Council Rejects Monopoly Bid for Fire Alarm Contract
After the Gamewell company tried to submit double bids to secure a lucrative contract, the city council handed the deal to their competitor.
The Gamewell Fire Alarm & Telegraph company slipped up on a $10,000 contract in Tacoma last night. Commissioner McGregor opened bids for additions to the fire alarm system, an area where Gamewell has held a practical monopoly for years. When the bids were opened, Gamewell tried to submit two bids in one envelope, which is illegal. Commissioner McGregor rejected the second bid, and the council ordered the contract let to the Star Electric company, whose bid was more transparent.
“It has a good stand-in with all 'departments.' But when the commissioner opened bids there was opposition.”
Public procurement laws are designed specifically to prevent the 'sharp tricks' that Gamewell attempted here. This early instance of a city pushing back against a monopolistic vendor mirrors modern efforts to maintain competitive bidding in municipal technology contracts.
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