Swan v. Chorpenning

Citations

• 20 Cal. 182

Syllabus

<p>Ant agreement respecting Government contracts to be awarded to the lowest bidder, which tends to deprive the Government of the advantage of competition in the bidding, is unlawful and void.</p> <p>An agreement not to bid upon a contract which is to be awarded to the lowest bidder, and an agreement to withdraw a bid already made, are obnoxious to the same legal objections.</p> <p>S., having put in a bid for carrying the mails over a certain route, agreed with 0. to withdraw his bid and use his influence to induce the Government to give to C. a contract for a longer route, including the one bid upon, on consideration that if C. obtained the contract, S. should have an interest in it, or be paid an equivalent pecuniary compensation: Held, that the contract was void as against public policy.</p>