Para 5.2.4 — GOODS_MANUAL

5.2.4 Clarification of Tender Documents A prospective bidder requiring clarification on the tender documents may ask questions in writing/ electronically from the Office/ Contact Person as mentioned in the tender document, provided the questions are raised before the clarification end date mentioned therein (or if not mentioned, before 7 days of the deadline for the bid submission). This deadline shall not be extended in case of any intervening holidays. A response will be sent in writing/ digitally to the clarifications sought at least 5 days prior to the date of opening of the tenders. Only material queries and their responses shall be uploaded on the website without revealing the identity of the bidder making the query. When the response to clarification changes the requirement significantly and /or when there is not much time left for the bidders to respond to such responses, the time and date of submission of tenders may also be suitably extended (not less than 3 days) as per para 5.1.6 above.

5.2.5 Withdraw/ Amendments / Modifications to Bids by Bidders The bidder, after submitting its bid, is permitted to substitute/ alter/modify it, superseding earlier bid, so long such revised bid is uploaded/ received duly sealed and marked like the original bid, up to the deadline of submission of bids. Resubmission of a bid shall require uploading all documents, including the financial bid, afresh. The system shall consider only the last bid submitted as a valid bid. The bidder may withdraw his bid before the bid submission deadline, and it shall be marked as withdrawn and shall not be opened during the bid opening. Any such action after that bid-submission deadline is not permitted. Withdrawal/ amendment/ modification/ alteration/ impairment/ derogation of a bid, in any respect, by its bidders between the deadline for submission of bids and the expiration of the period of bid validity, his bid security/ EMD shall be forfeited besides imposition of any other punitive remedy available to the procuring entity. In such cases, tender evaluation shall be proceeded with in terms of para 7.6.2-3) below. 5.2.6 Sealing/ Marking of Bids in off-line Tenders

The tender document should indicate the manner of submission/ uploading of bids. 2. In the case of off-line tenders, the total number of bid copies (for example, duplicate or triplicate, and so on) required to be submitted should be specified. The bidder is to seal the original and each copy of the bid in separate envelopes, duly marking the same as "original", "duplicate," and so on, and print the address of the purchasing office and the tender reference number on the envelopes. Further, the sentence ''NOT TO BE OPENED" before (the due date and time of tender opening) is also to be printed on these envelopes. The inner envelopes are then to be put inside a bigger outer envelope, which will also be duly sealed, marked, and so on, as above. If the outer envelope is not sealed and marked properly as above, the procuring entity does not assume any responsibility for its misplacement, premature opening, late opening, and so on.