[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 48, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 48CFR14.402-3]

[Page 229-230]
 
            TITLE 48--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
 
                CHAPTER 1--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION
 
PART 14_SEALED BIDDING--Table of Contents
 
           Subpart 14.4_Opening of Bids and Award of Contract
 
Sec.  14.402-3  Postponement of openings.

    (a) A bid opening may be postponed even after the time scheduled for 
bid opening (but otherwise in accordance with 14.208) and--
    (1) The contracting officer has reason to believe that the bids of 
an important segment of bidders have been delayed in the mails, or in 
the communications system specified for transmission of bids, for causes 
beyond their control and without their fault or negligence (e.g., flood, 
fire, accident, weather conditions, strikes, or Government equipment 
blackout or malfunction when bids are due); or
    (2) Emergency or unanticipated events interrupt normal governmental 
processes so that the conduct of bid openings as scheduled is 
impractical.
    (b) At the time of a determination to postpone a bid opening under 
subparagraph (a)(1) above, an announcement of the determination shall be 
publicly posted. If practical before issuance of a formal amendment of 
the invitation, the determination shall be otherwise communicated to 
prospective bidders who are likely to attend the scheduled bid opening.
    (c) In the case of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, and when urgent 
Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation as 
prescribed in 14.208, the time specified for opening of bids will be 
deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the 
solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes 
resume. In such cases, the time of actual bid opening shall be deemed to 
be

[[Page 230]]

the time set for bid opening for the purpose of determining ``late 
bids'' under 14.304. A note should be made on the abstract of bids or 
otherwise added to the file explaining the circumstances of the 
postponement.

[48 FR 42171, Sept. 19, 1983, as amended at 60 FR 34738, July 3, 1995; 
61 FR 31619, June 20, 1996]