We are pleased to advise you that your company has been selected as one of four to build a T2C-3 Prototype cannon.

Terms of the contract are cost of materials plus a fixed fee of 5%. On the basis of your proposal, the target price will be $400.00 plus a profit fee of $20.00. You are cautioned to keep exact records of supplies purchased and time expended for the production of this unit as auditors of the Government Accounting Office will review expenditures prior to contract completion and payment. Such promotional materials, such as the cost of the sign, mentioned in previous correspondence, is not allowable as costs chargeable against government contracts. work performed prior to the date of contract is considered part of the cost for proposal and will be disallowed by the GAO.

You are cautioned that the product you are building holds a security classification of "Secret" and must be kept from the view of unauthorized persons at all times. During the course of this contract, your designated contracting officer is:

HC:bj

As a weapons system contractor to the Colonial Army of the Continental Congress, you are herein advised of government regulations that apply to such subcontractors.

1. Weapons System contractors will maintain such security as necessary to prevent weapons developments from falling into unauthorized hands. Such guards as necessary to protect the weapons manufacturing area will be hired. Fences and walls may be constructed to assist in carrying out requirement. All employees will complete Security Form 287 and receive clearance from the Colonial Bureau of Investigation prior to being assigned to work on this contract.

2. In order to fulfill the objectives which lead to the establishment of the Small Business Administration, you are directed to subcontract at least 20% of this contract to qualified small businesses in your area.

3. The Fair Employment Practices Commission requires that you, as a Federal Contractor, provide equal employment opportunities to all. No person is to be denied employment for reasons of race, creed, color or nation of origin.

4. The Federal Postal Officials have advised this office that the regulations concerning the proper use of mails have not been followed in past correspondence with the Government of the Colonies. Use of the address "Independent Colony of Massachusetts" as used in past correspondence must cease and the authorized postal address "Massachusetts" is to be used in the future on all correspondence of your company, whether with Federal Offices or with civilian customers.

Farnsworth & Cooper

Cannon and Carriage Company

19 September 1777 Wilfred Corners, Massachusetts

Major Hollis Corby:

I am sorry that I didn't write you sooner to thank you for letting have the contract to build a cannon, but the day after we got your letter saying that we could build it, we got your other letter explaining some other things we had to do before we could get started. It has taken all this time, almost, to get those things done and we still haven't been able to do any work on the cannon.

Leonard and I spent the first week after we got your letter cutting saplings in Haynes Woods to use in building a fence around around his barn and my blacksmith shop. We planned to have Ed Crank guard one place while we shared duty at the other, but an Indian by the name of Live-In-The-Woods came by and wanted to work too, We told him that we didn't need him, but he went to your authorized representative, Captain Hawkins (he got there the day before your letter) and claimed we'd better hire him so we've got him watching the blacksmith shop. and Ed out at the barn. They haven't found anyone wanting in except some of our regular customers. This is making our customers kind of mad, but we don't knpw what to do about it. Moss Green who has had me sharpen his scythe for almost ten years, now said that he wasn't going to wait for me to solve this problem and he took his scythe down to west Concord. It's about a days ride each way, but I guess he still got it done before I could have gotten to it.

Since we have to give 20% of our business to someone else, we decided not to use Leonard's old wagon wheels. Instead, we are going to buy two new wheels which Charlie Baxter had just gotten into his hardware store.

Getting back to your authorized representative, we're working on getting him fixed up now. We didn't have any office for him, but he said to contractors are expected to provide office faclities equal to the Program Director. We didn't have a Program Director for him to have an office like. So I made myself program Director. I don't have an office, but Captain Hawkins said that Program Directors should have one. So, I borrowed some money at 7% interest from Roger Harns who owns the big sugar mill north of town and built an office for myself. Then I had to borrow some more money to build one like it for Captain Hawkins. We're still working on it because we had to take down the security fence and move it to make room for the new offices, so that set us back some.

The inspection team came like you said they would. They stayed down at Farley's Tavern. Captain Hawkins said that normally a weapons system contractor picks up the bill for a trip like this. We decided that we couldn't do that but the team leader said that they couldn't make up their whether we were meeting the requirements of pour contract. Captain Hawkins said that meant that we should pick up the bill or we'd lose our contract. So we borrowed more money from Roger Harms. The inspection team said they had reviewed our activity and had decided we qualified after all. One thing most folks around here are saying is that those inspection folks sure do seem to enjoy their work. They all seemed to have a good time here.

We are going to have to wait until we get the word on our security clearances before we can start on the cannon. The guards we hired won't let us in until we get them. I tried to get inside yesterday to get some tools to help building the offices and they wouldn't even let me inside to do that. I sure wish we could get in because I would do some work for my regular customers while we're waiting.

Let us know what we should do next cause we're anxious to get started on the cannon.

Copy to: Captain Hawkins