FAR 14.400—Scope of subpart.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 14.400 is the scope statement for sealed bidding procedures in Part 14, Subpart 14.4. It tells readers that this subpart governs the full life cycle of bids after they are submitted: receipt, handling, opening, and disposition of bids, including how to deal with mistakes in bids, and the eventual award of the contract. In practice, this means the subpart is the operational rulebook for what contracting personnel must do once bids arrive and before award is made. Its purpose is to ensure bids are protected, opened and evaluated in a fair and orderly way, mistakes are handled consistently, and award decisions are made on a proper record. For contractors, it signals that bid submission is not the end of the process; how a bid is received, whether it is timely, whether it can be opened, and whether errors can be corrected or withdrawn all matter. For contracting officers and other acquisition personnel, it establishes that bid administration must follow prescribed procedures to preserve integrity, competition, and the validity of the award.
Key Rules
Covers bid receipt
This subpart applies to how bids are received by the Government. That includes ensuring bids are accepted and processed under the sealed bidding rules before any opening or award action occurs.
Covers bid handling
The subpart governs the handling of bids after receipt, which means safeguarding them, maintaining control, and preserving their integrity until the proper time for opening and evaluation.
Covers bid opening
It includes the procedures for opening bids, which is a critical step in sealed bidding because bids are exposed and recorded in a controlled public or formal setting.
Covers bid disposition
The subpart addresses what happens to bids after opening, including how they are evaluated, retained, rejected, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with sealed bidding procedures.
Covers mistakes in bids
It specifically includes rules for identifying and resolving mistakes in bids. This is important because sealed bidding requires a structured approach to corrections, withdrawals, and other remedies when errors are discovered.
Covers award of contracts
The subpart also governs the subsequent award of contracts after bids are opened and reviewed. In practice, this means the award decision must follow the procedures and protections established in the subpart.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Must follow the procedures in this subpart for receiving, safeguarding, opening, and disposing of bids, addressing bid mistakes, and making award after proper bid processing.
Contracting Activity / Acquisition Personnel
Must support the contracting officer by properly logging, storing, and processing bids and by maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of bids until opening.
Contractor / Bidder
Must submit bids in a manner that allows them to be properly received and processed, and must understand that bid mistakes and award outcomes are governed by the sealed bidding procedures in this subpart.
Practical Implications
This section is a roadmap for everything that happens after bids are submitted, so it is the starting point for understanding sealed bidding administration.
A common pitfall is treating bid opening as a formality; in reality, the handling and opening rules are critical to fairness and to avoiding protests or award defects.
Contractors should pay close attention to submission requirements because receipt and handling rules can determine whether a bid is timely and eligible for award.
Mistakes in bids are not handled informally; the subpart signals that there are specific procedures, so contracting officers should not improvise remedies.
For award decisions, the key practical point is that the Government must complete the bid-processing steps correctly before making contract award, or the award may be vulnerable to challenge.
Official Regulatory Text
This subpart contains procedures for the receipt, handling, opening, and disposition of bids including mistakes in bids, and subsequent award of contracts.