Correction of Mistake in Low Bid

A firm submitted a low bid in response to an invitation for bids (IFB) for a highway project. The IFB called for unit prices based on metric measurements. One item required a specific number of cubic meters of structural concrete. After bid opening, the protester advised the Department of Transportation that it made a mistake in the structural concrete item in not converting the concrete supplier's quotation, based on cubic yards, to cubic meters, the unit of measurement used in the IFB. The protester explained that it divided by the conversion factor when it should have multiplied and asserted that its bid should be corrected. Transportation reported that if the correction was allowed, Columbia would still be the lowest bidder. However, Transportation questioned whether the evidence of mistake was clear and convincing. GAO held that the low bid may be corrected because the record contained clear and convincing evidence showing that:(1) the low bidder made a mistake in converting the supplier's quote measured in cubic yards to cubic meters; (2) the mistake was dividing instead of multiplying by the conversion factor; and (3) the intended price was readily acceptable. Accordingly, the bid may be corrected to reflect its actual intended price.