diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/index.py b/src/pip/_internal/index.py
index b524c0605..ebaa95784 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/index.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/index.py
@@ -267,10 +267,12 @@ class CandidateEvaluator(object):
         self,
         valid_tags,          # type: List[Pep425Tag]
         prefer_binary=False,   # type: bool
+        allow_all_prereleases=False,  # type: bool
         py_version_info=None,  # type: Optional[Tuple[int, ...]]
     ):
         # type: (...) -> None
         """
+        :param allow_all_prereleases: Whether to allow all pre-releases.
         :param py_version_info: The Python version, as a 3-tuple of ints
             representing a major-minor-micro version, to use to check both
             the Python version embedded in the filename and the package's
@@ -291,20 +293,14 @@ class CandidateEvaluator(object):
         # CandidateEvaluator is generally instantiated only once per pip
         # invocation (when PackageFinder is instantiated).
         self._py_version_re = re.compile(r'-py([123]\.?[0-9]?)$')
-        # These are boring links that have already been logged somehow.
-        self._logged_links = set()  # type: Set[Link]
 
-    def _log_skipped_link(self, link, reason):
-        # type: (Link, str) -> None
-        if link not in self._logged_links:
-            logger.debug('Skipping link %s; %s', link, reason)
-            self._logged_links.add(link)
+        self.allow_all_prereleases = allow_all_prereleases
 
     def _is_wheel_supported(self, wheel):
         # type: (Wheel) -> bool
         return wheel.supported(self._valid_tags)
 
-    def _evaluate_link(self, link, search):
+    def evaluate_link(self, link, search):
         # type: (Link, Search) -> Tuple[bool, Optional[str]]
         """
         Determine whether a link is a candidate for installation.
@@ -365,35 +361,53 @@ class CandidateEvaluator(object):
         except specifiers.InvalidSpecifier:
             logger.debug("Package %s has an invalid Requires-Python entry: %s",
                          link.filename, link.requires_python)
-            support_this_python = True
-
-        if not support_this_python:
-            logger.debug("The package %s is incompatible with the python "
-                         "version in use. Acceptable python versions are: %s",
-                         link, link.requires_python)
-            # Return None for the reason text to suppress calling
-            # _log_skipped_link().
-            return (False, None)
+        else:
+            if not support_this_python:
+                logger.debug(
+                    "The package %s is incompatible with the python "
+                    "version in use. Acceptable python versions are: %s",
+                    link, link.requires_python,
+                )
+                # Return None for the reason text to suppress calling
+                # _log_skipped_link().
+                return (False, None)
 
         logger.debug('Found link %s, version: %s', link, version)
 
         return (True, version)
 
-    def get_install_candidate(self, link, search):
-        # type: (Link, Search) -> Optional[InstallationCandidate]
+    def make_found_candidates(
+        self,
+        candidates,      # type: List[InstallationCandidate]
+        specifier=None,  # type: Optional[specifiers.BaseSpecifier]
+    ):
+        # type: (...) -> FoundCandidates
         """
-        If the link is a candidate for install, convert it to an
-        InstallationCandidate and return it. Otherwise, return None.
-        """
-        is_candidate, result = self._evaluate_link(link, search=search)
-        if not is_candidate:
-            if result:
-                self._log_skipped_link(link, reason=result)
-            return None
+        Create and return a `FoundCandidates` instance.
 
-        return InstallationCandidate(
-            search.supplied, location=link, version=result,
-        )
+        :param specifier: An optional object implementing `filter`
+            (e.g. `packaging.specifiers.SpecifierSet`) to filter applicable
+            versions.
+        """
+        if specifier is None:
+            specifier = specifiers.SpecifierSet()
+
+        # Using None infers from the specifier instead.
+        allow_prereleases = self.allow_all_prereleases or None
+        versions = {
+            str(v) for v in specifier.filter(
+                # We turn the version object into a str here because otherwise
+                # when we're debundled but setuptools isn't, Python will see
+                # packaging.version.Version and
+                # pkg_resources._vendor.packaging.version.Version as different
+                # types. This way we'll use a str as a common data interchange
+                # format. If we stop using the pkg_resources provided specifier
+                # and start using our own, we can drop the cast to str().
+                (str(c.version) for c in candidates),
+                prereleases=allow_prereleases,
+            )
+        }
+        return FoundCandidates(candidates, versions=versions, evaluator=self)
 
