B-134711, DEC. 30, 1957
Highlights
PUBLIC PRINTER: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 20. SHORTLY AFTER THE BIDS WERE OPENED. THAT THE CORRECT PRICE FOR THE CARDS IS $5. THE CORPORATION STATED THAT ITS ADDITIONAL PER THOUSAND PRICE OF $2.15 WOULD SUBSTANTIATE THAT THE CORRECT PRICE FOR THE FORMS IS $5. IT WILL NOT BE THE LOWEST BID RECEIVED ON THE JOB. SINCE THE ERROR WAS ALLEGED AND EXPLAINED BY THE CORPORATION PRIOR TO AWARD. ARE RETURNED.
B-134711, DEC. 30, 1957
TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 20, 1957, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR WHICH THE CAREY PRESS CORPORATION, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID OPENED ON DECEMBER 4, 1957.
THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE REQUESTED BIDS UNDER JACKET NO. 446920 FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 2,600,000 CARDS, TRIM SIZE 7 3/8 INCHES BY 3 1/4 INCHES, PRINTED TWO SIDES ON PAPER TO BE FURNISHED BY THE CONTRACTOR, CARDS TO BE DIE-CUT AS STIPULATED, WRAPPED IN UNITS OF 500 FOR SHIPMENT ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 13, 1958. IN RESPONSE THE CAREY PRESS CORPORATION SUBMITTED A BID DATED NOVEMBER 27, 1957, OFFERING TO FURNISH 2,600,000 CARDS FOR THE LUMP SUM OF $4,710 AND TO FURNISH ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS TO BE PRINTED DURING THE SAME RUN AT A PRICE OF $2.15 PER THOUSAND. THE FOUR OTHER BIDDERS ON THE JOB QUOTED LUMP SUM PRICES RANGING FROM $5,538 TO $9,013.30.
YOU STATE THAT ON DECEMBER 4, 1957, SHORTLY AFTER THE BIDS WERE OPENED, THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE CAREY PRESS CORPORATION TELEPHONED ALLEGING THAT AN ERROR HAD BEEN MADE BY ITS TYPIST IN TRANSFERRING ITS BID PRICE FROM ITS ESTIMATE SHEET TO THE BID FORM SUBMITTED; AND THAT THE CORRECT PRICE FOR THE CARDS IS $5,710 AND NOT $4,710 AS SHOWN IN ITS BID. IN A CONFIRMING LETTER DATED DECEMBER 4, 1957, THE CORPORATION STATED THAT ITS ADDITIONAL PER THOUSAND PRICE OF $2.15 WOULD SUBSTANTIATE THAT THE CORRECT PRICE FOR THE FORMS IS $5,710. IN SUPPORT OF ITS ALLEGATION OF ERROR, THE CORPORATION SUBMITTED ITS ORIGINAL ESTIMATE SHEET WHICH SHOWS A PRICE OF $5,710 FOR 2,600,000 CARDS.
ALTHOUGH THERE APPEARS LITTLE ROOM FOR DOUBT THAT THE CORPORATION MADE AN ERROR IN ITS BID, AS ALLEGED, IF THE BID BE CORRECTED TO REFLECT THE INTENDED BID PRICE, IT WILL NOT BE THE LOWEST BID RECEIVED ON THE JOB. ACCORDINGLY, SINCE THE ERROR WAS ALLEGED AND EXPLAINED BY THE CORPORATION PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID OF THE CAREY PRESS CORPORATION MAY BE DISREGARDED IN MAKING THE AWARD.
THE PAPERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CORPORATION'S LETTER OF DECEMBER 4, 1957, AND ITS ESTIMATE SHEET, ARE RETURNED.