B-124558, JUL. 13, 1955

B-124558, JUL. 13, 1955

TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 6, 1955, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN REGARDING AN ERROR THE CARMAX CORPORATION ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID SUBMITTED ON JACKET NO. 347399.

BIDS WERE REQUESTED--- TO BE OPENED ON JUNE 27, 1955--- FOR FURNISHING 20,000 SETS OF A 3-PART SINGLE STUB SNAPOUT STYLE FORM, CARBON INTERLEAVED. IN RESPONSE TO THE INVITATION, THE CARMAX CORPORATION SUBMITTED A BID OFFERING TO FURNISH 20,000 SETS OF THE FORMS FOR A PRICE OF $240. THE THREE OTHER BIDS WERE $511.60, $525, AND $525.80.

YOU STATE THAT AFTER THE OPENING, BUT BEFORE THE CONTRACTING OFFICER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE BIDS, THE CARMAX CORPORATION ADVISED HIM BY TELEGRAM AND LETTER DATED JUNE 28, 1955, THAT AN ERROR HAD BEEN MADE IN THE CORPORATION'S BID IN THAT ITS BID PRICE WAS BASED ON PRINTING THE FORMS ON SULPHITE WRITING PAPER RATHER THAN ON 25 PERCENT RAG BOND PAPER AS REQUIRED; THAT THE CORRECT PRICE FOR THE FORMS IS $444; AND THAT IT WISHED TO WITHDRAW ITS BID ON THE FORMS. IN SUPPORT OF ITS ALLEGATION OF ERROR, THE CORPORATION SUBMITTED THE ESTIMATE SHEET USED IN COMPUTING ITS BID PRICE FOR THE FORMS.

ALTHOUGH IT IS APPARENT THAT THE CORPORATION MADE AN ERROR IN QUOTING A PRICE OF $240 FOR THE FORMS, IT HAS NOT CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISHED ITS INTENDED BID PRICE FOR THAT ITEM. ACCORDINGLY, SINCE THE ERROR WAS ALLEGED AND EXPLAINED BY THE CORPORATION PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID OF THE CARMAX CORPORATION SHOULD BE DISREGARDED.

THE CORPORATION'S TELEGRAM AND LETTER DATED JUNE 28, 1955, AND ITS ESTIMATE SHEET ARE BEING RETAINED. THE OTHER PAPERS ARE RETURNED.