B-146234, JUL. 24, 1961
Highlights
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 23. EIGHTEEN BIDS WERE RECEIVED. THE SECOND LOW BID WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $32. THE LOW BIDDER WAS REQUESTED TO CHECK ITS BID COMPUTATIONS AND CONFIRM ITS PRICE AS ITS QUOTATION WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE QUOTATION OF THE OTHER BIDDERS AND THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATE. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE ITEMS OF COST ON THE WORKSHEET IS SHOWN AS $12. WHEREAS THE CORRECT TOTAL IS $13. 000 WAS OMITTED. SINCE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER SUSPECTED AN ERROR IN THE BID OF THE LOW BIDDER AND SINCE THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED SHOWS CLEARLY HOW THE MISTAKE WAS MADE AND IS CONVINCING AS TO THE AMOUNT OF THE INTENDED BID.
B-146234, JUL. 24, 1961
TO MR. GRANT BLOODGOOD, BUREAU OF RECLAMATION:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 23, 1961, FILE D-150, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN WITH REGARD TO THE BID OF ELECTRIC CRANE AND HOIST CORPORATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO AN INVITATION FOR BIDS UNDER INVITATION NO. DS-5584 ISSUED APRIL 30, 1961.
THE INVITATION REQUESTED BIDS--- TO BE OPENED MAY 31, 1961--- FOR FURNISHING TWO RADIAL-GATE HOISTS. EIGHTEEN BIDS WERE RECEIVED, RANGING IN PRICE FROM $24,382, SUBMITTED BY ELECTRIC CRANE AND HOIST CORPORATION, TO $61,460. THE SECOND LOW BID WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $32,500. BY TELEGRAM DATED JUNE 13, 1961, THE LOW BIDDER WAS REQUESTED TO CHECK ITS BID COMPUTATIONS AND CONFIRM ITS PRICE AS ITS QUOTATION WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE QUOTATION OF THE OTHER BIDDERS AND THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATE. LETTER OF JUNE 14, 1961, THE LOW BIDDER ENCLOSED A NOTARIZED COPY OF ITS ESTIMATE SHEET AND AN ADDING MACHINE TAPE INDICATING HOW THE ALLEGED MISTAKE OCCURRED. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE ITEMS OF COST ON THE WORKSHEET IS SHOWN AS $12,192, WHEREAS THE CORRECT TOTAL IS $13,192 WHICH WHEN MULTIPLIED BY TWO--- THE NUMBER OF HOISTS INVOLVED--- EQUALS $26,384. THE ADDING MACHINE TAPE SHOWS THAT IN COMPUTING THE TOTAL PRICE ONE ITEM OF $1,000 WAS OMITTED. THE LOW BIDDER REQUESTS THAT ITS BID BE CORRECTED TO READ $26,384.
SINCE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER SUSPECTED AN ERROR IN THE BID OF THE LOW BIDDER AND SINCE THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED SHOWS CLEARLY HOW THE MISTAKE WAS MADE AND IS CONVINCING AS TO THE AMOUNT OF THE INTENDED BID, THE BID MAY BE CORRECTED AND CONSIDERED IN MAKING AWARD.