Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-13
BUYING GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES.
Methods by Which Uncle Sam Is a
Loser and Business Men Disguised.

A good many OF the reputable business men
OF this city are disturbed not little because of
the disadvantages they suffer from when COM
petlng with less scrupulous persons for the
privilege OF selling to the governme mt those
miscellaneous supplies necessary in the various
departments. These supplies include such
articles as soap, towels, wash bowls, spittoons,
tumblers, brushes Of various kinds feather
busters, dust pans, matches, buckets and host
Of other specimens Of household bric-a -brac.
Al nrst glance 1t would seem as though any,
body In possession Of the ordinary aggregation
OF senses could tell whether goods delivered by
a contractor are up to the sample or not but
this idea, the dealers say, is fallacious.
HOW 1T WORKS.
1t works in this wise. One OF the depart-
menss wants ten dozen tumblers. Bids are
called for and there are probably dozen re-
sponses. The majority of these give figures
that are either identical or within easy reach of
each other. One mans price is away below all
the others. OF course he gets the contract,
and when the time comes delivers the goods.
Here is where he gets his fine work in. In
most instances the official who inspects the
goods Is non-e1pert employe OF the depart
ment, and when the glasses are unpacked he
looks at them. They correspond with his idea
Of what glass should be and he accepts them.
Then the contractor makes haste to get his
money and skirmish around for more bids: he
has made much more on his glasses than any
one OF his competitors could The fact is that
while the sample upon which the contract was
awarded was Mint glass, the goods delivered
sound, heavier and inferior in every way. His
profit has been large and he
made 1t because the inspector had not that ex-
pert knowledge necessary to enable him to
distinguish between the two qualities This
same error can easily be made on a score of
1lfarent artlciaa hanangA M not Ill,
discovered line which divides the genuine and
the highly CLOSED imitation.
AGITATINa FOR CHANGE.
In order that the honest, quare-dealing mer-
chant may not always suffer from this uncon-
scious discrimination there ia quiet moveme mt
on foot to agitate for change Among
the propositions made is one that
most OF those interested think would
be feasible. 1t would be to have
the department summon to its aid board of
three experts-employes in three different ss
adjustments dealing in the kinds of goods 10
be examined. These men could be sworn To
do their duty without partiality. but the fact
| that they were attached to different honses
| would etectually prevent community of in
| terest. Imposition on the government bv
tricky bidders and contractors would then he
impossible.
ANOTHER CAUSE OF COMPLAINT,
Another feature In this same government
contract business ID the cause of much conn
plant. That is the manner in which the eoods
| are called for by the departments. Twenty
gross Of matches, it may be, is one item and in
| stead Of having them delivered at one time the
| chief clerk will request the contractor. once in
every two or three weeks, to send him up a
/ gross. 1t costs more to deliver the matches
| than the contract is worth.
Sometimes q dealer contracts to supply a
certain article in 3 large quantity at the ruling
| price for that period when he makes his bid
| He cannot deliver the stuff in bulk and il the
| market should chance to move up on him be-
fore the end Of the contract year he is in a
| hole.
PURCHASING AGENT NEEDED.
Some are openly advocating the appointment
by each department Of q purchasing agent,
| who should be situated as is the sergeant-at-
arms OF the Senate, for instance. He buys in
/ open market and makes affidavit to the effect
that no officer of the government has been or
will ever be. directly or indirectly, benefited
| BY connection with the purchase.
Incidentally il may be interesting to know
that bids are called for on articles that make
the system appear ludicrous. Only q little
while ago one OF the big departments invited
| bids from twenty-six dealers for the supplying
| Of two-quart demijohn.
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