Regulation on Implementation of Consultancy Services Procurement

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EGULATION ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES PROCUREMENTS


CHAPTER ONE
General Provisions

SECTION ONE
Implementation Principles

Purpose and Scope
Article 1- This Regulation hereby has been prepared to govern the principles and procedures to be applied by the contracting entities in the consultancy services procurements within the scope of section five of chapter two of Public Procurement Law No:4734 dd. 04/01/2002.

This Regulation enacted in relation to the implementation of Public Procurement Law No:4734 and Public Procurement Contracts Law No:4735 is integral with annexes hereto.

Legal Basis
Article 2- This Regulation has been prepared on the basis of Article 53 of Public Procurement Law No:4734.

Definitions
Article 3- The following definitions shall be applicable in the implementation of this Regulation other than the ones set forth in Article 4 of Law No:4734:

Threshold Value: (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette/ Art. 1) Refers to the monetary limites defined under Article 8 of Law No:4734 and updated under Article 67 of the same Law for use in the application of the provisions concerning the procurement notice periods and rules as well as the participation of domestic tenderers solely in procurements or application of price advantage in favor of the domestic tenderers in the procurements for the services procurements;

Similar Work: Refers to the services that are similar in respect of quality and size with the service or portion of service, which is the subject matter of procurement, and that are performed with the same or similar procedures, and that have similar properties with respect to plants, equipment, financial power, expertise, personnel and organization;

Work Experience Certificate: Refers to the work completion certificate, work status certificate, work supervision certificate and work management certificate that provide the professional experience in the services or similar services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement, and that are issued, given and evaluated according to the principles and procedures set forth in this Regulation;

   Estimated Cost: Refers to the anticipated cost of the services, which constitute the subject matter of procurement, and which is calculated with any kind of price inquiry before holding the procurement exclusive of value added tax and which is indicated in an estimation schedule with the bases thereto, and which are not specified in the procurement and prequalification notices, and which are not released to the tenderers or other persons that do not have an official relation with the procurement process.

Short List: Refers to the list where the limited number of candidates that are listed in the tender document and that are invited to submit tender for the procurement after the evaluation of prequalification.

Basic Principles
Article 4- The Contracting Entities shall be obliged to ensure transparency, competition, equal treatment, reliability, confidentiality, supervision by public opinion, and that the needs are met at appropriate conditions and in a timely manner, and that the resources are efficiently used.

The goods procurements, services procurements other than the consultancy services and works procurements may not be held together with the consultancy services procurements as long as there is not an acceptable natural relation among them.

The services procurements cannot be divided into lots with the intention of avoiding threshold values.

The procurement proceedings shall not be initiated unless there is a sufficient budget allocation.
Nature of consultancy services
Article 5- In order for the consultancy services to be subject to the specific provisions in section five of chapter two of Law No:4734;
Such services have to be in technical, financial, legal or similar fields such as drawing up EIA report, development of plan and software, designing, drawing up technical specification and inspection, and it has to be determined by the contracting entity that these services are comprehensive and complicated and require specific expertise and experience.

Determination of terms of reference
Article 6- The contracting entity shall draw up the terms of reference for the work to be procured in order to get consultancy services. The scope of the services mentioned in the terms of reference has to be in compliance with the budget of work. The terms of reference shall refer to the objective, scope and expected results of the services and the related existing studies and studies conducted in relation to the background of the services including the basic information clearly and in detail.

If there is transfer of knowledge and training etc. within the scope of procurement, this shall be clearly indicated in the terms of reference including the number of personnel that will be trained so that the consultant can estimate the required resources.

The terms of reference shall include the list of services and researches completed before in order to render the services and consequently which services are expected from the consultant such as the drawing up of reports, data, maps, researches, designs and tender documents shall be indicated. However, care has to be taken not to produce a very detailed and rigid terms of reference so that the consultants can suggest exclusive methodologies. The responsibilities of the contracting entity and consultant have to be expressed clearly and obviously in the terms of reference, and also, a description of the facilities, services, plants, equipment and personnel to be supplied by the contracting entity has to be provided.
The ones that are deemed necessary from the information listed below shall be included in the terms of reference:
a)Purpose and objectives of project,
b)Scope of services to be rendered with the budget allocated,
c)Supporting information (list of existing studies, data etc.),
d)Conditions for transfer of knowledge,
e)Training requirements,
f)List of services and researches required,
g)Applicable standards, regulations etc.,
h)Expected outputs (reports, maps, designs etc.),
i)Duration and/or schedule of services,
j)Geographical requirements, logistics and time of commissioning etc.,
k)Mutual responsibilities of the contracting entity and consultant,
l)Facilities to be provided for the consultant,
m)Stages (if any) of consultancy services,
n)Whether the work, which is the subject of consultancy services, will continue or not as intended by the contracting entity.

Domestic Tenderer
   Article 7- Domestic tenderer refers to the physical bodies that are the citizens of the Republic of Turkey and the corporate bodies incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Turkey.

   In order to be assumed as domestic tenderers, the physical bodies shall submit the copy of identity card evidencing the citizenship to the Republic of Turkey, and the corporate bodies shall submit the documents evidencing incorporation under the laws of the Republic of Turkey.

