Para 5.2.3 — GOODS_MANUAL

2. Pre-bid Conference: In case of turnkey contract

(s) and sophisticated and costly equipment, large works and complex consultancy assignments, a suitable provision shall be kept in the tender documents for one or more pre-bid conferences (after the NIT and Tender Documents have been published) for clarifying issues/clearing doubts, if any, and for ensuring a level playing field, relating to the specifications and other allied technical/commercial details.

5.2.3 Pre-NIT and Pre-bid Conferences 1. Pre-Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) Conference (Market Consultation): In complex and innovative procurement cases or where the procuring entity may not have the required knowledge to formulate tender provisions, a Pre-NIT conference (before finalising/ publishing NIT) may help the procuring entity in obtaining inputs from the industry. Such conferences should be widely publicised so that different potential suppliers can attend92. All inputs received from the probable bidders in such conference shall be compiled/ minuted, and requirements finalised (with the approval of the Technical committee, if formed, by the competent authority). In a more complex, large, and green-field/ blue-sky project, Two-Stage Tendering (with EoI) would be more appropriate and transparent. (Please refer to para 4.15 above).

a) Participation in the Pre-bid conference may be restricted to prospective bidders who have downloaded the Tender Document. Participation is not mandatory. However, if a bidder chooses not to (or fails to) participate in the Pre-bid conference or does not submit a written query, it shall be assumed that they have no issues regarding the techno/ commercial conditions. b) The date and time for such a meeting should normally be after 15 to 21 (fifteen to twenty-one) days of the issue of the Tender Document and should be specified therein. The date and time by which the written queries for the Pre-bid must reach the authority and the last date for registration for participation in the Pre-bid conference are also mentioned in the tender Document (7 days before the date of the conference, if not specified). The pre-bid conference may also be held online at the discretion of the Procuring Entity. c) Timelines for response to the pre-bid conference, e.g., Replies to Questions, issue of minutes of the pre-bid conference, Corrigenda, etc, should be mandatorily mentioned in the tender document and complied with. d) Delegates participating in the Pre-bid conference must provide a photo identity and an authorization letter as per the specified format from their Company/ principals; otherwise, they shall not be allowed to participate. e) After the pre-bid conference, minutes of the pre-bid conference shall be published on the Procuring Entity’s portal within seven days of the conference. If required, a clarification letter and corrigendum to the Tender Document (as per para 5.1.5) shall be issued, containing amendments to various provisions of the Tender Document, which shall form part of the Tender Document. To give reasonable time to the prospective bidders to take such clarifications into account in preparing their bids, the Procuring Entity may suitably extend, as necessary, the deadline for the bid submission (as per para 5.1.6).