As prescribed in 536.570-4, insert the following provision or the appropriate Alternate:
Basis of Award-Construction Contract (Apr 1985)
(a) The low bidder for purposes of award is the responsible bidder offering the lowest price for the base bid (consisting of the lump sum bid and any associated unit price bids extended by the applicable number of units shown on the bid form). See Standard Form 1442, Solicitation, Offer, and Award and the provision entitled “Contract Award-Sealed Bidding.”
(b) A bid may be rejected as nonresponsive if the bid is materially unbalanced as to bid prices. A bid is unbalanced when the bid is based on prices significantly less than cost for some work and significantly overstated for other work.
(End of provision)
Alternate I (Apr 1985). If the solicitation includes a base bid and options, the Contracting Officer shall delete paragraph (a) of the basic provision and insert paragraph (a) substantially as follows:
(a) The low bidder for purposes of award is the responsible bidder offering the lowest aggregate price for (1) the base bid (consisting of the lump sum bid and any associated unit price bids extended by the applicable number of units shown on the bid form) plus (2) all options designated to be evaluated. The evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the options. See Standard Form 1442, Solicitation, Offer, and Award and the provision entitled “Contract Award-Sealed Bidding.”
Alternate II (Apr 1985). If the solicitation includes a base bid and alternates, the Contracting Officer shall delete paragraph (a) of the basic provision and insert paragraphs (a), (c), and (d) substantially as follows:
(a) The low bidder for purposes of award is the responsible bidder offering the lowest aggregate price for (1) the base bid (consisting of the lump sum bid and any associated unit price bids extended by the applicable number of units shown on the bid form) plus (2) those alternates in the order of priority listed in the solicitation that provide the most features of work within the funds available at bid opening. See the provision entitled “Contract Award-Sealed Bidding.”
(c) Alternates will be added to the base bid in the order listed in the solicitation (see Standard Form 1442, Solicitation, Offer, and Award). If the addition of an alternate would make all bids exceed the funds available at bid opening, that alternate shall be skipped and the next subsequent alternate in a lower amount shall be added, provided that the aggregate of base bid and the selected alternates do not exceed the funds available at bid opening. For example, when the amount available is $100,000 and a bidder’s base bid is $85,000, with its separate bids on four successive alternates being $10,000, $8,000, $6,000, and $4,000, the aggregate amount of the bid for purposes of selecting the alternates would be $99,000 (base bid plus the first and fourth alternates). The second and third alternates are skipped because each of them would cause the aggregate of the base bid and alternates to exceed the $100,000 amount available when considered with the first alternate. All bids shall be evaluated on the basis of the same alternates.
(d) After the low bidder has been determined in accordance with paragraph (a), an award may be made to that low bidder on the base bid, plus any combination of alternates for which funds are available at the time of award, but only if the award amount does not exceed the amount offered by any other responsible bidder. If the base bid plus the proposed combination of alternates exceed the amount offered by any other responsible bidder for the same combination of alternates, the award cannot be made on that combination of alternates.
Alternate III (Apr 1985). If the solicitation includes a base bid, alternates, and options, the Contracting Officer shall delete paragraph (a) of the basic provision and insert paragraphs (a), (c), and (d) substantially as follows:
(a) The low bidder for purposes of award is the responsible bidder offering the lowest aggregate price for (1) the base bid (consisting of the lump sum bid and any associated unit price bids extended by the applicable number of units shown on the bid form) plus (2) those alternates in the order of priority listed in the solicitation that provide the most features of work within the funds available at bid opening plus (3) all options designated to be evaluated except those options associated with alternates which are skipped during the selection process outlined in paragraph (c) of this provision. The evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the options. See the provision entitled “Contract Award-Sealed Bidding.”
(c) Alternates will be added to the base bid in the order listed in the solicitation (see Standard Form 1442, Solicitation, Offer, or Award). If the addition of an alternate would make all bids exceed the funds available at bid opening, that alternate shall be skipped and the next subsequent alternate in a lower amount shall be added, provided that the aggregate of base bid and the selected alternates do not exceed the funds available at bid opening. For example, when the amount available is $100,000 and a bidder’s base bid is $85,000, with its separate bids on four successive alternates being $10,000, $8,000, $6,000, and $4,000, the aggregate amount of the bid for purposes of selecting the alternates would be $99,000 (base bid plus the first and fourth alternates). The second and third alternates are skipped because each of them would cause the aggregate of the base bid and alternates to exceed the $100,000 amount available when considered with the first alternate. All bids shall be evaluated on the basis of the same alternates.
(d) After the low bidder has been determined in accordance with paragraph (a), award may be made to that low bidder on the base bid and evaluated options plus any combination of alternates for which funds are available at the time of award, but only if that low bidder is still low on the sum thereof plus any previously unevaluated options designated to be evaluated which are associated with proposed alternates that were skipped during the selection under paragraph (c) of this provision. If that low bidder is not still low, award cannot be made on the proposed combination of alternates.