The following documents shall be provided to evidence incorporation of the tenderers having the capacity of legal person under the laws of the Republic of Turkey:
a) Trade registers gazette or the certificate issued by the associated trade registers office indicating the principal office of the company in respect of the companies;
b) Certificate of receipt issued by the relevant governmental office in respect of the Associations;
c) Copy of the register extract or the Official Gazette released to evidence registration to the central register kept by the General Directorate of Foundations in respect of Foundations;
d) Certificate issued by the relevant ministry in respect of the Cooperatives;
e) Certificate issued by the relevant authorities in respect of other corporate bodies.

These requirements shall be applicable for each partner comprising the joint venture separately.

(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette/ Art. 2) The Contracting Entities shall be obliged to require the documents listed above from the candidates or tenderers in relation to being a domestic tenderer in the procurements, in which it is specified that only the domestic tenderers can participate and the price advantage shall be applied in favor of the domestic tenderers.


SECTION TWO
Estimated Cost

   Estimated Cost
Article 8- The Contracting Entity determines the estimated cost of the consultancy services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement, according to the principles and procedures set forth in this Regulation before holding the procurement.

The Contracting Entities shall ascertain whether the estimated cost of the services procurement, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, is below the threshold value of the procurement or not.

The estimated cost shall be determined on actual basis through detailed amount and price inquiry as per the principles and procedures set forth in this Regulation and indicated in an estimation schedule with the justifications thereto.

The estimated cost ascertained by the contracting entities before the procurement shall not be announced and released to the tenderers or other persons that do not have an official relation with the procurement process.

Prices taken as basis in the calculation of estimated cost
Article 9- In determination of estimated cost;
a) Prices determined by the public authorities and institutions according to the nature of services to be procured;
b) Prices and rates in identical or similar services realized by the contracting entity or other administrations;
c) Prices determined by the relevant chambers of professions;
d) If the prices concerning the items constituting the service, which is the subject matter of the procurement, cannot be determined as per paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), the prices determined by taking the average of the price offers received in relation to such service within the scope of a price inquiry or the prices found through inquiry from the specialists and experts in their respective fields shall be taken as basis.

Furthermore, other price inquiries shall be carried out and taken into consideration in calculations that may be required and that are possible to be reached and obtained though not specified hereinabove according to the nature of consultancy services.

The contracting entities may use the prices set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) without any order of priority in the calculation of estimated cost.

The prices found by comparing the prices in the similar works completed in previous years with the market prices or the prices inquired from the public and private sector organizations and physical bodies with evidenced expertise and experience in similar services can be used.

In cases where it is understood that the price cannot be determined in spite of any inquiry or the prices determined do not reflect the market values, the prices shall be determined discretionally by the contracting entity and the causes thereto shall be indicated separately.

The criteria for determination of price
Article 10- The following criteria shall be applicable for the efforts to determine the price by the contracting entities:
a) (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 3) The work group, item or detailed specifications and standard of the material, for which the price shall be determined, shall be included in the letter submitted to the persons and organizations that are given price inquiry during the efforts for price inquiry; and applications shall be submitted to the persons and organizations, from which the price quotation is requested, through the letters containing the foregoing, and the prices shall be requested except for the value added tax. The price quotations and proforma invoices that do not meet the requirements specified or that are deemed not to reflect the actual market values shall not be taken into consideration and the related reasons shall be indicated in the estimated cost schedule.

b) The prices received for the item or work group at different dates in relation to the service to be procured shall be updated over the monthly TEFE (Wholesale Prices Monthly Index Bulletin Table-2/ Total of line "General" in section Wholesale Prices Index Numbers) published by the State Statistics Institute for each item or work group as of the date when the approximate cost is determined.

   c) While calculating the estimated cost, considering of whether the price difference shall be paid or not, the prices on the date when the estimated cost is determined in respect of the works subject to the payment of price difference, and the prices calculated in view of the price differences that may arise during the term of services to be rendered in respect of the works not subject to the payment of price difference have to be taken as basis.

   Schedule of calculation of estimated cost
   Article 11- A schedule of calculation shall be prepared and signed by those that prepare such schedule including the estimated number of personnel to be employed by the consultant and the duration of employment of such personnel and the estimated material, equipment and other cost items according to the nature of work.
   a) In the procurements where the tenders are received over the unit price, a schedule shall be drawn up by the contracting entity to indicate the quantity and conditions of realization of each item. In this schedule, the description, unit price, the costs included in such price, unit of measure and other matters of each item shall be indicated. The costs included in the unit price shall be prepared to show all matters concerning one item and the other expenses not included in such item shall not be indicated.
   b) In the procurements where the tenders are received over the lump sum value, a schedule shall be drawn upon for realization of work. In this schedule, the total sum of amounts determined for personnel wages, materials, equipment and other costs shall be indicated.

Calculation of estimated cost
Article 12- Total grand amount found by summing the amounts for each work group found as a result of multiplying the items necessary to perform the consultancy services with the prices determined according to the provisions of this Regulation shall be calculated exclusive of value added tax and the estimated cost shall be calculated by adding the equivalent of the profits and general expenses in view of the nature of the work to the amount found in this way. The related estimation schedule shall be submitted to the contracting officer with the certificate of approval annexed after signing by those that prepare such schedule.


Calculation of estimated cost in case the material is supplied by the contracting entity
   Article 13- In the event that the materials and equipment are supplied by the contracting entity in the procurement of work, the estimated cost shall be determined on the basis of labor or other expenses without inclusion of the prices of the materials and equipment supplied, and the list of materials to be provided by the contracting entity shall be attached to the estimated cost schedule.

   Use and updating of estimated cost for the budgeting
Article 14- Since the procurements cannot be held for the works without any appropriation, the contracting entities shall determine the estimated cost for each work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, while programming the budgets. The value added tax shall be included in the amount of estimated cost as per the pertinent legislation in determining the amount payable.

