Evaluation of Ambiguous Bid Price

The Government Printing Office requested an advance decision with respect to a bid for the printing and binding of books and pamphlets. The insertion of "25 percent" where the bidder was required to indicate that he was bidding either basic price plus a percentage, minus a percentage, or without change, created ambiguity which could not be resolved from the bid itself. The bidder should not be allowed to explain the meaning of the bid when he is in a position to prejudice the other bidders by clarifying his bid after bid opening. The contracting officer's evaluation of the bid as plus 25 percent was proper.