Section 57, The Public Procurement Act, 2004

(1) Where the bidding documents require the supplier orcontractor whose bid has been accepted to sign a written procurement contract conforming to the bid, the procuring entity and the supplier shall sign the procurement contract within 30 days after the notice referred to in subsection (2) of section 56 has been dispatched to the supplier or contractor. (2) Where a written procurement contract is required to be signed, the procurement contract shall enter into force when the contract is signed by the supplier or contractor and by the procuring (3) Except as provided in subsection (2) of section 56, a procurement contract in accordance with the terms and conditions of the accepted bid shall enter into force when the notice is dispatched to the supplier or contractor that submitted the bid, if it is dispatched while the bid is in force. (4) Contracts shall be signed by the head of a procuring entity, but he may delegate signature of small contracts to the head of the procurement unit or other senior official of the entity. Nondisclosure of bid evaluation details. Prohibition of negotiations. Award of Acceptance of bid and signature of 50 51