1.   His company bid on the snow removal contract.

2.   Several local companies are bidding for the same job.

3.   Mr Buxton would not say how many companies were bidding for the work but he hoped the successful tender would be accepted in March, allowing work to start.

4.   And it would allow private companies to bid against government workers to provide services from utilities to payroll.

5.   At times, a company will bid for a relocation contract, charging either a flat fee or a percentage of the cost of the relocation.

6.   At the time, the company had bid on five contracts to provide services to about a dozen bases, including some Army bases.

7.   Both companies also bid up prices for buying supermarket shelf space.

8.   Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso signed a bill allowing private companies to bid for wireless telecommunications concessions throughout the country.

9.   But consumer watchdogs say the phone companies bid high for these contracts because they are so lucrative.

10.   Combining allows the two Houston-based companies to bid for larger contracts without having to invest in new rigs.