B-132572, JUL. 22, 1957
Highlights
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 16. YOU STATE THAT WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER HE NOTED THAT THE BID OF CINCINNATI LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE THE BID WAS OUT OF LINE WITH THE OTHER SEVEN BIDS RECEIVED AND ALSO WITH THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ESTIMATE OF $494.92. THAT THE COMPANY WAS REQUESTED BY TELEGRAM TO REVIEW THE SPECIFICATIONS AND CONFIRM ITS BID PRICE. THAT ITS BID WAS IN ERROR. THE COMPANY PRESENTED A BREAKDOWN OF ITS CORRECTED BID AS FOLLOWS: CHART 1ST 1 THOUSAND 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 34.85 .......... $243.95 ADD 1 THOUSAND 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 11.97 .......... 83.79 ADD 1 THOUSAND 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 11.97 .......... 83.79 ADD 800 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 8.379 ......... 67.03 478.56 ADD FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING ............ 8.44 $487.00 AND EXPLAINED THAT THESE PRICES ARE BASED ON EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH THE AIR CORPS.
B-132572, JUL. 22, 1957
TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 16, 1956, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR WHICH CINCINNATI LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY, CINCINNATI, OHIO, ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID OPENED ON JULY 5, 1957.
THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE REQUESTED BIDS, UNDER JACKET NO. 428940, FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 3801 COPIES OF A LOOSE-LEAF BOOK FOR THE USE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. IN RESPONSE CINCINNATI LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY SUBMITTED A BID DATED JUNE 28, 1957, OFFERING TO FURNISH THE BOOKS FOR A LOT PRICE OF $330.
YOU STATE THAT WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER HE NOTED THAT THE BID OF CINCINNATI LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE THE BID WAS OUT OF LINE WITH THE OTHER SEVEN BIDS RECEIVED AND ALSO WITH THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ESTIMATE OF $494.92, AND THAT THE COMPANY WAS REQUESTED BY TELEGRAM TO REVIEW THE SPECIFICATIONS AND CONFIRM ITS BID PRICE.
THE BIDDER ADVISED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER BY TELEGRAM OF JULY 8, 1957, THAT ITS BID WAS IN ERROR, AND BY LETTER OF JULY 9 THAT ITS BID PRICE SHOULD BE $487. IN SUPPORT OF ITS ALLEGATION OF ERROR, THE COMPANY PRESENTED A BREAKDOWN OF ITS CORRECTED BID AS FOLLOWS:
CHART 1ST 1 THOUSAND 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 34.85 .......... $243.95 ADD 1 THOUSAND 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 11.97 .......... 83.79 ADD 1 THOUSAND 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 11.97 .......... 83.79 ADD 800 7-16 PAGE SIGNATURES TIMES 8.379 ......... 67.03
478.56
ADD FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING ............ 8.44
$487.00
AND EXPLAINED THAT THESE PRICES ARE BASED ON EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH THE AIR CORPS, COPIES OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
THE RECORD LEAVES LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE COMPANY MADE AN ERROR IN ITS BID AS ALLEGED. ACCORDINGLY, SINCE IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE BID OF CINCINNATI LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY WAS ERRONEOUS AND SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED AND THE ERROR EXPLAINED BY THE BIDDER PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID MAY BE DISREGARDED IN MAKING THE AWARD.
THE PAPERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE COPY OF THE COMPANY'S TELEGRAM OF JULY 8 AND OF ITS LETTER OF JULY 9, 1957, ARE RETURNED.