PROTEST IS SUSTAINED WHERE AGENCY IMPROPERLY REJECTED LOW BID FOR RENTAL OF POLICE CARS AS MATERIALLY UNBALANCED SINCE BID WAS NOT EVEN MATHEMATICALLY UNBALANCED DESPITE HEAVILY "FRONT-LOADED" BASE PERIOD PRICE. CLAIM FOR BID PREPARATION COSTS IS DISALLOWED WHERE LOW BID COULD NOT BE ACCEPTED. BIDS WERE EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF PRICES QUOTED FOR BOTH THE BASE PERIOD (FIRST YEAR - APPROXIMATELY MA...

A firm protested the U.S. Marshal's Service rejection of its low bid for the rental of police cars for 1 year and 2 option years. The bids were evaluated on the basis of prices quoted for both the first year and the option periods. Although the protester's total bid was low, it was heavily front-loaded, and the price of its first year of performance exceeded the funding available for that year. Th...