Inclusion of Transportation Costs in Consideration of Proposals

The low bidder contended that it was entitled to an award, maintaining that the agency improperly included the cost of transportation in the evaluation of offers. Although the solicitation did not specifically provide for consideration of transportation costs in proposal evaluation, the agency could properly consider such costs. The fact that a provision of the solicitation provided for payment of transportation costs by the agency did not preclude acceptance of an innovative proposal involving transportation of the product. Evaluation of the proposal was deficient only in that a portion of transportation costs to be paid by the Government were added to the offeror's prices.