     def _sort_key(self, candidate):
         # type: (InstallationCandidate) -> CandidateSortingKey
@@ -447,17 +461,8 @@ class CandidateEvaluator(object):
 class FoundCandidates(object):
     """A collection of candidates, returned by `PackageFinder.find_candidates`.
 
-    This class is only intended to be instantiated by PackageFinder through
-    the `from_specifier()` constructor.
-
-    Arguments:
-
-    * `candidates`: A sequence of all available candidates found.
-    * `specifier`: Specifier to filter applicable versions.
-    * `prereleases`: Whether prereleases should be accounted. Pass None to
-        infer from the specifier.
-    * `evaluator`: A CandidateEvaluator object to sort applicable candidates
-        by order of preference.
+    This class is only intended to be instantiated by CandidateEvaluator's
+    `make_found_candidates()` method.
     """
 
     def __init__(
@@ -467,34 +472,17 @@ class FoundCandidates(object):
         evaluator,      # type: CandidateEvaluator
     ):
         # type: (...) -> None
+        """
+        :param candidates: A sequence of all available candidates found.
+        :param versions: The applicable versions to filter applicable
+            candidates.
+        :param evaluator: A CandidateEvaluator object to sort applicable
+            candidates by order of preference.
+        """
         self._candidates = candidates
         self._evaluator = evaluator
         self._versions = versions
 
-    @classmethod
-    def from_specifier(
-        cls,
-        candidates,     # type: List[InstallationCandidate]
-        specifier,      # type: specifiers.BaseSpecifier
-        prereleases,    # type: Optional[bool]
-        evaluator,      # type: CandidateEvaluator
-    ):
-        # type: (...) -> FoundCandidates
-        versions = {
-            str(v) for v in specifier.filter(
-                # We turn the version object into a str here because otherwise
-                # when we're debundled but setuptools isn't, Python will see
-                # packaging.version.Version and
-                # pkg_resources._vendor.packaging.version.Version as different
-                # types. This way we'll use a str as a common data interchange
-                # format. If we stop using the pkg_resources provided specifier
-                # and start using our own, we can drop the cast to str().
-                (str(c.version) for c in candidates),
-                prereleases=prereleases,
-            )
-        }
-        return cls(candidates, versions, evaluator)
-
     def iter_all(self):
         # type: () -> Iterable[InstallationCandidate]
         """Iterate through all candidates.
@@ -532,7 +520,6 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
         index_urls,  # type: List[str]
         secure_origins,  # type: List[SecureOrigin]
         session,  # type: PipSession
-        allow_all_prereleases=False,  # type: bool
         format_control=None,  # type: Optional[FormatControl]
     ):
         # type: (...) -> None
@@ -542,7 +529,6 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
 
         :param candidate_evaluator: A CandidateEvaluator object.
         :param session: The Session to use to make requests.
-        :param allow_all_prereleases: Whether to allow all pre-releases.
         :param format_control: A FormatControl object, used to control
             the selection of source packages / binary packages when consulting
             the index and links.
@@ -554,9 +540,11 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
         self.index_urls = index_urls
         self.secure_origins = secure_origins
         self.session = session
-        self.allow_all_prereleases = allow_all_prereleases
         self.format_control = format_control
 
+        # These are boring links that have already been logged somehow.
+        self._logged_links = set()  # type: Set[Link]
+
     @classmethod
     def create(
         cls,
@@ -628,6 +616,7 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
         )
         candidate_evaluator = CandidateEvaluator(
             valid_tags=valid_tags, prefer_binary=prefer_binary,
+            allow_all_prereleases=allow_all_prereleases,
         )
 
