Section 56, The Public Procurement Act, 2016

(1) The contract shall be awarded to the bidder havingsubmitted the lowest evaluated and substantially responsive bid which meets only those evaluation criteria as specified in the bidding (2) Prior to the expiry of the period of bid validity, the procuring entity shall notify the successful bidder of the proposed award, which shall specify the time within which the contract must be signed, subject to any intervening complaints filed in accordance with Part VI. (3) Notice of award shall be given to other bidders at the same time the successful bidder is notified, specifying the name and address of the proposed bidder and the price of the contract, but the contract shall not be signed until at least 14 calendar days have passed following the giving of that notice. (4) Where a bidder whose bid has been accepted fails to sign a written contract, when required to do so, or fails to provide any required security for the performance of the contract within the prescribed time limit, the procuring entity shall accept the next ranked bidder from among the remaining bids that are in force, but in selecting the next ranked bidder, the procuring entity shall comply with provisions of section 52 as appropriate. (5) Any person who signs or enters into a procurement contract on behalf of a procuring entity where there is a pending complaint and in contravention of this subsection commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 10 % of the value of the contract or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both such fine and imprisonment.