Art. 79. Setting time limits

1. When fixing the time limits for the receipt of the requests to participate and tenders, contracting authorities shall take account in particular of the complexity of the contract and the time required for drawing up tenders, without prejudice to the minimum time limits set out in Articles 60, 61, 62, 64 and 65.

2. Where tenders can be made only after a visit to the site or after on-the-spot inspection of the procurement documents and relevant attachments, the time limits for the receipt of tenders, which shall be longer than the minimum time limits set out in Articles 60, 61, 62, 64 and 65, shall be fixed so that the economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce tenders.

3. Contracting authorities or contracting entities shall extend the time limits for the receipt of tenders so that the economic operators concerned may be aware of all the information needed to produce tenders in the following cases:

a) where, for whatever reason, significant additional information for the preparation of adequate tenders, although requested by the economic operator in good time, is not supplied at the latest six days before the time limit fixed for the receipt of tenders. In the event of an accelerated procedure as referred to in Articles 60, paragraph 3, and 61, parapgraph 6, that period shall be four days;

b) where significant changes are made to the procurement documents

4. The length of the extension referred to in paragraph 3 shall be proportionate to the importance of the information or change.

5. Where the additional information has either not been requested in good time or its importance with a view to preparing responsive tenders is insignificant, contracting authorities shall not be required to extend the time limits.