The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006

Made: 9th January 2006

Laid before Parliament: 9th January 2006

Coming into force: 31st January 2006

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PART 1 — GENERAL

Citation, commencement and extent

1

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Interpretation

2

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Utilities

3

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Economic operators

4

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Application

5

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General exclusions

6

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Exclusion of contracts awarded to affiliated undertakings or joint ventures

7

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Exemption in respect of certain utilities operating in the energy sector

8

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Exemption of contracts where activity is directly exposed to competition

9

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Reserved Contracts

10

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Thresholds

11

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PART 2 — TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Technical specifications in contract documents

12

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Variants

13

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PART 3 — PROCEDURES LEADING TO THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT

The open, restricted and negotiated procedures

14

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Periodic indicative notices

15

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Call for competition

16

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Award without a call for competition

17

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Framework agreements

18

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Dynamic purchasing systems

19

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Electronic auctions

20

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Central purchasing bodies

21

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Time limits

22

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PART 4 — QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION OF ECONOMIC OPERATORS

General

23

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Mutual recognition concerning administrative, technical or financial conditions

24

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Qualification system

25

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Criteria for rejection of economic operators

26

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Criteria for selection of economic operators

27

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Consortia

28

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Corporations

29

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PART 5 — THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT

Criteria for the award of a contract

30

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Rejection of third country tenders - supply contracts

31

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Contract award notices

32

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Information about contract award procedures

33

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PART 6 — SPECIALISED CONTRACTS

Design contests

34

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PART 7 — MATTERS RELATING TO A CONTRACT

Obligations relating to taxes, environmental protection, employment protection and working conditions

35

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Conditions for performance of contracts

36

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PART 8 — MISCELLANEOUS

Preservation of records

37

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Statistical and other reports

38

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Provision of reports

39

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Publication of notices

40

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Confidentiality of information

41

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Means of communication

42

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Sub-contracting

43

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Attestation

44

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PART 9 — APPLICATIONS TO THE COURT

Enforcement of obligations

45

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Conciliation

46

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PART 10 — REVOCATION, SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Revocation

47

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Savings and transitional provisions

48

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SCHEDULE 1 — UTILITIES

1

The provision or operation of a fixed network which provides or will provide a service to the public in connection with the production, transport or distribution of drinking water.

2

Hydraulic engineering, irrigation or land drainage, but only if more than 20% of the total volume of water made available by such activity is intended for the supply of drinking water.

3

The disposal or treatment of sewage.

4

The supply of drinking water to a network referred to in paragraph 1.

5

The supply of drinking water to a network referred to in paragraph 1 but only if the drinking water supplied in the period of 36 months ending at the relevant time as defined in regulation 11(19) has exceeded 30% of the total produced by the utility in that period.

6

The provision or operation of a fixed network which provides or will provide a service to the public in connection with the production, transport or distribution of electricity.

7

The supply of electricity to a network referred to in paragraph 6.

8

The supply of electricity to a network referred to in paragraph 6 but only if the electricity supplied in the period of 36 months ending at the relevant time as defined in regulation 11(19) has exceeded 30% of the total produced by the utility in that period.

9

The provision or operation of a fixed network which provides or will provide a service to the public in connection with the production, transport or distribution of gas.

10

The supply of gas to a network referred to in paragraph 9.

11

The supply of gas to a network referred to in paragraph 9 but only if the total consideration payable in the period of 36 months ending at the relevant time as defined in regulation 11(19) on account of such supply has exceeded 20% of the total turnover of the utility in that period.

12

The provision or operation of a fixed network which provides or will provide a service to the public in connection with the production, transport or distribution of heat.

13

The supply of heat to a network referred to in paragraph 12.

14

The supply of heat to a network referred to in paragraph 12 but only if the total consideration payable in the 36 months ending at the relevant time as defined in regulation 11(19) on account of such supply has exceeded 20% of the total turnover of the utility in that period.

15

The exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil or gas.

16

The exploitation of a geographical area for the purposes of exploring for or extracting coal or other solid fuel.

17

The exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of providing airport or other terminal facilities to carriers by air.

18

The exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of providing maritime or inland port or other terminal facilities to carriers by sea or inland waterway.

19

The provision or operation of a network providing a service to the public in the field of transport by railway.

20

The provision or operation of a network providing a service to the public in the field of transport by automated systems, tramway, trolleybus, or cable.

21

The provision or operation of a network providing a service to the public in the field of transport by bus.

SCHEDULE 2 — ACTIVITIES CONSTITUTING WORKS