicants or their authorized representatives, and also mass media representatives and non-governmental legal entities shall have the right to attend the process of opening of applications, except for the cases referred to in Art.79, par. 3.
(3) Where the number of applicants meeting the requirements specified in the notice for the procedure, exceeds the announced maximum number of the persons to be invited in a dialogue, the commission shall shortlist them based on objective and non-discriminatory criteria indicated in the notice.
(4) The commission shall draw up a protocol for the results of the selection, which shall contain:
1. board of the commission and a list of the consultants;
2. a list of applicants, not meeting the requirements, announced by the contracting authority, as well as the justification thereof, including in cases of a subject under Art. 3, par. 2, where the requirements concerning classified information protection and supplies safety are not met;
3. a list of applicants, meeting the requirements announced by the contracting authority, respectively the shortlisted applicants based on objective and non-discriminatory criteria indicated in the notice – where their number exceeds the limit indicated in the notice;
4. date of drawing up of the protocol.
(5) In case the contracting authority has not included in the notice a limit for the number of applicants to be invited to participate in a dialogue, the contracting authority shall be obliged to invite all applicants meeting the selection criteria and the minimum requirements for technical capacities.
(6) In case the contracting authority has included in the notice a limit for the number of applicants to be invited to participate in a dialogue, the contracting authority shall be obliged to invite such a number of applicants, which as a minimum should be equal to the minimum specified in advance.
(7) Where the number of applicants meeting the selection criteria and the minimum requirements, is less than the minimum number indicated in the notice, the contracting authority may continue the procedure by inviting all applicants, having the required capacities.
(8) In case of assignment of orders under Art. 3, par. 2, where after carrying out of initial shortlisting the contracting authority finds out that the number of applicants meeting the selection criteria and the minimum requirements is too low to guarantee real competition, the contracting authority may:
1. publish again the initial notice and to repeat the stage of shortlisting of newly filed applications, or
2. terminate the procedure.
(9) In cases referred to in par. 8, item 1 the contracting authority shall invite the applicants, shortlisted after the first and the second publications to participate in a dialogue.
(10) The contracting authority may not invite for participation in a dialogue persons, who have not filed application forms, or applicants not having relevant capacities.
(11) Within 5 working days from the date of receipt of the protocol, containing the final results of the selection, the contracting authority shall announce by a decision the applicants, who shall be invited to participate in a dialogue. In the decision shall also be included the candidates, who do not meet the requirements, announced by the contracting authority, as well as the justification thereof
(12) Within three days after taking of the decision under par. 11, the contracting authority shall send it at the same time to all applicants, and to the applicants under par. 4, item 3 the contracting authority shall also sent a written notice for participation in a dialogue.
(13) During the preliminary selection the contracting authority shall not be entitled to require offers and the candidate shall not have the right to present an offer.
Art. 83e. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The invitation for participation shall contain at least:
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the date of publication of the notice for public procurement;
2. a copy of the descriptive document and all additional documents or an electronic address for access to them, if they are provided by electronic means.
3. date and place of conducting the dialogue;
4. (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) the assessment methodology regarding each of the indices and the methodology for complex assessment of the offer, where the assessment criterion is economically the most favourable offer.
Art. 83f. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The commission, which has implemented the preliminary selection, shall conduct a dialogue with each of the approved candidates with the purpose of determining the parameters of the procurement, which meet to a greater extent the demands of the contracting authority.
(2) (amend. – SG 33/12) During the dialogue all parameters of the procurement may be discussed.
(3) To all candidates, participating in the dialogue, equality shall be guaranteed, by providing them with the same information.
(4) The commission shall not be entitled to provide the offers or other confidential information, obtained from a candidate, participating in the dialogue, to the other candidates, without his/her permission.
(5) The offers made and the agreements reached with each candidate shall be depicted in an individual written report, which shall be signed by the members of the commission and by the candidate.
(6) (suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) After concluding the dialogue with all candidates, the commission shall compile a written report to the contracting authority, in which the result of the dialogue is indicated and shall be proposed the candidates, which will be invited to present offers.
Art. 83g. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Within 5 working days from presenting the written report of the commission the contracting authority shall announce by a decision that the dialogue is concluded and shall determine the candidates, who shall be invited to present offers.
(2) In three days term from the decision under par. 1 the contracting authority shall send it simultaneously to the agency and to all candidates, who have participated in the dialogue, and to the determined candidates he/she shall also send a written invitation for presenting offers.
(3) In the invitation under par. 2 the contracting authority shall point out deadline for receiving the offers and the address, where they must be sent.
(4) The offer must meet the requirements of the contracting authority and contain all proposals for fulfilment of the offer, made in the course of the dialogue.
(5) Upon request by the commission the offers can be amended, supplemented and clarified. These amendments, supplements and clarifications may not amend the basic characteristics of the offer or of the invitation for presenting an offer, if this would lead to restriction of the competition or to discrimination of the candidates.
(6) The commission shall assess the received offers according to the indices, defined in the notice or in the descriptive document, and shall choose economically the most favourable offer.
(7) The commission may require from the participant, who has presented the most favourable offer economically, to clarify some of the characteristics of the offer or to confirm his/her obligations concerning it, on the condition that this will not lead to amendment in the basic characteristics of the offer or of the invitation for presenting an offer, as well as to restriction of the competition or to discrimination of the candidates.
Art. 83h. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall determine the contractor of the public procurement and shall conclude a contract with him/her by the order of art. 83, par. 4 – 6.
Chapter seven.
PROCEDURES OF NEGOTIATION
Section I.
Procedure of Negotiation with Notice
Art. 84. The contracting authorities may assign public procurement by way of procedure of negotiation with notice only where:
1. (amend. and suppl. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the open or limited procedure or the competitive dialogue have been terminated according to art. 39, para 1, item 2 and the initially announced terms have not been substantially changed;
2. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) as an exception the nature of the service, delivery or of the construction, or the risks related to them, do not allow pre-determining of the value;
3. the nature of the service does not allow sufficiently exact determining of the technical specifications in order to assign the procurement by the order of the open or limited procedure;
4. the procurement regards services under art. 5, para 1, item 2;
5. carried out in the sphere of construction is research, experimental or development non-profit activity or does not aim at reimbursement of the expenses thereof.
Art. 85. In the decision under art. 25, para 1 the contracting authority shall be obliged to motivate the choice of the procedure of negotiation with notice.
Art. 86. (1) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The notice for public procurement shall be sent to the Registry Agency in the Public Procurement Register not later than 37 days before the deadline for receiving the applications for participation in the procedure.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The term under par. 1 may be reduced by 7 days, if the notice has also been sent by electronic means.
(3) (prev. text of par. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Upon occurrence of circumstances of exceptional urgency, as a result of which the compliance with the term under para 1 is impossible, a contracting authority under art. 7, items 1 - 4 may set a term for receiving applications for participation in the procedure of negotiation not shorter than 15 days from the date of sending the notice or not shorter than 10 days, in case the notice has been sent by electronic means.
(4) (prev. text of par. 3, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the cases of para 2 the contracting authority shall be obliged to indicate in the notice for public procurement the concrete circumstances of exceptional urgency.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the notice for public procurement the contracting authority may restrict the number of the candidates, who he/she intends to invite to take part in the negotiations, provided that this number may not be less than three. The contracting authority may also point out the maximum number of candidates. The number of the candidates must be sufficient in order to guarantee free and loyal competition.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall point out in the notice for public procurement objective and non-discriminatory criteria or rules, which shall be applied in the selection of the candidates under par. 5.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the notice for public procurement the contracting authority may provide the negotiations to be held at several consecutive stages, provided that at each following stage the number of the offers considered shall be reduced with the purpose of achieving possibly the most complete correspondence of the offers with the announced requirements.
(8) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
(9) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012)
Art. 87. (1) The application for participation in a procedure of negotiation with notice has to meet the requirements of art. 77, para 3 – 5.
(2) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The application shall be presented by the order of art. 57, para 1, 4 and 6 by fax or it shall be announced by phone.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where the application for participation is announced by phone, the candidate shall confirm it in writing before the expiry of the term for receiving applications.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where the application for participation is sent via fax, the contracting authority may oblige the candidate to confirm it by a letter, sent with return of service or by electronic means. These requirements, as well as the term for receiving the written confirmation, have to be indicated in the notice for public procurement.
(5) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) During the preliminary selection the contracting authority shall not be entitled to require offers and the candidate shall not have the right to present an offer.
Art. 88. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) For holding the procedure the contracting authority shall appoint a commission by the order of art. 34 - 36.
(2) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 52/10; suppl. – SG 33/12) The commission shall consider the received applications pursuant to the procedure set out in Art. 68, para 7 through 11 and shall carry out a selection of the candidates on the grounds of the filed according to the notice documents for their economic and financial status, technical capacity and/or qualification for fulfilment of the public procurement. The candidates, their authorized representatives, as well as representatives of the mass media and of non-profit legal entities shall have the right to be present during opening of the applications, except for the cases referred to in Art. 79, par. 3.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) In case the number of applicants meeting the requirements indicated in the notice for the procedure exceeds the announced maximum number of persons to be invited to participate in negotiations, the commission shall make a selection based on the objective and non-discriminative criteria indicated in the notice.
(4) (new – SG 33/12) The commission shall draw up a protocol for the results of the selection, containing:
1. members of the commission and list of consultants;
2. list of applicants, not meeting the requirements announced by the contracting authority, and also justification thereof, including in cases of a subject under Art. 3, par. 2, where the requirements regarding protection of classified information and supplies safety are not complied with;
3. list of applicants meeting the requirements announced by the contracting authority, respectively of the listed applicants based on the objective and non-discriminative criteria indicated in the notice – where their number exceeds the limit indicated in the notice;
4. date of drawing up of the protocol.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) In case the contracting authority has not included in the notice a restriction of the number of the candidates, who shall be invited to take part in the negotiation, he/she shall be obliged to invite all applicants, meeting the selection criteria and the minimum requirements for technical capacities.
(6) (new – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006, prev. par. 4 – SG 33/12) In case the contracting authority has included in the notice a restriction of the number of applicants to be invited to participate in the negotiations, he/she shall be obliged to invite such a number of applicants, which is at least equal to the minimum specified in advance.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; prev. par. 6 – SG 33/12) In case the number of the candidates, meeting the selection criteria and the minimum requirements, is below the minimum indicated in the notice, the contracting authority may continue the procedure, by inviting all candidates, who possess the necessary resources. In this case the contracting authority may not invite for participation in the negotiations other persons, who have not submitted applications for participation, or candidates, who do not possess the necessary resources.
(8) (prev. text of par. 3, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. par. 7, amend. – SG 33/12) When assigning public procurements under Art. 3, par. 2, where after preliminary selection the contracting authority finds out that the number of applicants meeting the selection criteria and to the minimum requirements is too low to guarantee real competition, the contracting authority may:
1. publish again the initial notice and to repeat the stage of selection of the newly submitted applications, or
2. terminate the procedure.
(9) (new – SG 33/12) In cases referred to in par. 8, item 1 the contracting authority shall invite the applicants, shortlisted after the first and the second publishing, to participate in negotiations.
(10) (new – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may not invite to participate in negotiations persons, who have not filed application for participation, or applicants who have not the required capacities.
(11) (prev. par. 4, amend. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006, prev. par. 8, amend. – SG 33/12) Within 5 work days after the date of adoption of the protocol, containing final selection results, the contracting authority shall nominate by a decision the applicants to be invited for participation in the contracting. The decision shall include also applicants, not meeting the requirements announced by the contracting authorities and the justifications thereof.
(12) (prev. text of par. 6, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 9, amend. – SG 33/12) Within three days term from taking the decision under par. 8 the contracting authority shall send in simultaneously to all applicants, and to applicants under par. 4, item 3 he/she shall send written invitations for participation in the negotiations.
Art. 89. (1) The invitation for participation in the negotiating shall contain:
1. date and place of holding the negotiating;
2. requirement for extra evidence for the declared circumstances, where necessary;
3. (amend. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) deadline for receiving of the initial offer, which may not be less than 10 days after sending of the invitation;
4. (amend. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the address, to which the offer should be sent;
5. (new – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the date of publication of the notice for public procurement.
(2) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The commission shall hold the negotiation with the invited applicants following the order of submission of initial offers.
(3) The proposals made and the achieved agreements with each candidate shall be indicated in individual written records to be signed by the members of the commission and by the candidate.
(4) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The commission shall apply the provision of Art. 70, where it is found out that the proposal submitted by any of the applicants, having been obtained as a result of negotiations, is by more than 20 per cent more favourable than the average cost of the proposals of the remaining applicants in terms of the same assessment criterion.
