A. INSTRUCTIONS TO TENDERERS  guideline. This means that when an expert is technically acceptable on a particular criterion  (when he/she fulfils the requirement for that criterion as it is described in the ToRs), 80% of the  maximum score foreseen for that criterion will be allocated. If the expert exceeds the  requirement described in the Tors for that criterion, a percentage between 81 and 100% of the  maximum score foreseen for that criterion will be allocated, depending on by how much the  expert exceeds the requirement. If the expert’s experience goes below the requirement  described in ToRs for that criterion he/she will be scored accordingly, a percentage below 80%  will be allocated, depending on by how much the expert’s experience is below the requirement.  Only offers that achieve a score of 80 or more are declared 'technically accepted'. Any tender  falling short of the 80-points threshold will be automatically rejected.  Out of the tenders reaching the 80-point threshold, the best technical offer is awarded 100  points. The others receive points calculated using the following formula:  Technical score = (final score of the technical offer in question/final score of the best technical  offer) x 100.  As part of the technical evaluation, after the assessment of the technical proposals, the  Evaluation Committee shall interview the team leader proposed in the tenders that achieved  80% or more from the maximum score allocated to the Organisation and Methodology and Key  Experts. The interview shall be conducted by video conference at the dates mentioned in the timetable in  section 3. The exact date and time of these interviews will be confirmed or notified to the  tenderer at least 7 days in advance. If a tenderer is unable to participate in an interview by force  majeure, a mutually convenient alternative date and time is arranged with the tenderer. If the  tenderer is unable to participate in this second scheduled time, its tender will be eliminated from  the evaluation process.  Upon completion of the technical evaluation, the envelopes containing the financial offers for  tenders that were not eliminated during the technical evaluation will be opened (i.e. those with  an average score of 80 points or more).  Tenders exceeding the maximum budget available  for the contract are unacceptable and will be eliminated.  The tender with the lowest price offered receives 100 points. The others are awarded points by  means of the following formula:  Financial score = lowest price / price of the tender being considered) x 100.  Any arithmetical errors are corrected without penalty to the tenderer such that, if there is a  discrepancy between a unit rate and the total amount derived from multiplying the unit rate by  the corresponding quantity, the rate as quoted must prevail, unless the opinion of the Evaluation  Committee contains an obvious error in the unit rate, in which event the total amount as quoted  must prevail and the unit rate must be corrected.  The best price-quality ratio is established by weighing technical quality against price on an 80/20  basis.  This is done by adding:  - the technical scores awarded to the technical offers multiplied by 0.80 and  - the financial scores awarded to the financial offers multiplied by 0.20.  The entire evaluation procedure is confidential. The Evaluation Committee's decisions are  collective and its deliberations are held in closed session. The members of the Evaluation  Page 9 of 12 AA-000799-002_TAINSTRUCT  17. Confidentiality  16. Choice of selected tenderer 15.4. Evaluation of financial offers  15.3 interviews 