gerritm
01-13-2009, 09:56 AM
Here is a brief examination of how to do government business.
>
> Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at
> the White House in DC: One is from New York , another is from Tennessee
> and the third, is from Florida .
>
> All three go with a White House official to examine the
> fence.
>
> The Florida contractor takes out a tape measure and does
> some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. "Well," he says,
> "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my
> crew and $100 profit for me."
>
> The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and
> figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials,
> $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."
>
> The New York contractor doesn't measure or figure, but
> leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700."
>
> The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even
> measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high
> figure?"
>
> The New York contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me,
> $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence."
>
> "Done!" replies the government official. And that, my
> friends,
> is how government contracting works!
>
> Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at
> the White House in DC: One is from New York , another is from Tennessee
> and the third, is from Florida .
>
> All three go with a White House official to examine the
> fence.
>
> The Florida contractor takes out a tape measure and does
> some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. "Well," he says,
> "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my
> crew and $100 profit for me."
>
> The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and
> figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials,
> $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."
>
> The New York contractor doesn't measure or figure, but
> leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700."
>
> The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even
> measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high
> figure?"
>
> The New York contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me,
> $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence."
>
> "Done!" replies the government official. And that, my
> friends,
> is how government contracting works!