diff --git a/packages/component-fixture-manager/src/fixtures/collections.js b/packages/component-fixture-manager/src/fixtures/collections.js
index c6d401815491578a0262f7cb8cb06b2e3ed66c56..84583485feff68c50c532e4a5f4a396147177df2 100644
--- a/packages/component-fixture-manager/src/fixtures/collections.js
+++ b/packages/component-fixture-manager/src/fixtures/collections.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const collections = {
     type: 'collection',
     fragments: [fragment.id],
     owners: [user.id],
-    save: jest.fn(),
+    save: jest.fn(() => collections.collection),
     invitations: [
       {
         id: chance.guid(),
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ const collections = {
     technicalChecks: {
       token: chance.guid(),
     },
+    status: 'pendingApproval',
   },
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js
index 37010631d8164ca49b2692580a63ba4330385d97..f67754387a6deef1b7dd8f2d93f31221c7bd52d5 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 const uuid = require('uuid')
-const { pick, get, set } = require('lodash')
+const { pick, get, set, has } = require('lodash')
 const config = require('config')
 const { v4 } = require('uuid')
 
@@ -98,6 +98,19 @@ module.exports = models => async (req, res) => {
       await collection.save()
     }
 
+    /* if the EiC returns the manuscript to the HE after the EQA has been performed
+       then remove all properties from the technicalChecks property so that the manuscript
+       can go through the EQA process again
+    */
+    if (
+      isEditorInChief &&
+      recommendation === 'return-to-handling-editor' &&
+      has(collection.technicalChecks, 'hasEQA')
+    ) {
+      collection.technicalChecks = {}
+      await collection.save()
+    }
+
     notifications.sendNotifications({
       hasEQA,
       fragment,
diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/technicalChecks/notifications/notifications.js b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/technicalChecks/notifications/notifications.js
index 5102aff7e058007aee527163380e23ddd43f2ba7..bff64b56eeed319129822fdad32cdd6a1faf8150 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/technicalChecks/notifications/notifications.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/technicalChecks/notifications/notifications.js
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@ module.exports = {
       handlingEditor: collection.handlingEditor,
     })
 
-    const { authors, submittingAuthor } = await fragmentHelper.getAuthorData({
+    const {
+      activeAuthors: authors,
+      submittingAuthor,
+    } = await fragmentHelper.getAuthorData({
       UserModel,
     })
 
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ module.exports = {
     if (isEQA && agree) {
       const eicName = await userHelper.getEiCName()
       email.content.signatureName = eicName
+
       sendAuthorsEmail({
         email,
         baseUrl,
diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/fragmentsRecommendations/post.test.js b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/fragmentsRecommendations/post.test.js
index 0f0f048e62835ecbd5d6c9df1f36ad3de740b183..686124cb9518df27b9c722fae0f645c764a4d415 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/fragmentsRecommendations/post.test.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/fragmentsRecommendations/post.test.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const chance = new Chance()
 jest.mock('@pubsweet/component-send-email', () => ({
   send: jest.fn(),
 }))
+jest.mock('pubsweet-component-mts-package')
 
