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Getting Bids–Yes or No?

July 26th, 2014 2 comments

We frequently hear about the need for governments—local, county, state, and federal—to get competing bids, and too often we learn after the fact that contracts were let without getting bids.  But many people ask, “Does getting competing bids really make any difference?”  I have the evidence for a definitive answer to that question.

 

Before telling you of a personal experience I had this week, let me point out that probably every reader of this blog gets bids for themselves.  For example, when we are in need of an expensive item (such as a new or used car, a new stove or refrigerator, a new washing machine and drier, or a new computer or printer), most of us will shop around, looking at different models and going to at least a couple of stores or dealers before deciding what to buy.  Although we do not usually ask the salesperson for a formal bid, we are, by shopping around, exercising our own process of bid taking. 

 

But sometimes we find it helpful to get formal bids.  That happened to me this week. Read more…