- AWARD OF CONTRACTS II.9.1 If the beneficiaries have to conclude contracts in order to carry out the action and they constitute costs of the action under an item of eligible direct costs in the estimated budget, they shall award the contract to the bid offering best value for money; in doing so, they shall take care to avoid any conflict of interests. II.9.2 Contracts as referred to in paragraph 1 may be awarded only in the following cases: a) they may only cover the execution of a limited part of the action; b) recourse to the award of contracts must be justified having regard to the nature of the action and what is necessary for its implementation; c) the tasks concerned must be set out in Annex I and the corresponding estimated costs must be set out in detail in the budget in Annex II; d) any recourse to the award of contracts while the action is under way, if not provided for in the initial grant application, shall be subject to prior written authorisation by the Commission; e) the beneficiaries shall retain sole responsibility for carrying out the action and for compliance with the provisions of the agreement. The beneficiaries must undertake to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that the contractor waives all rights in respect of the Commission under the agreement; f) the beneficiaries must undertake to ensure that the conditions applicable to them under Articles II.1, II.2, II.3, II.4, II.5, II.6, II.10 and II.20 of the agreement are also applicable to the contractor.
Award Award shall be made on an all-or-none total estimated bid basis to the lowest responsive and responsible Bidder.