         # If we don't have TLS enabled, then WARN if anyplace we're looking
@@ -649,10 +638,18 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
             index_urls=index_urls,
             secure_origins=secure_origins,
             session=session,
-            allow_all_prereleases=allow_all_prereleases,
             format_control=format_control,
         )
 
+    @property
+    def allow_all_prereleases(self):
+        # type: () -> bool
+        return self.candidate_evaluator.allow_all_prereleases
+
+    def set_allow_all_prereleases(self):
+        # type: () -> None
+        self.candidate_evaluator.allow_all_prereleases = True
+
     def get_formatted_locations(self):
         # type: () -> str
         lines = []
@@ -829,7 +826,7 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
         This checks index_urls and find_links.
         All versions found are returned as an InstallationCandidate list.
 
-        See CandidateEvaluator._evaluate_link() for details on which files
+        See CandidateEvaluator.evaluate_link() for details on which files
         are accepted.
         """
         index_locations = self._get_index_urls_locations(project_name)
@@ -895,20 +892,18 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
         project_name,       # type: str
         specifier=None,     # type: Optional[specifiers.BaseSpecifier]
     ):
+        # type: (...) -> FoundCandidates
         """Find matches for the given project and specifier.
 
-        If given, `specifier` should implement `filter` to allow version
-        filtering (e.g. ``packaging.specifiers.SpecifierSet``).
+        :param specifier: An optional object implementing `filter`
+            (e.g. `packaging.specifiers.SpecifierSet`) to filter applicable
+            versions.
 
-        Returns a `FoundCandidates` instance.
+        :return: A `FoundCandidates` instance.
         """
-        if specifier is None:
-            specifier = specifiers.SpecifierSet()
-        return FoundCandidates.from_specifier(
-            self.find_all_candidates(project_name),
-            specifier=specifier,
-            prereleases=(self.allow_all_prereleases or None),
-            evaluator=self.candidate_evaluator,
+        candidates = self.find_all_candidates(project_name)
+        return self.candidate_evaluator.make_found_candidates(
+            candidates, specifier=specifier,
         )
 
     def find_requirement(self, req, upgrade):
@@ -1022,6 +1017,30 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
                     no_eggs.append(link)
         return no_eggs + eggs
 
+    def _log_skipped_link(self, link, reason):
+        # type: (Link, str) -> None
+        if link not in self._logged_links:
+            logger.debug('Skipping link %s; %s', link, reason)
+            self._logged_links.add(link)
+
+    def get_install_candidate(self, link, search):
+        # type: (Link, Search) -> Optional[InstallationCandidate]
+        """
+        If the link is a candidate for install, convert it to an
+        InstallationCandidate and return it. Otherwise, return None.
+        """
+        is_candidate, result = (
+            self.candidate_evaluator.evaluate_link(link, search=search)
+        )
+        if not is_candidate:
+            if result:
+                self._log_skipped_link(link, reason=result)
+            return None
+
+        return InstallationCandidate(
+            search.supplied, location=link, version=result,
+        )
+
     def _package_versions(
         self,
         links,  # type: Iterable[Link]
@@ -1030,8 +1049,7 @@ class PackageFinder(object):
         # type: (...) -> List[InstallationCandidate]
         result = []
         for link in self._sort_links(links):
-            candidate = self.candidate_evaluator.get_install_candidate(
-                link, search)
+            candidate = self.get_install_candidate(link, search=search)
             if candidate is not None:
                 result.append(candidate)
         return result
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_file.py b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_file.py
index 270b75cd1..f9b4f6f19 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_file.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_file.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def process_line(
                 value = relative_to_reqs_file
             finder.find_links.append(value)
         if opts.pre:
-            finder.allow_all_prereleases = True
+            finder.set_allow_all_prereleases()
         if opts.trusted_hosts:
             finder.secure_origins.extend(
                 ("*", host, "*") for host in opts.trusted_hosts)
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/__init__.py b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/__init__.py
index 60862f05f..317a15c33 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/__init__.py
@@ -376,8 +376,7 @@ class VersionControl(object):
         """
         return (cls.normalize_url(url1) == cls.normalize_url(url2))
 
