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Chapter 1 Common provisions SECTION 1 FRAMEWORK CONTRACTS AND PUBLICITY 1. Framework contracts and specific contracts 1.1. The duration of a framework contract shall not exceed four years, save in exceptional cases duly justified in particular by the subject matter of the framework contract. Specific contracts based on framework contracts shall be awarded in accordance with the terms of the framework contract. When concluding specific contracts, the parties shall not substantially deviate from the framework contract.

1.2. Where a framework contract is concluded with a single economic operator, the specific contracts shall be awarded or modified within the limits of the terms laid down in the framework contract. In such circumstances and where duly justified, contracting authorities may request the contractor in writing to supplement its tender if necessary.

1.3. Where a framework contract is to be concluded with several economic operators (multiple framework contract), it may take the form of separate contracts signed in identical terms with each contractor. Specific contracts based on multiple framework contracts shall be implemented in one of the following ways:

(a) in accordance with the terms of the framework contract: without reopening of competition, where it sets out all the terms governing the provision of the works, supplies or services concerned and the objective conditions for determining which of the contractors shall perform them;

(b) where not all the terms governing the provision of the works, supplies or services concerned are laid down in the framework contract: through reopening of competition among the contractors, in accordance with point 1.4 and on the basis of any of the following:

(i) the same terms, where necessary more precisely formulated;

(ii) where appropriate, on the basis of other terms referred to in the procurement documents relating to the framework contract.

(c) partly without reopening of competition in accordance with point (a) and partly with reopening of competition amongst the contractors in accordance with point (b), where that possibility has been stipulated by the contracting authority in the procurement documents relating to the framework contract. The procurement documents referred to in the second subparagraph, point (c), shall also specify which terms may be subject to reopening of competition.

1.4. A multiple framework contract with reopening of competition shall be concluded with at least three economic operators, provided that there is a sufficient number of admissible tenders as referred to in point 29.3. When awarding a specific contract through reopening of competition among the contractors, the contracting authority shall consult them in writing and fix a time limit which is sufficiently long to allow specific tenders to be submitted. Specific tenders shall be submitted in writing. The contracting authority shall award each specific contract to the tenderer who has submitted the most economically advantageous specific tender on the basis of the award criteria set out in the procurement documents relating to the framework contract.

1.5. In sectors subject to a rapid price and technological evolution, framework contracts without reopening of competition shall contain a clause either on a mid-term review or on a benchmarking system. After the mid- term review, if the conditions initially laid down are no longer adapted to the price or technological evolution, the contracting authority shall not use the framework contract concerned and shall take appropriate measures to terminate it.

1.6. Specific contracts based on framework contracts shall be preceded by a budgetary commitment.

2. Advertising of procedures for contracts with a value equal to or greater than the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1) of this Regulation or for contracts falling within the scope of Directive 2014/24/EU 2.1. The notices for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union shall include all the information set out in the relevant standard forms referred to in Directive 2014/24/EU to ensure transparency of the procedure.

2.2. The contracting authority may make known its intentions of planned procurement for the financial year through the publication of a prior information notice. It shall cover a period equal to or less than 12 months from the date on which the notice is sent to the Publications Office of the European Union (the Publications Office). The contracting authority may publish the prior information notice either in the Official Journal of the European Union or on its buyer profile. In the latter case, a notice of publication on the buyer profile shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

2.3. The contracting authority shall send to the Publications Office an award notice on the results of the procedure no later than 30 days after the signature of a contract or framework contract with a value equal to or greater than the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1). Notwithstanding the first subparagraph, award notices relating to contracts based on a dynamic purchasing system may be grouped together on a quarterly basis. In such cases, the contracting authority shall send the award notice no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter. Award notices shall not be published for specific contracts based on a framework contract.

2.4. The contracting authority shall publish an award notice:

(a) before concluding a contract or a framework contract with a value equal to or greater than the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1) and awarded in accordance with point 11.1, second subparagraph, point (b);

(b) after concluding a contract or a framework contract with a value equal to or greater than the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1), including contracts awarded in accordance with point 11.1, second subparagraph, point (a), points (c) to (f) and point (m).

2.5. The contracting authority shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union a notice of modification of contract during its duration in the cases set out in Article 175(3), first subparagraph, points (a) and (b), where the value of the modification is equal to or greater than the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1) or is equal to or greater than the thresholds set out in Article 181(1) for procedures in the field of external actions.

2.6. For an interinstitutional procedure, the contracting authority responsible for the procedure shall be in charge of the applicable publicity measures.

3. Advertising of procedures for contracts with a value below the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1) of this Regulation or for contracts outside the scope of Directive 2014/24/EU

3.1. Procedures with an estimated contract value below the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1) shall be advertised by appropriate means. Such advertising shall involve appropriate ex ante publicity on the internet or a contract notice or, for contracts awarded in accordance with the procedure set out in point 13, the publication of a notice for a call for expression of interest in the Official Journal of the European Union. That obligation shall not apply to the procedure set out in point 11 and the negotiated procedure for very low value contracts set out in point 14.4.

3.2. For contracts awarded in accordance with point 11.1, second subparagraph, points (g) and (i), the contracting authority shall send a list of contracts to the European Parliament and Council no later than 30 June of the following financial year. Where the contracting authority is the Commission, that list shall be annexed to the summary of the annual activity report referred to in Article 74(9).

3.3. Contract award information shall contain the name of the contractor, the amount legally committed and the subject matter of the contract and, in the case of direct contracts and specific contracts, it shall comply with Article 38(3). The contracting authority shall publish a list of contracts on its website no later than 30 June of the following financial year for:

(a) contracts below the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1);

(b) contracts awarded in accordance with point 11.1, second subparagraph, point (h) and points (j) to (m);

(c) modifications of contracts as set out in Article 175(3), first subparagraph, point (c);

(d) modifications of contracts as set out in Article 171(3), first subparagraph, points (a) and (b), where the value of the modification is below the thresholds referred to in Article 178(1);

(e) specific contracts under a framework contract. For the purposes of the second subparagraph, point (e), the published information may be aggregated per contractor for specific contracts under the same framework contract.

3.4. For interinstitutional framework contracts, each contracting authority shall be responsible for advertising its specific contracts and their modifications in accordance with point 3.3.

4. Publication of notices 4.1. The contracting authority shall draw up and transmit the notices referred to in points 2 and 3 by electronic means to the Publications Office.

4.2. The Publications Office shall publish the notices referred to in points 2 and 3 in the Official Journal of the European Union no later than:

(a) seven days after their dispatch if the contracting authority uses the electronic system for filling out the standard forms referred to in point 2.1 and limits free text to 500 words;

(b) 12 days after their dispatch in all other cases.

4.3. The contracting authority shall be able to provide evidence of the date of dispatch.

5. Other forms of advertising