(1) Where the procurement entity uses the procedure in this section, it shall establish a threshold on the quality and technical aspects of the proposals in accordance with the criteria established under section 69 apart from those set out in the request for proposals and shall rate each proposal in accordance with that criteria and the relative weight and manner of application of those criteria set out in the invitation for proposals.

(2) The procurement entity shall notify the consultants whose proposals did not meet the minimum qualifying mark or were non responsive to the invitation for proposals and terms of reference after the evaluation of quality is completed within a period of 14 days after the decision has been taken by the procurement entity.

(3) The name of the consultant, the quality scores and the proposed prices shall be read aloud and recorded when the financial proposals are opened.

(4) The procurement entity shall prepare the minutes of public opening of financial proposals which shall be part of the evaluation report and shall retain this record.

(5) The procurement entity shall compare the prices of the proposals that have attained a rating at or above the threshold.

(6) The successful proposals shall be

(a) the proposals with the best combined evaluation in terms of the criteria established under section 69 apart from price in the case of quality and cost-based selection;

(b) the proposals with the lowest price in the case of least-cost selection; or

(7) The consultants with the winning proposals shall be invited for negotiations, which shall focus mainly on the technical proposals.

(8) Proposed unit rates for staff-months and reimbursables shall not be negotiated unless there are exceptional reasons.