Contract number: EEAS-618-DELBRBB-SER-FWC-2019   Template of June 2018 Updated November 2018  II.16.2. Procedure  II.16.3. Claims and liability  II.17.1. Suspension by the contractor  II.17. SUSPENSION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FWC  II.17.2. Suspension by the contracting authority  The contracting authority must  formally notify the contractor of its intention to reduce  payment and the corresponding calculated amount. The contractor has 30 days following the date of receipt to submit observations. Failing that,  the decision becomes enforceable the day after the time limit for submitting observations has  elapsed. If the contractor submits observations, the contracting authority, taking into account the  relevant observations, must  notify  the contractor: (a) of the withdrawal of its intention to reduce payment; or (b) of its final decision to reduce payment and the corresponding amount,. Any reduction in price does not affect the contractor’s actual or potential liability or the  contracting authority’s rights under Article II.18.  If the contractor is affected by  force majeure , it may suspend the provision of the services  under a specific contract.  The contractor must immediately  notify the contracting authority of the suspension. The  notification must include a description of the  force majeure and state when the contractor  expects to resume the provision of services.  The contractor must  notify the contracting authority as soon as it is able to resume  performance of the specific contract , unless the contracting authority has already terminated  the FWC or the specific contract.  The contracting authority may suspend the  implementation of the FWC  or  performance of a  specific contract  or any part of it:  (a) if the procedure for awarding the FWC or a specific contract or the  implementation of the  FWC  proves to have been subject to  substantial errors ,  irregularities  or  fraud ; (b) in order to verify whether the presumed  substantial errors ,  irregularities or  fraud actually occurred. The contracting authority must  formally notify  the contractor of the suspension. Suspension  takes effect on the date of  formal notification , or at a later date if the  formal notification  so  provides. 28 