guideline. This means that when an expert is technically acceptable on a particular criterion (when he/she fulfils the requirement for that criterion as it is described in the ToRs), 80% of the maximum score foreseen for that criterion will be allocated. If the expert exceeds the requirement described in the Tors for that criterion, a percentage between 81 and 100% of the maximum score foreseen for that criterion will be allocated, depending on by how much the expert exceeds the requirement. If the expert’s experience goes below the requirement described in ToRs for that criterion he/she will be scored accordingly, a percentage below 80% will be allocated, depending on by how much the expert’s experience is below the requirement. 

Only offers that achieve a score of 80 or more are declared 'technically accepted'. Any tender falling short of the 80-points threshold will be automatically rejected. 

Out of the tenders reaching the 80-point threshold, the best technical offer is awarded 100 points. The others receive points calculated using the following formula: 

Technical score = (final score of the technical offer in question/final score of the best technical offer) x 100. 

## 15.3 interviews 

As part of the technical evaluation, after the assessment of the technical proposals, the Evaluation Committee shall interview the team leader proposed in the tenders that achieved 80% or more from the maximum score allocated to the Organisation and Methodology and Key Experts. 

The interview shall be conducted by video conference at the dates mentioned in the timetable in section 3. The exact date and time of these interviews will be confirmed or notified to the tenderer at least 7 days in advance. If a tenderer is unable to participate in an interview by force majeure, a mutually convenient alternative date and time is arranged with the tenderer. If the tenderer is unable to participate in this second scheduled time, its tender will be eliminated from the evaluation process. 

## 15.4. Evaluation of financial offers 

Upon completion of the technical evaluation, the envelopes containing the financial offers for tenders that were not eliminated during the technical evaluation will be opened (i.e. those with an average score of 80 points or more). Tenders exceeding the maximum budget available for the contract are unacceptable and will be eliminated. 

The tender with the lowest price offered receives 100 points. The others are awarded points by means of the following formula: 

Financial score = lowest price / price of the tender being considered) x 100. 

Any arithmetical errors are corrected without penalty to the tenderer such that, if there is a discrepancy between a unit rate and the total amount derived from multiplying the unit rate by the corresponding quantity, the rate as quoted must prevail, unless the opinion of the Evaluation Committee contains an obvious error in the unit rate, in which event the total amount as quoted must prevail and the unit rate must be corrected. 

## 16. Choice of selected tenderer 

The best price-quality ratio is established by weighing technical quality against price on an 80/20 basis. 

This is done by adding: 

- the technical scores awarded to the technical offers multiplied by 0.80 

and 

- the financial scores awarded to the financial offers multiplied by 0.20. 

## 17. Confidentiality 

The entire evaluation procedure is confidential. The Evaluation Committee's decisions are collective and its deliberations are held in closed session. The members of the Evaluation 

