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Show 20 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONEX OR INDIAN ABFAIBS. of purchasing and of makimg specifications. Where practicable and for the best interests of the service their suggestions for changes in specifications were adopted, in order that the terms used might more closely conform to trade terms, and that the requirements of the service might be made more clear to bidders. A change in date for the annual estimate from January 1 to Novem-ber 1, which was made last year, has been a decided improvement. Preparations for the annual estimate and the contract lettings are , now made suficiently early in the year to allow the manufacture of . articles and the delivery of supplies before the opening of the schools in the fall. There has been considerable complaint from some dealers that the proposals for furnishing goods and supplies by the requirement of delivery in New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, or San Fran-cisco precluded them from successful competition with other bidders. To remedy any seeming discrimination the proposals were changed so as to permit bidders to designate in their bid delivery at any other point than those named by them, the Government reserving the right to call for the delivery of such quantities at any of the points named by the bidder in case more than one point was speci-fied in the bid. This change has in no way worked to the detriment of the Government, and seems to be satisfactory to the dealers. I SUPPLIES. An important change in the method of buying coal whs instituted during the year. Formerly bids for furnishing coal omitted all special conditions as to heat units, ash, etc., but this year the speci-fications required bidders to state clearly the commercial names of thecoal offered, the location of the mine or mines, and to.guarantee the per cent. of " ash " and '' dry coal " and '' British thermal units " as received. As a result of this change only 43 bids were received this year, as against 154 bids received the year before, and a num-ber of the 43 bids received failed to comply with the terms of the specifications, necessitating their rejection. Wherever it was found impracticable to make awards by reason of the failure of the dealers to-submit bids or comply with the terms of the specifications, fuel will be furnished under local contracts according to the old method. Although the practical value of this new system has been thor-oughly demonstrated in other branches of the Government and in large corporations and municipalities, its introduction into the In-dian Service is experimental. The theory is correct, and if properly employed can be made to work in the service. While the first cost per ton may exceed that under the old system,' yet its absolute fair-ness to the seller and the buyer, in securing the best results from a given expenditure of money, makes it worthy of careful trial. To do |
