B-132077, JUN. 10, 1957

B-132077, JUN. 10, 1957

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

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 4, 1957, RELATIVE TO AN ERROR IN BID ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN MADE BY MENDLE PRINTING COMPANY IN THE SUBMISSION OF ITS BID FOR FURNISHING 1,001 BOOKS TO THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. YOU REQUEST A DECISION WHETHER THE SUBJECT BID MAY BE DISREGARDED IN MAKING AWARD FOR THIS WORK.

IT APPEARS THAT THE CONTRACTING OFFICER NOTED THE PROBABILITY OF ERROR IN THE BID OF $1,225, SUBMITTED BY MENDLE PRINTING COMPANY SINCE IT WAS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE NEXT LOW BID OF $1,901.50 AND THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ESTIMATE OF $2,722.13. IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTRACTING OFFICER'S TELEGRAM OF MAY 28, 1957, REQUESTING CONFIRMATION OF THEIR BID, THE MENDLE PRINTING COMPANY REPLIED BY TELEGRAM ON THE SAME DAY THAT IT HAD MADE A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR AND THAT THEIR BID PRICE SHOULD HAVE READ $1,825. LETTER OF THE SAME DATE THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THE ALLEGATION OF ERROR AND REQUESTED THAT THEIR BID BE EITHER DISREGARDED OR ADJUSTED. WITH THEIR LETTER THEY ENCLOSED ESTIMATE SHEETS SHOWING A TOTAL PRICE OF $1,825 FOR THE WORK.

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

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE BIDDER PERTAINING TO THE ERROR IN BID, THE ..END :