Actually I am surprised the gov't would even buy from HD. Ever see the prices the gov't pays for certain items like the $100 hammer. That was the biggest joke a few years back.

Anyway, it seems that when you sell to the US gov't you need to file certain federal forms and some other paperwork that is imposed on HD by the gov't. When your as big as HD, that could cause a lot more man (person to be PC) power and space to be added just because of this one "customer".

Its like have John Public walk in the door, buy a few million dollars worth of stuff, then make YOU fill out forms and added paperwork so HE can buy from YOU. Now do this 340,000 times in one year at several hunderd locations, each state having diffent forms etc. If HD has to fill out a form for every PO, every receipt, and for every penny the gov't spends, I'd do the same thing and tell them to go elsewhere or atleast try to figure out a better way to do business together.

Now if HD was that hard up for the business, they may change that policy.

I am not sure how HD handles contractor prices, but I bet they do have a discount. I dont think it has to do with inventory or supporting the US gov't. It all comes down to the bottom line

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