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B-162572, OCT. 23, 1967

B-162572 Oct 23, 1967
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ALLEGED UNIT PRICE OF $20.48 PER THOUSAND SHOULD HAVE BEEN $32.77 PER THOUSAND AND FURNISHED EVIDENCE SHOWING HOW ERROR HAD BEEN MADE MAY HAVE BID DISREGARDED. HARRISON: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 25. ALLEGED THAT ITS BID PRICE FOR THE FORM SETS WAS ERRONEOUS IN THAT THE UNIT PRICE QUOTED WAS IN FACT THE ESTIMATED FACTORY COST PICKED UP FROM THE ESTIMATING SHEET AND INCORRECTLY INSERTED IN THE PRICE BLOCK OF THE BID FORM. THE COMPANY STATED THAT THE CORRECT BID PRICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN $32.77 PER THOUSAND FOR THE FORM SETS AND REQUESTED THAT IT BE PERMITTED TO WITHDRAW ITS BID. CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE UNIT PRICE OF $20.48 SHOWN WAS ACTUALLY THE ESTIMATED FACTORY COST FOR THE UNIT TO WHICH A PERCENTAGE IS ADDED.

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B-162572, OCT. 23, 1967

BIDS - MISTAKES - WITHDRAWAL DECISION TO GPO REGARDING WITHDRAWAL OF BID OF ALLIED-EGRY BUSINESS SYSTEM FOR ERRONEOUS UNIT PRICE. LOW BIDDER WHO, AFTER OPENING, ALLEGED UNIT PRICE OF $20.48 PER THOUSAND SHOULD HAVE BEEN $32.77 PER THOUSAND AND FURNISHED EVIDENCE SHOWING HOW ERROR HAD BEEN MADE MAY HAVE BID DISREGARDED.

TO MR. HARRISON:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 25, 1967, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER ALLIED/EGRY BUSINESS SYSTEMS MAY BE PERMITTED TO WITHDRAW ITS BID IN RESPONSE TO INVITATION ON JACKET 273-915, WITH BID OPENING SEPTEMBER 5, 1967.

IN THE REFERRED-TO INVITATION THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE REQUESTED BIDS FOR 6,500,000 SETS OF PRINTED FORMS. ALLIED/EGRY SUBMITTED A BID AT A UNIT PRICE OF $20.48 PER THOUSAND, WITH AN AGGREGATE BID PRICE OF $133,120.00. THREE OTHER BIDDERS SUBMITTED PRICES IN AGGREGATE AMOUNTS OF $134,290.00, $143,650.00 AND $163,085.00.

BY LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 6, 1967, ALLIED PAPER CORPORATION, THE PARENT CORPORATION OF ALLIED/EGRY, ALLEGED THAT ITS BID PRICE FOR THE FORM SETS WAS ERRONEOUS IN THAT THE UNIT PRICE QUOTED WAS IN FACT THE ESTIMATED FACTORY COST PICKED UP FROM THE ESTIMATING SHEET AND INCORRECTLY INSERTED IN THE PRICE BLOCK OF THE BID FORM. THE COMPANY STATED THAT THE CORRECT BID PRICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN $32.77 PER THOUSAND FOR THE FORM SETS AND REQUESTED THAT IT BE PERMITTED TO WITHDRAW ITS BID.

THE RECORD AND WORKSHEETS OF THE BIDDER USED IN THIS AND RELATED BIDS SUBMITTED WITH THE LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 6, CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE UNIT PRICE OF $20.48 SHOWN WAS ACTUALLY THE ESTIMATED FACTORY COST FOR THE UNIT TO WHICH A PERCENTAGE IS ADDED, UNDER THE COMPANY'S PRACTICE, TO ARRIVE AT A BID PRICE. ON THE BASIS OF THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE OF RECORD, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DOUBT THAT THE ERROR WAS MADE AS ALLEGED. ACCORDINGLY, THE BID OF ALLIED/EGRY MAY BE DISREGARDED IN MAKING AWARD.

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