In view of the fact that the estimated cost determined may not maintain its validity until the first notice date of the procurement as from the date of determination, such costs shall be updated by the contracting entities, where necessary, over the related indexes released by the State Statistics Institute in relation to the components comprising the service.

Assignment of consultancy service providers for determination of estimated cost
       Article 15- If the personnel employed by the contracting entity is not at sufficient qualification or number as per the laws, ordinances and regulations, the service for determination of the estimated cost may also be rendered through tendering the same to the consultancy service providers with the approval of the contracting officer. In such a case, the service provider who has determined the estimated cost may not participate in the tender which is to be the subject matter of the consultancy service procurement.


SECTION THREE
Tender and Prequalification Document

Content of Tender and Prequalification Document
Article 16- The tender document to be prepared by the contracting entities shall include the administrative specification and the draft contract containing the instructions to tenderers, and in cases where it is deemed necessary, a technical specification indicating the technical details and requirements of the services to be procured and other necessary documents and information.

The prequalification document shall contain the requirements for the candidates, prequalification criteria, and other necessary documents and information.

   Preparation of tender and prequalification document
Article 17- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 4) The contracting entity shall prepare the document necessary to procure the services needed on the basis of the standard tender document released by the Public Procurement Authority and approve each page. It is compulsory for the contracting entities to store this original copy to be used for preparation of the document to be submitted to the candidates or tenderers in the procurement proceedings dossier. Where necessary, the tender and/or prequalification document to be submitted to the candidates or tenderers may be transferred to the "compact disc (CD)" provided that necessary safety precautions are taken within the framework of the principles defined by the Public Procurement Authority.

The following documents attached to this Regulation hereby shall be taken as basis according to the procurement procedure determined in preparation of the tender document by the contracting entities;
a) Standard Forms (Annex: 1);
b) Standard Prequalification Specification for the Consultancy Services Procurements (Annex: 2);
c) Standard Administrative Specification for the Consultancy Services Procurements (Annex: 3);
d) Standard Contract for Consultancy Services Procurements (Annex: 4);
and other legislation enacted by the Public Procurement Authority.

It is compulsory to prepare the tender or prequalification document in Turkish. However, in the procurements that are open to the foreign tenderers, the document may be prepared in other languages besides Turkish. The document prepared in the foreign language may be handed over with the document prepared in Turkish to the candidate or tenderer that makes such a request. In this case, the Turkish text shall supersede in understanding and interpreting the document as well as the settlement of disputes that may arise between the contracting entity and candidates or tenderers.

Administrative Specifications
Article 18- The contracting entities shall prepare the administrative specification on the basis of the "Standard Administrative Specification for the Consultancy Services Procurements" annexed to this Regulation hereby. The matters that are left blank for filling and provided in the footnotes in the Standard Administrative Specifications shall be governed in a way that is not contrary to the provisions set forth in the Public Procurement Law No:4734, Public Procurement Contracts Law No:4735 and the other legislation according to the nature of work.

Furthermore, the contracting entities may govern the matters in items that are not provided in the Standard Administrative Specifications and that are needed to be governed according to the nature of work in view of the requirements of services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement, and in a way that is not contrary to the provisions set forth in Laws No:4734 and 4735 and the pertinent legislation as well as the regulations, communiqués and other regulating proceedings passed by the Public Procurement Authority, and incorporate the same in the section "VI- Miscellaneous".

Prequalification Specifications
Article 19- The contracting entities shall prepare the prequalification specifications on the basis of "Standard Prequalification Specification for the Consultancy Services Procurements" annexed to this Regulation hereby. The matters that are left blank for filling and provided in the footnotes in the Standard Administrative Specifications shall be governed in a way that is not contrary to the provisions set forth in the Laws No:4734 and No:4735 and the other legislation according to the nature of work.

   Furthermore, the contracting entities may govern the matters in items that are not provided in the Standard Prequalification Specifications and that are needed to be governed according to the nature of work in view of the requirements of services procurement, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement, and in a way that is not contrary to the provisions set forth in Laws No:4734 and 4735 and the pertinent legislation as well as the regulations, communiqués and other regulating proceedings passed by the Public Procurement Authority, and incorporate the same in the section "IV- Miscellaneous".
   Technical Specifications
Article 20- If necessary, a technical specification indicating the technical details and requirements of the services to be procured shall be prepared and included in the tender document. It is essential that the technical criteria set forth in the technical specifications to be prepared by the contracting entities ensure productivity and functionality, and do not contain the matters hindering competition, and provide equal opportunity for all tenderers.

In the technical specifications, the arrangements shall be made to ensure compliance with the national and/or international technical standards, if any. These specifications shall include the technical properties and descriptions. A specific trademark, model, patent, origin, source or product may not be specified and properties and descriptions may not be indicated for a specific trademark or model. However, in cases where there are not the national and/or international technical standards or it is not possible to determine the technical properties, the trademark or model may be specified provided that the expression "or equivalent" is included.

It is essential that the technical specifications specifying any kind of properties of the services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement, are prepared by the contracting entities. However, the technical specifications may be got prepared through the procurement in compliance with the provisions of Law No:4734 provided that it is approved by the contracting officer that it is not possible for the contracting entities to prepare them owing to the nature of the services to be procured.

Contracts
Article 21- The contracting entities shall take the "Standard Contract for Consultancy Services Procurements" as basis annexed to this Regulation in preparing the draft contract within the scope of the tender document.

