Microsoft Word Public Procurement Procedures Handbook Final version January 2013

party disagrees; and gives notice for going to arbitration. The decision is 
admissible as evidence, to the extent permitted by law, in case of later 
arbitration or litigation. 
e.
Altering or deleting any essential elements is a divergence, which may 
place the success of the DRB process at risk. 
Termination of C
Termination of C
Termination of C
Termination of Contract
ontract
ontract
ontract
20.39 The Standard forms of contract all include provisions dealing with the 
termination of a contract before its term. Most (but not all) the forms also include 
detailed provisions stipulating how the contractor/supplier/purchaser will be paid 
following termination of a contract.
20.40 Contracts can be terminated as a result of the PE’s default, convenience, force 
majeure, suspension of works/services, or contractor’s or supplier’s default.
20.41 Contractor’s default usually includes failure to commence or proceed with the 
work and to comply with the notice requesting to proceed, failure to complete the 
work/delivery of goods within the agreed period of time, insolvency, voluntary or 
involuntary bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution amount to the same as contractors’ 
default. In such cases, the contractor is responsible for the additional costs incurred 
by the PE to complete the works/supply (except for SBD small works and NCB works 
which stipulates that the PE’s compensation will be in the form of a percentage of the 
value of work not completed). 
20.42 The Procuring Entity’s default includes failure to pay within a certain period of 
time (usually non-payment, but also in the smaller works, fundamental breach of 
contract); termination for PE’s convenience, i.e. discretionary decision to terminate 
the contract amounts to the same as termination for PE’s default. The contractor, 
purchaser or supplier is entitled to be compensated for all of the expenses incurred 

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and for the reasonable cost associated with the early termination of the contract, but 
not loss of profit. Termination may also occur as a result of suspension of the works 
when not followed by resumption of the works within a certain period of time, force 
majeure, outbreak of war, or release from performance.
Section 21 Important Contract Provisions
Section 21 Important Contract Provisions
Section 21 Important Contract Provisions
Section 21 Important Contract Provisions
Clarity of Bidding Documents
Clarity of Bidding Documents
Clarity of Bidding Documents
Clarity of Bidding Documents
21.1 Bidding documents shall be so worded as to permit and encourage wide 
competition and shall set forth clearly and precisely the work to be carried out, the 
location of the work, the goods to be supplied, the place of delivery or installation, the 
schedule for delivery or completion, minimum performance requirements, and the 
warranty and maintenance requirements, as well as any other pertinent terms and 
conditions. In addition, the Bidding documents, where appropriate, shall define the 
tests, standards, and methods that will be employed to judge the conformity of 
equipment as delivered, or works as performed, with the specifications. Drawings 
shall be consistent with the text of the specifications and an order of precedence 
between the two shall be specified. 
21.2 The Bidding documents shall specify any factors, in addition to price, which will 
be taken into account in evaluating bids, and how such factors will be quantified or 
otherwise evaluated. If bids based on alternative designs, materials, completion 
schedules, payment terms, etc., are permitted, conditions for their acceptability and 
the method of their evaluation shall be expressly stated. 
21.3 All prospective bidders shall be provided the same information, and shall be 
assured of equal opportunities to obtain additional information in a timely basis. PEs 
shall provide reasonable access to works project sites for visits by prospective 
bidders.
Standards &
Standards &
Standards &
Standards & Brand 
Brand 
Brand 
Brand N
N
N
Names
ames
ames
ames
21.4 The PE is responsible for drafting specifications in such a way to avoid any 
obstacles to wide participation. Thus: 
•
The specifications should be based on objective technical and quality 
characteristics; 
•
Standardised features or requirements, etc., should be as far as 
possible used.
21.5 Standards and technical specifications quoted in Bidding documents shall 
promote the broadest possible competition, while assuring the critical performance or 
other requirements for the goods and/or works under procurement. As far as 
possible, the PE shall specify internationally accepted standards such as those 
issued by the International Standards Organization (ISO) with which the equipment or 
materials or workmanship shall comply. Where such international standards are 
unavailable or are inappropriate, national standards may be specified. In all cases, 
the Bidding documents shall state that equipment, material, or workmanship meeting 
other standards, which promise at least substantial equivalence, will also be 
accepted. 

