Year: 1875

or promised to give or per form, any consideration whatever to in- duce any other person not to bid for any such contract; ard if any person so of lending is a contractor for carrying the mail, his contract may be annulled; and for the first Offense the person so offend ing shall be disqualified to contract for carrying the mail for five years, and for the second offense shall be forever dis qualified.

 Failing Bidders and Contractors. Con-

 tracts may be Extended, and tempo

 rury Contracts made.

 Sec. 251. That after any regular bidder whose bid has been accepted shall fail to enter into contract for the transportation of the mails according to his proposal, or, having entered into contract, shall fail to commence the performance of the service in his or their contract as there in provided, the Postmaster General shall proceed to contract with the next lowest bidder for the same service, who will enter into a contract for the performance thereof, unless the Postmaster General shall consider such bid too high, in which case he shall re-advertise such service. And if any bidder whose bid has been ac- tu. tract to perform the service according to his proposal, and in pursuance of his con tract has entered upon the peri rmance Of the service to the satisfaction of the Post master General, shall subsequently fail or refuse to perform the service according to his contract, the Postmaster General shall proceed to contract with the next lowest bidder for such service, under the adyer- tisement thereof, (unless the Postmaster General shall consider such bid too high, ) who will enter into contract and give bond, with sureties, to be approved by the Post master General, for the faithful perform ance thereof, in the same penalty and with the same terms and conditions thereto an- neXed as were stated and contained i'll the bond which accompanied his bid but in case each and every of the next lowest bidders for such service whose respective bids are not considered too high by the Postmaster General shall refuse to enter into contract and give bond as herein re- quired for the faithful performance Of his contract, the Postmaster General shall i'm mediately advertise for proposals to per form the service on said route. When ever an accepted bidder shall fail to enter into contract, or a contractor on any mail-route shall fail or refuse to perform the service on said route according to his cOntract, or when 8 new route snail De established, or new service required, or when from any other cause there shall not be contractor legally bound or required Ito perform such service, the Postmaster General may make temporary contract for carrying the mail on such route, with out advertisement, for such period as may be necessary, not in any case exceeding six months, until the service shall have com menced under 8 contract made according to law: Provided, however. That the Post master General shall not employ tempora- ry service on any route at higher price than that paid to the contractor who shall have performed the service during the last preceding regular contract term. And i'll all cases of regular contracts hereafter made, the contract may, in the discretion of the Postmaster General, be continued lin force beyond it's express terms for a period not exceeding six months, until new contract with the same, or other con- tractors, shall be made by the Postmaster General.

 Bidders not released Until 6 contract Is

 entered into and service begun.

 Sec. 252 That no bidder for carrying the mails shall be released from his obliga- ton under his bid or proposal, notwith- standing an award made to 8 lower bidder, until contract for the designated service shall have been duly executed by such low CT bidder and his sureties, and acceptt d, and the service entered upon by the con- tractor to the satisfaction of tho Postmas- ter General.

 Certified cheeks or drafts to accompany all

 bids exceeding $5,00O.

 Sec. 253. That hereafter all bidders upon every mail route for the transportation of the mails upon the same, where the ssnusi for the service on such route at the time exceeds the sum of five thOus- and dollars, shall accompany their bids with certified check, or draft. pay able to the order of the Postmaster General, upon some solvent national bank, which check or draft shall not be less than i've per centum Al