The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-07
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS;
Containing also conditions to be incorporated in the
contracts to the ertent the Department may deem
proper.
The POSTMASTER GENERAL warns bidders and
their sureties to acquant themselves fully with the
laws OF Congress relating to contracts for the carry
ing of the mails, the important provisions of which
cited herein,) and also to famiariZe themselves
with the instructions and forms herein furnished, be-
fore they shall assume any liabilities such bidders
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 are allowed to each intermediate
office, when not otherwise specified, for asserting the
mails
2. On routes where the mode of conveyance admits
of it, the special agents of the Post Office Depart
ment, also post office blanks mail bags, locks and
keys, are to be conveyed without extra charge.
8. "Way bills or receipts prepared by postmasters
or other agents of the Department. will accompany
the mails, specifying the number and destination 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 ii thel failure be
casioned by the fault of the contractor carrier,
For arrivals so far behind time as to break con-
nection with depending mails, and not sufficiently
one fourth of the compensation for the trip
of the kind herein specified, enlarged penalties, pro-
portoned to the nature thereof and the importance
of the mail, may be made.
5. For leaving behind or throwing off the mails or
any portion Of them for the admission of passengers
or for being concerned in setting up or running an
express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail, quarters pay may be deducted.
6. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency be
promptly and satisfactorily explained by certificates
of postmasters the afdavs of other credible per-
sons, for failing to arrive in contract time for neg
ecting to take the mail rom deliver it into, post
office; for suffering it to be wet injured destroyed
IN
convey the mail as frequently as the contractor runs,
or is concerned in running. COACH car. or steam
boat route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul the contract
for repeated failures to agreeably to contract
assignin the contracts for violating the post Office
laws or disobeying the instructions of the Depart
ment; for refusing to discharge carrier when re-
qured by the Department to do SO; for running an
express as aforesaid; or for transporting persons
packages conveying mailabe matter out of the mail
8. The Postmaster General may order an increase
OF service a route by allowing therefor pro rata
increase on the contract pay. He may change sched
ules OF departures and arrivals all cases. and par
tcularly to make them conform to connections with
railroads, without increase of pay provided the rum
ming time be not abridged The Postmaster General
may also discontinue curtail the SERVICE in whole
in part, in order to place on the route superior
SERVICE or whenever the public interests, in his udg
ment, shall require such discontinuance curtail-
ment for any other cause he allowing as full indem
nifty to contractor, one months extra pay the
amount of service dispensed with, and pro rata
compensation fer the amount of service retained and
continued.
g. Payments will be made by collections from, or
drafts on. postmasters or otherwise, after the expr
alton 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-
tally correct; but no increased pay will be allowed
should they be greater than advertised if the points
inform themselves on this point and also in refer
ence to the weight of the mail the condition of hills
roads, streams, &C., and all tolbridges turnpikes
plank-roads ferries distractions of any kind by
which expense may be incurred. No claim for addi-
tional pay based on such ground, be considered
nor for alleged mistakes or as to the
discontinued, or other distractions causing or in
creasing distance or expense occurring during the
contract term. Offices established after this adver-
tisement is issued and during the contract term
are to be visited without extra pay if the distance be
uot increased.
H. Bidders are cautioned to mail their proposals in
time to reach the Department by the day and hour
named in the advertisement, as bids received after
that time ci not be considered in competition with
bids of reasonable amount received in time. Neither
can bids be considered which without the bond
oath, and certificate required by section 245 act Of
June %, 1874.
10. Bidders should first propose for service strictly
according to the advertisement, and then, ii they de-
sire, separately for different servce and if the regu
lar bid be the lowest offered for the advertised
vice, the other propositions may be considered
49, There should be but one route bid for in pro-
posal. Consolidation combination bids, C.proposing
one sum for two or more routes) cannot be consid-
cred.
a. The route the service, the yearly pay, the
TeSlue0c6 Oh MS usual p0Sts
office address,) and the name of each member of a
firm where company offers, should be distinctly
stated.
10. Bidders requested to use as far as practi-
cable, the printed proposals furnished by the Depart
ment, to write out in full the of their bids and
to retain copies of them.