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21.6 Specifications shall be based on relevant characteristics and/or performance 
requirements. 
References to brand names, catalog numbers, or similar classifications 
References to brand names, catalog numbers, or similar classifications 
References to brand names, catalog numbers, or similar classifications 
References to brand names, catalog numbers, or similar classifications 
shall be avoided
shall be avoided
shall be avoided
shall be avoided
. If it is necessary to quote a brand name or catalog number of a 
particular manufacturer to clarify an otherwise incomplete specification, the words “or 
equivalent” shall be added after such reference. The specifications shall permit the 
acceptance of offers for goods which have similar characteristics and which provide 
performance at least substantially equivalent to those specifications. 
Samples
Samples
Samples
Samples
21.7 Bidding documents should generally avoid requesting submission of samples 
along with bids by bidders, as this requirement discourages competition and 
increases the bid prices. Alternatively, bidders should be requested to confirm that 
their product meets with the required specifications and in support attach appropriate 
test certificates from recognized testing laboratories. 
Bids Validity 
Bids Validity 
Bids Validity 
Bids Validity
21.8 Bidders submitting bids for goods and works shall be required to submit bids 
validity for a period specified in the Bidding documents. Normally, this varies between 
60-150 days depending upon the time required by the PE to complete the comparison 
and evaluation of bids, review the recommendation of award, and obtain all the 
necessary approvals so that the contract can be awarded within that period. If the 
validity period is too long, bidders will pad their prices for possible price increases; 
hence, this should be fixed reasonably. Usually, this period is 90 days for 
international competition (ICB) and 30 days for national competition (NCB). 
Bid Security
Bid Security
Bid Security
Bid Security
21.9 Bid security is an instrument to provide compensation to the PE for the time and 
money lost if the successful bidder fails to honor its bid and sign the contract after 
issue of notification of award. It assures serious bidders and eliminates speculative 
bids. However, for contracts of very small value, it adds a burden to the bidder and 
the PE in verifying the acceptability, as the risk of a bidder withdrawing its bid and the 
consequent additional cost to the PE is minor.
21.10 The bid security protects the PE against the risk of the bidder withdrawing the 
bid during its period of validity, or refusing to sign the contract when the contract 
award has been notified within the validity of the bid, or failing to furnish a 
performance security, within the prescribed time, in the form and amount required in 
the bidding documents. 
21.11 Bid security shall be required to be valid for 4 weeks beyond the validity period 
of the bids in order to provide sufficient time for the PE to encash the security if the 
need arises. The bid security should be released at the end of the bid validity period, 
unless extended; or upon issue of advice to the successful bidder of contract award; 
and receipt of the successful bidder’s signed contract and performance security. 
21.12
The
Bid Security shall be denominated in the currency of the bid or another 
freely convertible currency (US Dollars), and contain the following elements: 

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a.
Bid Security should be normally about 2% of the cost of works put to 
tender, but could range between 1% for large contracts and 3% for 
small contracts. In case of goods, it should normally be in the range of 2 
to 5% of the estimated cost of item put to tender. The amount of bid 
security should be computed based on estimated cost and specified to 
the nearest thousand or hundreds. Whenever a Bid security is required, 
the PE shall determine and specify in the invitation to tender, the 
amount in Belize dollars in which the security shall be expressed, which 
amount shall correspond to not less than one and not more than 2% of 
the estimated value of the contract. This should be followed in all cases. 
b.
The Bid Security has to be in one of the acceptable forms, including 
Bank guarantees, whose format should be given in the Bidding 
documents, and should be valid for 4 weeks beyond the bid validity 
period. The Bid security shall be in the form of an on-demand guarantee 
by a bank or other reputable financial institution, which institution shall 
be independent of the bidder. 
c.
The Bid security of a joint venture must be in the name of all the