 const reqBody = {
   recommendation: 'accept',
@@ -206,4 +207,129 @@ describe('Post fragments recommendations route handler', () => {
     const data = JSON.parse(res._getData())
     expect(data.error).toEqual('Unauthorized.')
   })
+  it('should return success when the EiC recommends to reject without peer review', async () => {
+    const { editorInChief } = testFixtures.users
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    const { fragment } = testFixtures.fragments
+    body.recommendation = 'reject'
+    body.recommendationType = 'editorRecommendation'
+
+    delete fragment.recommendations
+    delete fragment.revision
+    delete fragment.invitations
+    delete collection.invitations
+    delete collection.handlingEditor
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      userId: editorInChief.id,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+        fragmentId: fragment.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+    const data = JSON.parse(res._getData())
+
+    expect(data.userId).toEqual(editorInChief.id)
+    expect(data.recommendation).toBe('reject')
+  })
+  it('should return success when the EiC recommends to publish without EQA', async () => {
+    const { editorInChief } = testFixtures.users
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    const { fragment } = testFixtures.fragments
+    body.recommendation = 'publish'
+    body.recommendationType = 'editorRecommendation'
+    delete collection.technicalChecks
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      userId: editorInChief.id,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+        fragmentId: fragment.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+    const data = JSON.parse(res._getData())
+
+    expect(collection.status).toBe('inQA')
+    expect(collection.technicalChecks).toHaveProperty('hasEQA')
+    expect(collection.technicalChecks.hasEQA).toBeFalsy()
+    expect(data.userId).toEqual(editorInChief.id)
+    expect(data.recommendation).toBe('publish')
+  })
+  it('should return success when the EiC recommends to publish with EQA accepted', async () => {
+    const { editorInChief } = testFixtures.users
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    const { fragment } = testFixtures.fragments
+    body.recommendation = 'publish'
+    body.recommendationType = 'editorRecommendation'
+
+    collection.technicalChecks.hasEQA = true
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      userId: editorInChief.id,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+        fragmentId: fragment.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+    const data = JSON.parse(res._getData())
+
+    expect(collection.status).toBe('accepted')
+    expect(data.userId).toEqual(editorInChief.id)
+    expect(data.recommendation).toBe('publish')
+  })
+  it('should return success when the EiC returns the manuscript to HE with comments after EQA returned to EiC', async () => {
+    const { editorInChief } = testFixtures.users
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    const { fragment } = testFixtures.fragments
+    body.recommendation = 'return-to-handling-editor'
+    body.recommendationType = 'editorRecommendation'
+    body.comments = 'This needs more work'
+
+    delete fragment.recommendations
+    delete fragment.revision
+    delete fragment.invitations
+    delete collection.invitations
+    delete collection.handlingEditor
+    collection.technicalChecks.hasEQA = false
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      userId: editorInChief.id,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+        fragmentId: fragment.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+    const data = JSON.parse(res._getData())
+
+    expect(collection.status).toBe('reviewCompleted')
+    expect(collection.technicalChecks).not.toHaveProperty('token')
+    expect(collection.technicalChecks).not.toHaveProperty('hasEQA')
+
+    expect(data.userId).toEqual(editorInChief.id)
+    expect(data.recommendation).toBe('return-to-handling-editor')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/technicalChecks/patch.test.js b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/technicalChecks/patch.test.js
index 37c2ca388c56320be9a1527db7aa22c6f310a002..f8b6ccd6bc92c2817aeb60b454c6347a7d6eb47b 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/technicalChecks/patch.test.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/tests/technicalChecks/patch.test.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ describe('Patch technical checks route handler', () => {
     models = Model.build(testFixtures)
   })
 
-  it('should return success when the parameters are correct', async () => {
+  it('should return success when the EQS is accepted', async () => {
     const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
     body.token = collection.technicalChecks.token
 
@@ -46,6 +46,62 @@ describe('Patch technical checks route handler', () => {
     expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
   })
 
+  it('should return success when the EQS is rejected', async () => {
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    body.token = collection.technicalChecks.token
+    body.agree = false
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+  })
+
+  it('should return success when the EQA is accepted', async () => {
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    body.token = collection.technicalChecks.token
+    body.step = 'eqa'
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+  })
+
+  it('should return success when the EQA is returned with comments', async () => {
+    const { collection } = testFixtures.collections
+    body.token = collection.technicalChecks.token
+    body.agree = false
+    body.step = 'eqa'
+    body.comments = 'suspicion of plagiarism'
+
+    const res = await requests.sendRequest({
+      body,
+      models,
+      route,
+      path,
+      params: {
+        collectionId: collection.id,
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+  })
+
   it('should return an error when the collection does not exist', async () => {
     const res = await requests.sendRequest({
       body,