B-135342, MAR. 6, 1958
Highlights
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 26. THE CONTRACTING OFFICER STATES THAT THESE BLANKETS WERE PURCHASED LAST IN APRIL 1957 AT A PRICE OF $3.70 EACH AND THAT THE BIDDER HAS EXPLAINED THE ERROR IN BID TO HIS SATISFACTION. SINCE THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY DID MAKE AN ERROR AS ALLEGED AND SINCE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER BELIEVES THAT THE BID IS ERRONEOUS.
B-135342, MAR. 6, 1958
TO THE HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 26, 1958, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION WHETHER THE BID OF THE GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY, AKRON, OHIO, DATED FEBRUARY 7, 1958, SHOULD BE DISREGARDED IN MAKING AWARD BECAUSE OF AN ERROR ALLEGED AFTER THE DATE OF OPENING OF BIDS.
IN RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE INVITATION SOLICITING BIDS TO SUPPLY 60 RUBBER BLANKETS FOR USE ON PARTICULAR OFFSET PRESSES, THE GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY BID $2.64 PER UNIT. THE SEVEN OTHER BIDS RECEIVED RANGED FROM $3.30 TO $6.99 PER UNIT. SUBSEQUENTLY, GOODYEAR ADVISED THAT, IN TRANSFERRING ITS PRICE FROM ITS WORKING PAPER TO ITS BID, AN INADVERTENT TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR RESULTED IN ITS UNIT PRICE BEING STATED AS $2.64 INSTEAD OF $5.64. THE PHOTOSTAT OF THE WORKING PAPER SUBMITTED BY GOODYEAR IN ONE PLACE SHOWS A PRICE OF "$5.76 EACH-NET" AND IN ANOTHER PLACE SHOWS "TERMS * * * 2 PERCENT 10TH PROX EQUALS $5.64/NET AFTER 2 PERCENT.'
THE CONTRACTING OFFICER STATES THAT THESE BLANKETS WERE PURCHASED LAST IN APRIL 1957 AT A PRICE OF $3.70 EACH AND THAT THE BIDDER HAS EXPLAINED THE ERROR IN BID TO HIS SATISFACTION.
IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, SINCE THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY DID MAKE AN ERROR AS ALLEGED AND SINCE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER BELIEVES THAT THE BID IS ERRONEOUS, THE BID SHOULD BE DISREGARDED IN AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR THE SUBJECT BLANKETS.