The contractor bears the cost of providing such guarantee. 

Pre-financing guarantees must remain in force until the pre-financing is cleared against interim payments or payment of the balance. Where the payment of the balance takes the form of a debit note, the pre-financing guarantee must remain in force for three months after the debit note is sent to the contractor. The contracting authority must release the guarantee within the following month. 

Performance guarantees cover compliance with substantial contractual obligations until the contracting authority has given its final approval for the service. The performance guarantee must not exceed 10 % of the total price of the contract. The contracting authority must release the guarantee fully after final approval of the service, as provided for in the contract. 

Retention money guarantees cover full delivery of the service in accordance with the contract including during the contract liability period and until its final approval by the contracting authority. The retention money guarantee must not exceed 10 % of the total price of the contract. The contracting authority must release the guarantee after the expiry of the contract liability period as provided for in the contract. 

The contracting authority must not request a retention money guarantee where it has requested a performance guarantee. 

## Interim payments and payment of the balance II.21.6. 

The contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) must send an invoice for interim payment, as provided for in Article I.5 or in the tender specifications. 

The contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) must send an invoice for payment of the balance within 60 days of the end of the period of provision of the services, as provided for in Article I.5 or in the tender specifications. 

Payment of the invoice and approval of documents does not imply recognition of the regularity, authenticity, completeness and correctness of the declarations and information they contain. 

Payment of the balance may take the form of recovery. 

## Suspension of the time allowed for payment II.21.7. 

The contracting authority may suspend the payment periods specified in Article I.5 at any time by notifying  the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) that its invoice cannot be processed. The reasons the contracting authority may cite for not being able to process an invoice are: 

(a) because it does not comply with the contract; 

(b) because the contractor has not produced the appropriate documents or deliverables; or 

(c) because the contracting authority has observations on the documents or deliverables submitted with the invoice. 

The contracting authority must notify  the contractor (or leader in the case of joint tender) as soon as possible of any such suspension, giving the reasons for it. In cases b) and c) referred above, the contracting authority shall notify the contractor (or leader in case of a joint tender) 