-    @classmethod
-    def fetch_new(cls, dest, url, rev_options):
+    def fetch_new(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         """
         Fetch a revision from a repository, in the case that this is the
         first fetch from the repository.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/bazaar.py b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/bazaar.py
index aed74dff9..f7ea24c09 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/bazaar.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/bazaar.py
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ class Bazaar(VersionControl):
             show_stdout=False,
         )
 
-    @classmethod
-    def fetch_new(cls, dest, url, rev_options):
+    def fetch_new(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         rev_display = rev_options.to_display()
         logger.info(
             'Checking out %s%s to %s',
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ class Bazaar(VersionControl):
             display_path(dest),
         )
         cmd_args = ['branch', '-q'] + rev_options.to_args() + [url, dest]
-        cls.run_command(cmd_args)
+        self.run_command(cmd_args)
 
     def switch(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         self.run_command(['switch', url], cwd=dest)
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/git.py b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/git.py
index 83e7c9ca8..e27ed4700 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/git.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/git.py
@@ -180,36 +180,35 @@ class Git(VersionControl):
 
         return cls.get_revision(dest) == name
 
-    @classmethod
-    def fetch_new(cls, dest, url, rev_options):
+    def fetch_new(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         rev_display = rev_options.to_display()
         logger.info(
             'Cloning %s%s to %s', redact_password_from_url(url),
             rev_display, display_path(dest),
         )
-        cls.run_command(['clone', '-q', url, dest])
+        self.run_command(['clone', '-q', url, dest])
 
         if rev_options.rev:
             # Then a specific revision was requested.
-            rev_options = cls.resolve_revision(dest, url, rev_options)
+            rev_options = self.resolve_revision(dest, url, rev_options)
             branch_name = getattr(rev_options, 'branch_name', None)
             if branch_name is None:
                 # Only do a checkout if the current commit id doesn't match
                 # the requested revision.
-                if not cls.is_commit_id_equal(dest, rev_options.rev):
+                if not self.is_commit_id_equal(dest, rev_options.rev):
                     cmd_args = ['checkout', '-q'] + rev_options.to_args()
-                    cls.run_command(cmd_args, cwd=dest)
-            elif cls.get_current_branch(dest) != branch_name:
+                    self.run_command(cmd_args, cwd=dest)
+            elif self.get_current_branch(dest) != branch_name:
                 # Then a specific branch was requested, and that branch
                 # is not yet checked out.
                 track_branch = 'origin/{}'.format(branch_name)
                 cmd_args = [
                     'checkout', '-b', branch_name, '--track', track_branch,
                 ]
-                cls.run_command(cmd_args, cwd=dest)
+                self.run_command(cmd_args, cwd=dest)
 
         #: repo may contain submodules
-        cls.update_submodules(dest)
+        self.update_submodules(dest)
 
     def switch(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         self.run_command(['config', 'remote.origin.url', url], cwd=dest)
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/mercurial.py b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/mercurial.py
index e14bdd666..5f87ce834 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/mercurial.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/mercurial.py
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ class Mercurial(VersionControl):
                 ['archive', location], show_stdout=False, cwd=temp_dir.path
             )
 
-    @classmethod
-    def fetch_new(cls, dest, url, rev_options):
+    def fetch_new(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         rev_display = rev_options.to_display()
         logger.info(
             'Cloning hg %s%s to %s',
@@ -41,9 +40,9 @@ class Mercurial(VersionControl):
             rev_display,
             display_path(dest),
         )
-        cls.run_command(['clone', '--noupdate', '-q', url, dest])
+        self.run_command(['clone', '--noupdate', '-q', url, dest])
         cmd_args = ['update', '-q'] + rev_options.to_args()
-        cls.run_command(cmd_args, cwd=dest)
+        self.run_command(cmd_args, cwd=dest)
 
     def switch(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         repo_config = os.path.join(dest, self.dirname, 'hgrc')
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/subversion.py b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/subversion.py
index ac8cf0ab1..407875c91 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/vcs/subversion.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/vcs/subversion.py
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ class Subversion(VersionControl):
                         rev_options.to_args() + [url, location])
             self.run_command(cmd_args, show_stdout=False)
 
