The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-23
City Contracts and the Lowest Bidder

HAT Richmond's situation, as concerns the
1 award Of city contracts, is very un-
usual ono is well illustrated and defined in the
opinion of Judge Crump in the paving case.
1t there appears that the discretion of the
Administrative Board practically is unlimited.
and that court may interfere with it only
on the ground OF fraud or of abuse so gross
and manifest as to shock the judicial con-
science
! 1t is unlikely, as things go in this world,
that such grounds for interference would
ever be established by legal evidence to
courts satisfaction. Persons who are en-
gagged in transactions OF this character are far
too swift of perception and agile of move
ment to be caught in so obvious trap
These reflections have no relation, of course
to the merits Of the case Judge Crump was
called on to decide 1t may we'll be, as the
majority Of the board has held and insists
that the award of the particular contract in
dispute was not only wise, but imperatively
demanded by every consideration of sound
business policy. Furthermore, The Times
Dispatch shares the public confidence that the
majority members OF the board were animated
by the highest motives and did their duty
as they saw it.
! But that does not alter the fact that under
the Richmond charter. as now Judicially in
! terpreted the Administrative Board is under
no obligation whatever to award a contract
TO the lowest bidder, even TO 1.-THE lowest
responsible bidder" which is the phrase that
most modern municipal constitutions en-
ploy but may abuse the discretion with which
| it is invested to the point where the abuse
becomes gross"
1t is only by awarding contracts, after
advertisement, to the lowest responsible bid
der, or else rejecting all the bids and advertis-
ing again, that city is enabled TO OBTAIN real
Icompetition. If paving contractors through
out the country shall come to understand that
! the discretion of the Administrative Board is
unlimited they will see no rhyme and less
reason III submitting bids for future work
there. They will have no assurance whatever
that the lowest bidder will get the award, and
they will give Richmond a wide berth
| The competitive system moreover, offers
protection against the mistakes municipalities
have been known to make in choosing the Of
lfcials to whom the awarding or contracts is
Entrusted 1 the charter imperatively directs
/ that the lowest responsible bidder shall have
1.-THE contract, favoritsm is eliminated to that
leXtent, at least.
| After all, the best assurance a city has that
paving is being laid properly and at the right
price comes from it's inspection service The
lowest bid means little. unless the contractor
is required to live up to the specifications
| If lie is permitted to skimp material or labor
Tor substitute inferior material for that speci-
fled, he can make lot of money on bid the
honest contractor could not hope to meet
! Competition in bidding aud rigid inspection
represent in conjunction the manner in which
municipalities get works OF public improve
Iment done at the right price Richmond,
with half million dollars to spend on paw
ing, cannot afford to neglect either.