Evening star., 1941-08-21

Complete denial that there is any
thing wrong with the District sys'
tenn Of awarding street-pavins
contracts was reiterated today BY
Capt. H. G. Whitehurst, District
highway director, in reacting Il
complaints filed with Congress.
yesterday by Controller Genera
Lindsay c. Warren.
The report, apparently based or
data gathered last fall by two in.
vestigators from the General Ac-
counting Office, questioned the va
lidity of contracts awarded by the
District, spoke of unbalanced ano
loaded" bids, and protested there
was nearly IAN even division Of
work" among four principal con-
tractors engaged in street work here
Capt. Whitehurst told reporters
that neither he or any other District
official had any control over who
submitted paving bids and that
under the law the contracts must
be awarded, and were awarded. to
the lowest bidder who shows flnan-
cial responsibility.
Says Standard Practices Followed.
He explained also that the unit
price system followed for years by
the District was in universal prac-
tice throughout the country: that
a., Dirtrict hoe hoa,, ,,cir,o tho come
specifica tions and same forms for
highway work that are used by the
United States Public Roads Admin
istration; that in the case Of Federal
aid road work here, the District OBJ
tains approval from the. Federal
agency before specifications are
drawn, projects ordered or contracts
awarded.
He added that when work is
planned, legal notice of requested
bids are published in the press; that
any firm, local or otherwise, may
submit bid; that bids are opened
by the chairman of the District Con-
tract Board, the chief clerk of the
Engineer Department.; that bids are
then passed upon by the District
Contract Board before action is
taken by the Board OF Commis-
sioners. "I have been here IS years. II
said Capt. Whitehurst, "and never
but in one case was contract ever
awarded to any one but the low
bidder, and in that case, involving
a minor alley project, the low bidder
was found disqualified
Capt. Whitehurst said there were
but six local contracting firms which
have asphalt plant facilities, ano
that such facilities were very eX-
pensive. He said that contractors
on asphaltic work do not come ano
go, for this reason, like those doing
only concrete paving work.
He added that since commercial
reports are published as to contract
bids and awards, it would seem
strange that, if high prices were
paid here, contractors from at least
nearby areas would not flock into
Washington to bid on contracts. HI
explained that one of the six loca
firms having asphalt plants might
not bid on one job because hi!
plant was loaded to capacity anc
that If he got such an award, he
would have to spend extra funds te
increase his facilities.
Explains "Over Rum"
The highway director also ex-
planned that the so-called "over run
in contracts was due to the Gus
tomary clause in the Districts speci'
fications which permitted the Com
missioners to increase or decrease
by as much as 25 per cent the
amount of work to be done by g
successful contractor under the unit
price bidding system for mlscel-
laneous street paving or repair work
Under this system, the Commis-
sioners from time to time list a
number of street improvement prof.
ects. During the working season
they may decide that some addl-
tional minor street work should be
added and this may be awarded to
a firm already under contract and
the price for the extra work is
charged at the unit prices given in
his earlier bid. Capt. Whitehurst
added that the Commissioners at
times reduce the amount of such
work to be done under contract
bid, and said that on the last re-
pair contract the total had been
decreased by % per cent.
Whitehurst Replies.
IN answer to the complaint made
by the Controller General that bids
may be asked on so items OF ma
terial and work, while usually not
more than Is or 80 of such items
are furnished" Capt. Whitehurst
said:
THE statement is a misconcep-
ton of facts involved. In the case
of street widening, paving replace
ment, curbing and gutter and SINH
lar contracts, it is necessary to m
clude items covering all conditions
that moy or may not be encoun-
tered, in order to establish prices
for such work. Quantities used for
such contingent items are very
small.
These minor items are not sus-
ceptible in all cases of exact deter
mination of quantity for numerous
reasons. such as unknown conditions
on widening projects, discovered
only during execution of the work
This is particularly true unless ex-
tensive and expensive field surveys
and investigations are made before
hand. The cost OF such investiga-
tions is unwaranted considering the
very small and minor items IN
volved."
After the Warren report to Con-
gress had been released at the Capt.
tol, Engineer Commissioner Charles
w. Kutz told reporters he would
have an investigation made, first
of all of this years paving contracts
and later would study contracts in
earlier years, regardless of whether
or no he found any substantiation
of the Controller Generals criticism
He said: II will not make up my
mind until I know both sides OF the
story"