The sale of advertised timber shall be awarded to the responsible bidder submitting the highest bid that conforms to the conditions of the sale as stated in the prospectus unless:

(a) Determination is made to reject all bids.

(b) Two or more bidders, all of whom meet the requirements, submit equal bids which are the highest bids, in which case award may be by the drawing of lots. Equal bids from parties having direct or indirect common control or association in logging, processing or marketing may be consolidated to the extent deemed necessary by the awarding officer in order to give to any others who have bid the same amount an equitable opportunity in the drawing of lots.

(c) The highest bidder is notoriously or habitually careless with fire.

(d) Monopoly, injurious to the public welfare, would result from the control of large amounts of public or of public and private timber.

(e) The high bidder has elected Forest Service road construction in response to an advertisement extending such an option, the Forest Service cannot perform the construction and in response to solicitation has not received a satisfactory bid for such construction within the period stated in the prospectus and the high timber sale bidder is unwilling to perform the construction.

[44 FR 73029, Dec. 17, 1979. Redesignated at 49 FR 2761, Jan. 23, 1984, and amended at 50 FR 32696, Aug. 14, 1985; 53 FR 33132, Aug. 30, 1988]