B-124341, JUN. 24, 1955
Highlights
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 15. WAS SO MUCH LESS THAN THE THREE OTHER BIDS OF $148.76. YOU PROPERLY TOOK NOTICE OF THE PROBABILITY THAT THE BID PRICE WAS ERRONEOUS AND. THE COMPANY ADVISED THAT AN ERROR WAS MADE AND THAT ITS BID SHOULD READ $99.50 EACH FOR THE TABLES EQUIPPED WITH TRIPODS WHICH IT OFFERED TO FURNISH. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TABLE WHICH WAS OFFERED BY THE BIDDER. REVEALS THAT THE LIST PRICE OF THE PLANE TABLE ALONE WITHOUT THE TRIPOD IS $25 EACH. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE COMPANY MADE A BONA FIDE ERROR IN ITS BID AS ALLEGED. SINCE YOU BELIEVED THE BID WAS ERRONEOUS AND SINCE SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED BY THE COMPANY PRIOR TO AWARD.
B-124341, JUN. 24, 1955
TO MR. DONNELL F. WEBB, CONTRACTING OFFICER, SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 15, 1955, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO A BID SUBMITTED BY THE FREDERICK POST COMPANY IN RESPONSE TO INVITATION NO. 15- 55 IN VIEW OF THE BIDDER'S ALLEGATION OF ERROR.
SINCE THE COMPANY'S BID OF $50 FOR THE TWO DRAWING BOARD PLANE TABLES OF THE TYPE OFFERED UNDER ITEM NO. 5, EQUIPPED WITH TRIPODS AS CALLED FOR, WAS SO MUCH LESS THAN THE THREE OTHER BIDS OF $148.76, $154.70 AND $220 RECEIVED FOR THE ITEM, YOU PROPERLY TOOK NOTICE OF THE PROBABILITY THAT THE BID PRICE WAS ERRONEOUS AND, BY TELEGRAM DATED JUNE 13, 1955, REQUESTED A CONFIRMATION THEREOF. BY TELEGRAPHIC REPLY OF THE SAME DATE, THE COMPANY ADVISED THAT AN ERROR WAS MADE AND THAT ITS BID SHOULD READ $99.50 EACH FOR THE TABLES EQUIPPED WITH TRIPODS WHICH IT OFFERED TO FURNISH. MOREOVER, YOU STATE THAT A CHECK OF A PRICE LIST DATED MARCH 1, 1951, ISSUED BY THE DAVID WHITE COMPANY, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TABLE WHICH WAS OFFERED BY THE BIDDER, REVEALS THAT THE LIST PRICE OF THE PLANE TABLE ALONE WITHOUT THE TRIPOD IS $25 EACH.
ON THE BASIS OF THE FACTS OF RECORD, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE COMPANY MADE A BONA FIDE ERROR IN ITS BID AS ALLEGED. ACCORDINGLY, SINCE YOU BELIEVED THE BID WAS ERRONEOUS AND SINCE SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED BY THE COMPANY PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID OF THE FREDERICK POST COMPANY SHOULD BE DISREGARDED.
THE COMPANY'S BID DATED MAY 31, 1955, AND TELEGRAM DATED JUNE 13, 1955, ARE RETURNED AS ..END :