(5) (prev. par. 4, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) After holding the negotiations the commission shall work out a report to the contracting authority in which the results of the negotiations are indicated and it shall suggest:
1. rating of the applicants, or
2. termination of the procedure.
(6) (prev. par. 5, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; suppl. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall nominate a contractor by a justified decision within the term referred to in Art. 73, par. 1. The decision shall indicate ranking of applicants, who have been withdrawn and the justification thereof.
(7) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall conclude a contract with the participant, nominated as a contractor. The contract may be concluded with the participant ranked second, subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 74, par. 2.
(8) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall provide to the applicants access to the protocol subject to the provisions of Art. 79, par. 14.
Section II.
Procedure of Negotiation without notice
Art. 90. (1) The contracting authority may assign public procurement through a procedure of negotiation without notice only where:
1. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) the open or the limited procedure is terminated as per art. 39, par. 1, item 1 and the initially announced conditions are not amended essentially;
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) in the cases under art. 39, par. 1, item 3, they invite for participation in the procedure only the participants who have presented offers and meet the requirements, indicated in the notice for the open or limited procedure or the competitive dialogue;
3. the assigning the public procurement to another person would lead to violation of copyright or other rights of intellectual property, or of exclusive rights acquired by virtue of a law or administrative act;
4. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) there is a need of undertaking of urgent measures, caused by the occurrence of a force majeur, which the contracting authority could not or has not been obliged to foresee or to prevent by making due effort therefore, and for the overcoming of which the terms for holding of an open or limited procedure or of a procedure of negotiation with notice cannot be met;
5. the goods subject to delivery are produced for the purpose of research, experimenting, scientific or development activity and are of limited quantity which does not allow the formation of a market price or reimbursement of the expenses thereof;
6. extra deliveries by the same supplier are necessary for partial replacement or for increase of the deliveries should the replacement of the supplier compel the contracting authority to acquire goods of different technical characteristics which will lead to incompatibility or to technical difficulties in the operation and maintenance;
7. (suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the service is assigned upon holding a project competition, sending invitations for participation in the negotiating to the first rated participant or to all rated participants in compliance with the terms of the competition;
8. due to unforeseen circumstances it is necessary to assign an extra service or construction to the same contractor under the following terms:
a) the extra service or construction may not, technically or economically, be separated from the object of the main contract without considerable difficulties for the contracting authority or, although they may be separated, they are essentially necessary for the fulfilment of the procurement;
b) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the total cost of orders, by which additional services or construction works are ordered, does not exceed 50 percent of the value of the basic procurement;
9. necessary is the repetition of a service or construction by the same contractor not later than three years from the assigning of the first procurement in the presence of the following terms:
a) the first procurement has been assigned by way of open or limited procedure and the notice for it indicates a possibility of such assigning;
b) the total value of this procurement is included in determining the value of the first procurement;
c) the new procurement corresponds to the basic project, in fulfilment of which the first procurement has been assigned;
10. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006);
11. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) subject of the procurement is the delivery of goods determined in a list proposed by the State Commission for the commodity exchanges and marketplaces and approved by the Council of Ministers with the regulations for implementation of the law.
12. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) for a short period of time arise favourable conditions for delivery of goods at prices, lower than the market ones, achieved at an auction for sale of the property of trade companies, announced in liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings;
13. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) the procurement order is for services of category No. 21 of Attachment No. 2 to Art. 5, par. 1, item 2 for the price referred to in Art. 14, par. 3.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases of para 1, items 6 the contract for additional procurement, may not be longer than three years.
Art. 91. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall motivate in the decision for assigning public procurement through a procedure of negotiation without notice the choice of this procedure.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) By the decision of par. 1 the contracting authority shall approve an invitation for participation in a procedure, containing:
1. subject of the procurement, including the quantity and/or the scope and a description of the special items, if there are any;
2. contracting authority requirements for the fulfillment of the procurement;
3. where applicable – assessment criteria for the offers, and where the criterion is the lowest evaluated tender – also the parameters for complex assessment with their relative share or ranking by importance in a descending order, where for objective reasons it is impossible to show their relative share, and also methods of complex assessment of offers;
4. place and date of negotiations;
5. other requirements at contracting authority option.
(3) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The requirements of par. 2 shall not apply in cases referred to in Art. 90, par. 1, item 11 and 12.
Art. 92. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The invitation for participation in a procedure of negotiation without notice shall be sent to the selected persons and to the Agency.
Art. 92a. (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The contracting authority shall appoint a commission following the provisions of art. 34 – 36 for holding the procedure.
(2) The commission shall hold the negotiations with the applicants for determination of the terms and conditions of the contract according to the requirements of the contracting authority indicated in the invitation for the participation. The results of negotiations shall be registered in a record, which shall be signed by the commission and by the participant.
(3) Where the contracting authority has invited more than one participant, the proposals made and the reached agreements with each of them shall be indicated in a separate record.
(4) The commission shall apply the provision of Art. 70, where it is found out that the proposal of any of the participants, achieved as a result of negotiations, is by more than 20 per cent more favourable than the average cost of the proposals of remaining participants in terms of the same assessment criterion.
(5) After holding the negotiations the commission shall issue a report to the contracting authority containing the result of negotiations and shall suggest:
1. conclusion of contract with the sole participant, or
2. rating of the participants in cases referred to in par. 3 or
3. termination of the procedure.
(6) The contracting authority shall nominate a contractor by a justified decision within the term, referred to in Art. 73, par. 1.
(7) The contracting authority shall conclude a contract with the participant, nominated as a contractor. The contract may be concluded with the second rated participant subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 74, par. 2.
(8) (amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall provide access to the protocol to the applicants subject to compliance with the provision of Art. 79, par. 14.
(9) (amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases under art. 90, par. 1, item 11 the provisions of para 1 – 8 shall not apply and the contract shall be concluded subject to compliance with the rules of the respective commodity exchange.
(10) (suppl. – SG 33/12) In the cases under art. 90, par. 1, item 12 the provisions of para 1 – 8 shall not apply and the contract shall be concluded by the order of Part three of the Commercial law.
Art. 93. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may not apply Art. 91, par. 2, Art. 92 and 92a, where contracts are being concluded on the grounds of:
1. Article 90, par. 1, item 3 with subject of procurement natural gas, thermal or electrical energy or drinking water with the companies, holding the exclusive rights;
2. Article 90, par. 1, item 4;
3. Article 90. Par. 1, item 13 with subject of procurement of defense in proceedings.
Chapter seven.
"A" FRAME AGREEMENT (NEW - SG 37/06, IN FORCE FROM 01.07.2006)
Art. 93a (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Frame agreement is the agreement, concluded between one or more contracting authorities and one or more potential contractors of public procurement, whose purpose shall be to determine in advance the terms of the contracts, which the parties intend to conclude for certain period of time, not longer than 4 years, including with regard to the prices, and if possible – the amounts provided. As an exception the term of the frame agreement may be longer than 4 years, provided that the contracting authority shall point out the motives for that in the notice.
(2) When the contracting authority concludes frame agreement with several persons, they may not be less than threesome, on the condition that there is sufficient number of potential contractors, who meet the preliminary announced conditions of the contracting authority
(3) The contracting authority may conclude frame agreement for assignment of public procurement on the basis of each conducted procedure, excluding the procedure of negotiation without notice. At concluding a frame agreement, the criteria under art. 37 shall be applied.
(4) In the cases of concluding a contract on the basis of frame agreement, the parties shall not be entitled to change essentially the conditions, specified by the frame agreement.
(5) The frame agreement may not be concluded or applied, if it prevents, restricts or violates the competition.
Art. 93b. (1) (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. Art. 93b - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) When all conditions have been determined in the frame agreement, the contracting authority shall conclude a public procurement contract, and shall apply these conditions.
(2) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the frame agreement does not set out all the conditions and it is concluded with one person only, the contracting authority shall request in writing from this person to fill up her/his offer.
(3) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the frame agreement does not set out all the conditions and it is concluded with more than one person, for every contract which is to be concluded, the contracting authority shall:
1. address a written invitation to the persons which are parties to the frame agreement;
2. set an appropriate term for receiving of offers, taking into account the subject and the time, necessary for the offers to be sent;
3. keep the offers, submitted in sealed non-transparent envelopes until the expiration of the term for their receipt;
4. appoint a commission which shall consider and rate the offers in compliance with the criterion, specified in the frame agreement, subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 70 – 72.
Art. 93c. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012). The contracting authority shall nominate a contractor by the order of art. 73 and shall conclude a contract following the procedure of art. 74.
Art. 93d. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Contracts for public procurement based on a frame agreement concluded by a central authority for public procurements, shall be assigned by the individual contracting authorities in compliance with the provision of Art. 93b.
Chapter seven.
"B" DYNAMIC PURCHASING SYSTEMS (NEW – SG 37/06, IN FORCE FROM 01.07.2006)
Art. 93e. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The dynamic purchasing system is entirely electronic process for performing customary deliveries, whose market characteristics respond to the contracting authority’s requirements. The system acts for a period not longer than 4 years and during the term of its effect is open for including every candidate, who meets the criteria for selection and has presented an advance offer, which corresponds to the specifications. As an exception the term of action of the system may exceed 4 years, provided that the contracting authority states the reasons for that in the notice.
(2) The dynamic purchasing system shall be created by way of open procedure.
(3) In the system shall be included every candidate, who:
1. meets the requirements of the contracting authority, pointed out in the notice;
2. has presented an advance offer, that corresponds to the specifications, defined by the contracting authority;
3. has presented all documents, pointed out by the contracting authority in the notice
(4) The advance offers under par. 3, item 2 may be amended at any time during the term of action of the system in such manner, as to correspond to the specifications.
(5) At generating a system under par. 1 and assigning public procurement using the said system the contracting authority shall use electronic means only.
Art. 93f. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) At creating dynamic purchasing system the contracting authority shall:
1. publish notice for public procurement, in which shall be explicitly pointed out the creation of the system;
2. define the technical specifications under the procedure of art. 30-33, the type of the deliveries, as well as the whole necessary information regarding the system, the kind and the technical characteristics of the used electronic means.
(2) From the publishing of the notice for creation to the expiry of the term of action of the system the contracting authority shall provide via electronic means full, direct and unlimited access to the technical specifications, as well as to all additional documents, provided that in the notice obligatory shall be indicated the internet address, where they shall be accessible.
Art. 93g. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The advance offer for participation in the dynamic purchasing system may be submitted at any time during the term of action of the system.
(2) For considering the offers under par. 1 the contracting authority shall appoint a commission by the procedure of art. 34-36.
(3) The commission shall consider any advance offer submitted and on the basis of the announced criteria and rules, shall propose to the contracting authority to include or to refuse inclusion of the candidate in the dynamic purchasing system.
(4) The contracting authority shall be obliged to take a decision in 15 days period of time, considered from the submitting the advance offer and to notify the candidate of his/her including in the dynamic purchasing system or of the refusal to be included in three days term from the date of the decision.
Art. 93h. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Before assignment of each public procurement contract for delivery the contracting authority shall publish simplified notice, with which shall invite all interested persons to present advance offers in compliance with art. 93f, par. 1, item 2 and shall fix a term for submitting the advance offers, which shall not be shorter than 15 days from the sending of the notice.
(2) The advance offers shall be assessed and the candidates shall be included in the system by the procedure of art. 93g, par. 2-4.
Art. 93i. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) After taking the decisions under art. 93g, par. 4 the contracting authority shall send to everybody included in the dynamic purchasing system an invitation to present offers for each individual public procurement contract for delivery within the frames of the system.
(2) In the invitation under par. 1 the contracting authority shall fix term for presenting the offers and may make additional clarifications in connection with the criteria for assigning the public procurement contract.
Art. 93j. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The commission under art. 93g, par. 2 shall consider and classify rate the offers and shall propose to the contracting authority to conclude a public procurement contract for delivery with the participant, whose offer has received the highest assessment on the basis of the criteria, specified in the notice or in the invitation under art. 93i.
(2) The contracting authority shall choose a contractor by the procedure of art. 74.
Art. 93k. (New – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The dynamic purchasing system may not be applied if it prevents, restricts or violates the competition.
(2) The access to the dynamic purchasing system and the participation in it shall be liberated and free of charge for all interested persons.
Chapter eight.
PROJECT COMPETITION
Section I.
Preparation of a Project Competition
Art. 94. (1) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The provisions of this chapter shall apply at conducting project competition:
1. organized as a part of procedure for assigning public procurement for service;
2. with awarding prizes and/or payments for the participants in the competition.