The matters that are left blank for filling and provided in the footnotes in the Standard Contract shall be governed in a way that is not contrary to the provisions set forth in the Laws No:4734 and No:4735 and the other legislation according to the type of contract (lump sum/ unit price).

Furthermore, in cases where there are not provisions in the Standard Contract, the arrangements may be made in items under section "Miscellaneous" in the Standard Contract to be prepared by the contracting entity provided that it is not contrary to the legal rules and the tender document.

SECTION FOUR
Taking Approval for Procurement,
Tender Commission and Procurement Proceedings Dossier

Taking Approval for Procurement
Article 22- The estimation schedule concerning the estimated cost issued by the contracting entities as well as the draft contract and other documents prepared in relation to the work to be procured shall be annexed to procurement approval certificate (standard form KIK001.0/D) and this approval certificate shall be approved by the contracting officer.

After taking the approval for procurement by the contracting entities, the procurement register number shall be obtained from the Authority prior to the procurement notice.
Formation of tender commission and principles of activity
Article 23- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 5) The contracting officer shall form the tender commission within three days at the latest following the date of first notice as per Article 6 of Law No:4734 to hold the procurement. The tender commission shall be formed with the primary members of minimum five persons of odd number including minimum four persons from the contracting entity's personnel provided that one of them shall be the chairman and two of them shall be experts of the work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, and the financial officer in the general and added budget entities, and one personnel in charge of accountancy or financial affairs in the other entities in view of the fact the commission will convene with all members completely, and the reserve members with the same qualifications for substitution of such members by indicating their names. If there is not sufficient number and qualification of personnel at the contracting entity holding the procurement, the members may be taken to the commission from the contracting entities within the scope of this Law.

All evaluations in the procurement process shall be made by the tender commission without forming the commissions under other titles apart from the tender commission.

The tender commission shall convene with all members being present and the resolutions shall be taken with the majority of votes. The members of the commission may not act as absentee in the resolutions. The chairman and members of the commission are responsible for the votes and resolutions, and the members of commission that vote against a resolution shall be liable to write and sign the reasons thereof under the resolution of the commission. The resolutions taken and the minutes issued by the tender commission shall be signed by indicating the names, surnames and titles of the chairman and members of the commission.

Procurement proceedings dossier
Article 24- The contracting entity shall issue a proceedings dossier for each work to be procured. This dossier shall contain all documents related to the procurement process such as the certificate of approval and the annexed estimated cost schedule, tender document, and the notice texts if made, the applications or tenders submitted by the candidates or tenderers and the notification and receipt documents concerning the notifications made to the candidates and tenderers, and the minutes and resolutions of the tender commission and the original copy of the receipt evidencing that the contribution fee of the Authority to be calculated by the contractor over such price if the contract price exceeds the amount set forth in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph (j) of Article 53 of Law No:4734 has been deposited to the bank account of the Public Procurement Authority.

Each copy of the procurement proceedings dossier shall be given to the members of the tender commission by the contracting entity within three days following the date of notice in order to enable them to conduct the necessary investigation.


SECTION FIVE
Rules for Notice, Matters Concerning the Tender and Prequalification Document

Tender Notice
Article 25- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 6) The prequalification notices concerning the consultancy services procurements shall be made according to the following principles by providing sufficient time to enable all tenderers to prepare their tenders:
a) In respect of the procurements, the estimated cost of which is equal to or exceeding the threshold values set forth in Article 8 of Law No:4734, the notices of prequalification shall be published in the Public Procurement Bulletin at least fourteen days prior to the deadline date of application for prequalification;
b) In respect of the procurements, the estimated cost of which is below the threshold values set forth in Article 8 of Law No:4734,
1) Those, the estimated cost of which is at the amount set forth in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph (b) of Article 13 of Law No:4734, shall be proclaimed in at least two of the newspapers published at the place of procurement and work at least seven days prior to the deadline date of application for prequalification;
2) Those, the estimated cost of which is over the amount set forth in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph (b) of Article 13 of Law No:4734, shall be proclaimed in the Public Procurement Bulletin and one newspaper published at the place of work
provided that they are published in the Public Procurement Bulletin once.

The procurements meeting the qualities defined by the Authority shall also be announced in one of the newspapers with circulation throughout Turkey through the Press Announcement Authority.

If any newspaper is not published at the place of procurement or work, the notice shall be made through the letters affixed on the billboards in the buildings of the relevant contracting entity, government and municipality and the municipal means of publication at the place where any newspaper is not published within the same periods. These proceedings are evidences through minutes.

The contracting entity may also proclaim the procurements through the international notices or other local newspapers published or means of press, information processing network or electronic communication (Internet) according to the importance and nature of the work in addition to the compulsory notices mentioned above. However, in case of international notice, twelve days shall be added to the minimum periods of notice mentioned above.

The date when the notice is published shall be taken as basis in calculation of the notice periods, and the deadline date of application for prequalification shall not be taken into account. Subject to the notice periods set forth in this article, it is compulsory to send the notice texts at sufficient period in advance to the places where the notice is intended to be made in view of the duration that may elapse until the actual notice.

If the date determined for the prequalification is a holiday, the prequalification shall be held at the same place and time on the next business day without necessity for a notice again and the applications submitted until such time shall be accepted. The time of prequalification shall be determined in view of the working hours. Even if the working hours change after the notice, the prequalification shall be held at the time proclaimed.

