B-188967: May 26, 1977

INSERTION OF "25%" WHERE BIDDER WAS REQUIRED TO INDICATE THAT HE WAS BIDDING EITHER BASIC PRICE PLUS A PERCENT. BIDDER SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXPLAIN MEANING OF BID WHEN HE IS IN POSITION TO PREJUDICE OTHER BIDDERS BY CLARIFYING BID AFTER BID OPENING. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S EVALUATION OF BID AS PLUS 25 PERCENT WAS PROPER. WAS ISSUED TO 59 FIRMS ON MARCH 1. BIDS WERE INVITED UNDER TWO CATEGORIES....

B-188967: May 26, 1977

The Government Printing Office requested an advance decision with respect to a bid for the printing and binding of books and pamphlets. The insertion of "25 percent" where the bidder was required to indicate that he was bidding either basic price plus a percentage, minus a percentage, or without change, created ambiguity which could not be resolved from the bid itself. The bidder should not be all...