Monday, May 5, 2014

In What Order Should Bids Be Opened?

When bids are received by a public agency, should they be opened:
  1. In the order in which they were received?
  2. Alphabetically based on the contractor's name?
  3. In a random order?
Applicable laws and policies:  Unless there are applicable local or state laws or agency policies, bids may be opened in any order, as the order of opening doesn't impact the bidding process or give one bidder an advantage that other bidders don't have.

Administrative convenience:  Some agencies choose to open bids in alphabetical order and may have entered the names of anticipated bidders on a bid tabulation form prior to bid opening.
Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2014 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Haha...i had never thought about this.....as the result really does not change regardless of whose bid os opened first or last.....but may be a mutual agreement with those present as to how they should be opened...what about first submitted first opened?