Good article here to read........................

[AULupstate]

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.s...owns_must.html

It's not really about locating but it IS about contract bidding and how some things are done.

Please read it and post your thoughts in regards to HOW this IS alot like locating.

[Enjoythefall]

I feel that our government tries to regulate much more than its constitutional footprint allows for.

[Danger]

it's been known for years that in dealing with government contracts (especially federal contracts), that they always throw out the low and the high bidder and choose the middle. The common wisdom for it is this... the high bidder is inflating his numbers because it is a government job, and the low bidder probably missed a few things... which could put him in jeopardy of not being able to complete the contract because of this....
Now in the private industry... I have had contractors whos bids were substantially more than mine win a contract... and I knew for a fact I had inflated my price to cover un-foreseen issues that may or may not arise. I never once thought about taking it to court... so it's more than the government foot print involved here... it's the entitlement mentality at work...." that job is mine and by god I am going to have it..." do I think things should be open to a open and fair bidding process? yes I do... everyone should be bidding apples for apples... but everyone should meet the same requirements to qualify to bid the contract... and it should be spelled out well in advance of the bidding....

[FailedSafetyAudit]

HOLY shit, I can't believe they are making it illegal to choose a higher bidder, this is seriously fooked up. It should be up to the town who they want for thier work.

[Mke]

This is great. I work for a public agency that puts everything out to bid. We have just gone to a system requiring "Pre-Bid Qualifications". The contractors bidding on certian contracts have to have some experience in the work they are bidding on. We usually had out the contracts to the lowest bidders, however, in the past few years (after puting a couple of businesses out of business) we have deceided to take out the low bidders who are not prepared for the scope of work.

At the same time, I have seen contractors come in who have met the Pre-bid qualifications and still be unprepared with the scope of work. Sometimes, its not the back room deals that give these contracts to the same contractors over and over again, its the fact that these companies have been used to the system and know what to expect and they make the process go easier then a company that has to be taught the ropes and slows things down because they are not used to the process. Its a weird catch 22 that companies looking to contract out work should be given some levity with who they are choosing.

Mke

[HalfTracK]

I have a road job going on in my area and VDOT contracted it out.. Now VDOTs dashboard estimate was 16 million..
Was talking to the project manager and they bid 8 million.. WTF?

[sprayandpray]

Wasn't there an old joke about flying in the military and realizing the plane was built by the lowest bidder? Of course, that's definitely the case any longer.

[paintitnow]

that line was used in the movie Armageddon. the guy mentioned it about how many parts and the power and such was built by the lowest bidder for the space shuttle