Protest of IFB Cancellation

Uni-Con Floors, Inc. protested the cancellation of an invitation for bids (IFB) calling for repairs of Naval family housing units. Prior to the bid opening date, Uni-Con Floors, Inc. complained to the contracting officer that the IFB provided for a single lump sum bid and lacked a provision for bidding on the two items listed in the drawing note. The contracting officer took no action on the complaint. At bid opening, it was apparent that the bidders had been confused by the failure of the IFB to provide for bids for all work items, and the Navy canceled the solicitation. Uni-Con Floors, Inc. protested that it should have received the award as the low responsive bidder and objected that the exposure of the bid prices would give bidders a chance to change their prices. The protest was denied because a compelling reason existed to reject all bids and readvertise where evidence showed that the ambiguity in the IFB affected the bidding. Although the Navy could have avoided this protest and the exposure of the bid prices had it heeded the protester's initial warnings, under the circumstances which existed after bid opening, the cancellation of the IFB was proper.