Constitutional Law – Relation of Federal and State Governments Applicability of State Licensing Statute to Federal Contractors

A contractor submitted a bid for construction of facilities at an Arkansas Air Force Base over which the United States had not acquired jurisdiction. After this bid was accepted by the federal government and work on the project had begun, the contractor was tried by the Circuit Court of Pulaski County, Arkansas, and found guilty of submitting a bid, executing a contract, and commencing work as a contractor without the license required by Arkansas law. The Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court. On appeal to the United States Supreme Court, held, reversed. In a brief per curiam opinion, the Court stated that to subject a federal contractor to state licensing requirements would interfere with the federal policy of awarding construction contracts to the lowest responsible bidder. Leslie Miller, Inc. v. State of Arkansas, 352 U.S. 187 (1956).