THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: The Investigation; Officials Say Perot Charges Led F.B.I. to Try Sting at Bush Office

The Federal Bureau of Investigation set up a sting operation that involved sending an undercover agent this summer to the office of President Bush's campaign chairman in Texas to check Ross Perot's accusations that Republicans were spying on him, Administration officials said today.

In the course of the operation, the F.B.I. agent offered to sell Jim Oberwetter, the Bush-Quayle campaign chairman in Dallas, an audio tape and documents from Mr. Perot's office for $2,500 in what Mr. Oberwetter said today was an attempt by the bureau to "entrap" him.

Mr. Oberwetter said he discussed the issue in a telephone conservation with Mr. Bush today. The President said he would review the bureau's conduct after the election, but gave no indication whether he would complain about the F.B.I.'s methods, Mr. Oberwetter said.

Mr. Oberwetter said the President congratulated him on resisting the enticement. He also said that he expressed anger to Mr. Bush over the incident, but said that the President replied that he and his staff had a lot on their hands right now and would deal with the matter later. A Routine Response

This was as close as the White House and the Bush campaign came to comment on the extraordinary nature of an episode in which an executive branch agency was investigating the campaign organization of a sitting President.

The undercover operation was approved at the bureau's headquarters and carried out by the field office in Dallas, officials said. Aides to William S. Sessions, the F.B.I. Director, were involved in the decision but it was not known whether Mr. Sessions or officials at the Justice Department were advised of it.