B-143142, JUN. 21, 1960
Highlights
ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED JUNE 8. BIDS WERE SOLICITED AT A LUMP-SUM PRICE FOR FURNISHING AND INSTALLING CERTAIN METAL PARTITIONS AT ALCOVES IN THE LAW LIBRARY. THE BIDS RECEIVED WERE AS FOLLOWS: BIDDER PRICE DISCOUNT COMPLETION DATE 1. - 29 LINEAL FEET OF STEEL AND GLASS PARTITIONS AT $11.50" WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN "$343.50" RATHER THAN THE . YOU STATE THAT EXISTENCE OF AN ERROR IN THE CASSIDY COMPANY BID IS SUGGESTED BY A COMPARISON OF THE COMPANY'S BID PRICE WITH THE PRICES QUOTED BY THE OTHER BIDDERS AND THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ERROR WAS NOT MADE. SINCE THE COMPANY'S WORKSHEET SHOWS THAT AN ERROR WAS MADE IN ITS BID AS TO THE ITEM COVERING THE STEEL AND GLASS PARTITIONS.
B-143142, JUN. 21, 1960
TO MR. J. GEORGE STEWART, ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED JUNE 8, 1960, WITH ENCLOSURES, RELATIVE TO AN ERROR THE JAMES A. CASSIDY COMPANY, INC., WASHINGTON, D.C., ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO YOUR INVITATION FOR BIDS NO. 6030 ISSUED MAY 18, 1960.
BIDS WERE SOLICITED AT A LUMP-SUM PRICE FOR FURNISHING AND INSTALLING CERTAIN METAL PARTITIONS AT ALCOVES IN THE LAW LIBRARY, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS MAIN BUILDING, AS REQUIRED BY SPECIFICATIONS ATTACHED TO THE INVITATION. THE BIDS RECEIVED WERE AS FOLLOWS:
BIDDER PRICE DISCOUNT COMPLETION DATE 1. JAMES A. CASSIDY COMPANY, 30 DAYS AFTER
INC. $ 787 NONE APPROVAL OF SHOP
DRAWINGS 2. W. M. SCHOENFELDER AND
ASSOCIATES 1,017 NONE ABOUT 60 DAYS 3. VIRGINIA METAL PRODUCTS,
INC. 1,337 NONE 45 DAYS 4. E. F. HAUSERMAN COMPANY 1,587 NONE NOT STATED
THEREAFTER, IN A LETTER DATED JUNE 2, 1960, TO YOU, JAMES A. CASSIDY COMPANY, INC., ALLEGED AN ERROR IN ITS BID, EXPLAINING THAT THE ERROR OCCURRED IN THE EXTENSION OF "ITEM NO. 2--- 29 LINEAL FEET OF STEEL AND GLASS PARTITIONS AT $11.50" WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN "$343.50" RATHER THAN THE ,$34.50" RECORDED ON ITS BID. THE BIDDER FORWARDED A PHOTOSTATIC COPY OF ITS ORIGINAL WORK SHEET IN SUPPORT OF THE CLAIMED ERROR.
YOU STATE THAT EXISTENCE OF AN ERROR IN THE CASSIDY COMPANY BID IS SUGGESTED BY A COMPARISON OF THE COMPANY'S BID PRICE WITH THE PRICES QUOTED BY THE OTHER BIDDERS AND THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ERROR WAS NOT MADE, AS ALLEGED.
SINCE THE COMPANY'S WORKSHEET SHOWS THAT AN ERROR WAS MADE IN ITS BID AS TO THE ITEM COVERING THE STEEL AND GLASS PARTITIONS, AND SINCE THE BIDDER PROMPTLY ALLEGED AND EXPLAINED THE ERROR AFTER OPENING AND PRIOR TO AWARD, THE COMPANY'S BID MAY BE DISREGARDED.