(2) (prev. text of art. 94 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Project competition shall be held for acquiring:
1. development concept for working a development scheme, development plan, land reallocation plan, or forest development project;
2. initial project for working out projects, including landscape, architectural, constructive, technological, installation, as well as projects for works of art and for restoration and rehabilitation of cultural monuments;
3. project in the sphere of data processing;
4. other projects.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. SG 79/06) The terms and the procedure for conducting competitions in the spatial planning and investment designing, shall be determined by an ordinance of the Council of Ministers.
Art. 95. (1) The project competition may be open or limited.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In an open competition all interested persons may present projects;
(3) In a limited competition projects may be presented only by candidates who, on the grounds of a preliminary selection, have been invited by the contracting authority.
Art. 96. (1) The contracting authority shall take a decision for holding a project competition by which he shall approve the notice for participation and the competition programme.
(2) The competition programme shall contain:
1. the project task and instructions for its fulfilment;
2. all technical data necessary for the fulfilment of the project;
3. the criteria for assessment of the project, their relative weight and the method of determining the complex assessment of the project.
(3) The price of the competition programme may not be higher than the actual cost of its working.
Art. 97. (1) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send an notice for holding a project competition to the Registry Agency in the Public Procurement Register at least:
1. fifty two days before the deadline for receiving the projects in an open competition;
2. thirty seven days before the deadline for receiving applications for participation in a limited competition.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) The notice for a project competition shall be worked out according to the form under art. 19, para 7.
(3) (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
(4) In a limited competition the contracting authority may restrict by the notice the number of the participants to be invited to present projects, but their number may not be less than 5.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the notice for a limited competition the contracting authority shall point out objective and non-discriminatory criteria or rules, which shall be applied in the selection of the candidates.
Section II.
Holding a Project Competition
Art. 98. (1) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The applications for participation in a limited project competition may be submitted in writing by the order of art. 57, par. 1, 3, 4 and 5, by fax or by telephone. If the application has been submitted by telephone, it must be confirmed in writing before the deadline for receiving the applications.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In the applications for a limited project competition the contracting authority may include a requirement that the applications for participation, sent by fax, must be confirmed by post or by electronic means.
(3) (prev. text of art. 98, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority shall implement a preliminary selection and shall send invitations to the approved candidates to present projects by the order of art. 79, 80 and art. 81, par. 1.
Art. 99. (1) For considering and rating the projects the contracting authority shall appoint a jury consisting of at least three members.
(2) The members of the jury shall meet the requirements of art. 35.
(3) When the participants in the competition are required to have a certain professional qualification or legal capacity at least 1/3 of the members of the jury shall have the same or equivalent qualification or legal capacity.
(4) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) At taking decisions and expressing opinion on the projects the jury shall be independent.
Art. 100. (1) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall appoint an official who will accept the competition projects, which shall be presented by the order of art. 57, par. 1 or 6.
(2) The person under para 1 shall be obliged to keep secret the circumstances having become known to him in connection with the competition projects, for which he shall present a written declaration.
(3) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The presented competition projects shall be numbered by the order of their receiving and a list of the numbers and their corresponding names of the participants shall be made. The list shall be put in an envelope which shall be sealed and should not be opened until the date of announcing the results from the competition.
(4) In an open competition the participants shall present data and proof of their professional qualification and legal capacity in a separate opaque envelope which shall be opened after rating the projects.
Art. 101. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The jury shall consider the projects and shall draw up written records for their rating. The rating of the projects shall be carried out in compliance with the criteria, indicated in the notice for opening the procedure.
(2) The jury shall compile a written statement on the rating of the projects, signed by all members.
(3) In the written statement shall also be indicated the remarks of the commission and the issues, which must be additionally elucidated or clarified, if necessary.
(4) In the cases under par. 3 the jury shall inform the participants and shall give them a chance to answer the questions, after which it shall amend or supplement the written statement, if necessary.
(5) Upon open competition the jury shall propose for removal from the rating of the participants in the competition, who do not meet the requirements under par. 1.
(6) The contracting authority shall announce by decision the rating of the participants in the competition, according to the written statement of the jury, as well as the prizes and/or the other payments.
(7) The contracting authority shall send information about the conducted competition to the Agency for entering in the Public Procurement Register not later than 7 days after taking the decision under par. 6.
(8) The information under par. 7 shall be prepared according to the form under art. 19, par. 7.
(9) The information under par. 7, the notice of which contradicts a law, shall not be entered in the Public Procurement Register. In this case the contracting authority shall provide reasons for that before the Agency.
Chapter eight.
"a" ASSIGNING OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT THROUGH A PUBLIC INVITATION (NEW – SG 93/11, IN FORCE FROM 26.02.2012)
Art. 101a. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12The terms and conditions and the procedure under this Chapter shall be applied for assignment of public procurements referred to in Art. 14, par. 4.
(2) (amend. – SG 33/12) For assigning of procurements referred to in Art. 14, par. 4, the contracting authority shall collect offers by publishing an invitation.
Art. 101b. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The invitation shall be issued in a standard form, approved by the Executive Director of the Agency, and shall contain the following minimum information:
1. name and address of the contracting authority;
2. description of the subject of the procurement, and where applicable – also quantities or scope;
3. contracting authority’s requirements for the implementation of the procurement;
4. assigning criteria, and where the selection is based on the criterion of "economically most favourable offer" - also the complex assessment parameters with their relative share;
5. deadline for receiving of offers.
(2) (suppl. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall publish the invitation on the public procurements portal in an order, determined by the regulation for the implementation of the law, and shall specify a term for public access thereto, which may not be shorter than 7 days. The term shall start elapsing from the day, following the day of publication. At the same time, the invitation shall be published on the Buyer’s profile.
(3) The contracting authority may publish an notice about the invitation also in printed media, and also may send it to selected by it persons, without changing the conditions of par. 1, items 2 – 5. The notice may not contain more information than the one contained in the invitation, published on the portal.
(4) The term referred to in par. 1, item 5 may not be shorter than the term of public access to the invitation.
(5) In case of amendment of initially announced terms and conditions the contracting authority shall be obliged to apply again the procedure or collection of offers under par. 1 – 3.
Art. 101c. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The offer referred to in Art. 101a, par. 2 must contain minimum the following:
1. information about the person, making the offer;
2. proposed fulfillment of the requirements of Art. 101b, par. 1, item 3;
3. budget proposal;
4. validity term, where applicable.
(2) The content of the offer shall be presented in a sealed non-transparent envelope.
Art. 101d. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) The receipt, consideration and assessment of offers shall be carried out by officials, appointed by the contracting authority.
(2) After the receipt of offers, the persons referred to in par. 1 shall submit declarations about the particulars referred to in Art. 35, par. 1, items 2 and 3.
(3) The persons of par. 1 shall determine the order of consideration of offers and shall produce a record of results of their work. The record shall be presented to the contracting authority for approval.
Art. 101e. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority may assign the implementation of the procurement also in cases, where only one offer has been submitted.
Art. 101f. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority shall conclude a written contract, which includes all proposals from the offer of the nominated contractor.
(2) (amend. – SG 33/12) Where a contract is signed, the nominated contractor shall submit documents, issued by competent bodies, certifying missing circumstances referred to in Art. 47, par. 1, item 1 and declarations of missing circumstances referred to in Art. 47, par. 5, except for the cases, where the procurement is being assigned by a contracting authority referred to in Art. 7, item 2.
Art. 101g. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall be obliged to keep all documents, related to the assignment of procurements subject to this Chapter, for a period of three years after the finalization of the fulfillment of the contract.
Part three.
ASSIGNING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT BY CONTRACTING AUTHORITYS CARRYING OUT ACTIVITIES OF WATER SUPPLY, POWER SUPPLY, TRANSPORT AND POSTAL SERVICES
Chapter nine.
GENERAL RULES FOR ASSIGNING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
Section I.
General Provisions
Art. 102. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The provisions of Part Three shall be applied by:
1. a contracting authority under art. 7, items 5 and 6;
2. a contracting authority under art. 7, items 1, 3 and 4 at carrying out some of the activities under art. 7a – 7e.
(2) Public procurement, the object of which comprises activities under art. 7a – 7e and other activities according to the law, shall be subject to the rules, applicable to the activity, which is the main object of the procurement.
(3) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case with respect to one of the activities – subject of public procurement, are applicable the special regulations of this Chapter, and with regards to the other activity – the general provisions of the law, and if it is impossible objectively to define which one of the activities is the main subject of the public procurement, it shall be assigned by the order of the general provisions of the law.
(4) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case with respect to one of the activities – subject of public procurement, are applicable the special regulations of this Chapter, and the other activity is neither subject to the general, nor the special provisions of the law, and if it is impossible objectively to define which one of the activities is the main subject of the public procurement, it shall be assigned by the order of this Chapter.
Art. 103. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority shall take a decision for assigning public procurement by way of open procedure, limited procedure and procedure of negotiation with notice in all cases when the prerequisites for conducting procedure of negotiation without notice are not present.
(2) The contracting authority shall take a decision for assigning public procurement by way of procedure of negotiation without notice only in case:
1. the open procedure, the limited procedure or the procedure of negotiation with notice has been terminated since no offer or application for participation has been filed or no candidates or participants have been admitted and the initially announced terms have not been changed substantially;
2. the assigning of the public procurement to another person would lead to violation of copyright or other rights of intellectual property or of exclusive rights acquired by virtue of a law or administrative act;
3. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) there is a need of undertaking of urgent measures, caused by the occurrence of a force majeur, which the contracting authority could not or has not been obliged to foresee or to prevent by making due effort therefore, and for the overcoming of which the terms for holding of an open or limited procedure or of a procedure of negotiation with notice cannot be met;
4. the subject of the contract aims research, experimenting, scientific or development activity and does not aim profit or reimbursement of the expenses for this activity and as far as the assigning of such contract does not harm the competitive assignment of subsequent contracts, which are especially aimed at the achievement of these goals;
5. necessary are extra deliveries by the same supplier designated for a partial replacement or for increase of the deliveries, whereas the change of the supplier will compel the contracting authority to acquire goods with different technical characteristics, which will lead to incompatibility or to technical difficulties in the operation and maintenance;
6. (suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the service is assigned by way of a project competition, sending invitations for participation in the negotiations to the first rated participant or to all rated participants in compliance with the terms of the competition;
7. due to unforeseen circumstances it is necessary to assign an extra service or construction to the same contractor under the following terms:
a) the extra service or the construction cannot, technically or economically, be separated from the object of the basic contract without considerable difficulties for the contracting authority or, although they can be separated, they are essentially necessary for the fulfilment of the procurement;
b) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the total value of the orders by which additional services or construction are being assigned, does not exceed 50 percent of the cost of the basic procurement;
8. necessary is a repetition of construction by the same contractor in the presence of the following terms:
a) the first procurement has been assigned by an open procedure, limited procedure and procedure of negotiation with notice and the notice for it indicated the possibility of such assignment;
b) the total value of this procurement is included in determining the value of the first procurement;
c) the new procurement corresponds to the basic project in fulfilment of which the first procurement was assigned;
9. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) subject of the procurement is the delivery of goods determined by a list, proposed by the State Commission for the commodity exchanges and marketplaces and approved by the Council of Ministers with the regulations for implementation of the law;
10. the procurement shall be assigned on the basis of a frame agreement concluded by the order of the law;
11. for a brief period occur favourable conditions for delivery of goods at prices lower than the market prices, including at sale of property of trade companies announced in liquidation or in bankruptcy;
12. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) the order is for services of category No. 21 of Attachment No. 3 to Art. 5, par. 1, item 2 for a cost referred to in Art, 14, par. 3.
(3) In the cases of para 2, item 5 and 8 the contract for additional procurement may not be longer than three years.
(4) In the cases under par. 2, item 9 the contract shall be concluded by the order of the Law for the commodity exchanges and market-places.
(5) (suppl. – SG 33/12) In the cases under par. 2, item 11 the contract shall be concluded by the order of Part three of the Commercial law.
Art. 104. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) In open procedure, when the contracting authorities have sent an advance notice, the term for receiving offers may be reduced to 22 days from the date, on which the notice for opening the procedure has been sent.
(2) In case the notice for opening the procedure has also been sent by electronic means, the term under par. 1 may be reduced by 7 days.
Art. 104a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The term for receiving applications for participation in limited procedures and procedures of negotiation with notice may not be shorter than 37 days from the date, on which the notice has been sent.
(2) The term under par. 1 may be reduced by 7 days, if the notice has also been sent by electronic means.
(3) The term for receiving offers in limited procedure and procedure of negotiation with notice may be fixed by an agreement between the contracting authority and the candidates, determined at the preliminary selection. An agreement shall be admitted only on the condition that all candidates are given the same term for preparation and submission of offers.
