V konkurenčnem dialogu in postopkih s pogajanji po predhodni objavi se lahko zaradi prilagodljivosti — ki se mogoče zahteva, in visokih stroškov, povezanih s temi načini javnega naročanja — naročniki upravičeni določiti postopek, ki ga je treba izvesti v zaporednih fazah, da bi se na podlagi prej navedenih meril za oddajo naročila postopno zmanjšalo število ponudnikov, s katerimi bodo nadaljevali razgovore ali pogajanja.
In the competitive dialogue and negotiated procedures with publication of a contract notice, in view of the flexibility which may be required and the high level of costs associated with such methods of procurement, contracting authorities should be entitled to make provision for the procedure to be conducted in successive stages in order gradually to reduce, on the basis of previously indicated contract award criteria, the number of tenders which they will go on to discuss or negotiate.