Evening star., 1941-05-25
Priorities Hit
District Needs
For Equipment
Few Bids Received
From Contractors,
Official Reveals
BY DON S. WARREN.

DlfhcultleS confronting the DIS
trict government in obtaining crit
ical' and essential materials which
are subject to national defense pri
critics were revealed yesterday a
the Commissioners sent represent
ative to a Chicago convention OF
priority problems opening tomorrow
Roland M. Brennan, District pur
chasing officer, disclosed before leav'
ing for the convention that the Dis
trict recently failed to receive
single bid from contractors for pro-
vision of scrap iron, needed in the
making of city fire hydrants-andh he
now has plan to buy automobile
engine blocks from Baltimore
jalopy graveyards.
Three hundred tons of scrap iron
are needed for this project. Under
the Brennan plan, the District would
send a tug and barges to Baltimore
to transport the motor blocks to the
Lorton Reformatory, where the cast
ings are made, in order to hold down
the cost.
Mr.. Brennan emphasized he was
not protesting against Federal rul-
ings on priorities. He declared, how
ever. that in a few cases the Dis
trict could not get bids from con-
tractors: in larger number of cases
was receiving bids from but two
or three contractors whereas from
IL to Is bids were received in for
mer years: that in many cases de-
liveries were delayed, and that in
some cases equipment could not be
purchased.
Library Specifications Revised.
In addition, it was brought out
that delay in calling for bids for
construction of the first unit of the
new Central Library Building, re-
Gently advertised, was caused by
discovery by the Commissioners
that the original plans called for
use of large amounts of aluminium
in windows, doorways and other
fixtures. All such specifications had
to be revised in view of the Federal
orders reserving aluminium for ma
tional defense projects.
In contrast, the new East Ad-
ministration Building in the mu-
nicipal center area, just completed,
and which was planned before the
priorities rulings we're adopted. has
a wealth of aluminium doors, door
ways and the like
Mr.. Brennan said the District
had recently received only one bid
for dies needed in the manufacture
of dog tags, but two bids for provi-
sion of sheet metal rivets and rub
ber tubing, and only one bid for
provision of iron and steel nails,
whereas in earlier year flock" of
bids would have come in.
The District also is having diff
culties in obtaining 6-pound elec-
trio iron, needed in the laundry of
q municipal agency. No answer was
received from a recent call for bids.
Mr. Brennan was sent to Chicago
TO attend the 26th annual meeting
of the National Association of Pur-
chasing Agents which is expected
to be advised of the latest priority
rulings and suggestions as to how
municipal purchasing agents can
meet their problems while COOP
Grating with the United States.
Possibilities Explored.
In his discussion of the problem
of supplying the Districts schools
institutions and other municipal
agencies. Mr.. Brennan said:
National defense requirements
for critical and essential materials
are affecting procurement of certain
types of supplies and equipment for
the District. However. the District
is in step with national defense
objectives and is exploring posi-
bilities of procuring and utilizing
substitute materials wherever posi-
BILE.
For example, the cases inclosing
traffic signal lights are made of
aluminium, and since aluminium is
one of the most critical of mate
rails for national defense, a substi-
tute material must be found.
In a few cases, priorities have
been granted by the Division of
Priorities, Office of Production Man
agement. These cover machine
tools required for machining fire
hydrants, water valves and so forth,
which appurtenances are vital to
the city. The effect of these priori-
ties is to assure deliveries. though
delayed. An order placed in June
1910, for a tool grinding machine is
expected to be delivered in July
1941. and without a priority such
delivery would be indefinite
Industry is so busy supplying
national defense needs that compe-
tition on District purchases has been
considerably reduced. In some cases
only one bid, or none, has been re-
ceived. The influence is being felt
In the metal, textile and chemical
industries