(4) In case an agreement under par. 3 has not been reached, the term shall be determined by the contracting authority and may not be shorter than 24 days from the date of sending the invitation for presenting offers or for participation in the negotiations.
(5) In the cases under par. 4, when the contracting authority provides full access to the documentation for participation by electronic means and if in the notice has been pointed out an electronic address, where it can be found, the term may be reduced by 5 days.
Section II.
System of Preliminary Selection of Contractors
Art. 105. (1) The contracting authorities may create and use systems of preliminary selection of contractors of public procurement.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The systems of preliminary selection may include different stages of selection.
(3) (prev. text of par. 2, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The systems of preliminary selection shall be based on objective criteria and rules, which shall be determined by the contracting authority and can be amended by him/her if necessary.
(4) (prev. text of par. 3, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The criteria and the rules for selection shall include requirements for economic and financial status under art. 50, para 1, and/or technical capacity and/or qualification under art. 51, par. 1 and may also include the requirements of art. 47, par. 1 and 2.
(5) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where the criteria and the selection rules include technical specifications, the provisions of art. 30 – 32 shall be applied.
(6) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In case the selection criteria of the candidates contain requirements for economic and financial status and technical capacities, and/or qualification, the candidate may refer to the resources of third persons, regardless of the legal relations between him/her and the third persons. In these cases the candidate must provide the contracting authority with evidence that the resources are available within the whole term of validity of the system of preliminary selection. In case the candidate is an association of natural and/or legal persons, he/she may refer to the resources of a person, included in the association, or to third persons under the same conditions.
(7) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The criteria and the rules for selection under par. 3 shall be provided upon request by the candidates. The actualization of these criteria and rules shall be announced to the persons, included in the system of preliminary selection.
(8) (prev. text of par. 4, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authorities shall send an notice for the systems of preliminary selection, created by them, to contractors to the Agency for entering in the Public Procurement Register. Where the system has a term of more than three years, the notice shall be published every year.
(9) (prev. text of par. 5, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; revoked – SG 33/12)
(10) (prev. text of par. 6 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the description of the subject of the system of preliminary selection and/or of the criteria and rules for selection is of a big volume the contracting authority shall include in the notice a brief description, and the detailed requirements shall be included in the documentation.
(11) (prev. text of par. 7 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When the contracting authority uses a system of preliminary selection he/she shall choose the candidates for participation in limited procedures and procedures of negotiation in compliance with the requirements of this system.
(12) (prev. text of par. 8, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When a contracting authority considers that the system of preliminary selection of another person meets his requirements, he shall notify the interested persons that he will use it.
Art. 106. (1) Application for participation in the system of preliminary selection may be filed at any time within the term of validity of the system.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) For considering the applications for participation in the system of preliminary selection the contracting authority shall appoint a commission by the order of art. 34 - 36.
(3) (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The commission shall consider every filed application and, on the grounds of the announced objective criteria and rules, shall propose to the contracting authority to include or refuse the inclusion of the candidate in the system of preliminary selection.
(4) The contracting authority shall be obliged to take a decision within 6 months from filing the application for inclusion in the system of preliminary selection.
(5) Where the decision under para 4 requires more than 4 months the contracting authority shall notify the candidate within two months from filing the application for the reasons and for the date by which the decision will be taken.
(6) Within 15 days from the date of the decision under para 4 the contracting authority shall notify the candidate about his inclusion in the system of preliminary selection or his refusal to do so. The refusal shall be motivated.
(7) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) In taking a decision under para 4 or when the criteria and rules are changed the contracting authority may not:
1. impose on the candidates requirements of administrative, technical or financial nature which do not regard the other candidates;
2. require inspections or proof repeating already presented by the candidate evidence.
(8) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall maintain lists of the candidates included in the systems of preliminary selection of contractors of public procurement who may be divided into categories depending on the subject of the procurement which the system concerns. In the cases of art. 105, para 12 the contracting authority shall be obliged to submit information for the system and the lists to other contracting authorities.
(9) The contracting authority may terminate the participation in the system of preliminary selection of a candidate who has ceased to meet the announce criteria. He shall be obliged to inform him about that at least 15 days before the date of termination motivating it.
Section III.
Frame Agreement (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Art. 107. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Art. 108. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Chapter ten.
SPECIAL RULES
Art. 109. (1) (suppl. SG 31/05, in force from May 1, 2005, prev. text of art. 109, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Under the terms of art. 23 the contracting authorities as per art. 7, items 5 and 6 may send to the Registry Agency in the Public Procurement Register a preliminary notice or preliminary notice-invitation for the planned public procurement or frame agreements for the next 12 months. The type of the notice shall be chosen by the contracting authority.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority may publish in the buyer profile the preliminary notice for the planned procurement or frame agreements for the following 12 months under the terms of art. 23, par. 2.
Art. 110. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) When the contracting authority publishes a preliminary notice for large projects, which have been included in previous advance notice, they may not repeat this information by indicating the notice containing it.
Art. 111. (suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) The contracting authority may open a limited procedure or a procedure of negotiation with notice and by:
1. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006);
2. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) preliminary notice-invitation published by the order of art. 23;
3. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 33/12) notice of the system of preliminary selection under art. 105, para 8.
Art. 112. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The preliminary notice-invitation shall serve as an invitation for declaring interest in participation in the procedure by the potential candidates.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The preliminary notice-invitation shall be prepared according to the form under art. 19, par. 7.
(3) The preliminary notice-invitation shall also contain the following information, if available by the date of its ending:
1. possibility of concluding frame agreements;
2. possibility of assigning an extra procurement;
3. initial or final date of fulfilment of the procurement;
4. term of the contract;
5. requirements for the economic and financial status of the candidate, as well as for his technical capacity and/or qualification;
6. terms and size of the guarantee for participation and of the performance guarantee for fulfilment of the contract;
7. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) criteria for selection of a contractor and the relative weight of the indices in the complex assessment of the offer;
8. (prev. text of item 8 – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) place and term of obtaining, price and way of payment of the documentation for participation in the procedure;
9. (prev. text of item 8, suppl. – SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 82/09, in force from 16.10.2009; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) other information determined by the form referred to in Art. 19, par. 7.
Art. 113. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The contracting authority shall provide upon request by the interested persons the technical specifications, which he/she uses frequently in the contracts for delivery, construction or the technical specifications, which he/she intends to apply at assignment of public procurement, provided for in the preliminary notices.
(2) In case the technical specifications are based on documents, which the interested persons have at their disposal, the indication of these documents shall be enough.
Art. 114. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Where the procedure of negotiation with notice or the limited procedure has been announced by a preliminary notice-invitation the contracting authority shall send an invitation for participation in the procedure to all candidates having declared interest within the term, indicated in the advance notice-invitation.
(2) The invitation for participation in the procedure shall be sent simultaneously to all candidates not later than 12 months from the date of sending the preliminary notice-invitation. The invitation shall be sent at least 37 days before the deadline for receiving applications for participation, and if it is sent by electronic means, the term for receiving applications may be reduced by 7 days.
(3) Where the preliminary notice-invitation does not contain the information under art. 112, para 3 the contracting authority shall submit this information to the candidates by the invitation under para 1, also indicating:
1. address and date of submission of an application for participation;
2. documents, which shall be attached to the application for participation.
(4) Where from the date of publishing the preliminary notice-invitation, the contracting authority has provided direct and unlimited access to the information under art. 112, par. 3 by electronic means, in the invitation for participation in the procedure shall be indicated the Internet address where this information is provided.
(5) The contracting authority shall hold the preliminary selection by the order of art. 77 - 79.
(6) During the selection of the candidates in a limited procedure or a procedure of negotiation with notice the contracting authority may not:
1. impose to a candidate terms of administrative, technical or financial nature, which do apply to the other candidates;
2. require checks or proof, which reiterate evidence, already presented by the candidate.
Art. 115. Where the procedure of negotiation or the limited procedure has been announced through an notice for a system of preliminary selection the contracting authority shall make a preliminary selection of the candidates for participation according to the requirements of this system.
Art. 116. (revoked - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006)
Art. 117. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The consideration, assessment and rating of the offers and the choosing of a contractor of the procurement in a limited procedure shall be carried out by the order of art. 68 - 74.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The consideration, assessment and rating of the offers and the choosing of a contractor of the procurement in a procedure of negotiation shall be carried out by the order of art. 88 - 89.
Art. 118. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authority may remove an offer for delivery where the share of the goods with origin from third countries outside exceeds 50 percent of the total value of the goods included in it.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The provision of par. 1 shall not apply, if there is a contract concluded between the European Union or the Republic of Bulgaria and a third country, which provides for Bulgarian persons comparable and efficient access to participate in public procurement in this country.
(3) (prev. text of par. 2 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The origin of the goods shall be determined in compliance with the current customs legislation.
(4) (prev. text of par. 3 - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Where two or more offers are equivalent regarding the criterion for assessment of the offers rated with priority shall be the offers which cannot be removed according to para 1. The prices of the offers shall be considered equivalent if the difference between them does not exceed three percent.
(5) (prev. text of par. 4, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) One offer may not be preferred to another according to para 4 when its acceptance would oblige the contracting authority to buy goods with technical characteristics which differ from those of the existing ones, which would lead to incompatibility or to technical difficulties of operation and maintenance.
Art. 118a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) Where a public procurement is assigned, whose object is research and development activity, by way of open, limited procedure or procedure of negotiation with notice, the contracting authorities may not point out object and quantity in the information of a concluded contract, in case their publishing would violate the trade secret. In such cases the information shall contain all data from the notice.
(2) Where a public procurement is assigned, whose object is research and development activity, by way of procedure of negotiation without notice under art. 103, par. 2, item 4; the contracting authority may not point out object and quantity in the information of a concluded contract.
(3) In case of concluded contract by means of system of preliminary selection, the information for concluded contract shall contain at least the data for the contractor, included in the list under art. 106, par. 8.
Art. 118b. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) In case an activity under art. 7a – 7e is subject to competition, the supervising authority in the respective sphere may notify the Agency by sending a statement, along with proof for excluding this activity of the application field of the law.
(2) Within one month term the Agency shall send the documents under par. 1 to the European commission for taking a decision.
Art. 119. For all unsettled issues in Part Three shall apply the provisions of Part Two respectively.
Part three.
"a" ASSIGNMENT OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENTS IN THE FIELD OF DEFENSE AND SAFETY (NEW – SG 33/12)
Chapter eleven.
"a" GENERAL RULES (NEW – SG 33/12)
Section I.
General provisions (New – SG 33/12)
Art. 119a. (new – SG 33/12) (1) The provisions of this section shall apply for assignment of public procurements under Art. 3, par. 2 for amounts referred to in Art. 14, par. 2.
(2) In case regarding one of the activities – subject to public procurement, the provisions of this section are applicable, and regarding the other activity – the provisions of section two or of section three are applicable, it shall be assigned subject to compliance with the provisions of this section, provided that due to objective reasons assignment of a joint procurement is justified.
(3) In case regarding one of the activities – subject to public procurement, the provisions of this section are applicable, and another activity within the subject is beyond the application field of the law and for objective reasons assignment of a joint procurement is justified, the law shall not apply for this procurement.
(4) No taking of a decision shall be allowed for assignment of public procurement for the purposes of application of this section or excluding of the procurement from the application field of the law.
Art. 119b. (new – SG 33/12) (1) The Contracting Authorities may receive supplies or services from or through a central public procurements body, being:
1. a contracting authority in the meaning of Art. 8a, par. 2, established by an act of the Council of Ministers, or
2. an European public body, which is not a contracting authority.
(2) Where contracting authorities receive supplies or services subject to compliance with par. 1, it shall be deemed that they have complied with the provisions of the law, as long as:
1. the body referred to in par. 1, item 1 has complied with the provisions of this section, too;
2. the applied by the body under par. 1, item 2 regulations meet the provisions of this section and of the appealing regulations.
(3) The central body and the contracting authority shall be responsible for the lawfulness of the respective procedure, being conducted by them.
Section II.
Procedures (New – SG 33/12)
Art. 119c. (new – SG 33/12) (1) Public procurements under this section shall be assigned through a limited procedure and a contracting procedure with prior notification, unless there are conditions for conducting a procedure of competitive dialogue and contracting without notice.
(2) Contracting authority may assign public procurement through competitive dialogue, where the provisions of Art. 83a, par. 1 and 2 are met.