Bids altered in the route the service, the yearly
pay, or the name of the bidder, by inter
lineaions should not be submitted; and if so sub
mitted will not be considered in awarding the con-
tracts. No withdrawal of bid will be allowed I'M
less the withdrawal is received twenty-four hours
previous to the time fixed for opening the proposals
16. In case of failure of the accepted bidder to
cute contract, or of the abandonment of service
during the contract term, the service will be read
yertsed and re-et at the expense of the failing bid.
der contractor and any accepted bidder who shall
wrODguy refuse or fail to enter into contract in due
FORM and to perform the service described in his pro-
pOsal, may be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and,
on conviction thereof, be fined and imprisoned there
for.
II. The Postmaster General reserves the right to
reject any bid which may be deemed extravagant;
and also to disregard the bids Of failing contractors
and bidders.
No contract for carrying the mail shall be made
with any person who has entered or proposed to en-
ter into any combination to prevent the making of
any bid for carrying the mall or who has made any
agreement, or given or performed, or promised to
give or perform, any consideration whatever to in
duce any other person not to bid for any such con-
tract.
No bidder for carrying the mails shall be released
from his obligation under his bid proposal, not
withstanding an award made to lower bidder, until
contract for the designated service shall have been
duly executed by such lower bidder and his sureties
and accepted, and the service entered upon by the
contractor to the satisfaction of the Postmaster Gen.
eral,
By regulation of the Department. no carrier can
be employed who is under sixteen years of age; and
no bidder will be accepted who Is under twenty one
years of age, or who is a married woman.
10. The bid should be sealed, superscribed 'Afail
Proposals, State of Maine," addressed ''Second As
sistant Postmaster General, Contract Office.
10. Every proposal must be accompanied by bond
with two or more suretes approved by postmaster,
and in cases where the amount OF the bond exceeds
first second third class. Bids for service, the pay
for which at the time of advertisement exceeds five
thousand dollars. (S5O00) must be accompanied by
certified check, or draft payable to the order of the
Postmaster General, on some solvent national bank,
of not less than five per centum on the amount of the
annual pay on such route, and in of new mod
flied service, not less than five per centum of the
amount OF the bond accompanying the bid if the
amount Of said bond exceeds ($5.O0O five thousand
dollars.
The amount of bond required with bids, and the
present pay when it exceeds (S5,00O) five thousand
dollars, are stated in the advertisement under the
appropriate route
Sureties on the bond of bidder must take an oath
before an officer qualified to administer oaths that
they the owners of real estate WORTH in the ag-
gregate sum double the amount of said bond, over
and above all debts due and owing by them, and all
judgements, mortgages, and executions againet
them, after allowing all exemptions of every charac
ter whatever.
90 All checks deposited with bids will be held I'M
til contract is executed and the service commenced by
the accepted bidder. Checks DiU then be returned
By mail, on the aortten request Of the bidder de-
HUered to dny one on his order.
q. The contracts are to be executed and returned
to the Department By or before the 10th day of Sep
TENDER, 1876, otherwise the accepted bidder a,iU be
considered as hauing failed, and the Postmaster
General may proceed to contract the service ach
other parties, according to tdac.
Assignments of contracts or of interest in
tracts, are forbidden by law, and consequently
not be allowed. Neither bids interest in bids,
be transferred assigned to other parties. Bidders
will therefore take notice that they will be expected
to perform the service awarded to them through the
whole contract term.
%. Section 249 of the act of June g. 1872 provides
that contracts for the;c ansportation of the mail
shall he awarded to the lowest bidder rendering suf
fcent guarantees tor faithful performance without
other reference to the mode of such transportation
than may be necessary to provide for the due ceer
ity, certainty and security thereof Under this law
bids that propose to transport the mails with ceier
iy certainty, and security" haUing been decided to
the entire mail, however large and ohdteUer may be
me mode OF conveyance necessary TO insure its see
terty certainty. and security" and hare the prefer
OUer all Others and no others are considered,
except for steamboat routes.
%. A modification of a bid in any of its essential
terms is tantamount to new bid, and cannot be re-
ceived as to interfere with regular competition.
Making new bid in proper form is the only way to
modify previous one.
"a. POstmasters are cautioned under penalty of
removal not to sign the approval of the bond of any
bidder before the bond is signed by the bidder and
his sureties, and not until entirely satisfied of the
suticiency of the suretes.
M frna fnv,f a1ar