Contract number: [ complete ]  Service contract conditions of December 2018  The contractor bears the cost of providing such guarantee.  Pre-financing guarantees must remain in force until the pre-financing is cleared against  interim payments or payment of the balance. Where the payment of the balance takes the form  of a debit note, the pre-financing guarantee must remain in force for three months after the  debit note is sent to the contractor. The contracting authority must release the guarantee  within the following month. Performance guarantees cover compliance with substantial contractual obligations until the  contracting authority has given its final approval for the service. The performance guarantee  must not exceed 10 % of the total price of the contract. The contracting authority must release  the guarantee fully after final approval of the service, as provided for in the contract. Retention money guarantees cover full delivery of the service in accordance with the contract  including during the contract liability period and until its final approval by the contracting  authority. The retention money guarantee must not exceed 10 % of the total price of the  contract. The contracting authority must release the guarantee after the expiry of the contract  liability period as provided for in the contract.  The contracting authority must not request a retention money guarantee where it has  requested a performance guarantee. The contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) must send an invoice for interim  payment, as provided for in Article I.5 or in the tender specifications. The contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) must send an invoice for payment of the  balance within 60 days of the end of the period of provision of the services, as provided for in  Article I.5 or in the tender specifications. Payment of the invoice and approval of documents does not imply recognition of the  regularity, authenticity, completeness and correctness of the declarations and information they  contain. Payment of the balance may take the form of recovery. The contracting authority may suspend the payment periods specified in Article I.5 at any  time by  notifying  the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) that its invoice cannot  be processed. The reasons the contracting authority may cite for not being able to process an  invoice are:  The contracting authority must  notify  the contractor (or leader in the case of joint tender) as  soon as possible of any such suspension, giving the reasons for it. In cases b) and c) referred  above, the contracting authority shall notify the contractor (or leader in case of a joint tender)  34  (a) because it does not comply with the contract; (b) because the contractor has not produced the appropriate documents or deliverables; or (c) because the contracting authority has observations on the documents or deliverables  submitted with the invoice. Suspension of the time allowed for payment  II.21.7. Interim payments and payment of the balance  II.21.6.