(3) Contracting authorities shall take a decision for assignment of public procurements through contracting without notice, where:
1. the limited procedure, the competitive dialogue or the contracting procedure with prior notification has been terminated, because no application forms have been filed or there are no shortlisted applicants, or no offer has been submitted and the initially announced terms and conditions have not been amended significantly;
2. the limited procedure, the competitive dialogue or the contracting procedure with prior notification has been terminated, because the submitted offers do not comply with the initially announced terms and conditions, only applicants having submitted offers fin the terminated procedure, and the initially announced terms and conditions have not been amended sigificantly;
3. where there is a necessity to undertake immediate actions as a result of a crisis and therefore the terms for conducting of a limited procedure or of a contracting procedure with prior notification cannot be met, including these referred to in Art. 76, par. 3 and Art. 86, par. 3, including in cases under Art. 119f, par. 1, item 2, item "a";
4. there is a need of undertaking of immediate actions, arising out of occurrence of an event of force majeur, which the contracting authority, having taken due care thereof, could not or has not been obliged to foresee or prevent and for the overpassing of which the terms for conduction of a limited procedure or of a contracting procedure with prior notification cannot be met;
5. for technical reasons or for reasons related to protection of exclusive rights public procurement may be assigned only to a particular contractor;
6. the subject of the public procurement is research or development, except for the cases referred to in Art. 4, item 4 and Art. 13, par. 1, item 4;
7. the goods – subject of delivery, are produced for study, experimenting, research or development purposes and are in a limited amount, which does not allow calculation of a market price or refunding of expenses for this activity;
8. additional supplies by the same supplier are needed, meant for partial replacement or for increasing of supplies, whereby changing of supplier will make the contracting authority acquire goods with different technical parameters and this will result in incompatibility or in significant technical difficulties during the operation and maintenance;
9. public procurement subject is supply of goods, marketed on the stock exchange;
10. for a short period of time unfavorable condition occur for supply of goods at prices, which are lower than the market prices, including in case of sale of assets of business companies in a procedure of winding up or in announced insolvency;
11. due to unforeseen circumstances, assignment of additional service or construction works to the same contractor is necessary, subject to the following terms and conditions:
a) the additional service or construction works may not technically or economically be separated from the subject of the main contract without significant difficulties for the contracting authority, or, even they can be separated, they are critically necessary for the implementation of the order;
b) the total cost of orders, by which additional services or construction works are assigned, does not exceed 50 per cent of the cost of the main order;
12. repetition of the service or of construction works is required by the same contractor subject to existence of the following terms and conditions:
a) the first order has been assigned under a limited procedure or a contracting procedure with prior notification, or a competitive dialogue and the notice thereof indicates opportunity for such assignment;
b) the total cost of the new order is included for calculation of the cost of first order;
c) the new order corresponds to the basic project, in fulfillment of which the first order has been assigned;
13. the subject of the order is related to provision of air and sea transport services to armed forces or to security forces of the country, located or to be located outside its territory, where the contracting authority must provide these services by contractors guaranteeing the validity of their offers only for such short terms, that the term for conducting of a limited procedure or of a contracting procedure with prior notification, including the shorter terms referred to in Art. 76, par.3 and Art. 86, par. 3 may not be met.
(4) In cases referred to in par. 3, item 8 the contract for additional public procurement may not be for more than 5 years, except for in case of exceptional circumstances, which shall be determined by taking into account the life cycle of the supplied products, facilities or systems and technical difficulties, which the change of the supplier may cause.
(5) In cases referred to in par. 3, item 12 the procedure may be opened not later than within 5 years after the assignment of the first public procurement, except for in cases of exceptional circumstances, which require the procedure to be conducted within this term.
(6) In cases referred to in par. 3, item 9 the contract shall be concluded subject to the rules of the respective stock exchange.
(7) In cases referred to in par. 3, item 10 the contract shall be concluded subject to the provisions of section Three of the Commercial law.
Art. 119d. (new – SG 33/12) (1) Contracting authorities may conclude a frame agreement for assignment of public procurements based on a limited procedure, public procurement with prior notification or a competitive dialogue.
(2) Frame agreements shall be concluded for a period not exceeding 7 years. As an exception, the term of the frame agreement may be longer, where in consideration of the estimated life cycle of the supplier goods, facilities or systems, the change of the contractor may cause technical difficulties. The contracting authority shall indicate the justification thereof in the notice.
(3) The all matters not covered by the frame agreement the provisions of Art. 93a – 93d shall apply.
Chapter ten.
"b" SPECIAL RULES (NEW – SG 33/12)
Section I.
Terms and conditions for implementation of public procurement (New – SG 33/12)
Art. 119e. (new – SG 33/12) (1) Where according to Art. 26, par. 2 the notice indicates that the public procurement contains or requires classified information, in the documentation, submitted together with the call for proposals, the contracting authority shall specify for the participants and their sub-contractors requirements for protection of classified information.
(2) In cases referred to in par. 1, in addition to the documents referred to in Art. 51, par. 1, item 12 the contracting authority may:
1. request presentation of a permit, a certificate or an approval for access to classified information in the meaning of the Law for the protection of classified information for the selected sub-contractors;
2. include in the draft contract clauses, obliging the contractor:
a) to present the document referred in item 1 also for the sub-contractors, selected in the course of implementation of public procurement;
b) to protect the classified information, made available to him/her in the course of the procedure, during and after the accomplishment of public procurement;
c) in contracts with sub-contractors, selected before and during the implementation of the public procurement, to include clauses under item "b" for protection of classified information.
(3) In cases referred to in Art. 51, par. 1, item 12 the contracting authority shall recognize the permits for access to classified information, issued in compliance with the laws of the European Union Member State, where the applicant or the participant is based, in case of an existing and enforced international treaty or a bilateral agreement for protection of classified information, to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party. This does not exclude the opportunity the contracting authority, subject to the terms and conditions and following the procedure of the Law for the protection of classified information, to request carrying out of additional research in the respective European Union Member State.
Art. 119f. (new – SG 33/12) (1) Where in compliance with the provision of Art. 26, par. 2 the contracting authority has included in the notice requirements for safety of supplies, it may:
1. request the offer to contain also:
a) licenses or other appropriate documents, issued in the respective European Union Member State, evidencing that the participant will be in a position to fulfill the obligations regarding the export, transfer and transit of goods, related to the public procurement;
b) indication of all restrictions, related to disclosure, transfer or use of goods and services or the results thereof, arising out of control over the export or out of agreements in the field of defense;
c) evidences, that the organization and the location of the supply chain of the participant allow compliance with these requirements, and also a declaration, that possible changes in the supply chain in the course of implementation of order will not have an adverse effect;
d) each accompanying documentation, received in the national bodies of the participant regarding implementation of additional needs, required by the contracting authority, having occurred as a result of a crisis;
2. include in the draft contract clauses, obliging the contractor:
a) to set up and/or maintain the capacity, required for meeting additional needs, required by the contracting authority as a result of a crisis, subject to compliance with the agreed terms and conditions and the procedure;
b) to carry out maintenance, upgrading or adaptation of supplies, covered by the public procurement;
c) to notify the contracting authority without delay of any change, having occurred in his/her organization, the supply chain or industrial strategy, which may affect the implementation of the order;
d) in case of termination of production, to provide to the contracting authority all special equipment required for production of spare parts, components, fixing components and special testing equipment, including technical drawings, licenses and operation instructions, subject to terms and conditions and following a procedure agreed upon prior to occurrence of the respective circumstance.
(2) The contracting authority may not put requirements to the participant, which may cause contravention to the license criteria for export, transfer or transit of the respective European Union Member State.
Art. 119g. (new – SG 33/12) (1) Where a participant intends to hire subcontractors, he/she shall be obliged to:
1. indicate in the offer the proposed subcontractors, the type of works to be carried out and the share of their participation;
2. present documents, evidencing compliance of selection criteria of each individual one in consideration of the type and share of their participation;
3. notify the contracting authority of every change of subcontractors, having occurred in the course of implementation of the public procurement contract.
(2) The contracting authority shall eliminate a participant if the proposed by him/her subcontractors do not meet the selection criteria.
Art. 119h. (new – SG 33/12) (1) The contracting authority may oblige the participant, nominated for a contractor, to select the subcontractors for all or for some of the works proposed for subcontracting subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 119i – 119k. This opportunity shall be indicated in the notice.
(2) The contracting authority shall indicate in the decision for nomination of a contractor for which works, proposed for subcontracting the subcontractors must be selected subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 119i – 119k.
(3) The contracting authority shall not have the right to put restrictions, based on subcontractors’ national identity.
Section II.
Selection of subcontractors (new – SG 33/12)
Art. 119i. (new – SG 33/12) Where the participant, nominated for a contractor, is an employer under Art. 7, he/she shall conclude subcontracts for the amount specified in Art. 14, par. 2 through a procedure referred to in Art. 119c, par. 1.
Art. 119j. (new – SG 33/12) (1) Where the participant nominated as a contractor is not an employer under Art. 7 and has to meet a requirement under Art. 119h, par. 1, he/she shall issue a notice in compliance with the form, approved by the regulation of Art. 45a, par. 9 or following the provision of Art. 19, par. 7 – for subcontracts for an amount specified in Art. 45a, par. 2, item 7 and in the European Union Official Journal subject to compliance with the provisions of Art. 45a, par. 7, 10 and 11.
(3) In cases referred to in par. 1 the subcontractors shall be selected subject to compliance with the principles of transparency and competition.
Art. 119k. (new – SG 33/12) (1) For selection of a subcontractor under Art. 119i and 119j the selection criteria, indicated by the contracting authority for the public procurement, shall apply. The participant, nominated as a contractor, may set out also other criteria, which correspond to these indicated by the contracting authority.
(2) The selection criteria under par. 1 should be objective, non-discriminatory, to me related to the subject of the subcontract and to be proportional to its scope.
Art. 119l. (new – SG 33/12) (1) The contracting authority shall have the right to reject subcontractors, selected by the participant, nominated as a contractor only in case they do not meet the selection criteria, applicable to the participants and indicated in the notice and in the documentation. In this case the participant nominated as a contractor shall be obliged again to apply the procedure referred to in Art. 119i – 119k.
(2) In cases referred to in par. 1 the contracting authority shall issue a justified decision, which it shall send to the participant nominated as a contractor within three days after its issuance.
Art. 119m. (new – SG 33/12) The decisions of the participant nominated as a contractor, related to selection of s subcontractor, shall not be subject to appeal in cases, where the participant, nominated as a contractor is not an employer under Art. 7.
Art. 119n. (new – SG 33/12) The responsibility for the fulfillment of a public procurement contract shall be borne by the contractor even in cases where he/she has concluded subcontracts.
Part four.
APPEAL AND CONTROL (TITLE AMEND. - SG 37/06, IN FORCE FROM 01.07.2006)
Chapter eleven.
APPEAL (TITLE AMEND. - SG 37/06, IN FORCE FROM 01.07.2006)
Art. 120. (Amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) Following the procedure under this Chapter every decision of the contracting authorities shall be subject to appeal regarding:
1.assigning public procurement, including by implementing a frame agreement, dynamic purchasing system or preliminary selection system;
2.concluding a frame agreement;
3.establishing dynamic purchasing system or preliminary selection system;
4.a project competition.
(2) The decisions under paragraph 1 shall be subject to appeal before the Commission for Protection of the Competition regarding their legal compatibility, including the presence of discriminatory economic, financial, technical or qualification requirements in the notice, the documentation or in any other document, relating to the procedure.
(3) (new – SG 33/12) Subject to appeal following the provisions of this Chapter shall also be the decisions under Art. 119l, par. 2.
(4) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 3 – SG 33/12) Contracting authority’s acts or omissions shall be subject to appeal following the provisions of this Chapter, by which the access to or participation of persons in the procedure is hindered. Contracting authority’s acts for issuing of decisions under par. 1 shall not be subject to individual appeal.
(5) (prev. par. 3 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 4 – SG 33/12) The appeal could be lodged in 10-days term, considered from:
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) after expiration of the term under Art. 27a, par. 3 – against the decision for opening of the procedure and/or the decision for a change;
2. (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) publication of the decision for opening of a procedure under Art. 76, par. 3 of Art. 86, par. 3 or of contracting without notice;
3. (prev. item 2, amend. and suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. and suppl. – SG 33/12) the receipt of the decision under Art. 79, paragraph 12, Art. 83d, para 11, Art. 83g, para 1, Art. 88, paragraph 11, Art. 93g, par. 4, Art. 106, par. 4 and Art. 119m, par. 2;
4. (prev. item 3– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the receipt of the decision for choosing a contractor or for concluding the procedure;
5. (prev. item 4 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) publishing the voluntary transparency notice in the public procurement register or in Official journal of the European union – against the decision for choosing a contractor.
(6) (new. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 5, amend. – SG 33/12) The term of appealing of the decision of par. 5, item 1 shall start elapsing from the receipt of documentation, if the following conditions are not fulfilled at the same time:
1. the appeal is against requirements, which are not mentioned in the notice;
2. the documentation is not published at the same time with the notice;
3. the documentation has been received after the term referred to in Art. 27a, par. 3.
