(1) The provisions of Part V shall apply to two-stage tendering proceedings except to the extent that those provisions vary from this section.

(2) The invitation documents

(a) shall call upon suppliers or contractors to submit, in the first stage of two-stage tendering proceedings, initial tenders which contain their proposals without a tender price;

(b) may solicit proposals that relate to technical, quality or other characteristics of the goods, works or services as well as contractual terms and conditions of supply and may stipulate the professional and technical competence and qualifications of the suppliers or contractors.

(3) The procurement entity may, in the first stage, engage in negotiations with any supplier or contractor whose tender has not been rejected under section 29, 32 or 62(6) with respect to any aspect of its tender.

(4) In the second stage of the two tender proceedings the procurement entity,

(a) shall invite suppliers or contractors whose tenders have not been rejected to submit final tenders with prices on a single set of specifications;

(b) may in formulating the specifications, delete or modify any aspect of the technical or quality characteristics of the goods, works or services to be procured together with any criterion originally set out in those documents, evaluate and compare tenders and ascertain the successful tender;

(c) may add new characteristics or criteria that conform with this Act;

(d) shall communicate to suppliers or contractors in the invitation to submit final tenders, any deletion, modification or addition;

(e) may permit a supplier or contractor who does not wish to submit a final tender to withdraw from the tendering proceedings without the supplier or contractor forfeiting any tender security that the supplier or contractor may have been required to provide.

(5) The final tenders shall be evaluated and compared in order to ascertain the successful tender as defined in section 59(3)(b).