Real Estate Board regarding the assignment of working space to activities. Concentrations of this kind are effective in standardizing working conditions of Federal employees throughout the country. They also enable the Government to secure first-class space at a nominally low rental upon the basis per square foot of usable space, thereby correcting the wasteful practice of renting by building, floor, or room. Maintenance and other services are obtained at a lower cost, and the use of high-priced office space for storage purposes is eliminated. In the two cases so far completed a material savings in expenditures by the Government for rent has been effected. Other concentrations are expected to be consummated at the expiration of present leases.

FEDERAL LIQUIDATION BOARD

Through standard procedure established by the Federal Liquidation Board, there was effective a saving to the Government of $2,268,022.50 during the year by the interdepartmental transfer of property surplus to the several Federal activities, and purchases of the transferred material were avoided.

FEDERAL PURCHASING BOARD

The Federal Purchasing Board has committed itself to the policy of full support of the simplified practice movement conducted by the Bureau of Standards, as also the establishing of commercial standards. In order that the Government might lend its full support to these valuable movements and also enjoy the benefits to be derived therefrom, the adopted policies of the Federal Purchasing Board were promulgated by the Chief Coordinator through the medium of Bulletin No. 109, Supplement No. 2, of March 20, 1929, and Supplement No. 1 thereto, of March 5, 1929, respectively. Departments and establishments were requested therein to issue instructions to insure the acceptance of simplified practice recommendations and commercial standards whenever feasible, and to require the purchase of material and supplies not covered by Federal specifications, in conformity with these recommendations and standards, except when such action would be prejudicial to the Government's interest.

The Federal Purchasing Board has under consideration the adoption of the policy of purchasing certified and grade-marked lumber whenever practicable, preferential consideration to be given bids on such lumber when all other elements are equal or afford greater advantages. Consideration is also being given to a broader and more practical adherence to the principles of conservation as promulgated by the National Committee on Wood Utilization, Department of Commerce. In the studies of procurement methods with respect to the numerous commodities in common use by two or more Government activities, the committee on commodities of the board has organized 61 so-called advisory groups corresponding to the 61 groups for procurement which comprise Section IV of the Federal Standard Stock Catalogue. These groups will develop and recommend standard methods for procurement for the thousands of commodities listed in the catalogue.

The Federal Purchasing Board is engaged, therefore, not only in standardization of commodities but also in standardization of methods of procuring commodities.

FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS BOARD

Since the 1929 Standards Yearbook, the following new specifications have been issued:

The following specifications have been revised during the fiscal year:

FEDERAL STANDARD STOCK CATALOGUE BOARD

The publication of the Federal Standard Stock Catalogue is progressing rapidly and satisfactorily. This catalogue was authorized by Congress, in March, 1929, and valuable data for inclusion are being compiled by the Federal Specifications Board and the Federal Purchasing Board.

The Federal Standard Stock Catalogue Board was created by Bureau of the Budget Circular No. 260 of March 29, 1929, which provided that:

It shall be the duty of the Federal Standard Stock Catalogue Board to determine the articles to be included in the Federal Standard Stock Catalogue, together with information relative to nomenclature, descriptions, classifications, groups, specifications, stock numbers, code words, and other pertinent data, and to decide questions of arrangement and other considerations that may arise in connection with the compilation of the catalogue.

The Quartermaster General of the Army and the Paymaster General of the Navy have detailed civilian personnel to assist the board in the compilation of the catalogue.

Commercial and industrial establishments are exhibiting much interest in the Federal Standard Stock Catalogue and many requests for complete volumes have been received. It is believed that eventually this compilation will become a master catalogue for commercial and industrial business as well as for governmental business.

INTERDEPARTMENTAL BOARD OF CONTRACTS AND ADJUSTMENTS

The Interdepartmental Board of Contracts and Adjustments, composed of representatives of the departments and establishments concerned with the preparation and execution of Government contracts, has drafted 18 standard contract forms which have been approved by the President and are now used by all the contracting agencies of the Government. They are as follows:

Lease (real estate).

STANDARD GOVERNMENT FORMS

Construction contract forms:

Invitation for bids (construction contract)_.

Bid (construction contract) -----

Instructions to bidders (construction and supply).

Annual bid bond (supplies).

Standard Form No.

2

20

Annual performance bond (supplies).

Continuation schedule for standard Form 31 or 33 (supplies).

Telephone contract form: Contract for telephone service, United States of

America....

Coal contract forms:

Contract (coal)

Instructions to bidders (coal).

Purchase conditions (coal).

23

24

25

30

33

34

36

40

42

In addition to drafting these standard forms, this contract board has drafted a proposed new public contract law to make uniform Government contract procedure. There were hearings before the Committee of the Judiciary, House of Representatives, on February 22, 1929, on this bill, which is known as H. R. 15713, "A bill to establish uniform requirements affecting Government contracts, and for other purposes."

