22. Despite section 13, a public body may decide to evaluate the quality of a tender by making a call for tenders in 2 stages.
The first stage consists in selecting contractors by soliciting only a quality demonstration in accordance with the evaluation conditions provided for in Schedule 4.
The public body must specify in the tender documents the rules to be used to evaluate the quality of tenders, including the evaluation criteria.
The public body opens the tenders only in the presence of the secretary of the selection committee or his or her representative at the designated place and on the date and time fixed in the tender documents.
The secretary evaluates the tenders received, ensuring that the contractors are eligible and their tenders are compliant.
If the secretary rejects a tender because the contractor is ineligible or the tender is non-compliant, the secretary so informs the contractor and gives the reason for the rejection at the time of sending selected contractors their invitation to take part in the second stage.
The public body publishes in the electronic tendering system the names of the contractors who took part in the first stage within 4 business days following the opening of the tenders filed during the second stage.
The second stage consists in inviting selected contractors to submit a tender including only a price.
O.C. 532-2008, s. 22; O.C. 431-2013, s. 8.