(7) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 6, amend. – SG 33/12) The appeal under par. 4 shall be filed within 10 days after the notification of the respective action, and if the person has not been notified – from the date, on which the term for accomplishment of the respective action has expired.
(8) (prev. par. 4, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 7 – SG 33/12) The appeal may be submitted by:
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) every interested person – in the cases under par. 5, items 1, 2 and 4, par. 6 and 7;
2. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) every interested candidate in the procedure – in the cases under par. 5, item 3 and par. 7;
3. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) every interested candidate or participant – in the cases under par. 4, item 4 and par. 6.
(9) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 8, amend. – SG 33/12) Within the term of par. 5, item 1 an appeal against the decision for opening of the procedure and/or the decision for a change may submit also professional associations and organizations in the respective branch for protection of interests of their members.
(10) (prev. par. 5, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 9, amend. – SG 33/12) In the cases referred to in para 5, items 1 and 5, where the publishing dates in the Public procurement register and in the Official Journal of the European Union differ from each other, the term for appeal starts from the later date.
(11) (prev. par. 6, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 10, amend. – SG 33/12) The appeal against the decision for rating of the participants in the project competition shall be submitted by every interested candidate or interested participant in the term under paragraph 5.
Art. 120a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10) (1) (suppl. – SG 33/12) The appeal against a decision, act or omission of the contracting authority, except for this for nomination of a contractor shall not suspend the procurement assignation procedure, except in those cases where a temporary measure has been requested – "stay of the procedure".
(2) In case the temporary measure under paragraph 1 has been requested with the appeal, the public procurement assignation procedure shall be suspended until entering into force of:
1. the ruling, which discard the temporary measure request, or
2. the decision regarding the appeal, in case a temporary measure has been imposed.
Art. 120b. (new – SG 52/10) An appeal against the decision for designation of a contractor shall suspend the procedure for assigning public procurement till the dispute is completely resolved, unless a preliminary execution has been permitted.
Art. 121. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The appeal shall be submitted at the same time to the Commission for Protection of Competition and to the contracting authority, whose decision, act or omission is subject to the appeal.
(2) The appeal shall be written in Bulgarian language and shall contain:
1. name of the authority, before which it is lodged;
2. name, seat and address of management and information of the court registration of the appellant – legal person; the name, the address and information of the identity of the appellant, if he/she is a natural person;
3. (amend. – SG 52/10) name and address of the contracting authority;
4. information of the public procurement and the decision, the action or inaction, which is appealed;
5. the complaints and the request of the appellant;
6. signature of the person, lodging the complaint, or his/her proxy.
(3) A request for a temporary measure shall be made simultaneously with the submission of the appeal.
(4) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) To the appeal to the Commission for protection of competition shall be attached:
1. a copy of the decision subject to appeal, where it is not published in the Public procurements register;
2. (amend. – SG 33/12) evidences of meeting the term referred to in Art. 120, par. 5 and 7;
3. a document of paid state fee, determined by a tariff, approved by the Council of Ministers;
4. an evidence of the appeal being sent to the contracting authority;
5. other evidences, if the appellant has any.
(5) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) If the appeal does not meet the requirements under par. 2 and par. 4, items 1 – 3, or a document for paid state fee has not been presented, the Commission for Protection of Competition shall inform the appellant thereof and shall provide him/her with three days term for removal of the irregularities.
(6) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall not initiate proceedings, in case:
1. (amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) the appeal has been lodged after the expiry of the term under art. 120, par. 5 and 7;
2. the irregularities have not been removed within the term under par. 5;
3. a document for paid state fee has not been presented;
4. (revoked – SG 52/10; new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) the appeal has been filed prior to expiration of the term, referred to in Art. 27a, par. 3;
5. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) the appeal has been withdrawn prior to their initiation.
(7) (amend. – SG 52/10) In the cases under par. 6, the chairperson of the Commission for Protection of Competition shall return the appeal by an order, which shall be subject to appeal before a three-member board of the Supreme Administrative Court within 3 days term from its notice.
(8) The contracting authority is entitled to remedy the infringement before the Commission for Protection of Competition rules on the appeal.
Art. 121a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10) (1) (amend. and suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) In three days term from receiving the appeal or correcting its irregularities the chairman of the Commission for Protection of Competition shall initiate a procedure and shall appoint a member of the commission to monitor the research. The contracting authority shall be notified of the initiated procedure.
(2) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The contracting authority shall send an opinion on the appeal, supported as a request by evidences, within three days after the receipt of the notification of par. 1.
(3) (prev. par. 2 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case a request for imposing a temporary measure has been made with the appeal the Commission for Protection of Competition shall give a well-grounded opinion on it in a closed session in 7-days term from the initiation of the procedure.
(4) (prev. par. 3 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; suppl. – SG 33/12) Based on the opinion of the contracting authority and the evidence, presented by the parties, the Commission for Protection of Competition shall make a statement regarding the request following an assessment of the possible consequences from imposing the temporary measure with regard to all interests, that could be eventually harmed, including the public interest and the interests, related to the defense and security.
(5) (prev. par. 4 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall not be obliged to impose a temporary measure, in case the negative consequences for all interests overweigh compared to the benefits of its imposing.
(6) (prev. par. 5 – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Ruling on the temporary measure shall not bind the Commission for Protection of Competition regarding the decision on the merits of the case, as well as it shall not concern the other requests of the appellant.
(7) (prev. par. 6, amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The ruling for pronouncing on the temporary measure shall be subject to appeal before three members of the Supreme Administrative court in three days term following its notice to the parties. The court shall pronounce in a closed session within 14 days after the initiation of the proceedings under the private appeal. To all non-regulated matters regarding the proceedings of the appeal the provisions of Chapter Thirteen of the Code of Administrative procedure shall apply.
(8) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The appeal of the ruling for imposition of a temporary measure shall not suspend the procedure before the Commission for Protection of Competition.
Art. 121b (New – SG 52/2010) (1) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case the decision for selection of a contractor is a subject to appeal, the contracting authority may within the term for presentation of the opinion referred to in Art. 121a, par. 2 request from the Commission for Protection of Competition to permit preliminary execution of the decision. A request for preliminary execution, filed after this term, shall not be considered by the Commission for protection of competition.
(2) The contracting authority shall provide reasons for its request under para 1 and shall enclose evidence supporting its statements.
(3) In a closed session the Commission for Protection of Competition shall rule on the request for allowing a preliminary execution in three days term from receiving the statement.
(4) (suppl. – SG 33/12) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall allow a preliminary execution of the decision for assignation of a contractor as an exception, where necessary, in order to preserve the life or health of the citizens, to protect state or public interests of great importance, including these, related to the defense and security, or if as a result of the delay of the execution a significant damage is done or a damage difficult to repair may occur.
(5) The preliminary execution under paragraph 4 shall not be allowed in case it is justified by economic interests, related to expenses made for:
1. a delay of the contract execution;
2. opening a new procedure for procurement assignation.
(6) (new – SG 33/12) The commission for protection of competition shall allow preliminary execution of the decision for selection of a contractor in all cases where the implementation of a large-scale program in the field of defense of security, which is of a vital importance for country interests, could be seriously impaired.
(7) (prev. par. 6 – SG 33/12) The ruling shall be subject to appeal before the Supreme Administrative Court in three days term from its notice to the parties.
(8) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. par. 7 – SG 33/12) The Supreme Administrative Court shall pass judgement on the ruling in a closed session in 14-days term from starting the procedure regarding the private appeal.
Art. 122. (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. SG 52/2010) (1) When there is an on-going procedure against a decision for assignation of a contractor and no preliminary execution has been allowed, the Commission for Protection of Competition shall inspect ex officio for the presence of a pending procedure against another decision of the contracting party related to the same procedure.
(2) In case that the Commission for Protection of Competition finds out that there is a pending procedure under paragraph 1, it shall suspend the proceedings, started with an appeal against the decision for assignation of a contractor.
(3) The proceedings shall be resumed ex officio or at a request by one of the parties following the invalidation of the reason for suspending.
Art. 122a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) The research shall cover the circumstances with respect to the appeal, filed within the term set up in Art. 120, par. 5 and 7 and shall be carried out by a work team from the administration of the Commission for protection of competition, appointed by an order of the Chairman. The research shall be monitored by a member of the commission referred to in Art. 121a, par. 1, who shall issue instructions, where appropriate.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) Where public procurement contains or requires classified information, including with a subject under Art. 3, par. 2, the employees from the administration of the Commission for protection of competition, involved in the proceedings for consideration of the file must hold a permit for access to classified information up to a certain level according to the provisions of the Law for protection of classified information.
(3) (prev. par. 2- SG 33/12) In the proceedings before the Commission for Protection of Competition shall be admitted written and oral evidence, as well as expert statements.
(4) (amend. – SG 52/10; prev. par. 3 – SG 33/12) Where expert statements are used in the proceedings before the Commission for Protection of the Competition, the sums designated for consideration of the experts shall be deposited in advance by the party, who has demanded the expertise. Upon instituting an expertise at the initiative of the Commission for Protection of the Competition, the expenses for the expert consideration shall be assigned to the appellant, if the appeal has been left without consideration or the proceedings have been terminated, and to the contracting authority – in the cases under art. 122d, par. 1, item 2, 4 or 5.
(5) (prev. par. 4 – SG 33/12) The parties to the proceedings, the state bodies and the officials shall be obliged to provide support to the Commission for Protection of Competition in fulfilment of its liabilities, assigned by the law.
(6) (prev. par. 5 – SG 33/12) All evidence, collected in connection to the proceedings, may not be announced, if they represent production, trade or other secret, protected by a law. In case they contain data, representing classified information, shall be applied the procedure, stipulated by the Law for the protection of the classified information.
(7) (prev. par. 6 – SG 33/12) After concluding the research, the parties shall be given a chance to get acquainted with the evidence collected concerning the file.
(8) (prev. par. 7 – SG 33/12) The parties shall be obliged to present all evidence not later than the day before the session for consideration of the appeal.
Art. 122b. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) Upon completion of the research, the work team shall present to the monitoring member of the commission a report containing factual and legal analysis of the case, and also a proposal for the way of conclusion of the proceedings.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) The monitoring member of the commission shall notify the chairperson of the accomplishment of the research. By a resolution, the chairperson shall schedule an open session for consideration of the file.
(3) (amend. – SG 59/07, in force from 01.03.2008; prev. par. 2 – SG 33/12) The parties shall be summoned by the order of the Civil procedure code. At the summoning the term under art. 56, par. 3 of the Civil procedure code shall not be applied.
(4) (prev. par. 3 – SG 33/12) The parties may use defense counseling.
Art. 122c. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 102/08; amend. – SG 54/10; amend. - SG 73/11, in force from 21.10.2011) The sessions shall be valid, when at least four of the members of the Commission for Protection of Competition are present.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) Where public procurement contains or requires classified information, including with a subject under Art. 3, par. 2, the members of the Commission for protection of competition involved in the proceedings for consideration of the file, must hold a permit for access to classified information up to a certain level according to the provisions of the Law for protection of classified information.
(3) (amend. – SG 102/08; amend. – SG 54/10; amend. – SG 54/10; amend. - SG 73/11, in force from 21.10.2011; prev. par. 2 – SG 33/12) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall state decisions and adjudications by open voting and a majority of 4 votes. In case at the session are present less than 7 members, the decision shall be enacted only if at least 4 members of the Commission have voted for it.
(4) (amend. – SG 102/08; revoked, prev. par. 3 – SG 33/12)) A member of the Commission may not participate in research proceedings under this Law, in case he/she is interested in the outcome f it or if there are reasonable doubts in his/her impartiality. The said member shall be struck off on their own initiative or upon request by the parties.
(5) (revoked – SG 102/08)
(6) (amend. – SG 33/12) The session shall start with deciding on preliminary issues regarding procedure legitimacy. The parties in the proceedings may be asked questions.
(7) When it is considered that the circumstances regarding the appeal are clarified, the chairperson shall give the parties an opportunity to express their opinion.
(8) Upon clarification of the dispute from factual and legal point of view the chairperson shall close the session.
Art. 122d. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The Commission for Protection of Competition at closed session shall pronounce a decision, with which it shall:
1. leave the appeal without consideration;
1a. (new – SG 33/12) revoke the illegitimate decision for opening of a public procurement procedure;
2. repeal the decision and shall return the file for continuation of the procedure for assigning public procurement from the last legal decision or action or for termination of the proceedings;
3. establish illegitimacy of the decision and shall impose the provided sanctions under par. 4 and 5;
4. announce the decision of the contracting authority null and void;
5. revoke the illegitimate action or establish the illegitimate omission and send the file back for continuation of the procedure of assignment of public procurement of the last legitimate decision or action or for termination of the procedure;
6. revoke the decision, where it finds out that the contract has been concluded in violation of Art. 41, par. 3 or 5 and it establishes a violation of the law, having affected the opportunity of the appellant to participate in the procedure or to be nominated as a contractor.