   Arrangement of notices for prequalification
Article 26- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 7) The notices for procurements shall be prepared in compliance with the standard prequalification notice form on the basis of the information included in the prequalification and tender document (Standard Form KIK003.0/D).

The arrangements to the information given in the notices for prequalification as well as the documents comprising the tender or prequalification documents have to be in consistent with each other.

The matters not specified in the tender and prequalification document shall not be included in the notices.

Non-compliance of notice
Article 27- The notices that are not in compliance with the provisions set forth in Articles 25 and 26 of this Regulation hereby shall be invalid. In this case, the procurement or prequalification cannot be made unless the notice is renewed in compliance with such articles.

However, except for the failure to make the notice set forth in Article 25 of this Regulation or the failure to comply with the notice periods, if it is understood that the notices are not in compliance with the provisions set out under Article 26, prequalification can be made by issuing a correction notice for the faulty matters within ten (10) days following the publication of the notices. In this case, it shall be ensured that the correction notice is published in the same format with the means of publication where the notice, which constitutes the subject matter of such correction, is published.

Review on and purchasing the tender and prequalification document
Article 28- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article The prequalification document and tender document, which are prepared and each page of which is approved by the contracting entity, can be reviewed free of charge at the address specified in the notice of the contracting entity by the candidates or tenderers. It is compulsory that the candidates or tenderers that intend to participate in prequalification purchase the copies of such document, each page of which is approved by the contracting entity. The candidates that purchase the prequalification document shall be recorded in the standard form KIK005.0/D. The tender document shall be sent to all candidates that are found qualified and short listed as a result of prequalification.
The copies of the tender and/or prequalification document copied to the "compact disc (CD)" may be sold to the candidates and tenderers provided that the contracting entity takes the necessary security precautions within the framework of the principles defined by the Public Procurement Authority.

It is essential that the document is sold against the cost not exceeding the cost of printing and not hindering competition, and the right of selling such document is solely owned by the contracting entity. The minutes containing the documents and information for determining the cost of printing the document shall be issued and stored in the procurement proceedings dossier. The contracting entity may not claim any additional fee whatsoever under the title of donation, aid or other titles against selling the documents, and may not claim depositing money to the bodies such as foundations, funds, associations and unions except for the budget of the amount of tender document.

Amendment to and clarification in the tender and prequalification document
Article 29- It is essential that any amendment is not made to the tender and prequalification document after the procurement is held. If it becomes compulsory to make such amendment, the reasons and requirements to this effect shall be ascertained through a minute and the previous notices shall be void, and the work shall be proclaimed again in the same manner.
However, if the substantial or technical mistakes or defects are determined by the contracting entity or notified in writing by the tenderers or candidates to the extent to affect the preparation of tenders and applications, amendments can be made to the tender and/or prequalification document by issuing an addendum. The addendum concerning such amendments shall be submitted to all those that have purchased the prequalification document or invited to the procurement after being short listed via registered & prepaid mail in writing or delivered personally against signature so that they are informed of the same at least ten (10) days prior to the deadline date of submitting tenders or deadline date of application.

If an additional duration is needed to prepare the tenders or applications owing to such amendment, the deadline date of submitting tenders or deadline date of application for prequalification may be extended for maximum twenty (20) days by virtue of an addendum only once. In case of issuing an addendum, the tenderers or candidates that have already submitted their tenders or made their applications shall be given the opportunity to withdraw their tenders or applications and submit their tenders or make their applications again.

In respect of the matters that are needed to be clarified in the tender or prequalification document during the application for prequalification or submitting tenders, the candidates or tenderers may request clarification in writing until twenty (20) days prior to the deadline date for application or submitting tenders. The requests for clarification after such date shall not be taken into consideration.

If such request for clarification is approved by the contracting entity, the clarification to be made by the contracting entity shall be submitted to all those that have purchased the prequalification document until such date or the ones that are sent the "letter of invitation to tender" after being short listed via registered & prepaid mail in writing or delivered personally against signature. Such written clarification by the contracting entity shall be made so that all candidates or tenderers are informed of the same at least ten (10) days prior to the deadline date of submitting tenders or deadline date of application. The clarification shall contain the description of the problem and the detailed answers of the contracting entity, however, the identity of the candidate or tenderer that requests for clarification shall not be released. The written clarifications shall be given together with the tender and prequalification document to those that purchase the tender or prequalification document after such clarification.

Cancellation of procurement prior to the time of procurement
Article 30- In cases deemed necessary by the contracting entity or in cases where the matters that hinder holding the procurement in the documents comprising the tender document and that are not possible to be corrected, the procurement may be cancelled prior to the time of procurement.

In this case, cancellation of the procurement shall be immediately notified to the tenderers by indicating the reason of such cancellation. Cancellation of the procurement shall be notified separately to those that have already submitted tenders until such stage. If the procurement is cancelled, all tenders submitted shall be deemed rejected and such tenders shall be returned to the tenderers without opening the same. Any right may not be claimed against the contracting entity on the grounds of cancellation of the procurement.

In the event of cancellation of the procurement, the reasons for such cancellation shall be reviewed so that the procurement may be held again.

CHAPTER TWO
Qualification for Participation in Procurement

SECTION ONE
General Provisions

Principles for determination of qualification
Article 31- Any information, certificate, document and evaluation criteria required by the contracting entities in order the evaluate the economic and financial as well as professional and technical qualifications of the tenderers may not be determined to result in hindering the competition. Furthermore, the criteria applicable for evaluation of qualification shall be to the extent to measure the degree of said services being rendered by the tenderer according to the nature of the work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement.

