Evening star., 1893-10-30
BIDDING FOR SUPPLIES,
A Substitute for MI. Dockery's Bill Offered
In the House.
Text Of the Measure, Which Was Pass
ed After Mr.. Dingley Had Elk.
planned Its Provisions.

The joint departmental commission to-
day reported to the House a substitute for
Mr. Dockery's bill fixing uniform system
of bidding for supplies for the depart
ments. The bill is as follows:
That section 3709 of the Revised Statutes
is amended by adding thereto the following:
That hereafter in the several executive
departments, the department of labor,
United States fish commission, interstate
commerce commission, Smithsonian 1nsti-
tuition, government printing Office and the
offices Of the government Of the District of
Columbia the bids for annual supplies of
fuel, ice, stationery and other miscellaneous
articles, including those for the State, War
and Navy building, shall be opened at 2
clock post meridian upon the same days;
that the Secretary of the Treasury, or an
official named by him, shall designate the
days in each year upon which bids shall
be opened in said executive departments
and other government establishments in the
city OF Washington, and notice of such
designation shall be given to each of them
at least forty days before the dates named
that after such bids shall have been opened
in the usual way by the respective depart
ments and offices 70 which they have been
submitted and awards recommended, but
before contracts shall have been awarded
schedules Of all such bids shall be prepared
and submitted. together with a statement
OF the proposed action Of the several de-
partnents and offices thereon, to a board
consisting Of the chief clerks of the Treas
ury, Interior and Post Office Departments
or such other official representative of each
Of said executive departments as the heads
thereof may designate, and ii shall be the
duty Of said board, or a majority thereof,
at a meeting or meetings to be called by
the representative thereon of the Treasury
Department, who shall be the chairman
Of said board, to make careful comparison
of all of the schedules and statements so
submitted, and to recommend to the per-
sons authorized to make contracts accept
ance or rejection Of any or all of said bids
IF all of the bids for any one or more
articles for any of said executive depart
ments and other government establishments
are rejected on the recommendation of the
board. proposals for such articles shall again
be invited, after due advertisement which said
proposals shall be submitted by the depart
ments or Offices receiving the same to the
said board for comparison and recommen-
dation.
Immediate Confederation Asked.
Mr.. Dingley reported tie bill and called Il
up for immediate consider ation. He ex.
plained to the House that, owing to a lack
OF uniform method in opening bids for sup
plies. there Is a wide diversity in the prices
paid by different departments for the same
article. The present system also permits a
dealer to hold OF in his bid until the bids fol-
one department are opened, thus getting an
idea Of what his competitor is bidding and
enabling him to make a lower proposal to
other departments.
With this explanation by Mr. Dingley the
bill was passed without further amendment