contractors are bidding

[ASD]

.....in the real world.

/Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House.

One is from Chicago , another is from Tennessee , and the third is from

Minnesota ./



/All three go with a White House official to examine the fence. The

Minnesota contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,

then works some figures with a pencil. "Well," he says, "I figure the

job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100

profit for me."/



/The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then

says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew

and $100 profit for me."/



/The Chicago contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the

White House official and whispers, "$2,700."/



/The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even measure like the

other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?"/



/The Chicago contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and

we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence."/



/"Done!" replies the government official./



/And that, my friends, is how the new stimulus plan will work./