(a)

(1) Sealed bids shall be received only until the hour on the date specified in the notice of competitive leasing; all sealed bids submitted after that hour shall be returned. The authorized officer shall read all sealed bids, and shall announce the highest bid.

(2) No decision to accept or reject the high bid will be made at the time of sale.

(b) A sale panel shall convene to determine: (1) If the high bid was properly submitted; (2) if it reflects the FMV of the tract; and (3) whether the bidder is qualified to hold the lease. The recommendations of the panel shall be in writing and sent to the authorized officer who shall make the final decision to accept a bid or reject all bids. The sale panel's recommendation and the authorized officer's written decision shall be entered in the case file for the offered tract. The successful bidder shall be notified in writing. The Department reserves the right to reject any and all bids regardless of the amount offered, and shall not accept any bid that is less than fair market value. The authorized officer shall notify any bidder whose bid has been rejected and include in such notice a statement of the reason for the rejection. The Department reserves the right to offer the lease to the next highest qualified bidder if the successful bidder fails to execute the lease, or is for any reason disqualified from receiving the lease.

(c) Each sealed bid shall be accompanied by a certified check, cashier's check, bank draft, money order, certificate of bidding rights, personal check or cash for one-fifth of the amount of the bonus, and a qualifications statement over the bidder's own signature with respect to citizenship and interests held, as prescribed in §3472.2-2 of this title.

[44 FR 42615, July 19, 1979. Redesignated and amended at 47 FR 33140, July 30, 1982]