(1) A procuring entity may determine and apply one or more of the requirements specified in sub-section (2) for a bidder to be qualified for participating in a procurement process.
(2) Any bidder participating in the procurement process shall,-
(a) possess the necessary professional, technical, financial and managerial resources and competence required by the bidding documents, pre-qualification documents or bidder registration documents, as the case may be, issued by the procuring entity;
(b) have fulfilled his obligation to pay taxes payable to the Central Government or the State Government or any local authority as may be specified in the bidding documents, pre- qualification documents or bidder registration documents;
(c) not be insolvent, in receivership, bankrupt or being wound up, not have its affairs administered by a court or a judicial officer, not have its business activities suspended and must not be the subject of legal proceedings for any of the foregoing reasons;
(d) not have their Directors and officers convicted of any criminal offence related to their professional conduct or the making of false statements or misrepresentations as to their qualifications to enter into a procurement contract within a period of three years preceding the commencement of the procurement process, or not have been otherwise disqualified pursuant to debarment proceedings;
(e) not have a conflict of interest as may be prescribed and specified in the pre-qualification documents, bidder registration documents or bidding documents, which materially affects fair competition; and
(f) fulfil any other qualifications as may be prescribed.
(3) Subject to the right of bidders to protect their intellectual property or trade secrets, the procuring entity may require a bidder to provide any such information or declaration as it considers necessary to make an evaluation in accordance with sub-section, (1).
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 10, 2019 (BHDR 19, 1941 SAKA) 109 Pre-qualification of bidders.
(4) Any requirement established pursuant to this section shall be set out in the pre-qualification documents or bidder registration documents, if any, and in the bidding documents and shall apply equally to all bidders.
(5) The procuring entity shall evaluate the qualifications of bidders only in accordance with the requirement specified in this section.