new items or by suggesting modifications or improvements in existing specifications. These recommendations and suggestions are, in many cases, the result of conferences between the Inspection Division and contractors relative to rejected deliveries. These conferences frequently involve the interpretation by the Inspection Division of the provisions of the applicable specification. The Inspection Division also arranges for all technical help necessary for adequate inspection. either through its own limited facilities or through the laboratories of the National Bureau of Standards, the United States Department of Agriculture, or other recognized agencies.

All deliveries made through the Procurement Division Building are inspected by the Inspection Division. Responsibility for inspecting deliveries made in the field is generally fixed on the consignee but occasionally this Division makes inspections at the ship ping point or at the factory.

The Inspection Division maintains a sample room where speci mens of items included under General Schedule of Supplies contracts are stored and kept available for examination of prospective pur chasing officers or for purposes of comparison with delivery samples

The principal function of the Inspection Division is to assure that all commodities delivered are in conformity with the applicable specifications. In performing this work it—

1. Receives, records, has custody of, displays, and eventually disposes of bidders' contractors' samples;

2. Conducts or arranges for tests and prepares reports thereof: 3. Makes qualitative inspections at the Procurement Division warehouse, at various Treasury and other governmental agencies, and contractors' storage warehouses in the Washington area, and occasionally at points of manufacture or delivery in the field;

4. Investigates quality of, and reported deficiencies in, deliveries to governmental departments and agencies in the Washing ton area (principally under General Schedule of Supplies contracts); and

5. Conducts interviews with contractors regarding interpretation of specifications and kindred matters resulting from rejected deliveries or other phases of inspection activity. Inspection may be either an examination by a qualified individual or it may require the use of mechanical or chemical facilities in the laboratory. Many of the items purchased for stock, for instance. are approved largely on the basis of judgment of qualified inspectors. This applies particularly to commodities which are bought regularly and where simple measurement, comparison for color, and examination as to other qualities by experienced inspectors are adequate to establish compliance with specifications. However, a field delivery of heavy equipment may be tested by a selected engineer as to general fulfillment of specifications, including a performance test: or experts may be sent to inspect a large order of furniture or textiles in process at the factory or mill.

CHART XI

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1941-0-272496

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VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION

The Veterans' Administration uses Federal Specifications in all its purchases of supplies and equipment, where its needs are satisfactorily met by purchasing items covered by such specifications. It is estimated that 35 percent of the purchases by the Veterans' Administration are made on Federal Specifications and 65 percent on specifications prepared by the Veterans' Administration. In the subsistence group, 98 percent of the purchases are made on Federal Specifications and 2 percent on specifications prepared by the Administration.

In the preparation of specifications by the Veterans' Administration, standardization is an element considered in all instances. The method followed in such cases is the development of requirements of interested services of the Veterans' Administration with the experts in the particular field. The specifications are prepared jointly by the interested service and the supply service. The supply service is under a director who is responsible for purchase, storage, and distribution of all supplies and equipment for all Veterans' Administration activities; accountability for all Government property and auditing of property accounts; operation and management of supply depots; and contracts, leases, and agreements for all Veterans' Administration activities, except construction contracts.

The Veterans' Administration prepares its own specifications on the following kinds and types of equipment and supplies:

Occupational therapy equipment and supplies; physiotherapy equipment; X-ray equipment and supplies; dental equipment and supplies; hospital furniture and quipment: hand tools; machine shop equipment (metal working), machinery (woodworking); agricultural implements, machinery and supplies; rug washing machines; wall washing machines; fire engines and fire fighting equipment and supplies; electrical and engineering equipment and supplies; plumbing equipment and machinery; heating and ventilating equipment and supplies; electrical appliances and supplies; motortrucks (developed from basic Federal Specifications); tractors; motor passenger vehicles; hand trucks (all types); pumps; boiler room equipment; builders' machinery and equipment; paint spraying equipment and supplies; radio receiving and voice transmission equipment; gasoline engines; gasoline pumps and storage tanks; oil storage tanks; hydraulic lifts (auto); hydraulic lifts (dunnage); air compressors (garage); sewing machines; shoe repair machinery and equipment; garage equipment; laundry machinery and equipment; casters, bed and truck; warehouse platform scales (built in); red rope folders; forms, continuous roll and folded type; tabulating cards; smoking tobacco; suits and overcoats; food supplies.

Inspection and Test.

In connection with the inspection of the above listed supplies or equipment purchased by the Veterans' Administration, the facilities of the National Bureau of Standards; Navy Inspection Service; Naval Supply Depot at Brooklyn; United States Government Printing Office; Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture; Food and Drug Administration, Federal Se

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curity Agency; Director of Mint; and the War Department are used for this purpose.

The Veterans' Administration is represented on the Federal Specifications Executive Committee.

In addition to the above, acting independently of the supply service is the Construction Service of the Veterans' Administration.

The Construction Service is under a director who is responsible for preliminary inspection and engineering work in connection with the selection of sites for new hospitals, homes, and other facilities: preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates covering construction, alterations, and repair of plants and equipment, and supervision of performance of such work; maintenance of contact with other services, Government departments and agencies to provide facilities as and when required for service; construction contracts; supervision of the maintenance of buildings, grounds, and mechanical equipment under the control of the Veterans' Administration, including motor transportation; and general supervision of maintenance and operation of utilities, heating, lighting, electric power, plumbing, sewage and refuse disposal, water supply, fire protection, refrigerating plants carpentry, laundry, and telephones. In order to insure the incorpora tion and utilization of materials of known value in structures erected by the Administration, the Construction Service prepares specifications for materials to be used in those cases where existing Federal Specifications are not applicable. The materials required by these specifications are those which through prior usage by the Veterans Administration are known to be satisfactory or those on which satis factory reports have been obtained. The contractor is required to submit samples of all materials used in the structures to the Construc tion Service for testing. A major part of the tests of the materials submitted are made in the laboratory of the Construction Service and tests of materials for which the Veterans' Administration laboratory is not equipped, such as acoustical materials, insulating materials and compression tests on masonry materials, are made by the National Bureau of Standards. In addition, occasional tests and inspections are made by the United States Navy Department; Bureau of Mines Public Roads Administration, Federal Works Agency; and private laboratories, on materials used in construction.