Contract number: [ complete ]  Service contract conditions of December 2018  (b) of its final decision to reduce payment and the corresponding amount. (a) it is lifting the suspension; or  (b) it intends to terminate the contract under Article II.18.1(f) or (j).  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  performance of the 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  performance of the contract . The contractor must  notify  the contracting authority as soon as it is able to resume  performance of the contract , unless the contracting authority has already terminated the  contract.  The contracting authority may suspend the  performance of the contract  or any part of it:  (a)  if the procedure for awarding the contract or the  performance of the contract  proves to  have been subject to  irregularities, fraud  or  breach of obligations ; (b) in order to verify whether the presumed  irregularities, fraud  or  breach of obligations have actually occurred. The contracting authority must  formally notify the contractor of the suspension and the  reasons for it. Suspension takes effect on the date of  formal notification , or at a later date if  the  formal notification  so provides. The contracting authority must  notify  the contractor as soon as the verification is completed  whether:  The contractor is not entitled to compensation for suspension of any part of the contract.  The contracting authority may in addition suspend the time allowed for payments in  accordance with Article II.21.7.  The contracting authority may terminate the contract in the following circumstances:  29  TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT  II.18. Grounds for termination by the contracting authority  II.18.1. Suspension by the contracting authority  II.17.2. Suspension by the contractor  II.17.1. SUSPENSION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CONTRACT  II.17. Claims and liability  II.16.3.