B-124383, JUN. 30, 1955
Highlights
PUBLIC PRINTER: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 21. THERE IS LITTLE. SINCE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER BELIEVED THAT THE BID WAS ERRONEOUS AND SINCE. SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED AND THE ERROR WAS EXPLAINED SATISFACTORILY PRIOR TO AWARD. ARE RETURNED.
B-124383, JUN. 30, 1955
TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 21, 1955, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER A BID DATED JUNE 14, 1955, SUBMITTED BY MOORE-ESSICK COMPANY ON JACKET NO. 345791 MAY BE DISREGARDED IN VIEW OF THE BIDDER'S ALLEGATION OF ERROR.
ON THE BASIS OF THE FACTS OF RECORD, THERE IS LITTLE, IF ANY, ROOM FOR DOUBT THAT THE COMPANY MADE A BONA FIDE ERROR IN ITS BID, AS ALLEGED. ACCORDINGLY, SINCE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER BELIEVED THAT THE BID WAS ERRONEOUS AND SINCE, UPON REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION, SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED AND THE ERROR WAS EXPLAINED SATISFACTORILY PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID OF MOORE-ESSICK COMPANY SHOULD BE DISREGARDED--- THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES NOT BEING SUCH AS TO WARRANT A DEPARTURE FROM THE BASIC RULE THAT BIDS MAY NOT BE CHANGED AFTER OPENING. SEE 17 COMP. GEN.575, 577.
THE PAPERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BIDDER'S LETTER OF JUNE 17, 1955, AND ITS WORKSHEET DATED JUNE 14, 1955, ARE RETURNED, AS REQUESTED.