Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-07-10
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND Pc
MASTERS

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS
Containing also conditions to be incorporated in the
contracts to the extent the Department may deem
proper.
The POSTMASTER GENERAL warns bidders and
their suEetes to aoquant themselves fully with the
laws of Congress relating contracts for the carry
ing of the mails, (the important provisions of which
ape cited heren) and also to familiarize themselves
with the instructions and forms herein furnished,
before they shall assume any liabilities such bid
ders sureties, and to prevent Misrepresentation or
cause of complaint thereafter.
PosTMAsrERs are required to make themselves
familiar with the laws and these instructions that
they may be able to inform and direct others.
l. Seven minutes allowed to each intermediate
oicewhen not otherwise Specified for asserting the
mails.
.. On routes where the mode OF conveyance admits
of it, the special agents of the Pot Office Depart
ment, also post office blanks mail bsgs, locks and
keys, are to be conveyed without extra Charge
g. Way bills or receipts, prepared by postmas-
ters other agents of the Department, will accom-
pany the mails, specifying the number and destna-
tion of the several bags, to be examined by the
postmasters to insure regularity in the delivery of
bags and pouches
4. No pay will be made for trips not performed
and for each of such omissions, If the failure be
occasoned by the fault of the contractor carrier
three times the pay Of the trip will be deducted For
arrivals so far behind time to break connection
with depending mails and not sufficiently excused
fourth of the compensation for the trip subject
to forfeiture For repeated delinauencies OF the
kind herein specified, enlarged penalties, proper
toned to the nature thereof and the Importance Of
| the mail may be made.
s. For leaving behind or throwing off the mails or
| any portion of them, for the admission OF passen
gers or for being concerned in setting up or running
an express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail quarters pay may bo deducted.
| D. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency
he promptlv and satisfactorily explained by certi-
Gates of postmssters the adavits of other credi
BILE persons for failing to in contract time
for neglectiug to take the mail FROM or deliver it
into post office for suffering it to be wet injured,
destroyed, robbed, or lost and for refusing, after
demand, to convey the mail frequently the con-
tractor runs, or is concerned in running, coach,
car, or steaIphoat route.
T. The Postmaster General may annul the contract
for repeated failures to agreeably to contract
for assigning the contract for violating the post
office laws, dsobeyng the instructions of the De-
partmeni ; for refusing to discharge carrier when
required by the Department to do for running
an expr IS aforesaid for transporting persons
or PACKAGES conveying mailable matter out of the
mail.
g. The Postmaster General may order increase
of service route by. allowing therefor pro rata
increase the contract pay. He may change sched-
uei of departures and arrivals in all cases. and par
ticrlarly to make them conform to connections with
railroads. without increase of pay, provided the run
mig time be not abridged. The Postmaster General
may also discontinue curta the service, in whole
or in part, in order to place the route superior
SERVICE or whenever the public interests in his iudg-
ment, shall require such discontnuance or curtail.
ntfor any other cause he allowing, as full indenl-
nifty to contractor, one months extra pay on the
amount of service dispensed with, and pro rata
compensation for the amount of service retained
and continued.
9. Payments will be made by collections from, or
drafts on, postmasters or otherwise, after the expi-
ration of each quarter-say in November, February,
| May, and August, provided that required evidence
: of service has been received.
TO- The distances given are believed to be substan-
italy correct but no increased pay will be allowed
should they be greater than advertised if the points
to b. supplied correctly stated. Bidders must
inform themselves this point, and also in refer
ence to the weight OF the mall the condition of hills
roads, streams, &c. and all toll bridges, turnpikes
plankroads FERRIES or distinctions of any kind by
which expense may be incurred. No claim for add
nor for alleged mistakes misapprehenson to the
degree of service for bridges destroyed, ferries
discontinued, other distractions causing or in
creasing distance or expense occurring during the
contract term Offices established after this adver
tisement is issued, and also during the contract
term, to be visited without extra pay il
; the distance be not increased.
II. Bidders are cautioned to mail their proposals
, in time to reach the Department by the day ant
: hour named in the advertisement, bids received
after that time will not be considered in competition
| with bids of reasonable amount received in time
Neither can bids be considered which are without
the bond oath, and certificate required by section
245, act of June %, 1874.
L. Bidders should first propose for service strictly
according to the advertisement and then, if the.
desire, separately for different service and if thu
regular bid be the lowest offered for the advertised
service, the other propositions may be considered
49, There should be but one route bid for in pro
posal Consolidated or combination bids e. propos
= ing one sum for two or more routes ~ cannot b.
considered.
H. The route, the SERVICE the yearly pay the nam
and residence of the bidder (that is, his usual posi-
office address) and the name of each member of
firm where company offers, should be distinct
| stated
l5 Bidders are requested to use, as far as pract
cable, the printed proposals furnished by the d.
partment, to write out in full the of their bid
and to retain copies of them.
Bids altered in the route, the service, the yearl
pay or the name of the bidder by erasures or inte
lneations should not be submitted and if so sui
mitted will not be considered in awarding the col
/, tracts. No withdrawal of bid will be allowed unle
the withdrawal received twenty four hours prevot
to the time fixed for opening the proposals.
10, In case of failure of the accepted bidder
execute contract, of the abandonment of servit
during the contract term, the will be re-a
vertsed and relet at the expense of the failing BIZ
der contractor and any accepted bidder who sha
wrongfully refuse fail to enter into contract
l., due form, and to perform the service described
q proposal may be deemed guilty OF misdemeano
y and on conviction thereof be fined and imprisont
q therefor.
H. The Postmaster General reserves the right