Recommendations are provided on the buyer profile (profil acheteur) at
achatpublic.com. These recommendations are as follows:
— after checking that Java (available free of charge on the
java.com website) is installed on the workstation, it is advisable to first test the electronic response on the test consultation,
— with an ADSL connection, economic operators must allow for 3 or 4 hours for documents of around 300MB in size. And 6 hours or more if the documents exceed 300MB (the transmission of the documents depends on the performance of the workstation used, the quality of the network and the internet speed),
— use of an ethernet cable to access the internet is recommended and Wifi should be avoided,
— economic operators should place files on a local drive rather than on a server on the company’s internal network,
— economic operators using a proxy server must first check with their IT department if there is a limit on uploading files,
— the IT department must also check the antivirus and firewall settings (firewall) on the user's workstation.
The presence or availability of the IT department during the creation and transmission of the documentation folder is strongly recommended. The IT department may be able to act quickly in the event of an anomaly on the workstation.
Conditions for submitting electronic bids: separate files, one of which contains the application documents and the other, the bid documents, where a single envelope is used. Each transmission will be issued with a definite date of receipt and an electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
The reference time zone will be GMT+01:00 (Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid).
A duplicate back-up copy of the bid may be sent by the deadline, either electronically or in hard copy format. This copy shall be sent in a sealed envelope and must include the words ‘back-up copy’, as well as the name of the candidate and the identification details of the relevant tender.
The documents may be sent in the following electronic formats: doc, xls, pdf, jpg, ppt.
Each document that requires a signature must be signed individually and electronically in accordance with the XAdES, CAdES or PAdES format. The tenderer shall not enter into a binding commitment simply by electronically signing the bid.
The required security level for the electronic signature certificate is Level (**) of the RGS (General Safety Framework). RGS certificates are listed on a trusted list issued by France (
http://references.modernisation.gouv.fr) or on a trusted list issued by another European Union Member State.
Tenderers are, however, free to use certificates of their own choosing if they comply with the minimum obligations set out in the RGS. In such circumstances, they must provide all information required in order to verify compliance.
The costs of accessing the network and using electronic signatures shall be borne by each tenderer.
Any document containing a computer virus shall be subject to security archiving and shall be deemed never to have been received. The relevant tenderer will be notified. Subject to these conditions, tenderers are advised to pass their documents through anti-virus software before being submitted.
Documents that are sent electronically shall be printed out once the bids have been opened. Tenderers are hereby informed that the award of the contract may require the paper contract to be signed by hand.