Another example of how public notices are used is demonstrated by bid notices. Bid notices are notices published by governments seeking to employ independent contractors, usually for public construction work or for procuring goods from the private sector. The notices invite contractors to submit sealed bids quoting a price for their goods or services.
Governments use public notices of bids to:
• keep citizens informed about how it is spending their tax dollars
• ensure that the government is acting in accordance with principles of equal opportunity, and to avoid favoritism, or the appearance of favoritism in awarding public contracts
• make the most efficient use of its resources by awarding contracts to the lowest bidder.
Governments use public bid notices to ensure that public contracts are awarded honestly and openly.
Citizens are often the best watchdogs of a government. Citizens have repeatedly used public notices around the country to discover fraud and waste by government officials.