B-143468, AUG. 22, 1960
Highlights
WILLIAM TEGTMEYER: FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 9. PROPOSALS WERE SOUGHT BY THE CONTRACTOR TO FURNISH FOUR 600 KW AND FOUR 300 KW ELECTRIC GENERATORS IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF TROPO-SCATTER SITES IN SPAIN. ON WHICH YOU STATE THAT YOUR OFFER WAS THE LOWEST SUBMITTED. WE ARE ADVISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE THAT. THIS PROCUREMENT WAS REVIEWED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE UNITS CALLED FOR. WHICH WERE FIXED AT 2800 KW. THE INVITATION WAS CANCELLED AND IT WAS PROPOSED THAT SEVEN 400 KW UNITS BE OBTAINED FROM THE WHITE MOTOR COMPANY UNDER A CURRENT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE SUPPLIER AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
B-143468, AUG. 22, 1960
TO MR. WILLIAM TEGTMEYER:
FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 9, 1960, WITH ENCLOSURES, PROTESTING AGAINST THE ISSUANCE OF A PURCHASE ORDER TO THE WHITE MOTOR COMPANY, UNDER AN EXISTING CONTRACT, FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF A QUANTITY OF DIESEL GENERATORS FOR USE BY THE BROWN-RAYMOND-WALSH COMPANY, A PRIME CONTRACTOR ON CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION WORK BEING PERFORMED ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
THE RECORD DISCLOSES THAT UNDER A PREVIOUS INVITATION FOR BIDS, IDENTIFIED AS NO. 4026, PROPOSALS WERE SOUGHT BY THE CONTRACTOR TO FURNISH FOUR 600 KW AND FOUR 300 KW ELECTRIC GENERATORS IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF TROPO-SCATTER SITES IN SPAIN, ON WHICH YOU STATE THAT YOUR OFFER WAS THE LOWEST SUBMITTED. WE ARE ADVISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE THAT, AFTER OPENING OF THE BIDS, BUT BEFORE AWARD, THIS PROCUREMENT WAS REVIEWED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE UNITS CALLED FOR--- 3600 KW- - EXCEEDED THE POWER REQUIREMENTS OF THE INVOLVED SITES, WHICH WERE FIXED AT 2800 KW. ACCORDINGLY, THE INVITATION WAS CANCELLED AND IT WAS PROPOSED THAT SEVEN 400 KW UNITS BE OBTAINED FROM THE WHITE MOTOR COMPANY UNDER A CURRENT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE SUPPLIER AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY. HOWEVER, THAT PROPOSAL WAS DISAPPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, AND THE CONTRACTOR WAS INSTRUCTED TO PROCURE THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED REQUIREMENT BY COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURE. IT APPEARS THAT YOU WERE ADVISED BY LETTER OF JULY 13 AS TO THE CONTEMPLATED READVERTISEMENT.
CANCELLATION OF THE ORIGINAL INVITATION WAS A PROPER EXERCISE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY, AND IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE OTHER MATTERS INVOLVED IN YOUR PROTEST ARE SATISFACTORILY DISPOSED OF BY THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE AIR FORCE WHICH AFFORDS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY OF BIDDING ON THE REVISED REQUIREMENTS.