Smith v. City of Seattle

This appeal involves the question as to whether a call for bids, limited to a patented article or one which for some reason can only be obtained from one ultimate source, is valid, under the Seattle city charter, Art. VIII, § 14, providing:

“All public improvements to be made or supplies to be purchased by contract shall be let to the lowest bidder therefor; . . .”

In February, 1936, the city published a call for bids for the furnishing of its incandescent lamp requirements for the ensuing year. The only specifications were contained in the call and required that bids should be submitted for…