(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 9) It is essential that those required for evaluation of qualification among the information and/or documents set forth under this Regulation hereby and the qualification criteria required in these documents are mentioned in the prequalification document and the notice concerning the prequalification according to the nature of the services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement.

(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 9) The joint venture being qualified shall not be construed as each of the partner or members being qualified separately, and if the joint venture being qualified as a result of evaluation for prequalification disintegrates prior to the procurement, the letter of invitation shall be deemed invalid.

In the procurements where partial tenders are allowed in the tender document, if the tenderers submit tenders for a part of the services, the evaluation on the documents concerning the economic and financial as well as professional and technical qualifications shall be made in respect of the parts, for which the tender is submitted.

   Documents Required
   Article 32- The documents required for evaluation of economic and financial as well as professional and technical qualification of the tenderer under this Regulation:

a) The documents evidencing that the tenderer continues his professional activities and is authorized to submit tenders;
b) The documents concerning the organizational chart of the tenderer and evidencing that he employs or will employ sufficient number and qualification of personnel in order to perform the work, which is the subject matter of procurement;
c) The documents indicating the experience of the tenderer in the work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, or similar works;
d) The documents indicating the education and professional skills of the tenderer, executive staff and the technical staff that will perform the work;
e) The documents concerning the financial status of the tenderer as obtained by banks;
f) The balance sheet or parts of the balance sheet deemed necessary and which are compulsory to be released as per the pertinent legislation, or if not any, the equivalent certificates;
g) The documents indicating the business volume and total turnover of the tenderer within the last two years as well as the quantity of works undergoing and completed in relation to the work, which is the subject matter of the procurement.

   Besides the documents listed hereinabove, it shall be determined by the related contracting entity on which of the other documents set forth in Article 10 of Law No:4734 shall be required and used in evaluation of qualification in compliance with the nature of the work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, and within the framework of the principles provided under this Regulation.

If a new type of consultancy services, which shall be rendered for the first time, arises, the work experience may not be required in the services procurements where the competitive conditions shall not arise since there are not sufficient tenderers that have rendered such service before.

Submission of Documents
Article 33- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 10) The contracting entities shall require the originals or the copies duly certified by the notaries in implementation of this Regulation. The candidates or tenderers may also attach the copies of the documents affixed with "the original seen by the contracting entity" or any expression with the similar meaning and the originals returned to them by the contracting entity prior to the prequalification or procurement in lieu of the original documents to their tenders or applications. Such applications of the candidates or tenderers have to be met by the authorized personnel of the contracting entity before the procurement.

The notarized documents have to bear an expression indicating that the documents are true copies, otherwise the ones certified pursuant to the photocopies and the ones bearing "identical with the one submitted" or any similar meaning shall not be deemed valid.

The originals of the notarized work experience certificates submitted within the scope of the tender shall be submitted to the contracting entity before concluding the contract by the tenderer who has been awarded.

The documents obtained from the foreign countries and submitted by the domestic or foreign tenderers have to be issued according to the legislation of the respective country and approved by the Consulate of the Republic of Turkey in the country where it is issued or the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the documents mentioned in the tender document and the official documents issued from the countries that are party to the Convention on Abolishing the Obligation to Certify Foreign Official Documents and included within the scope of Article 1 of this convention shall be exempted from the approval of the Consulate of the Republic of Turkey in the country where it is issued or the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided that they bear the "Apostille" seal. Provided that there is an agreement or convention containing provisions that require certain proceedings in respect of certifying the signature, seal or stamp on the documents between the Republic of Turkey and any other state or states, the approval of documents issued from such countries shall be subject to the provisions of this agreement or convention. Provided that the Turkish translations of the documents are required by the contracting entities, translations of official documents issued abroad as well as the documents listed in the tender document by the contracting entity have to be approved by the Consulate of the Republic of Turkey or the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Translations of documents that bear the seal of Apostille as well as the translations of documents that are not required to be approved by the Consulate of the Republic of Turkey or the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs have to be rendered by the sworn translators and notarized.

The documents and translations thereof issued by the certification bodies accredited by the national accreditation bodies included in the International Accreditation Forum for Mutual Recognition Agreement shall be exempted from the approval by the Consulate of the Republic of Turkey in the country where it is issued or the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided that it is confirmed with a letter obtained from the Turkish Accreditation Authority that such bodies have been duly accredited according to the international rules.

The contracting entities may communicate with the Chamber of Profession, which the tenderers acting abroad are registered in the trade registers, about the status of tenderers and the trade register (if the tenderer is a company, its incorporation and shareholders), and may assign the organizations specialized in this issue to conduct inquiry abroad for determination of the reliability of the tenderer.

The contracting entities shall evaluate the documents containing monetary values concerning the economic and financial as well as professional and technical qualification by converting such values to the currency taken as basis for evaluation of tenders over the foreign exchange buying rate published by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey on the date of first notice or invitation, and over the foreign exchange cross-rates in cases where the tenders may be submitted in foreign currencies.

The foreign tenderers shall submit the equivalent documents to the ones required in the tender document as per the legislation applicable in their respective countries. If there is not the equivalent of or it is not possible to issue the documents listed under sub-paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (g) of the last paragraph of Article 10 of Law No:4734 as per their respective legislation, they shall submit written declarations to this effect. However, this has to be confirmed by the mission offices in Turkey of the country of the nationality of the foreign tenderer, who is a real person, or the country where the principal office of the foreign tenderer, who is a legal person, or the mission offices of the Republic of Turkey in such countries.

