Para 5.6.2 — WORKS_MANUAL

Reasons for seeking extension of bid validity should be recorded by the procuring officers.

5.6.2 Extension of Tender Validity Period The entire process of scrutiny and evaluation of tenders, preparation of ranking statement and notification of award must be done expeditiously and within the original tender validity period. The validity period should not be unreasonably long as keeping the tender unconditionally valid for acceptance for a longer period entails the risk of getting higher prices from the tenderers. If, however, due to some exceptional and unforeseen reasons, the purchase organisation is unable to decide on the placement of the contract within the original validity period, it may preferably request, before expiry of the original validity period, all the responsive tenderers to extend their tenders up to a specified period. While asking for such extension, the tenderers are also to be asked to extend their offers as it is, without any changes therein. They may also be told to extend the validity of the EMD for the corresponding additional period (which is to be specified in the request). A tenderer may not agree to such a request and this will not lead to forfeiture of its EMD. But the tenderers, who agree to extend the validity, are to do so without changing any terms, conditions, and so on, of their original tenders.