Awarding Acquisitions Contracts by Bid or the Perils and Rewards of Shopping by Mail

This article describes the process of developing bid specifications for sending library materials contracts out to bid so that desirable bids from reliable vendors may be received. It details the things which must be negotiated with any purchasing department including criteria for bid evaluations and contract awards. The article notes problems which may arise in the bid process and sets out ways to deal with these. The need for contract monitoring is described, as is the need to amend contracts from time to time. The article endeavors to set out a method whereby h e bid process may work to the advantage, not the disadvantage, of the library.