SECTION TWO
Documents Concerning the Economic and Financial Qualification

Documents Obtained From the Banks
Article 34- In the consultancy services procurements, the tenderers have to submit the documents obtained from the domestic or foreign banks showing their unused cash facility or unused guarantee letter facility in the banks at an amount to be determined by the tenderers, but not less than 5 %, and more than 20% of the bid price (standard form KIK034.1/D).

(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 11) Where necessary, these documents shall be confirmed from the general directorate and branch office of the related bank by the contracting entity. The confirmations via fax have to bear the signatures of at least two officials.

In case of joint ventures, these documents can be provided jointly irrespective of the shares of the partners.

Balance sheets or equivalent documents of tenderer
Article 35- In the consultancy services procurements, the tenderer has to submit the end-of-year balance sheet for the year prior the year when the procurement is held or the parts of the balance sheet deemed necessary, otherwise the equivalent documents.
   The tenderer has to ensure the following:
   a) The current ratio showing whether the tenderer has the necessary liquidity and the power to cover debts in short term (one year) for providing the cash flow in certain periods (current assets / short term liabilities) must be minimum 0.50 (in the calculation, the contract progress costs shall be deducted from the current assets and the contract progress incomes shall be deducted from the short term liabilities);
   b) The equity ratio showing the extent of shareholders' equity within the assets (shareholders' equity / total assets) must be minimum 0.10 (in the calculation, the contract progress costs shall be deducted from the current assets and the contract progress incomes shall be deducted from the short term liabilities);
   c) Ratio of short term bank liabilities to the shareholders' equity must be less than 0.75.

The items indicated hereinabove are accepted as qualification criteria and all of these three criteria must be complied with at the same time. (Annex: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 12) In the balance sheets submitted, it is compulsory to indicate the contract progress costs and the contract progress incomes.

   The tenderers who can not meet these requirements in the preceding year may submit their certificates for up to the last two years, and in this case, it shall be checked whether the minimum values are met based on the average of the last two years, for which the certificates are submitted.

The balance sheets or the parts of the balance sheets that are deemed necessary must be issued pursuant to the relevant legislation and approved by the certified financial consultant or independent accountant & financial consultant or the tax office.

   The tenderers who do not present their balance sheets that are not compulsory to be issued or their parts may evidence their compliance with the criteria indicated hereinabove with certificates approved by the certified financial consultant or independent accountant & financial consultant.

   In accordance with the values shown in the self-employment income ledger prepared and approved in accordance with the relevant legislation to be submitted by the self – employed, the previous year value of total income / total expense must be minimum (1,25). In this case, the ratios to be calculated basing on the balance sheets or their necessary parts shall not be taken into consideration.

   In case the tenderer is a joint venture, each of the tenderers has to submit the requested documents separately and each of the partners must comply with the requirements indicated in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c). But in cases where the share of the pilot firm is more than 50%, compliance of the pilot company solely with these requirements shall be satisfactory.

Documents indicating the business volume of tenderer
   Article 36- In the consultancy services procurements, the contracting entities shall require and the tenderers shall submit the income statement showing the total turnover of the tenderer for the last two years before the year, in which the prequalification is held, and the documents showing the amount of work undertaken and completed by the tenderer in relation to the work constituting the subject matter of the procurement. In respect of the self – employed tenderers, these cases can be documented by virtue of the extract of free–employment income ledger.

In the calculation of the amount of works undergoing and completed in the income statement showing the turnover and concerning the work, the total of the incomes obtained from the works of the tenderer either within or out of the country shall be taken into consideration.

   In evaluation of these documents, the average values,
   a) have to be in the range of minimum 10- 20% of the estimated cost for the total turnover,
   b) have to be in the range of minimum 8- 15% of the estimated cost for the incomes of works undergoing and completed in relation to the work, which constitutes the subject matter of procurement,
   provided that it is not less than the amount to be defined by the contracting entity as a condition for prequalification.

   The submitted income statement and the documents showing the incomes relating to the amount of work undertaken and completed concerning the determination of qualification for the services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement, have to be approved by the certified financial consultant, independent accountant & financial consultant or the tax office.

   In the assessment of the works undertaken by the tenderer, the condition of performing the work under a contract in the private or public sector shall be required.

The amount of the Works completed by the Tenderer in a joint venture shall be taken into consideration in proportion with his share in such joint venture.

   (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 13) In respect of the joint ventures, the pilot partner and the other partners shall be liable to meet the minimum qualification criteria in proportion to their shares in such joint venture as the total turnover or income of the services, which constitute the subject matter of the procurement.

   (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 13) Each of the joint venture partners has to submit the documents required separately.
   
(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 13) The total annual turnover or incomes from the work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, from the income statement shall be updated over the monthly TEFE (Table 2: Index in line "General") published by the State Statistics Institute as of June 30th of the year when the income is obtained (the index in June published in the subsequent month shall be taken as basis), and the contract progress incomes shall be updated as of the date of first notice or invitation (the index of the previous month published in the month including the date of first notice or invitation for the procurement shall be taken as basis) for the procurement over the monthly TEFE (Table 2: Index in line "General") as from the date of accrual of the progress payment (the index of the previous month published in the month including the date of accrual of the progress payment shall be taken as basis).

