B-128812, AUG. 9, 1956

B-128812, AUG. 9, 1956

TO THE HONORABLE H. V. HIGLEY, ADMINISTRATOR, VETERANS ADMINISTRATION:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO A LETTER DATED AUGUST 1, 1956, FROM THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN RELATIVE TO AN ERROR ALLEGED BY WILSON AND COMPANY, INC., TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN ITS BID DATED JUNE 25, 1956, SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO INVITATION NO. 57-14 ISSUED BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL, BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR FURNISHING PACKING HOUSE AND DAIRY PRODUCTS DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 1956.

IN RESPONSE TO THE INVITATION, WILSON AND COMPANY, INC., SUBMITTED BIDS ON SEVERAL ITEMS, INCLUDING A BID OF $0.5410 PER POUND FOR 250 POUNDS OF BEEF DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS IN ITEM NO. 9-B:

"BEEF, RIB, BONELESS (FROZEN), CHOICE GRADE (NOTE: TO COMPLY WITH SPEC. ON PAGE 4).'

IT IS REPORTED THAT THE OTHER BIDS RECEIVED ON ITEM NO. 9-B WERE IN THE AMOUNTS OF $1.31, $1.51, $1.69, $1.83 AND $1.85 PER POUND AND THAT AFTER THE BIDS WERE OPENED WILSON AND COMPANY, INC., WAS REQUESTED BY TELEPHONE TO VERIFY ITS BID BECAUSE OF THE DISPARITY BETWEEN ITS BID AND ALL OTHER BIDS RECEIVED. THE BIDDER THEN STATED THAT ITS BID SHOULD HAVE BEEN $0.65 PER POUND INSTEAD OF $0.5410 PER POUND, EXPLAINING THAT IT HAD OVERLOOKED THE WORD "BONELESS" IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE MEAT. UPON BEING ADVISED THAT ITS REVISED BID ALSO APPEARED QUESTIONABLE, THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THAT FIGURE BY TELEPHONE, AND BY LETTER DATED JULY 20, 1956, IT REQUESTED THAT THE BID BE CHANGED TO $0.65 PER POUND.

IN VIEW OF THE FACTS AS REPORTED AND SHOWN BY THE FILE, IT MAY BE REGARDED AS SATISFACTORILY ESTABLISHED THAT WILSON AND COMPANY MADE A BONA FIDE ERROR IN ITS BID, AS ALLEGED AND EXPLAINED BY IT. CORRECTION MAY BE PERMITTED AS REQUESTED.