Satisfactory distribution of hospital supplies is extremely difficult unless suitable warehouses are available which should be centrally located at points having good shipping facilities, preferably both rail and water. To attempt to use buildings for a supply depot which have not been constructed for that specific purpose delays the work and appreciably increases the cost of administration.
Approximately 25 per cent of the supplies now being issued from Public Health Service Supply Depots were received from surplus Army stores. These supplies will be issued on approved requisitions until the stock is exhausted and no further surplus is obtainable. Every effort should be made by service officers to use these materials and avoid the purchase of supplies as far as possible, as with few exceptions such supplies are in good condition. Such items as rubber goods, suture materials and others of a perishable nature received from Army surplus are occasionally found defective due to the fact that they were purchased several years ago. Attempts have persistently been made to eliminate such deteriorated articles from stock by examination at the Supply Depots before shipment is made. This process has been successful in preventing the issuance of inferior goods except in a few instances in which the material forwarded was in original unbroken packages.
In the interest of economy substitutions of articles received from Army surplus will continue to be made for special items requisitioned for unless some compelling reason requires a purchase be made. The necessity for the continuance of this practice will be understood when it is considered that sufficient funds have not always been available to lay in stocks of standard supplies to permit us to intelligently anticipate and arrange for our future requirements, or even at times, such as during the last quarter, to enable us to make purchases for actual and urgent needs of the Service, a condition of very serious concern to the efficiency and proper functioning of the work of purchase and supply.
The proper care and economical use of hospital supplies should be insisted upon by officers in charge of hospitals and the officer who permits loss through excessive breakage, negligence of theft fails in the performance of one of his most important duties. To delegate this duty to a subordinate and fail to require its strict enforcement does not relieve the officer in charge of his responsibility.
It may be interesting to you to know the procedure through which a requisition passes after being dispatched by a station.
As soon as it is received in the Purveying Service it is numbered, record is made of it and notice of receipt forwarded to the station where it originated with the statement that the receipted requisition bears a certain number to which reference should be made if inquiry is later necessary concerning items appearing thereon.
The second step is to the approving officer. Here it is carefully scanned, its contents noted and it is found to include articles of a non-standard or unusual character the requisition is forwarded to that section of the Marine Hospital Division interested in supplies of the class involved, such as Laboratory and X-ray, Physiotherapy, etc., for recommendation as to furnishing, after which it is returned to the approving officer who approves it without change or with amendments deleting certain items entirely or reducing the quantities requisitioned, in each case notifying the station whence the requisition emanated of action taken. In some instances he may request, as you are fully aware, further information relative to the necessity for certain materials.
After approval the requisition is returned to the Purveying Service. If the supplies desired are in stock, the Supply Depots are instructed to forward them to the station. Information of this action is sent them at the same time by mailing a carbon copy of shipping order. If not in stock, but covered by the General Schedule of Supplies, articles are purchased under the contracts contained in that schedule.
Circular proposals are then prepared for the remaining items which are not carried in stock at the Supply Depots or for whose supply contract has not been placed by the General Supply Committee. Bids are requested from as many firms as are able to supply articles and after a period of from 5 to 10 days award is made to the contractor agreeing to furnish the most suitable article at the lowest price.
Before, however, any article can be purchased, unless specifically exempted, inquiry must be made through the Office of the Chief Coordinator, General Supply, as to whether or not the articles desired by the station can be secured from the surplus stocks of any Government Department. Action is this regard is taken prior to issuance of the circular proposal. If the Chief Coordinator states that it is possible to secure the supplies from surplus of a particular department, we must then communicate with the department mentioned to inquire if the articles desired are at that time available. A statement regarding their condition, price and location is also requested. Upon receipt of this information order is placed with the particular department.