Article  I-6  Payment  Europol Public Information  b) The comparison group consists of at least 4 (four) enterprises where possible to ensure  statistical significance; c) The relevant comparison data must be guaranteed. 1. Payments under the  Framework Contract  shall be made in accordance with Article II-8 (“Payments  and guarantees”). The  Contractor  shall submit an invoice - in paper format/via e-System.  2. As of the  Contract Date of the  Framework Contract , the  Contractor may request a pre-financing  payment as and if indicated in the relevant  Specific Contract  or  Purchase Order , up to 30% of the  total amount payable under the  Specific Contract  or Purchase Order. The  Contractor must send  Europol an invoice for the pre-financing payment.  3. The  Contractor  must provide a financial guarantee 9  in the format provided by Europol at Annex V  equal to 30% of the total price of the  Specific Contract  or  Purchase Order . 4. Europol shall pay the pre-financing within 30 (thirty) days of receiving the invoice provided it has  received the guarantee.  Pre-financing  8 : (For  Purchase Order/Specific Contract  of EUR 300,000 or above only)  The  Benchmarking  should not exceed 4 (four) months. For the first Benchmarking, the comparison group is defined in a document entitled “Comparison  Group Definition”. Europol reserves the right to change the comparison group algorithm from time  to time. Europol and the Contractor will set aside sufficient time and resources for each stage of the  Benchmarking.  Europol and the Contractor may suggest changes in the parameters for Benchmarking  as the goods evolve over the term of the  Framework Contract . If a benchmarking reveals that charges are higher than the comparison group charges, the  Contractor must immediately reduce its charges to the comparison group level specified by the  benchmarker, with effect from the date of the addendum to the Contract. In the event the Contractor has not proposed an equivalent supply or reduced the price in line with  the benchmarker’s specification, Europol shall take appropriate measures to terminate the  Framework Contract in accordance with Article II-22 (“Termination”). The Contractor is not entitled  to any damages.  8. Except as specified in Article I-10 (“Specific provision related to Reimbursement of expenses for  travel and allowances expenses”) and I-11 (“Specific provision related to reimbursement of  expenses for shipment of Goods”) below, the Contractor is not entitled to other reimbursements  and may not charge Europol any other costs, expenses, etc. 8 Pre-financing will be applicable only, if requested by the Contractor and agreed in writing by Europol at its own discretion.  Pre-financing is exceptional and should be used only if/when justified. Under this  Framework Contract , no pre-financing will be  accepted by Europol if the value of the  Purchase Order  or the  Specific Contract  is below EUR 300,000. In addition, the amount  of the requested pre-financing must not exceed 30% of the total value of the  Purchase Order  or the  Specific Contract .  9  Following a request for pre-financing, a financial guarantee will be automatically requested. Financial guarantee will only be  admissible if the Contractor uses Europol’s financial guarantee model as provided for in the tender documentation and  attached as Annex VI to the  Framework Contract .  Page 10 of 79  Europol’s initials:  Contractor’s initials: 