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B-136380, JUN. 18, 1958

B-136380 Jun 18, 1958
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PUBLIC PRINTER: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 6. ONE OTHER BID RECEIVED WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $300. IT APPEARS FURTHER THAT ON EXAMINING THE BIDS THE CONTRACTING OFFICER NOTED THAT THE SUBJECT BID WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE ONLY OTHER BID RECEIVED. YOUR OFFICE HAS REPORTED THAT THIS ITEM WAS LAST PROCURED IN 1952 AT A PRICE OF $280 PER THOUSAND. YOU STATE THAT IN REPLY TO A TELEPHONED REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE BID PRICE THE BIDDER ADVISED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT ITS BID WAS IN ERROR. IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE PROBABILITY OF ERROR WAS NOTED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER IMMEDIATELY UPON THE OPENING OF THE BIDS AND SINCE THE ERROR HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND EXPLAINED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER.

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B-136380, JUN. 18, 1958

TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 6, 1958, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR CHAS. G. STOTT CO., INC., ALLEGES IT MADE ON ITS UNDATED BID.

ON MAY 1, 1958, YOUR OFFICE ADVERTISED FOR PRICES ON THE PURCHASE OF 1,000 SEMI-PERMANENT POSTS (INTRALOCK STYLE) 5/16 INCHES DIAMETER, 2 INCHES LONG, WITH FOUR KEYS TO FIT. IN RESPONSE THERETO CHAS. G. STOTT CO., INC., SUBMITTED A BID OF $40. ONE OTHER BID RECEIVED WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $300. IT APPEARS FURTHER THAT ON EXAMINING THE BIDS THE CONTRACTING OFFICER NOTED THAT THE SUBJECT BID WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE ONLY OTHER BID RECEIVED. YOUR OFFICE HAS REPORTED THAT THIS ITEM WAS LAST PROCURED IN 1952 AT A PRICE OF $280 PER THOUSAND.

YOU STATE THAT IN REPLY TO A TELEPHONED REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE BID PRICE THE BIDDER ADVISED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT ITS BID WAS IN ERROR. IN A LETTER DATED MAY 27, 1958, THE BIDDER STATED THAT A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR HAD BEEN MADE AND REQUESTED THAT THEIR BID PRICE BE CHANGED TO READ $400 PER THOUSAND INSTEAD OF $40 PER THOUSAND AS QUOTED.

IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE PROBABILITY OF ERROR WAS NOTED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER IMMEDIATELY UPON THE OPENING OF THE BIDS AND SINCE THE ERROR HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND EXPLAINED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER, THE BID OF CHAS. G. STOTT CO., INC., MAY BE DISREGARDED.

THE PAPERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BIDDER'S LETTER OF MAY 27, 1958, ARE RETURNED AS REQUESTED.

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