B-141336, DEC. 22, 1959

B-141336, DEC. 22, 1959

TO MR. JAMES B. RING, CONTRACTING OFFICER, BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 23, 1959, AND ENCLOSURES, YOUR FILE ADMINISTRATION PROPERTY AND SUPPLY 501, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR GARLAND STEEL COMPANY ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID OPENED SEPTEMBER 30, 1959.

BY INVITATION NO. 650, ISSUED SEPTEMBER 15, 1959, THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, PHOENIX AREA OFFICE, PHOENIX, ARIZONA, REQUESTED BIDS FOR THE FURNISHING OF CORRUGATED METAL PIPE. GARLAND STEEL COMPANY SUBMITTED A BID OFFERING TO FURNISH THE PIPE FOR $1,512. THE OTHER BIDS WERE $3,225.60 AND $3,612.84.

YOU STATE THAT IN VIEW OF THE WIDE DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNTS OF THE BIDS, THE GARLAND STEEL COMPANY WAS REQUESTED TO VERIFY ITS BID. BY LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 30, 1959, THE COMPANY STATED THAT IT HAD MADE AN ERROR IN ITS BID AND REQUESTED THAT IT BE REJECTED. ALSO, THE COMPANY STATED THAT "IN EXAMINING OUR WORK SHEETS $36. PER FOOT WAS THE FIGURE USED, HOWEVER, IN THE EXTENSION THE WRONG MULTIPLICATION WAS USED.' BY LETTER OF OCTOBER 8, 1959, THE COMPANY FURNISHED ITS PRICE LISTS AND WORKSHEET, EXPLAINED THE NATURE OF THE ERROR, AND REQUESTED THAT THE BID BE CORRECTED AND CONSIDERED. IT APPEARS THAT AFTER CALCULATING ITS INTENDED BID PRICE PER FOOT THE COMPANY INADVERTENTLY BID ON ONLY TWO SECTIONS OF PIPE INSTEAD OF THE FOUR SECTIONS REQUIRED.

SINCE THE APPARENT ERROR WAS NOTICE BY YOU AND, UPON REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION, BOTH THE ERROR AND THE INTENDED BID PRICE WERE SATISFACTORILY PROVEN PRIOR TO AWARD, THE BID MAY BE CORRECTED. IN THE EVENT OF AWARD TO GARLAND STEEL COMPANY, A REFERENCE TO THIS DECISION SHOULD BE MADE ON THE CONTRACT.