Skip to main content

B-131728, MAY 9, 1957

B-131728 May 09, 1957
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 2. YOU STATE THAT WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER HE NOTED THAT THE UNIT PRICE QUOTED BY DIXIE TAG AND ENVELOPE CO. WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE THE TOTAL OF 5. WHEREAS THE TOTAL SHOWN ON ITS BID WAS $172.16. THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THE ERROR IN ITS BID QUOTATION AND ADVISED THAT THE CORRECT UNIT PRICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN $29.93 PER THOUSAND. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DOUBT THAT THE COMPANY MADE AN ERROR IN ITS BID AS ALLEGED. SINCE IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE BID OF DIXIE TAG AND ENVELOPE CO. WAS ERRONEOUS. SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED AND THE ERROR EXPLAINED BY THE BIDDER PRIOR TO AWARD. ARE RETURNED.

View Decision

B-131728, MAY 9, 1957

TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 2, 1957, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR WHICH DIXIE TAG AND ENVELOPE CO., CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID OPENED ON APRIL 22, 1957.

THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE REQUESTED BIDS, UNDER JACKET NO. 422763, FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 5,752 BAGGAGE CHECKS, WHITE 15 CSU TAG, TRIM SIZE 3 INCHES BY 8 INCHES, FOR SHIPMENT ON OR BEFORE MAY 31, 1957. IN RESPONSE DIXIE TAG AND ENVELOPE CO. SUBMITTED A BID, DATED APRIL 12, 1957, OFFERING TO FURNISH THE TAGS AT A UNIT PRICE OF $9.93 PER THOUSAND, AND A TOTAL OF $172.16 FOR THE LOT.

YOU STATE THAT WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER HE NOTED THAT THE UNIT PRICE QUOTED BY DIXIE TAG AND ENVELOPE CO. WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE THE TOTAL OF 5,752 TAGS TIMES $9.93 PER THOUSAND AS QUOTED BY THE FIRM AMOUNTED TO ONLY $57.12, WHEREAS THE TOTAL SHOWN ON ITS BID WAS $172.16, AND THAT HE REQUESTED THE COMPANY BY TELEPHONE TO REVIEW THE SPECIFICATIONS AND CONFIRM ITS BID PRICE.

THE BIDDER ADVISED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR HAD BEEN MADE IN ENTERING THE UNIT PRICE ON THE BID FORM AND THAT THE CORRECT UNIT PRICE SHOULD BE $29.93 PER THOUSAND. BY LETTER DATED APRIL 23, 1957, THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THE ERROR IN ITS BID QUOTATION AND ADVISED THAT THE CORRECT UNIT PRICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN $29.93 PER THOUSAND, MAKING A TOTAL PRICE OF $172.16 AS QUOTED.

ON THE RECORD, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DOUBT THAT THE COMPANY MADE AN ERROR IN ITS BID AS ALLEGED. ACCORDINGLY, SINCE IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE BID OF DIXIE TAG AND ENVELOPE CO. WAS ERRONEOUS, AND SUCH BELIEF WAS CONFIRMED AND THE ERROR EXPLAINED BY THE BIDDER PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID MAY BE DISREGARDED IN MAKING THE AWARD.

THE PAPERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE COMPANY'S LETTER OF APRIL 23, 1957, ARE RETURNED.

GAO Contacts

Office of Public Affairs