Place and time for receipt of tenders

(1) The Tender Inviting Authority shall ensure that adequate arrangements are made for the proper receipt and safe custody of the tenders at the place indicated for the receipt of tenders. Such of the tenders that are received through electronic mail shall be kept electronically locked. (2) The Tender Inviting Authority shall take all measures to ensure that no intending tenderer is hindered in submitting his tender. (3) The Tender Inviting Authority shall permit the submission of tenders by post or courier or by electronic submission through the designated website, wherever applicable: Provided that the Tender Inviting Authority shall not be responsible for any delay in transit in such cases. (4) The Tender Inviting Authority shall not accept any tenders submitted by facsimile (fax). (5) The Tender Inviting Authority may extend the last date and time for receiving tenders which shall be published on the designated website also after giving adequate notice to all intending tenderers in cases where.-(a) the publication of the tender notice has been delayed; (b) the communication of changes, in the tender documents to the prospective tenderers under sub-rule (1) of rule 17 took time; (c) any of the tenderers requested clarifications, the communication of which took time to all the tenderers; and (d) any other reasonable grounds exist, for such extension which shall be recorded in writing by the Tender Inviting Authority. (e) in the case of tenders not submitted electronically, the tenderer shall ensure that all the pages are serially numbered and the submitted tender documents are properly stitched and bound.