text: **II.5.4. Validity and date of e-documents**
  
  1. The parties agree that any e-document, including related attachments exchanged 
  via*e-PRIOR*: 
  
  (a) is considered as equivalent to a paper document; 
  (b) is deemed to be the original of the document; 
  (c) is legally binding on the parties once an*e-PRIOR*authorised person has 
  
  performed the ‘sign’ action in*e-PRIOR*and has full legal effect; and 
  
  (d) constitutes evidence of the information contained in it and is admissible as 
  evidence in judicial proceedings. 
  
  2. The parties expressly waive any rights to contest the validity of such a document 
  solely on the grounds that communications between the parties occurred through 
  *e-PRIOR*or that the document has been signed through*e-PRIOR*. If a direct 
  connection is established between the parties’*back offices*to allow electronic 
  transfer of documents, the parties agree that an e-document, sent as mentioned in 
  the*interface control document*, qualifies as an*EDI message*. 
  
  3. If the e-document is dispatched through the*supplier portal*, it is deemed to have 
  been legally issued or sent when the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint 
  tender) is able to successfully submit the e-document without any error messages. 
  The generated PDF and XML document for the e-document are considered as a proof 
  of receipt by the contracting authority. 
  
  4. In the event that an e-document is dispatched using a direct connection established 
  between the parties’*back offices*, the e-document is deemed to have been legally 
  issued or sent when its status is ‘received’ as defined in the*interface control*
  *document*. 
  
  5. When using the*supplier portal*, the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint 
  tender) can download the PDF or XML message for each e-document for one year 
  after submission. After this period, copies of the e-documents are no longer 
  available for automatic download from the*supplier portal*. 