Bid form check, streetlight and traffic signal maintenance, Borough of Hemlock Ford

The formulas and estimated quantities in Attachment B, the bid form workbook, were traced cell by cell against the basis of award in the Instructions to Bidders. The row for the monthly lump sum pulls the emergency call-out price and has a quantity of 0, so the lump sum has no effect on the Total Evaluated Bid Price. The recommendation is a pre-bid question before the Nov 17 deadline.

Borough of Hemlock Ford, PA, IFB No. 2026-07Attachment B Bid Form, 2 sheets, 15 formulas36-month base term from Feb 1, 2027Questions due Nov 17, 2026, 2:00 PMPrepared Nov 6, 2026

Summary

Attachment B, Evaluation sheet, row 5

The monthly lump sum carries zero weight and its cell pulls the call-out price

Cell E5 pulls 'Bid Form'!D7, Item 1.2 Emergency Call-Out, instead of D6, Item 1.1 Monthly Lump Sum. The estimated quantity, which is the weighting factor, in D5 is 0, although Section 4.2 of the Instructions to Bidders weights prices over the 36-month base term. The other 14 formulas point to the right cells.

In our estimate the lump sum is $511,200, or 41% of the evaluated price as intended.

Ranking

The error reverses the bidder ranking

With the 2023 bid prices escalated 9%, Laurelton Signal & Lighting is low as the bid form calculates, at $654,180, but last as intended, at $1,428,180. Quarry Hollow Electric moves from last to first.

Fixing only the quantity leaves the error in place: the call-out price is then counted on two rows, 156 call-outs instead of 120.

Pre-bid question

Ask the Borough by Nov 17 rather than price around the error

A draft question with cell references is in the tool. Under Section 2.3 of the IFB, questions are answered by addendum to all registered plan holders. Our estimate ranks second in all three modes, so the correction does not change our position at these prices.

To confirm: whether a corrected bid form this late in the bid period requires moving the bid opening, and how a bid priced around the error would be treated if no addendum is issued, are questions for procurement counsel.

The bid form workbook, cell by cell

The workbook shows Attachment B with the selected prices. Click a cell to see its formula, what it points to and what it should point to. Switch modes to see how the evaluated price and the ranking change, and try your own prices.

Calculation
Display

0Total Evaluated Bid Price
0Monthly lump sum in the total
0Call-outs counted
0Rank among bidders
E5

Arrows show where a formula takes its values from. A dashed arrow with a sheet icon is a reference to the other sheet. Red marks an error, amber a discrepancy and blue a correction in the selected mode. Shaded yellow cells are filled in by the bidder.

Ranking in the three modes

Total Evaluated Bid Price by bidder. Competitors' prices are their 2023 bids escalated 9%. The number after each amount is the rank. Bars show the selected mode.

Monthly lump sumCall-out price counted againOther items

Try your own prices

Change the prices in our estimate. The workbook, the key figures and the ranking update right away. Nothing is saved.

Draft pre-bid question

Submit in writing by 2:00 PM on Nov 17, 2026, under Section 2.3 of the IFB. The draft contains none of our prices.

Question regarding Attachment B Bid Form, Evaluation sheet, row 5 (Item 1.1 Monthly Lump Sum)

On the Evaluation sheet, cell E5 pulls its value from 'Bid Form'!D7, which is Item 1.2 Emergency Call-Out, rather than from 'Bid Form'!D6, Item 1.1 Monthly Lump Sum. The estimated quantity in cell D5 is 0.

As the workbook is set up, the monthly lump sum therefore has no effect on the Total Evaluated Bid Price. If only the estimated quantity is changed, the emergency call-out price will be counted on two rows.

Section 4.2 of the Instructions to Bidders states that the Total Evaluated Bid Price is the sum of each unit price multiplied by its estimated quantity for the 36-month base term.

1. Does the Borough intend the monthly lump sum to be included in the Total Evaluated Bid Price, and if so, with what estimated quantity?
2. Will a corrected Attachment B be issued by addendum to all plan holders?
3. Will the correction affect the bid opening on Tuesday, December 1, 2026?

Why ask: Section 2.3 asks bidders to notify the Borough in writing of any error, discrepancy or omission they find in the bid documents. A bid priced around the error could be evaluated on a different basis from the one the Borough applies after a correction.

The Borough’s response: Under Section 2.3, answers are issued by addendum to all registered plan holders, and each addendum must be acknowledged on the Bid Form.

To confirm: whether the correction requires moving the bid opening, and how a bid priced around the error would be treated if no addendum is issued, are questions for procurement counsel.

Sources and method

Sources

  • IFB_2026-07_Streetlight_Signal_Maintenance.pdfInvitation for Bids with Instructions to Bidders: questions and addenda (Section 2.3) and basis of award (Section 4.2)41 pages
  • Attachment_A_Scope_of_Services.pdf2,150 Borough-owned streetlights and 18 signalized intersections, 24/7 emergency response, compensation (Section 6.1)18 pages
  • Attachment_B_Bid_Form.xlsxBid Form and Evaluation sheets, issued Oct 30, 20262 sheets, 15 formulas
  • Bid_Tabulation_IFB_2023-04.pdfBid tab from the previous bid, same pay items, public record3 bids
  • Estimate_Signal_Maint_2027.xlsxOur cost buildup and prices for the seven items7 items

Method

  1. Both sheets of Attachment B were read cell by cell, with formulas, entered values and which cells are bidder input cells.
  2. Every formula on the Evaluation sheet was traced to its precedents. The references were compared with the item numbers on the Bid Form sheet and with the pattern down the column.
  3. The estimated quantities were compared with the basis of award in Section 4.2 of the Instructions to Bidders and with the compensation terms in Attachment A, Section 6.1.
  4. The Total Evaluated Bid Price was calculated in three modes: as the bid form calculates, with only the quantity in D5 changed to 36, and as intended, with both the quantity and the reference corrected.
  5. The ranking was tested with our estimate and with the three bids on the 2023 bid tab, escalated 9% and rounded.
  6. The draft question was written with cell references and without any of our prices.

Assumptions and limitations

  • The Borough's intent for the Item 1.1 weighting is not stated in the workbook. 'As intended' assumes 36 months under Section 4.2, and the Borough's answer decides which quantity applies.
  • The cause of the error is not documented. The reference is one row off, which suggests a copied formula, but that could not be confirmed.
  • Competitors' prices are their 2023 bids escalated 9%, our own estimate of cost growth. The ranking shows how the error works, not how anyone will price this bid.
  • The estimated quantities are for evaluation only and, under Section 4.2, do not guarantee any volume of work.
  • The check covers the version of Attachment B issued on Oct 30, 2026. A later addendum may have changed the workbook.
  • Whether a correction requires moving the bid opening, and how a bid priced around the error would be treated, are legal questions for procurement counsel.
  • The reasonableness of the prices and the content of our estimate were not reviewed.