§ 514.402-1 - Unclassified bids.

(a) Public bid openings will be held in the BSC when the BSC is the bid custodian. When the bid opening will be held elsewhere, the contracting officer shall inform the BSC serving the geographic area in which the contracting office is located of the invitation number and the location where the public bid opening will be held.

(b) The assistant bid opening officer shall be a qualified employee of the contracting office. Upon authorization by the HCA and the Associate Administrator for Enterprise Development in Central Office or the Director of the Business Service Center in the region, bids may be opened by selected BSC personnel. Normally, this authorization will be requested only when the geographic distance separating the BSC where bids are to be delivered and the contracting office makes it impracticable for the bid opening officer or designee to be present to open bids. (See FAR 14.402-1(b).)

(c) Bid openings are open to business representatives, members of the press, and the general public.

(d) To ensure that bids will be opened at the exact time specified, the bid opening official will verify the accuracy of the timepiece to be used.

(e) For the information of those bidders present, approximately one-minute prior notice of bid opening will be announced audibly by the bid opening official.

(f)(1) The bid opening official shall take precaution to ensure that the exact time of opening has arrived and shall announce this fact audibly, citing the invitation or invitations scheduled for opening. The opening of bids will then proceed in full view of the parties present.

(2) For construction contracts that provide for bid alternates, the amount of funds available for the award will be announced before opening bids.

(g) In reading bids, the following information from each bid should be announced when considered practicable and feasible: The bidder's name, item and unit price bid, and other pertinent information, such as delivery and discount terms. A copy of each bid submitted in multiple copies should remain in the bid opening room until the bid abstract is substituted. For bids submitted in an original only see FAR 14.402-1(c).

(h) No alterations or notations to any bid after it has been formally opened will be permitted.

(i) Negotiable instruments submitted as bid guarantees to meet solicitation requirements must be forwarded by the bid opening official to the Finance Division in accordance with procedures established by the Chief Financial Officer. When award is made, the solicitation is cancelled, or all bids are rejected, the contracting officer shall direct the Finance Division to refund the amount of the bid guarantee to the unsuccessful bidder(s). Bid guarantees may be returned before award when a bidder requests the guarantee be returned and the bidder is not in contention for the award. Other forms of bid guarantees (e.g., bid bonds, letters of credit, corporate and individual sureties, etc.), must be retained by the contracting officer and included in the contract file.

(j) A record, including at least the names of persons attending the bid opening and the firms or organizations they represent, should be made a part of the solicitation file.

(k) When multiple copies of bids are received, the bid opening official shall verify the entries on all copies. If there is a discrepancy between the copies of a bid, the contracting officer shall direct the bidder's attention to the suspected mistake and shall follow the procedures set forth in FAR 14.406 concerning mistakes in bids.

(l) Envelopes in which bids and bid modifications are received should be retained in a temporary file until after all awards have been made. At that time, those which bear notations concerning abnormal receipt or opening for identification should be made a part of the solicitation file and the remainder may be destroyed.