§ MR. FORWOODI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office if the War Office, before sending invitations to persons to tender for war material, adopt measures to ascertain the competency of the persons so invited to execute the work in a satisfactory and efficient manner, and whether it is the practice of the Department to accept the tender which is the lowest as regards price from one of the selected firms, provided in other respects it complies with the form of tender and specifications?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (MR. WOODALL,) HanleyFull inquiries are made as to a firm first applying for a contract; and, if their price is satisfactory, trial orders are generally given, increasing in amount until the firm has approved itself equal to the requirements of a large contract. It is the practice to accept, from among approved firms, the tender of the firm which offers at the lowest price, provided the rate of delivery is satisfactory; but the Secretary of State reserves to himself liberty to divide the order if he thinks it desirable to keep two or more firms at work. In the case also of exceptional warlike stores, on the efficiency of which much may depend, the experience in the past with the firms which compete is taken into account as well as the price.