Cap.22:23 Pusuc PROCUREMENT AND DISPOSAL OF Pusuc AssETs No.S/2017 Provided that in no case shall the reduction in scope affect the technical specifications required by the bidding documents. 53 Confidentiality A procuring entity shall take all necessary steps to ensure that information relating to(a) (b) the content of pre-qualification applications and bids; or the examination, clarification, evaluation and comparison of bids; is not disclosed to suppliers, contractors, service providers or consultants or to any other person not officially involved in the examination, evaluation, comparison or acceptance of bids. 54 Special Procurement Oversight Committee for certain especially sensitive or especially valuable contracts (l)In this section"Accountant-General" means the person appointed as such in terms of section 9 of the Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19] (No. ll of 1999); "especially sensitive", in relation to a procurement contract or exempted contract, means a contract of such a nature or description as may be prescribed or as the Minister may indicate in writing to the Committee, being one that has or may have a significant impact(a) upon the national economy or the economic interests of the State; or (b) in the sphere of(i) the State's foreign or international relations, or (ii) the public interest, national defence or national security; "especially valuable", in relation to a procurement contract or exempted contract, means a procurement contract whose threshold exceeds by a prescribed margin any established prescribed threshold above which certain procurement proceedings may be applied under this Act; "exempted contract" means a contract in the nature of a procurement contract involving the expenditure of public funds or the use of State resources that is exempted from the scope of this Act by virtue of section 3(2), (3), (6) or (7); "Principal Director Public Works" means the person employed as such in the Ministry responsible for public works; "procurement contract by a joint venture" means a contract referred to in section 100 (5) (c); "procurement record" means the record of procurement proceedings kept in terms section 69; "responsible officer", in relation to the State party to an exempted contract, means the accounting officer of the Ministry or entity as defined in Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19] (No. 11 of 1999) or other person who is empowered to sign the contract on behalf of the State; "Special Procurement Oversight Committee" or "Committee" means the committee constituted in terms of subsection (2); "scrutinise", in relation to the scrutinising by the Committee of the proposed awardof(a) a procurement contract, means to ensure71