## 3.2.2. Assessment of joint requests to participate/ joint tenders 

Joint requests to participate / joint tenders submitted by groups of economic operators will be assessed as follows: 

Access to market and exclusion criteria will be assessed in relation to each member of the group individually. 

The selection criteria for the economic and financial capacity and technical and professional capacity will be assessed in relation to the combined capacities of all members of the group, as a whole, unless specified differently in the Invitation. 

Compliance with minimum requirements and award criteria will be assessed in relation to the joint tender. 

Since all members of the consortium are jointly and severally liable towards Europol for the performance of the contract, statements included in the joint tender saying, for instance: 

• that each member of the group will be responsible only for a specific part of the contract, or 

• that a separate contract should be signed with each member of the group if the joint offer is successful, 

are incompatible with the principle of joint and several liability. 

Europol will disregard any such statement contained in a joint tender, and it reserves the right to reject such tenders without further evaluation, on the grounds that they do not comply with the procurement documents. 

## 3.2.3. Groups of economic operators - contract implementation 

Once the contract has entered into force, all members of the group shall be jointly and severally liable towards Europol for the performance of the contract as a whole. 

The Group Leader – duly authorised by the other members of the group, via power of attorney – will be entitled to sign any contractual documents; it shall act as a single point of contact with Europol in connection with the services to be provided under the contract; it shall co-ordinate the provision of the services by the group members to Europol; it shall guarantee a proper administration of the contract. 

The composition of the group and the allocation of tasks among the members of the group shall not be altered without prior written information to Europol. 

## 3.3. Subcontracting 

Subcontracting is the situation where the contractor enters into legal commitments with other economic operators which will perform part of the contract on its behalf. The contractor retains full liability towards Europol for performance of the contract as a whole. 

The candidate/tenderer may subcontract the tasks specified in the procurement documents to other economic operators, as long as the supplies and/or services are provided in accordance with the specified requirements and have no impact on the prices proposed in its financial tender. 

The following shall not be considered subcontracting: 

