National Republican., 1877-03-06
pROPOSlIs,
PROPOSALS pKOPOs7Ls F0R P6sTXT-o1RDs.
Posr.oyvIcr DEPARTMENT,

PosT.OpprcE DEPARTMENT,
wAsHINeToN, d. o., March !, 1871.
Sealed proposals will be received M At this Depart.
day Of April, 1877, for furnishing United states
Postnl.Cards for ana during a period OF four
years, commencing on the LIST day Of May, 1871
sIzE AND QUALITY OF CARD.
The cards will be three by Eve and one.eighth
inches t315% in.l in dimenslons and must weigh
sly and one:lnarter pounds per thousand finished
cards, exclusive Of bands and wrappers; and the
| paper from which they are man ufactured must be
uniform, so that the cards will not vary from each
also bo clean, and iree rom :pocR pSIi' p%oI caien
dered and finished on both sides suitable for
printing and w1tnE in ink or pencil and equal
furnished by the Department The Department
may require the face and back Of tho cards to be
| Of different tnts; and the right is reserved to
change the colors ut any time. and as often as
may be desired.
PRINTING. DIES, ROLLS, PLATES, ETC, ETC.
The cards will be surface printed on one side
only, from hardened steel plates made from die
the property of the Government. The plates now
in use will be turned over to the new contractor
| mounted ready for tho press, on two forms Of
forty cards each and spaced accurately to cut the
| required to procure, at his own expense, subso.
quent to the award, and before tho contract torn,
commences, additional plates those now in use
| being barely adequate TO the work
The contractor will be further required to keep
| in repair all dies, rolls and plates from which
nnS 70 ns
be required at any time to take the place of the
present cards, or for donomina tiOns Of cards not
now in use, the same shall be furnished and
engraved subject to the approval OF the Post.
master General, upon bis request within a
executed in the best style by the contractor, and
at his own expense. All dies, rolls and plates
made or used at any time in filling the contract
shall Immediately become the absolute property
! of the United States and shall be delivered, in
good working order, to the Postmaster. General
or his authorized agent, whenever demanded.
The cards will bo required to be manufactured
In fire.proot building, subject to tho approval
Of the Department, and in separate apartments
done, and when finished must be placed for stor
agein a fire and burglar.proof apartment, or
S@9ult, @ to be specially provided for the purpose.
without charge, suitable and properly furnished
rooms for use of the post.ofice In registering and
through the mails The apartments, vault, and
rooms for manufacturing, storing, and register
g Ing cards ,h shall S be mmSdiately connected with
shall be constructed and fitted up to tho satisac.
tion and with the approval OF the Department
AGENT-oFFICE RooMs-INsPECTIoN.
resident agent Of the Department will have
supervision OF the manufacture, storage, and
Issue Of the cards, and he shall at all times have
full and free access to the apartments and vaults
where the cards are manufactured and stored, for
the purpose Of inspecting the same. The con.
transaction Of the business Of his agency, with.
also be Immediately connected with the apart.
%sn'i men used iSf mailing and rcg,'erins the cards
right Mt any time to cause inspection TO be
made, by any agent or agents whom he may spe.
cially designate for the purpose, of the rooms,
apartments, and vaults used for tho manufacture
and storage Of cards, and Of the cards In course
OF manufacture or In stock He shall also have
tho right to cause an inspection to be made, when
and In such manner MS he may desire II, of tho
process OF manufacturing the paper In all its sew.
eral stages.
STOCK ON HAND.
Tho contractor shall at all times, after ono
month from the commencement of the contract
term, be required to keep on hand, subject to the
control Of the Department, not less than 100000
finished cards, so that each and every requisition
from the Department may be promptly nlled as
Of the contractor at the expiration OF the contract
or ut any time during Its existence to furnish an
extra quantity Of cards not exceeding a supply
The cards must be banded in parcels Of twenty.
hye, CO. and packed in strong pastoboard or
straw boxes, securely bound on the edges and
box to contain not less than five hundred (6OO)
cards; the boxes to be wrapped and securely fas-
&c as saey s% SSar a sealed
two thousand t2,o9Oj or more cards are required
TO MI the order ofa postmaster, the pasteboard
or straw boxes containing the same must be
packed in strong wooden cases, well strapped
addressed by the contractor under the direction
oi. agent of the Department. Wooden cases
containing the cards to be transported by water
routes. must he provided with suitable water.
proohng.
DELIVERY.
1t Is expected that the contractor will be ready
to commence the delivery Of the cards on tho lst
day OF May, when the contract term begins; and
thereafter they must be promptly furnished and
delivered, complete In all respects, in such guam
titles as may be required to MI the daily orders
o. r 4 m " ha nnI IraH Col ha
delivered in separate package las above provided
for, at the postofhce at the place where the same
are manuiacurcd,0 or at the nearest ad AGENT large
postoiiice with adequate facilities for handling
and mailing the cards, In the discretion of the
Ss PHs or n t such At
e., as the Postmaster-Generll may direct.
BLANKS.
In addition, the contractor will bo required to
furnish labels and direct the same for each pack
age, In accordance with the daily lists furnished
by the agent Of the Department.; together with
S%pks 10 GS TSSS with the
and quarterly returns relating TO the number Of
cards furnished.
REPORTS.
The contractor will DO required to report week.
ly, under oath, the number OF cards manuiic-
tured (hnished, unfinished and spOlled), the mum.
Der issued during the week, and the number
stroysd by the agent OF tho Department IN the
presence of the contractor or his representative
eral may direct.
NUMBER OF CARDS REQUIRED.
The number of cards Issued during the last hs.
cal year was lJO,Sl6,000, and 1t is expected that
the Issues for the current fiscal year will bo about
ls0,0O0,000 The number required during the
next contract term will probably reach ono bill
ion 0o0 900 t00) at least but the contractor must
furnish al that may be required, without refer.
encc TO this estimate.
AwARD-PRorosALs-AGR
Bidders must state In their proposals tho price
per thousand cards, manning but one price,) In.
cludinv everything required to be done or fur
nshed as set forth In this advertisement; and he
contract will be awarded as a whole to the lowest
responsible bidder.
Each proposal must be signed by the Individual
or partnership making 1t, and when made by a
partnership, the name OF each partner thereof
must be disclosed; and II must be accompanied
by guaranty signed by ut least two respon BILE
guarantors, that the bidder shall, within ten days
after being called upon to do so, execute a con.
dered the article or articles to DO furnished by
him. the responsibility and sucicncy OF the sing
ers to such guaranty TO be certified to by the
postmaster or United States Attorney where the
bidder resides; and In such contract the contrac.
tor and his suretes shall covenant and agree that
in case the said contractor shall fail to do or per-
form all or any OF the covenants stipulat and
agreements OF said contract on the part OF the said
contractor to be performed, as therein set forth,
the said contractor and his sureties shall forfeit
and pay to the United States of America the sum
OF one hundred thousand dollars, for which said
forfeiture the said contractor and his sureties
ted damages, to be sued for In the name Of the