B-135885, APR. 29, 1958
Highlights
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 18. WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER NOTED THAT THE BID FROM THE COURIER-JOURNAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE NEXT LOW BID AND THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ESTIMATE OF $334.32. THE BIDDER WAS REQUESTED TO REVIEW THE SPECIFICATIONS AND TO CONFIRM THEIR BID PRICE. THE BIDDER INFORMED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THEIR ESTIMATOR HAD OMITTED A GATHERING CHARGE WHEN COMPUTING THE BID AND BY LETTER OF THE SAME DATE THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION AND ENCLOSED ITS ESTIMATE SHEET WHICH SHOWS THAT NO CHARGE FOR GATHERING THE FORMS INTO SETS WAS INCLUDED IN THE COMPUTATION.
B-135885, APR. 29, 1958
TO HONORABLE RAYMOND BLATTENBERGER, PUBLIC PRINTER, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 18, 1958, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN CONCERNING AN ERROR THE COURIER-JOURNAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY ALLEGES IT MADE IN ITS BID DATED APRIL 2, 1958.
IT APPEARS THAT ON MARCH 26, 1958, YOUR OFFICE ADVERTISED SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 90,060 SHEETS OF A FORM, PRINTED FACE ONLY AND PADDED 60 SHEETS (5 SETS) TO A PAD, 1,501 PADS, SIZE 8 BY 10 1/2 INCHES, SHIPMENT TO BE COMPLETED ON OR BEFORE MAY 12, 1958. IN RESPONSE THERETO THE COURIER-JOURNAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY SUBMITTED A BID OF $130.87. SIX OTHER BIDS RECEIVED RANGED IN PRICE FROM $232 TO $385.
WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER NOTED THAT THE BID FROM THE COURIER-JOURNAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY WAS PROBABLY IN ERROR BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE NEXT LOW BID AND THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ESTIMATE OF $334.32. IN ITS TELEGRAM DATED APRIL 9, 1958, FORWARDED TO THE BIDDER, THE BIDDER WAS REQUESTED TO REVIEW THE SPECIFICATIONS AND TO CONFIRM THEIR BID PRICE. THE BIDDER REPLIED BY TELEGRAM ON THE SAME DAY AND REQUESTED THAT THEIR BID BE REVISED TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL $90 FOR A TOTAL PRICE OF $220.87.
IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION ON APRIL 9, 1958, THE BIDDER INFORMED THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THEIR ESTIMATOR HAD OMITTED A GATHERING CHARGE WHEN COMPUTING THE BID AND BY LETTER OF THE SAME DATE THE BIDDER CONFIRMED THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION AND ENCLOSED ITS ESTIMATE SHEET WHICH SHOWS THAT NO CHARGE FOR GATHERING THE FORMS INTO SETS WAS INCLUDED IN THE COMPUTATION. YOU STATE THAT, INASMUCH AS THE FORMS TO BE PRINTED CONSIST OF FIVE DIFFERENT SHEETS TO A SET, GATHERING IS IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO ASSEMBLE THE SETS IN PROPER ORDER.
ON THE BASIS OF THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE OF RECORD, THERE APPEARS NO ROOM FOR DOUBT THAT THE SUBJECT BIDDER MADE AN ERROR IN ITS BID. IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE ERROR IN BID WAS NOTED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER WHEN THE BIDS WERE EXAMINED AND SINCE THE BIDDER HAS CONFIRMED AND EXPLAINED THE ERROR TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER, THE BID OF THE COURIER-JOURNAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY MAY BE DISREGARDED.
THE PAPERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LETTER OF APRIL 9, 1058, AND THE ESTIMATE SHEET, ARE RETURNED AS REQUESTED.