(2) (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In the cases under par. 1, items 2 and 5 the Commission for Protection of Competition may provide obligatory instructions concerning the course of the procedure for assigning public procurement.
(3) (amend. - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend SG 52/2010; suppl. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case the contracting authority concludes a contract before or during the proceedings, he/she shall be obliged to notify the Commission for Protection of Competition immediately thereof.
(4) (Amend. - SG 52/2010; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall establish the illegitimacy of the decision and shall impose sanctions of 10 percent of the cost of the concluded contract, where it as admitted preliminary execution, but at the time of pronouncement of the decision it finds out violation of the law, having affected the opportunity of the appellant to participate in the procedure or to be nominated as a contractor.
(5) (New SG 52/2010; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) In case the contract has been concluded in violation of the provisions of Art. 41, paragraph 3 or a violation of the law has been identified, having affected the opportunity of the appellant to participate in the procedure or to be nominated as a contractor, the Commission for protection of competition shall impose a sanction of three per cent of the cost of the concluded contract.
(6) (New SG 52/2010) In the cases under paragraphs 4 and 5, provided that the cost of the contracts is not pointed in them, the specific amount of the sanction shall be imposed by the Commission for Protection of Competition on the grounds of an expertise for assessment of the expected value of the concluded contract. At appointing an expert examination the expenses for remuneration of the expert shall be payable by the contracting authority.
(7) (prev. text of para 5 – SG 52/10) The decision of the Commission for Protection of Competition shall be in writing and shall contain:
1. the name of the body who has issued it;
2. the factual and the legal grounds for its issuance;
3. motives;
4. the exposition;
5. the body before which the decision can be appealed and the term thereof.
(8) (prev. text of para 6 – SG 52/10) A member of the commission, who does not agree with the decision, shall sign it with reserves, which shall be attached to it.
(9) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The Commission for protection of competition shall pronounce on the liability for the expenses under the terms and conditions and following the provision of Art. 143 of the Code of Administrative Procedure.
Art. 122e. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 52/10) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall pronounce on the appeal in one month term from initiating the proceedings.
(2) (amend. – SG 52/10) The decision, along with the motives, shall be worked out and announced not later than 7 days from the pronouncing on the appeal.
Art. 122f. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The decision of the Commission for Protection of Competition shall be subject to appeal before three-member board of the Supreme Administrative Court within 14 days term after it has been announced to the parties.
(2) (amend. – SG 52/10) The Supreme Administrative Court shall pronounce with a decision within one month from the receipt of the appeal and this decision shall be final.
(3) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) To all non-regulated matters regarding the appeal proceedings the provisions of Chapter Twelve of the Code of Administrative procedure shall apply.
Art. 122g. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall terminate the proceedings by a definition:
1. upon establishing inadmissibility of the appeal;
2. if the appellant – natural person, has died, or the legal person has been terminated.;
3. upon withdrawal of the appeal.
(2) (amend. – SG 52/10; amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The definitions under par. 1 shall be subject to appeal by the order of art. 121a, par. 7.
Art. 122h. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 52/10) To all unsettled issues, regarding the procedure of appealing before the Commission for protection of the competition, shall be applied the order for appealing individual administrative acts pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Code.
Art. 122i (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10) (1) (suppl. – SG 33/12) Declaring a concluded contract or a frame agreement null and void on the grounds of art. 41b, para 1, may be claimed by:
1. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) every interested person – in the cases under art. 41b, para 1, items 1 and 2;
2. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) every interested person and interested candidate – in the cases under art. 41b, para 1, item 3, letters "a" and "b";
3. (amend. – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) interested candidate and/or interested participant – in the cases under art. 41b, para 1, item 3, letter "c".
(2) The claim shall be submitted following the order of the Code of civil procedure.
(3) (amend. and suppl. – SG 33/12) Invalidity of a contract or of a frame agreement under para 1 may be claimed up to two months from publishing the information about their conclusion in the Public Procurement Register, and if it has not been published – from finding out about it, but no later than a year after the conclusion.
(4) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Where the contracting authority has published information of a concluded contract on the grounds of Art. 4, item 2, 4 and 5, Art. 12, par. 1, items 2 – 9, 11 - 153 and Art. 13, par. 1, and has provided justification for the respective grounds, the two-month term referred to in par. 3 shall apply.
(5) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; suppl. – SG 33/12) Where the contracting authority has published information of a concluded contract or a frame agreement before finalization of the appealing proceedings, the two-month term for claiming illegitimacy on the grounds of Art. 41b, par. 1, item 3 shall start elapsing after entering into force of the decision by which the appealed decision of the contracting authority has been revoked.
Art. 122k. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 52/10) In case the contract or the frame agreement are declared null and void, each of the parties should give back to the other one everything received in relation to the said contract. If this is impossible the relations shall be settled by giving back the money equivalent of the items, received pursuant to the contract.
Art. 122l. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006 amend. – SG 52/10) Following the conditions of art. 203, para 1, art. 204, para 1 and 3 and art. 205 from the Administrative Procedure Code every interested person shall be entitled to claim indemnification for damages, suffered as a result of violations during the procurement procedure and concluding public procurement contract.
Art. 122m (New - SG 52/10; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall send to the Public Procurement Agency its decisions under 122d and the rulings under art. 121a, para 3, art. 121b,para3 and art.122g, para1, in 7-days term from the notice thereof.
Art. 122n (New - SG 52/10) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall send to the Public Procurement Agency its decisions under 122d and the rulings under art. 121a, para 2, art. 121b,para3 and art.122g, para1, in 7-days term from the notice thereof.
Art. 122o (New - SG 52/10; revoked - SG 33/12)
Chapter eleven.
"A" CORRECTIVE MECHANISM REGARDING INFRINGEMENTS, ESTABLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Art. 122p. (New - SG 52/10) (1) On the day of the receipt or no later than following working day the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union shall forward the notification, received from the European Commission regarding infringements of contracting authorities found during the conducting a procedure till concluding the contract for assigning public procurement, to the Public Procurement Agency, the administration of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign affairs and to the Ministry of Economics, Energy and Tourism.
(2) The Executive director of the Public Procurement Agency shall forward the notification under para 1 to the contracting authority concerned, who shall send back a reply in 5-days term.
(3) The respective evidence shall be enclosed to the reply by the contracting authority in case:
1. it acknowledges the assertions of the European Commission as reasonable and abates the violation, or
2. the infringement, referred to in the notification is already subject to appeal.
(4) Except the cases under para 3, provided the contracting authority establishes the lack of violation, it shall immediately send a well-grounded opinion to the Public Procurement Agency together with evidence enclosed.
(5) The contracting authority shall be obliged to suspend all actions, related to carrying out the procedure or concluding a public procurement contract, considered from the moment of the receipt of notification under para 2 until the final settlement of the argument.
(6) In the cases referred to in para 4 the Executive director of the Agency shall:
1. exercise his/her rights under art. 19, para 2, item 4, in case the violation, referred to in the notification under para 1, is a result of the contracting authority’s actions;
2. bring the case before a competent state body, in case the violation originates from the implementation of a legal act, that is not in compliance with the European union law.
(7) In 5-days term the body referred to in para 6, item 2 shall notify the Agency via a motivated opinion and shall specify the respective measures, in case such are provided.
(8) The Executive director of the Public Procurement Agency shall draw in a reply to the European Commission, containing the following:
1. confirmation that the violation is abated – in the cases pursuant to para 3, item 1;
2. information for the on-going procedure for appeal of violations – in the cases under para 3, item 2;
3. information for undertaking measures regarding removal of infringements – in the cases referred to in para 6, item 1 and para 7.
(9) The reply under para 8 together with the evidence attached thereto shall be sent to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union, the administration of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the Ministry of Economics, Energy and Tourism in 17-days term following the receipt of the notification under para 1 in the Public Procurement Agency.
(10) The Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union shall provide the European commission with the reply under para 8 no later than 21 days considered from the date of receiving the notification under para 1.
Art. 122q . (New - SG 52/10) The information exchange under art. 122m could be carried out in electronic manner by an electronic signature or via fax.
Art. 122r. (New - SG 52/10) The contracting authorities shall be obliged to notify the agency in writing:
1.in 7-days term considered from entering into force of the decision of the Commission for protection of competition - regarding the appeal’s result in the cases under art. 122p, para 3, item 2;
2.in three days term considered from opening the procedure, in case the procedure, referred to in the notification under art. 122p, para 1, has been suspended by an enacted decision and a new procedure is started, connected to the same subject entirely or to a certain extent.
Art. 122s. (New - SG 52/10) In the cases referred to in Art. 122r the Executive director of the Agency shall notify the European Commission following the order of Art. 122p, para 9 in 7-days term considered from receiving the notification.
Chapter twelve.
CONTROL
Art. 123. (1) (amend. - SG 33/06) The control over the fulfilment of this law shall be exercised by the Audit Office and by the bodies of the Agency for state financial inspection.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) Subject to control by the Audit Office shall be the contracting authorities under art. 7, who fall within the jurisdiction of the Law for the Audit Office.
(3) (amend. - SG 33/06, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The contracting authorities under art. 7, falling within the jurisdiction of the Law of the State Financial Inspection shall be inspected by the bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency for the observance of this law within the frames of financial inspection.
(4) (amend. - SG 33/06; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The bodies of the State Financial Inspection shall carry out permanent follow up inspections regarding the observance of the regime of the public procurement of contracting authorities, who do not fall into the scope of the Law for the State Financial Inspection on the grounds of an approved annual plan.
(5) (amend. - SG 33/06) The orders for carrying out inspections by the bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency shall be issued by the director of the Agency or by official authorised by him.
(6) The orders under para 5 shall not be subject to appeal.
(7) (amend. - SG 33/06) The director of the Public procurement Agency may require from the bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency to exercise their legal capacity in a concrete case.
Art. 124. (1) (amend. - SG 33/06) In carrying out inspections under art. 123 the bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency shall have the right:
1. to free access to the inspected object;
2. to inspect the whole documentation related to the assignment of public procurement and to activities requiring assigning of public procurement;
3. to require from the officials in the inspected objects documents, information and references in connection with the public procurement;
4. (new - SG 98/08) to search through premises, transport vehicles, as well as other places where documentation of the inspected object is being stored, to confiscate documents, saved computer data and carriers of such in order to provide evidence – in cooperation with the bodies of the Ministry of Interior and provided that they have been authorized thereof by the court.
(2) (amend. - SG 33/06, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The persons in the inspected objects shall be obliged to render assistance to the bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency and to submit the necessary documents, information and references related to the public procurement.
Art. 125. In carrying out inspections under art. 123 the control bodies shall be obliged:
1. to legitimize themselves by official cards and by an order for carrying out the inspection;
2. to register precisely the results from the control activity;
3. not to make public and not to distribute information having become known to them on carrying out the inspections.
Art. 126. (1) (amend. - SG 33/06) For the results from the inspection the control bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency shall work out a report containing the findings supported by proof.
(2) The report under para 1 shall be presented to the contracting authority.
(3) For established administrative offences the control bodies shall issue acts for administrative offences.
(4) In the presence of data for committed offences the materials from the inspection shall be sent to the prosecution.
(5) (amend. - SG 33/06) For found violation of the procedures for assigning public procurement the respective parts of the report for the financial inspection carried out and of the report under para 1 for the established violation of the procedures shall be sent in due time to the director of the Public Procurement Agency.
(6) (amend. - SG 33/06) Information for the results from the control exercised regarding the observance of this law may be submitted only by the director of the Public Financial Inspection Agency or by officials authorised by him, as well as by the director of the Public Procurement Agency the cases under para 5.
Chapter thirteen.
ADMINISTRATIVE PENAL PROVISIONS
Art. 127. (1) (amend. - SG 33/06, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The acts for establishing offences under this law shall be drawn up by officials of the Public Financial Inspection Agency within 6 months from the day on which the violator has been discovered by Agency bodies, but not later than three years from its commitment.
(2) The penal provisions shall be issued by the Minister of Finance or by officials authorised by him.
(3) The establishing of offences, the issuance, the appeal and the fulfilment of the penal provisions shall be carried out by the order of the Law for the administrative offences and sanctions.
