137-047-0330 Electronic Procurement (1) Electronic Procurement Authorized. (a) A Contracting Agency may conduct all phases of a Procurement, including without limitation the posting of Electronic Advertisements and the receipt of Electronic Offers, by electronic methods if and to the extent the Contracting Agency specifies in a Solicitation Document, a Request for Quotes, or any other Written instructions on how to participate in the Procurement. (b) The Contracting Agency shall open an Electronic Offer in accordance with electronic security measures in effect at the Contracting Agency at the time of its receipt of the Electronic Offer. Unless the Contracting Agency provides procedures for the secure receipt of Electronic Offers, the Person submitting the Electronic Offer assumes the risk of premature disclosure due to submission in unsealed form. (c) The Contracting Agency's use of electronic Signatures shall be consistent with applicable statutes and rules. A Contracting Agency may limit the use of electronic methods of conducting a Procurement as Advantageous to the Contracting Agency. (d) If the Contracting Agency determines that Bid or Proposal security is or will be required, the Contracting Agency should not authorize Electronic Offers unless the Contracting Agency has another method for receipt of such security. (2) Rules Governing Electronic Procurements. The Contracting Agency shall conduct all portions of an electronic Procurement in accordance with these division 47 rules, unless otherwise set forth in this rule. (3) Preliminary Matters. As a condition of participation in an electronic Procurement the Contracting Agency may require potential Contractors to register with the Contracting Agency before the date and time on which the Contracting Agency will first accept Offers, to agree to the terms, conditions, or other requirements of a Solicitation Document, or to agree to terms and conditions governing the Procurement, such as procedures that the Contracting Agency may use to attribute, authenticate or verify the accuracy of an Electronic Offer, or the actions that constitute an electronic Signature. (4) Offer Process. A Contracting Agency may specify that Persons must submit an Electronic Offer by a particular date and time, or that Persons may submit multiple Electronic Offers during a period of time established in the Electronic Advertisement. When the Contracting Agency specifies that Persons may submit multiple Electronic Offers during a specified period of time, the Contracting Agency must designate a time and date on which Persons may begin to submit Electronic Offers, and a time and date after which Persons may no longer submit Electronic Offers. The date and time after which Persons may no longer submit Electronic Offers need not be specified by a particular date and time, but may be specified by a description of the conditions that, when they occur, will establish the date and time after which Persons may no longer submit Electronic Offers. When the Contracting Agency will accept Electronic Offers for a period of time, then at the designated date and time that the Contracting Agency will first receive Electronic Offers, the Contracting Agency must begin to accept real time Electronic Offers on the Contracting Agency's Electronic Procurement System, and shall continue to accept Electronic Offers in accordance with section (5)(b) of this rule until the date and time specified by the Contracting Agency, after which the Contracting Agency will no longer accept Electronic Offers. (5) Receipt of Electronic Offers. (a) When a Contracting Agency conducts an electronic Procurement that provides that all Electronic Offers must be submitted by a particular date and time, the Contracting Agency shall receive the Electronic Offers in accordance with these division 47 rules. (b) When the Contracting Agency specifies that Persons may submit multiple Electronic Offers during a period of time, the Contracting Agency shall accept Electronic Offers, and Persons may submit Electronic Offers, in accordance with the following: (A) Following receipt of the first Electronic Offer after the day and time the Contracting Agency first receives Electronic Offers the Contracting Agency shall post on the Contracting Agency's Electronic Procurement System, and updated on a real time basis, the lowest Electronic Offer price or the highest ranking Electronic Offer. At any time before the date and time after which the Contracting Agency will no longer receive Electronic Offers, a Person may revise its Electronic Offer, except that a Person may not lower its price unless that price is below the then lowest Electronic Offer. (B) A Person may not increase the price set forth in an Electronic Offer after the day and time that the Contracting Agency first accepts Electronic Offers. (C) A Person may withdraw an Electronic Offer only in compliance with these division 47 rules. If a Person withdraws an Electronic Offer, it may not later submit an Electronic Offer at a price higher than that set forth in the withdrawn Electronic Offer. (6) Failure of the E-Procurement System. In the event of a failure of the Contracting Agency's Electronic Procurement System that interferes with the ability of Persons to submit Electronic Offers, protest or to otherwise participate in the Procurement, the Contracting Agency may cancel the Procurement in accordance with OAR 137-047-0660, or may extend the date and time for receipt of Electronic Offers by providing notice of the extension immediately after the Electronic Procurement System becomes available. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 279A.065 & 279B.055 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 279A.065 History: DOJ 19-2007, f. 12-28-07, cert. ef. 1-1-08 DOJ 20-2005, f. 12-27-05, cert. ef. 1-1-06 DOJ 11-2004, f. 9-1-04, cert. ef. 3-1-05