B-228524: Feb 22, 1988

A firm protested any award of an Air Force indefinite quantity contract for underground shelters to an offerer other than itself, contending that the two low bids were materially unbalanced, since they had front-loaded first-article prices. GAO held that the solicitation was defective, since its proposed bid evaluation methodology encouraged unbalanced bidding. Accordingly, the protest was sustain...

B-228524: Feb 22, 1988

A sealed bid solicitation for an indefinite number of units with separate pricing for a first article unit is defective where bidders were encouraged to front load their first article prices in order to ensure recovery of their nonrecurring costs. 2. F3365787-E-0065 on the basis that the two lowest bids are materially unbalanced. We conclude the IFB was defective and sustain the protest on that ba...