INTERDEPARTMENTAL BOARD ON SIMPLIFIED OFFICE PROCEDURE

Outline of Current Activities.-The board's general activities during the year ending June 30, 1929, consisted of the following:

(a) Classifying, simplifying, and standardizing routine administrative functions common in two or more departments or establishments.

(b) Developing a standard form to meet the needs of each routine administrative function common in two or more executive branches of the Government (except those accounting forms promulgated by the Comptroller General).

(c) Preparing complete, simple, and elastic working methods in such routine matters as preparing, dispatching, and filing correspondence and other papers. (d) Investigating and recommending a uniform plan for the constant and regular destruction of useless correspondence and other papers.

(e) Standardizing the use of the latest improvements in office materials, supplies, and equipment, with special attention to the use of time-saving devices in routine business.

(f) Planning for the efficient and economical management of personnel.

Accomplishments-AUTOMATIC PENCILS.-The board recommended the general use of automatic pencils described in item 1266 of the General Schedule of Supplies, in view of the fact that the pencils with detachable erasers and extra package of six leads each cost the equivalent of three best grade of black-lead wooden-shaft pencils. The average length of the discarded wooden-shaft pencil is not less. than 3 inches, indicating the loss of approximately one-half of the pencil, but this loss may be reduced to as much as one-half by the use of metal or hard-rubber holders or lengtheners. However, these devices cost as much as some types of automatic pencils. In addition, there is to be considered the time lost in sharpening pencils and in the cost of pencil sharpeners.

BOOKS, BLANK AND MEMORANDUM, STANDARD STOCK.-A joint investigation made by the board and the Permanent Conference on Printing disclosed the fact that there is a lack of uniformity in the blank and memorandum books purchased by the Government on the General Schedule of Supplies. The General Schedule of Supplies for 1928 carried items 1014 and 1016, blank books, in 6 different dimensions, 5 different styles of ruling, 4 different numbers of pages, 3 different styles of indexing or paging, and 2 different kinds of binding, thus offering a choice of 375 different specifications. The schedule also carried item 1018, memorandum books, in 7 different dimensions, with rulings, bindings, number of pages, indexing and opening so varied as to offer a choice of 36 different specifications. It was, therefore, proposed in the Chief Coordinator's Bulletin No. 59 to standardize the kinds, sizes, rulings, printing, and binding of books, blank and memorandum, for all Federal services so as to provide standard stock books to be manufactured in quantity production and to be carried in stock by the Public Printer available for prompt issue upon requisitions as now done in the issue of standard forms. Bulletin No. 59 was later superseded by Bulletin No. 111. Standard listings as to kinds, sizes,

rulings, printing, and bindings of books, stock, blank, and memorandum are now published by means of "United States Government Interdepartmental Standards" with identifying numbers. The last standard listing was published by the office of the Chief Coordinator on January 2, 1929.

ENVELOPES, STANDARDIZATION.-A standard list of envelopes is published by the Chief Coordinator periodically in a series of United States Government Interdepartmental Standards. This list is compiled by item numbers taken from the Post Office Department schedule of envelopes which are contracted for each year under the provisions of the act of January 12, 1895, as amended by the act of June 26, 1906. Any request for deviation from this standard list by any of the services is taken care of by a clearance for purchase through the office of the Chief Coordinator. This standard list consists of 65 item numbers as a result of the gradual reduction in the envelope item numbers formerly available. The list does not apply to the following:

(a) Stamped envelopes sold by or special envelopes used by the Post Office Department in the conduct of its business.

(b) Envelopes not printed in the course of manufacture furnished by the Public Printer for common use by two or more departments, establishments, or services of the Government in the District of Columbia, as provided for in Public Act 225, approved June 7, 1924.

During the year especial attention was paid to the size of window envelopes, the window openings, and locations. The 12 different sizes of window envelopes were reduced to seven item numbers by means of combination and substitution as to sizes and quality. Window envelope item 423 was formerly available in size 41⁄2 by 11% inches used exclusively by the Bureau of Internal Revenue for mailing incometax returns and the general public in remailing the same returns was using commercial standard size 4% by 11 inches. The substitution was made and the commercial size now appears on the list. Formerly there were available for selection 14 various sizes of window openings with a combination of round, oval, and square corners. This list was reduced to five window openings.

STANDARD FORMS.-The board, in cooperation with the contracts and adjustments board, prepared the following standard forms for promulgation by the Bureau of the Budget since June 30, 1928:

No. 39. Request for certification.

No. 40. Contract for telephone service.

No. 41. Standard Government form of contract (coal).

No. 42. Standard Government instructions to bidders (coal).

No. 43. Standard Government purchase conditions (coal).

The following forms are ready for promulgation:

Revision of personal history.

Register of transportation requests.

Nomination for appointment.

LEAVE LAW, STANDARD.-The board has made and exhaustive study of the leave situation and has drafted a law to establish uniformity in the granting of leave of absence to civilian employees of the executive departments and independent establishments wherever employed. No material change was made in regulating annual leave of absence with pay as the majority of leave laws now in force are

uniform.