Contractors Bid Hot and Heavy for 'Shovel-Ready' Jobs

States saving big time in fight for contracts
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 8, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
Contractors Bid Hot and Heavy for 'Shovel-Ready' Jobs
Construction companies have been reaching far outside their home states in an effort to win work on stimulus-funded projects.   (©Valerie Everett)

Contractors are scrambling to get in line for stimulus-funded "shovel-ready" jobs, reports the Washington Post, and states are finding their stimulus dollars are going a lot further than expected as a result. Companies that were building subdivisions not so long ago are now competing for government jobs and going further afield to do so.

Contractors say they're branching out and slashing their bids to try and keep their workers busy until the industry rebounds. State officials say they're getting more bids than ever and are eying fresh projects with the savings. "Our bottom line is more bidders and better prices," said Maryland's transportation secretary, who bid out a $50 million project for $8 million less than expected. "This we like." (More economic stimulus package stories.)

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