The Housing Authority of the County of Erie will receive sealed bids for Seal and Stripe Parking Lot at College View Manor, 65 N. Pearl Street, North East, PA 16428. Please refer to our website: www.eriecountyhousing.org for complete details of the Invitation for Bids.
Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m. on June 24, 2015 at the Authority offices, 120 S. Center St., P.O. Box 38, Corry, Pa., at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Specifications may be obtained by depositing $25.00, for each set, at the Housing Authority office, 120 S. Center St., Corry, PA 16407. Michael McNierney Executive Director
Specifications may be obtained by depositing $25.00, for each set, with the Housing Authority of the County of Erie, 120 South Center Street, Corry, PA 16407. Such deposit will be refunded if a bona fide bid is submitted and the specifications are returned in good condition within ten (10) days after the opening and reading of said bids.
A call to the office confirmed that this was how they always do it. When it was suggested that posting the specs on their website would be quicker and cost free, the young woman I spoke to, who seemed very pleasant and helpful, seemed to agree and said they were "looking into it."
This is an excellent example of procedures blindly followed though hopelessly outdated, needlessly complex and that need to be changed right now. It will cost the housing authority nothing to upload the specs to their website and be done, after which bidders can access the paperwork instantly, no special trip and $25 deposit necessary. Unless citizens and taxpayers question requirements like this whenever they encounter them, they will continue on forever.