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B-129559, OCT. 30, 1956

B-129559 Oct 30, 1956
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VETERANS ADMINISTRATION: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 18. THE ERROR ALLEGED WITH RESPECT TO ITEM NO. 19 IS FURTHER APPARENT ON THE FACE OF THE BID. WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH ALL THE TOTALS LISTED IN ITS PROPOSAL. THEN WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT THE MISTAKE WAS APPARENTLY THE RESULT OF A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR. THAT ITS ACTUAL COST OF EACH BOX OF 72 SLIDES IS 62 1/2 CENTS F.O.B. THIS LATTER ASSERTION IS CONFIRMED IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 31. WHEREIN THE PRICE OF THESE ITEMS TO THE BIDDER IS QUOTED AT $1.25 PER GROSS. IT IS NOTED THAT THE BIDDER'S INTENDED BID PRICE OF 80 CENTS PER BOX ON ITEM NO. 19 COMPARES FAVORABLY WITH THE AMOUNTS OF THE OTHER BIDS ON THIS ITEM WHICH RANGE FROM 67 CENTS TO 81 CENTS PER BOX.

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B-129559, OCT. 30, 1956

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

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 18, 1956, WHEREIN YOU REQUEST A DECISION AS TO WHETHER THE FIRM OF GOODMAN-KLEINER COMPANY, INC., NEW YORK CITY, MAY BE PERMITTED TO WITHDRAW ITS BID ON ITEMS NOS. 17, 18 AND 19 OF INVITATION NO. A-58-57 ISSUED AUGUST 20, 1956, COVERING IDENTICAL ITEMS OF SLIDES, GLASS, MICRO, PLAIN, FOR DELIVERY IN SPECIFIED QUANTITIES AT THE RESPECTIVE DESTINATIONS OF SOMERVILLE, NEW JERSEY, WILMINGTON, CALIFORNIA, AND HINES, ILLINOIS, IN THE ORDER MENTIONED.

IT APPEARS THAT THE BIDDER QUOTED 80 CENTS PER BOX (72 EACH) FOR THE SLIDES DELIVERED AT SOMERVILLE (ITEM 17), AND WILMINGTON (ITEM 18), AND 20 CENTS PER BOX FOR DELIVERY OF IDENTICAL SLIDES TO HINES, ILLINOIS (ITEM 19). THE ERROR ALLEGED WITH RESPECT TO ITEM NO. 19 IS FURTHER APPARENT ON THE FACE OF THE BID, SINCE THE TOTAL QUANTITY OF 6,864 BOXES, WHEN MULTIPLIED BY THE QUOTED UNIT PRICE OF 20 CENTS EACH, ACTUALLY AMOUNT TO ONLY $1,372.80, INSTEAD OF THE EXTENDED TOTAL OF $5,491.20.

IN RESPONSE TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION, THE BIDDER, IN A LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 17, 1956, ALLEGED THAT ITS COPY OF THE BID SHOWED 80 CENTS PER BOX ON EACH OF ITEMS NOS. 17, 18 AND 19, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH ALL THE TOTALS LISTED IN ITS PROPOSAL. THE GOODMAN-KLEINER COMPANY, INC., THEN WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT THE MISTAKE WAS APPARENTLY THE RESULT OF A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR, AND THAT ITS ACTUAL COST OF EACH BOX OF 72 SLIDES IS 62 1/2 CENTS F.O.B. BUFFALO, NEW YORK, OR ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA. THIS LATTER ASSERTION IS CONFIRMED IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 31, 1956, FROM THE BIDDER'S SUPPLIER, GLASGLOW PRODUCTS COMPANY, WHEREIN THE PRICE OF THESE ITEMS TO THE BIDDER IS QUOTED AT $1.25 PER GROSS, F.O.B. BUFFALO.

IT IS NOTED THAT THE BIDDER'S INTENDED BID PRICE OF 80 CENTS PER BOX ON ITEM NO. 19 COMPARES FAVORABLY WITH THE AMOUNTS OF THE OTHER BIDS ON THIS ITEM WHICH RANGE FROM 67 CENTS TO 81 CENTS PER BOX.

SINCE, FROM THE FACTS OF RECORD, IT APPEARS THAT THE ALLEGED ERROR WAS APPARENT ON THE FACE OF THE BID ITSELF, AND WAS EXPLAINED AND CONFIRMED PRIOR TO THE INTENDED AWARD, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT WE WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO OBJECT TO THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ERRONEOUS BID OF GOODMAN-KLEINER COMPANY, INC. SEE NASON COAL COMPANY V. UNITED STATES, 64 C.CLS. 526; ALTA ELEC. AND MECH. COMPANY, INC. V. UNITED STATES, 90 C.CLS. 466; 17 COMP. GEN. 575.

THE PAPERS WHICH ACCOMPANIED YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 18 ARE RETURNED HEREWITH, AS REQUESTED.

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