The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-10-30
LAST CALL
The Howe Art
Co. close bust
ness here Nov.
list.
The Lowest Tender But
0ne'

!; Ihe Lowest Tender But
One"
/ Many complaints are made concern
ing real and fancied defects in the
present system of letting contracts,
but few remedies are suggested. 1t
would be as impolitic to ignore real
defects and suggestions for their cor
recsion as it would unwise to devote
any serious consideration to the imagi-
nary grievances of the man who is al.
ways falling down through his care
lessness and inability to perceive what
lies ahead of him.
| The system Of awarding a contract
to the lowest bidder has been in prac-
tice for many years, but it docs not
fellow that because of its santiquity it
must Of necessity remain with us for
ever Here is suggestion which
emapates from good, practical man
who has met with no small measure
OF success in the contracting business:
"Wlil not some enterprislng archi.
tect or engineer whose eyes have been
opened to tie defects of the present
contracting system make bold step
and insert in the next advertisement
he issues statement to the effect that
the lowest tender will be accepted?'
This would start the ball rolling, and
it would not be long before others
followed IN his steps. Given a fair
trial, am confident that the system
would be largely adopted, : d equally
confident that it wonld go far to eradl-
cate the evils of the lowest tender
ssstem."
AT first sight there appears to be
something very novel, almost revolu-
tionary, i'll this suggestion, but it is
an open question where it does not
proposition worthy of more
than passing notibe. The present
system of contracting can be outlined
in a very small space. When work
is required to be- done, an architect or
engineer is called IN to prepare plans
and specifications. This done, adj
are published or invita-
tons sent ont to a chosen few for the
Of the work, and, as gene
raj rule, the lowest bid is accepted.
Ut course, there are. exceptions to
this rule but perhaps any conception
al" procedure only tends toward ill.,
creased hardships for the contractors
: ncerned.
Looking squarely into the matter,
IS there any truth in the contention
that the present 81 stem places u pre-
MUM upon dishonesty? Some con-
tractors will tell you that under exist
ing conditions fairpr;ces mean no con-
tracts, and that successful competition
,ften necessitates a rrice below the
actual cost of the work; that is, if the
specifications are to be allowed faith
'ully. Be this as 1T may, if there is
my truth in the assertion that we are
a system which permits
he making of reasonable profit on
Y by means of certain amount of
'cramping and inferior work, we are
helping to perpetrate radical
wrong.
After all, perhaps there really is
something in the "lowest-but-ooe"
dea! The more such system ie
bought upon, the mot- practicable q I
,ears its applicability to meet the d.
hands of the case. It will he quite
,aIpabe that, were the "lowest-but-
me" system adopted, man would he
IS fearful OF going too low as be is
low of gong too high. 1t would be
uicidal 80 to cut ones prices as 10
ONE out bottom of the list, with the
certainty of rejection, and the result
would be rise in prices all around,
Nth the chance of man making a
air profit upon work we'll and con-
cientiously done.
Perhaps some of our readers feel
hey are particularly interested in
his department of contract reform.
% any of such who have any criti-
isms or suggestions to offer the
olumns of the Contract Record are
ways open. There are doubtless
1any "pros AID cons" that occur toj
be reader of this article. Let US
now what they are! Contract
,ecord (Toronto) August Is, 1909.