SECTION THREE
Documents Concerning Professional and Technical Qualification

   Documents indicating that the tenderer is currently acting and is authorized to submit tenders
Article 37- The following documents shall be required from the tenderers in the consultancy services procurements to be held by the contracting entities under this Regulation:
a) In the event that the tenderer is a real person, the certificate received within the year when the first announcement with regard to the procurement is made and indicating registration to the Chamber of Commerce and/or Industry or Profession,
b) In the event that the tenderer is a legal person, the certificate received from the registered Chamber of Commerce and/or Industry within the year when the first announcement with regard to the procurement is made and indicating the registration of the legal person,
c) Signature statement certified by the notary public in the event that the tenderer is a real person,
d) Original or notarized copy of Trade Registers Gazette indicating the shares of the shareholders of the company and their position within the company or the documents evidencing such issues as well as the signature circular of the legal person certified by the notary public in the event that the tenderer is a legal person.
e) (Annex: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 14) Declaration concerning the personal companies that the tenderer is shareholder of and the capital companies that the tenderer holds more than half of the capital according to the nature of tenderer being a real person or legal person (Standard Form KIK 029.4/D).

In the event of participation in the procurement by proxy, the power of attorney vesting power to the person participating on behalf of the tenderer and the notarized signature statement of such person participating by proxy shall be required.

(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 14) In the case of joint ventures, besides the joint venture statement (Standard Form KIK 030.0/D), the physical or corporate bodies that constitute the joint venture shall be liable to submit the documents listed under items (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) separately.

Work Experience Certificates
Article 38- It is compulsory to require the certificates indicating the work experience concerning the work, which constitutes the subject matter of procurement, or similar works, which have been accepted perfect by the contracting entity, as realized by the tenderer by minimum 70% of the contract amount or supervised or managed by minimum 50% for the services concerning construction for the public or private sector at home or abroad within the last five years.

The tenderer shall be required to submit the work experience certificate concerning one single contract for the services, which constitute the subject matter of procurement, or similar services at a percentage to be determined by the contracting entity, but not less than 25% and not more than 50% of the price proposed by the tenderer.

(Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 15) In the case of joint ventures, the pilot partner has to meet minimum 70%, and each of the other partners has to meet minimum 10% of the amount of the minimum work experience required. However, the sum of amount of work experience of the other partner or partners may not be less than 30% of the minimum amount of work experience.

The certificates indicating the work experience refers to the work completion certificate, work status certificate, work supervision and work management certificate demonstrating the experience of the tenderer in the work, which constitutes the subject matter of the procurement, or similar works, and that are issued and evaluated according to the principles and procedures set forth in this Regulation hereby.

Similar works to be evaluated for the work experience refer to the services that are similar to the services, which constitute the subject matter of procurement, or the portions of services in respect of quality and size, and that are performed using the same or similar procedures, and that have similar qualities with respect to the plants, equipment, financial power, expertise, personnel and organization requirements.

In compliance with the principles set forth in the definitions, the contracting entities shall determine which work or works are accepted as similar works and specify them in the prequalification document as well as the notice concerning the prequalification.

If a new type of consultancy service, which shall be rendered for the first time, arises, the contracting entities may not require work experience in the services procurements where the conditions of competition shall not be created since there are sufficient tenderers, who have rendered such service before.

The tender commissions shall perform the evaluations for prequalification in respect of whether the certificates submitted as work experience are similar to the work, which constitutes the subject matter of procurement, and the minimum amount stipulated according to the principles set forth in this Regulation.

Documents concerning the organizational structure and personnel of tenderer
Article 39- (Amended: 08/06/2004 – 25486 Official Gazette / Article 16) In order to be able to determine the professional and technical qualification of the tenderer in the consultancy services procurements, the documents concerning the organizational structure of the tenderer and evidencing that the tenderer employs or will employ the personnel at the number and quality required by the contracting entity in order to perform the work, which constitutes the subject matter of procurement, have to be required.

If key technical personnel are stipulated as the minimum qualification criteria, it is compulsory to require that such personnel are specialized and experienced in the consultancy services, which constitute the subject matter of procurement, and working within the organization of tenderer.

The period of experience in the private sector shall be evidenced with the certificate of membership issued by the relevant chamber of profession, and the period of experience in the public sector shall be evidenced with the schedule of service and/or certificate of membership to the chamber of profession, and employment within the organization of tenderer shall be evidenced with the certificates approved by the social security authority indicating that the premiums have been paid for the personnel or the personnel have been employed.

The certificate for employment within the organization of the tenderer shall not be required from the tenderers with the capacity of physical bodies, partners of the personal companies, the shareholders acting as directors in the limited companies, the shareholders acting as the chairmen of board of directors, members of board of directors, executive directors and general directors of joint-stock companies, and in the event of joint ventures, the partners acting as the physical bodies and the partners with the capacity of corporate bodies acting as the partners with the capacity of physical bodies listed above.

All the key personnel for the pilot and other partners shall be evaluated irrespective of the percentage of partnership in the joint ventures.
Documents concerning the machinery and other equipment
Article 40- The contracting entity may require the information and documents concerning the machinery, computers, plants, tools and other equipment deemed necessary in order to render the services, which constitute the subject matter of procurement, and establish the related minimum criteria for qualification.

There is not any requirement of being the own product with respect to the machinery, computers, plants, tools and equipment.

However, the machinery, computers, plants, tools and equipment, which are the own products of the tenderer, shall be evidenced by virtue of an invoice or notarized minutes of determination indicating that they are registered in the inventory or depreciation book, or the report of the certified financial consultant or independent accountant- financial consultant. In respect of the equipment that will b