B-132337, JUL. 1, 1957

B-132337, JUL. 1, 1957

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

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 26, 1957, RELATIVE TO AN ERROR IN BID ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN MADE BY MARTIN J. POLLAK, INC. IN THE SUBMISSION OF ITS BID FOR FURNISHING 5,540 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 $768, SUBMITTED BY MARTIN J. POLLAK, INC., SINCE IT WAS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE NEXT LOW BID OF $1,673.50 AND THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ESTIMATE OF $1,635.95. IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTRACTING OFFICER'S TELEPHONE INQUIRY, MARTIN J. POLLAK, INC. ADVISED THAT AN ERROR IN ADDITION HAD BEEN MADE THAT ITS PRICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN $1,868. BY LETTER OF JUNE 21, 1957, THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THE ALLEGATION OF ERROR AND ENCLOSED THEIR ORIGINAL ESTIMATE SHEET SHOWING A TOTAL PRICE OF $1,868 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 MARTIN J. POLLAK, INC. 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 PAPERS SUBMITTED WITH YOUR LETTER ARE RETURNED.