-    @classmethod
-    def fetch_new(cls, dest, url, rev_options):
+    def fetch_new(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         rev_display = rev_options.to_display()
         logger.info(
             'Checking out %s%s to %s',
@@ -62,9 +61,9 @@ class Subversion(VersionControl):
             display_path(dest),
         )
         cmd_args = (['checkout', '-q'] +
-                    Subversion().get_remote_call_options() +
+                    self.get_remote_call_options() +
                     rev_options.to_args() + [url, dest])
-        cls.run_command(cmd_args)
+        self.run_command(cmd_args)
 
     def switch(self, dest, url, rev_options):
         cmd_args = (['switch'] + self.get_remote_call_options() +
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_finder.py b/tests/unit/test_finder.py
index 7a0035f92..d8f40e0dd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_finder.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_finder.py
@@ -470,20 +470,16 @@ class TestCandidateEvaluator(object):
         lambda x: Distribution(project_name='setuptools', version='0.9')
     )
     def setup(self):
-        self.version = '1.0'
         self.search_name = 'pytest'
         self.canonical_name = 'pytest'
         valid_tags = pip._internal.pep425tags.get_supported()
         self.evaluator = CandidateEvaluator(valid_tags=valid_tags)
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-        'url',
-        [
-            'http:/yo/pytest-1.0.tar.gz',
-            'http:/yo/pytest-1.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl',
-        ],
-    )
-    def test_evaluate_link__match(self, url):
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('url, expected_version', [
+        ('http:/yo/pytest-1.0.tar.gz', '1.0'),
+        ('http:/yo/pytest-1.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl', '1.0'),
+    ])
+    def test_evaluate_link__match(self, url, expected_version):
         """Test that 'pytest' archives match for 'pytest'"""
         link = Link(url)
         search = Search(
@@ -491,20 +487,18 @@ class TestCandidateEvaluator(object):
             canonical=self.canonical_name,
             formats=['source', 'binary'],
         )
-        result = self.evaluator.get_install_candidate(link, search)
-        expected = InstallationCandidate(self.search_name, self.version, link)
-        assert result == expected, result
+        actual = self.evaluator.evaluate_link(link, search)
+        assert actual == (True, expected_version)
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-        'url',
-        [
-            # TODO: Uncomment this test case when #1217 is fixed.
-            # 'http:/yo/pytest-xdist-1.0.tar.gz',
-            'http:/yo/pytest2-1.0.tar.gz',
-            'http:/yo/pytest_xdist-1.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl',
-        ],
-    )
-    def test_evaluate_link__substring_fails(self, url):
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('url, expected_msg', [
+        # TODO: Uncomment this test case when #1217 is fixed.
+        # 'http:/yo/pytest-xdist-1.0.tar.gz',
+        ('http:/yo/pytest2-1.0.tar.gz',
+         'Missing project version for pytest'),
+        ('http:/yo/pytest_xdist-1.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl',
+         'wrong project name (not pytest)'),
+    ])
+    def test_evaluate_link__substring_fails(self, url, expected_msg):
         """Test that 'pytest<something> archives won't match for 'pytest'."""
         link = Link(url)
         search = Search(
@@ -512,8 +506,8 @@ class TestCandidateEvaluator(object):
             canonical=self.canonical_name,
             formats=['source', 'binary'],
         )
-        result = self.evaluator.get_install_candidate(link, search)
-        assert result is None, result
+        actual = self.evaluator.evaluate_link(link, search)
+        assert actual == (False, expected_msg)
 
 
 def test_get_index_urls_locations():