B-141514, DEC. 31, 1959
Highlights
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 14. ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID WHICH WAS OPENED ON DECEMBER 9. BIDS WERE REQUESTED FOR FURNISHING CERTAIN LIGHTING FIXTURES FOR BUILDING NO. 41. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE BID OF GRAYBAR ELECTRIC COMPANY. WAS ENTIRELY OUT OF LINE WITH THE OTHER BIDS RECEIVED. YOU STATE IT WAS YOUR OPINION AT THE TIME OF THE OPENING OF THE BIDS THAT GRAYBAR HAD MADE AN ERROR. THE CORPORATION ADVISED THAT AN ERROR HAD BEEN MADE IN THAT THE PRICE SHOWN FOR ITEM NO. 1 WAS INTENDED FOR ITEM NO. 2. THE PRICE SHOWN FOR ITEM NO. 2 WAS INTENDED FOR ITEM NO. 1. THERE ALO WAS SUBMITTED A PRESCOLITE PRICE SHEET WHICH SUPPORTED THE CORPORATION'S CONTENTION THAT A TRANSPOSITION IN THE QUOTED PRICES HAD OCCURRED.
B-141514, DEC. 31, 1959
TO MR. WILLIAM L. EWALD, VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 14, 1959, FILE REFERENCE 5104/134, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR WHICH THE GRAYBAR ELECTRIC COMPANY, NC., ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID WHICH WAS OPENED ON DECEMBER 9, 1959.
BY INVITATION NO. 60-37, BIDS WERE REQUESTED FOR FURNISHING CERTAIN LIGHTING FIXTURES FOR BUILDING NO. 41. IN RESPONSE, GRAYBAR ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC., SUBMITTED A BID OFFERING TO FURNISH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ITEM NO. 1, CONSISTING OF 139 NO. 7012 PRESCOLITE FIXTURES AT A UNIT PRICE OF $9.97, OR $1,385.83. IT ALSO OFFERED TO FURNISH ITEM NO. 2, CALLING FOR 30 PRESCOLITE FIXTURES NO. 7009 AT A UNIT PRICE OF $17.33, OR $519.90. THE ABSTRACT OF BIDS SHOWS THAT THE TWO OTHER BIDDERS ON ITEM NO. 1 QUOTED PRICES OF $16.20 AND $17.00, RESPECTIVELY, ON THAT ITEM, AND $9.40 AND $9.50, RESPECTIVELY, ON ITEM NO. 2. HENCE, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE BID OF GRAYBAR ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC., WAS ENTIRELY OUT OF LINE WITH THE OTHER BIDS RECEIVED.
IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, YOU STATE IT WAS YOUR OPINION AT THE TIME OF THE OPENING OF THE BIDS THAT GRAYBAR HAD MADE AN ERROR, AND YOU REQUESTED THE CORPORATION TO VERIFY ITS BID. BY LETTER DATED DECEMBER 11, 1959, THE CORPORATION ADVISED THAT AN ERROR HAD BEEN MADE IN THAT THE PRICE SHOWN FOR ITEM NO. 1 WAS INTENDED FOR ITEM NO. 2, AND THE PRICE SHOWN FOR ITEM NO. 2 WAS INTENDED FOR ITEM NO. 1. THERE ALO WAS SUBMITTED A PRESCOLITE PRICE SHEET WHICH SUPPORTED THE CORPORATION'S CONTENTION THAT A TRANSPOSITION IN THE QUOTED PRICES HAD OCCURRED.
ACCORDINGLY, SINCE THE ERROR WAS ALLEGED AND SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID MAY BE CORRECTED AND CONSIDERED AS INTENDED.