Art. 127a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 33/12) Upon non-fulfilment of decisions and/or definitions of the Commission for protection of the competition, which have entered into force, or of the obligation under art. 122, par. 5, a fee shall be imposed on natural persons, respectively a property sanction on legal persons and sole traders, amounting from 5 000 to 100 000 BGN.
(2) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall establish the committed offence and impose the penalties under par. 1, which shall be subject to appeal before the Supreme Administrative Court.
(3) The property sanctions and the fees under decisions of the Commission for protection of the competition, which have entered into force, shall be collected by the order of the Tax-insurance procedure code.
Art. 127b. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The Commission for Protection of Competition shall send the decisions under art. 127a, par. 2 to the Public Procurement Agency in 7 days term from their announcing.
Art. 127c. (new – SG 98/10) (1) (suppl.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The acts for establishing offences under this Law, which have been found by bodies of the Bulgarian National Audit Office, shall be drawn up by authorized auditors within 6 months from the date on which the offender has been found by the National Audit Office bodies, however not later than three years from the commitment.
(2) Penal provisions shall be issued by the Chairperson of the Bulgarian National Audit Office or by officials authorized by the latter.
(3) The establishing of offences, the issuance, the appeal and the execution of the penal provisions shall be carried out by the order of the Law for the Administrative Offences and Sanctions.
Art. 127d (new– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority failing to adopt internal rules for assigning of public procurements referred to in Art. 8b, shall be penalized by a fine or a proprietary sanction from 100 to 500 BGN.
Art. 128. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. text of Art. 128. amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 33/12) A contracting authority who violates the prohibition of art. 13a, art. 15, para 4 - 7 and Art. 119a, par. 4 shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 10 000 to 30 000 BGN or a fine from 2000 to 8000 BGN, and the persons under art. 8, para 1 shall be punished by a fine of 2000 to 8000 BGN.
(2) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) The punishments under para 1 shall also be imposed on a contracting authority who violates the prohibition as per Art. 8, para 2, sentence two.
Art. 128a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) A contracting authority who violates the terms under art. 64, art. 76, par. 1 – 3, art. 81, par. 1 – 3, art. 83b, par. 1 and 2, art. 86, par. 1 – 3, art. 93h, par. 1, art. 104, art. 104a, par. 1, 2 and 4 and art. 114, par. 2 at conducting procedure, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 2000 to 3000 or a fine from 1000 to 2000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine amounting from 1000 to 2000 BGN.
Art. 128b. (1) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. and suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; prev. Art. 128b – SG 33/12) A contracting authority who violates the prohibition under art. 25, par. 5 or 10, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 7000 to 25 000 BGN or a fine from 2000 to 7000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine amounting from 2000 to 7000 BGN.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) The punishments under par. 1 shall be imposed also to a contracting authority or to a person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3, who when assigning public procurements under Art. 3, par. 2 or 3 violates the restriction of Art. 119h, par. 3.
Art. 128c. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) (1) A contracting authority having approved and sent for publication in the Public procurement register an notice for public procurement, which does not have the obligatory minimum content under Art. 25, par. 2, where applicable to a particular public procurement, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 1000 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 500 to 1000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 500 to 1000 BGN. The punishment shall not be imposed, where the respective part of the notice has been supplemented by a decision for amendment, published in compliance with the provisions and within the term referred to in Art. 27a, par. 3 or where the procedure has been terminated.
(2) A contracting authority, having violating the provision of Art. 27a, par. 4 regarding publication of a decision for amendment or failing to meet the requirement of Art. 37, par. 3, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 1000 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 500 to 1000 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 500 to 1000 BGN.
(3) A contracting authority having approved a tender documentation, in which the assessment methods of the offers with economically most favourable offer criterion do not meet the requirements of Art. 28, par. 2, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 1000 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 500 to 1500 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 500 to 1500 BGN.
(4) A contracting authority, having fixed a price of tender documentation in violation of the provision of Art. 28, par. 4 or a participation bond or a performance bond in violation of the provision of Art. 59, par. 2 or 3, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 500 to 1000 BGN or by a fine from 200 to 500 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 200 to 500 BGN.
(5) A contracting authority having provided technical specifications in violation of Art. 32, par. 2 shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 7000 to 25 000 BGN or by a fine from 2000 to 7000 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 2000 to 7000 BGN.
(6) A contracting authority, which in the cases referred to in Art. 29, par. 2 fails to extend the term for receiving of offers or applications for participation, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 500 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 300 to 1000 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 300 to 1000 BGN.
(7) A contracting authority, having violated the provisions of Art. 73, par. 4, Art. 89, par. 8 or Art. 92a, par. 8 shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 500 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 300 to 1000 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 300 to 1000 BGN.
Art. 128d. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) A member of the commission for conducting public procurement, who violates art. 69, para 1, Art. 70, para 1 or Art. 72, para 1 and 2, shall be punished by a fine, amounting to 500 BGN.
Art. 128e. (1) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. and suppl. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. text of Art. 128e, amend. – SG 52/10) A contracting authority, who concludes a contract in violation of art. 41, par. 2, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 10 000 to 20 000 BGN or by a fine from 3000 to 5000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine amounting from 3000 to 5000 BGN.
(2) (new - SG 52/10) The property sanction under para 1 shall also be imposed on a contracting authority that concludes a contract prior to expiration of the term fixed in Art. 41, para 3, with the exception of the cases referred to in Art. 41a.
(3) (new - SG 52/10) The punishment under para 2 shall not be imposed in those cases where a sanction as per Art. 122d, para 5 has been imposed for the established violation.
Art. 128f. (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) An contracting authority, who does not adopt a decision for preliminary selection and a decision for selection of a contractor of the public procurement within the set term, shall be punished by a proprietary sanction from 1000 to 5000 BGN or by a fine from 200 to 2000 BGN, and the person as per Art. 8, para 2 or 3 shall be punished by a fine from 200 to 2000 BGN.
Art. 129. (1) (prev. text of art. 129, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) An contracting authority, who does not conduct a procedure for assigning public procurement in presence of a ground for that, or who amends a public procurement contract in violation of art. 43, par. 1, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 15 000 to 50 000 BGN, or by a fine from 3000 to 10 000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine amounting from 3000 to 10 000 BGN.
(2) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) The penalties under par. 1 shall also be imposed on a contracting authority or a person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3, who on the basis of frame agreement concludes a contract, in which the terms differentiate substantially from the ones, defined in the frame agreement.
(3) (new – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 33/12) The punishments under para 1 shall also be imposed on a person referred to in Art. 8, para 2 or 3, who concludes a contract in violation of Art. 5, para 4.
(4) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) The punishments under par. 1 shall be imposed also to a contracting authority, which in violation of Art. 12, par. 5 fails to terminate a contract for communal services under Art. 12, par. 1, item 13.
(5) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) A contracting authority, having assigned a public procurement for the cost referred to in Art. 14, par. 4, without meeting the provisions of Art. 101a, 101b or 101f, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 1000 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 500 to 1000 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 500 to 1000 BGN.
Art. 129a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006) (1) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 52/10; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority, who does not send the documents under art. 45a, par. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 46 or does not fulfill the obligations as per Art. 45a, paras 10 and 11, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 5000 to 15 000 BGN or by a fine from 1000 to 3000, and the person under art. 8, par. 2 or 3 shall be punished by a fine amounting from 1000 to 3000 BGN.
(2) (amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; revoked – SG 52/10)
Art. 129b. (1) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. Art. 129b - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority, who does not preserve the documentation for conducting public procurement within the term under art. 58a, par. 6, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 1000 to 5000 BGN or by a fine amounting from 500 to 1500 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, para 2 or 3 – by a fine from 500 to 1500 BGN.
(2) (new - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority not keeping all documents related to the assignment of public procurements under Chapter Eight "a" for the term referred to in Art. 101g, shall be penalized by a proprietary sanction from 500 to 1000 BGN or by a fine from 300 to 500 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 300 to 500 BGN.
Art. 130. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend. – SG 33/12) A contracting authority under Art. 7, items 1 through 4 who conduct a competitive dialogue procedure of negotiation in the absence of the preconditions under Art. 83a, art. 84, art. 90 or art. 119c, par. 3 shall be punished by a property sanction from 10 000 to 20 000 BGN or by a fine from 3000 to 5000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, para 2 or 3 by a fine of 3000 to 5000 BGN.
(2) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. – SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; suppl. – SG 33/12) A contracting authority under art. 7, item 5 and 6, who holds a procedure of negotiation without notice in the absence of the preconditions under art. 103, par. 2 or art. 119c, par. 3 shall be punished by a property sanction of 10 000 to 20 000 BGN or by a fine from 3000 to 5000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, para 2 or 3 – by a fine of 3000 to 5000 BGN.
Art. 130a. (1) (new - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. art. 130a – SG 33/12) A contracting authority who concludes a frame agreement or creates a dynamic system for deliveries for a period longer than 4 years in violation of Art. 93а, para 1 or Art. 93e, para 1 or fails to fulfill his obligation for annual publication of an notice within a preliminary selection system with a term of more than three years, shall be punished by a property sanction of 10 000 to 20 000 BGN or by a fine from 3000 to 5000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, para 2 or 3 – by a fine of 3000 to 5000 BGN.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) The punishments under par. 1 shall be imposed also to a contracting authority or to a person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3, having concluded a frame agreement for assigning of public procurement under Art.3, par. 2 for a period exceeding 7 years, in violation of the provision of Art. 119d, par. 2.
Art. 131. (1) (amend. - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) A contracting authority, who terminates a procedure in the absence of the grounds under art. 39, para 1 or 2 shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 2000 to 10 000 BGN or by a fine amounting from 1000 to 3000 BGN, and the person under Art. 8, para 2 or 3 shall be punished by a fine from 1000 to 3000 BGN.
(2) (amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority who opens a new procedure in violation of art. 39, par. 6 shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 2000 to 7000 BGN or by a fine from 1000 to 2000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, para 2 or 3 – by a fine amounting from 1000 to 2000 BGN.
(3) A contracting authority, who concludes a public procurement contract in violation of art. 42, para 1 shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from 5000 to 10 000 BGN or a fine from 2000 to 5000 BGN, and the person under art. 8, para 2 or 3 shall be punished by a fine from 2000 to 5000 BGN.
Art. 131a. (new – SG 52/10; prev. art. 131a – SG 33/12) A contracting authority, who fails to fulfill the obligation as per Art. 62, para 1 or 3 within the fixed term, shall be punished by a propriety sanction amounting to BGN 1000 to 5000 or by a fine amounting from BGN 500 to 1500, and the person under Art. 8, para 2 or para 3 – by a fine from BGN 500 to 1500.
(2) (new – SG 33/12) A contracting authority who utilizes a participation guarantee without availability of the grounds referred to in Art. 61, par. 2, shall be penalized with a proprietary sanction from BGN10 000 to 15 000 or with a fine from BGN1000 to 5000, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – with a fine from BGN1000 to 5000.
Art. 132. (1) (prev. text of art. 132, amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority failing to send in time the information, subject to entry in the Public Procurement Register, shall be punished by a proprietary sanction from 1000 to 2000 BGN or by a fine from 500 to 1500 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 500 to 1500 BGN.
(2) (new – SG 52/10; amend.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A contracting authority failing to fulfill its obligation under Art. 44, para 10, shall be punished by a property sanction amounting from BGN 500 to 1000 or by a fine from 100 to 500 BGN, and the person referred to in Art. 8, par. 2 or 3 – by a fine from 100 to 500 BGN.
(3) (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009; prev. text of para 2, amend. – SG 52/10; suppl.– SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) A person referred to in Art. 8, para 2 or 3, who fails to fulfill an obligation as per Art. 19, para 44, Art. 20a, par. 2, Art. 122p, para 2 or 7, shall be punished by a fine amounting from 500 to 1500 BGN.
Art. 132a. (new - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; amend. - SG 94/08, in force from 01.01.2009) A person, who does not present documents, pieces of information and references to the bodies of the Public Financial Inspection Agency within the terms, fixed by them, in violation of art. 124, par. 2, shall be punished by a fine amounting from 200 to 500 BGN.
Art. 133. (1) (amend. - SG 37/06, in force from 01.07.2006; prev. Art. 133 - SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012) Where the offences under art. 128 – 132a are repeated the offenders shall be punished by a fine, respectively a material sanction in double size.
(2) (new – SG 93/11, in force from 26.02.2012; amend. – SG 33/12) Where the violations under Art. 128 – 132a, except for those referred to in Art. 129, par. 4, Art. 129b, par. 2 and Art. 132, par. 2, have been done in case of assignment of public procurements for the cost referred to in Art. 14, par. 3, the provided amounts of the fines and proprietary sanctions shall be reduced by half.