The Government Printing Office will launch in the fall an online system that will allow federal agencies to get quotes from printers. The system is a result of an agreement between the Office of Management and Budget and the GPO last June that freed the agencies to choose their own print vendors.
This is significant because, until now, the GPO had purchased print and related services for all federal agencies through its central office in Washington, D.C., and 20 regional offices located nationwide. The GPO accepted for all agencies competitive bids for print buying, including small purchases.
Each government agency will write its own specifications for printing jobs, advertise them on the online system, receive quotes and select a printer, says Jim Bradley, managing director of GPO's customer service. The system will work as a one-stop print ordering and invoicing system. The GPO will continue to pay printers on behalf of the agencies, which will approve payments before they're made. The agencies can opt to ask the GPO to procure print and other services for them.
High Demand for Competitive Printing
The GPO is testing the system, called IPUB, with the Department of Labor. The printing office will launch the system in phases beginning in the fall for all 135 agencies to use it, Bradley says. One reason for the new system is a governmentwide push toward online services. "We're heading for automation," he says. "Agencies will be able to do their [printing] work very quickly."
Agencies have a demand for almost all printing and related services such as forms, books, posters, CD-ROMs, bags, envelopes, signs, tags, mailing, distribution, web services and on-demand printing. The GPO buys Social Security cards, checks for the Department of Treasury, Medicare statements, White House stationery, IRS tax forms and more through contracts ranging from small copying orders to complex, multimillion-dollar deals. And the competition is open for that business.
Companies can bid for government printing jobs without registering with the GPO. When awarding a contract, the GPO determines if a company is capable of producing at the lowest cost a quality order in the required timeframe, Bradley says. The GPO may carry out an on-site, pre-award survey of the bidding company or review the bidder's samples. (To learn more about working with the GPO, visit www.gpo.gov/procurement/index.
html. Also, read "5 Tips for Working with Uncle Sam" at right.)
The GPO will maintain IPUB, which likely will be renamed once it's launched governmentwide, Bradley says. To recover operating costs of IPUB, companies that are awarded contracts will be required to offer a 3-percent trade discount. The GPO may reduce the discount once the system is launched governmentwide.
Companies Are Optimistic
Louisville, Ky.-based commercial printer Gateway Press Inc. has produced work for the GPO for more than 40 years. Vice President Darrell Embry says the company will continue to work with the GPO and agencies after the online system is implemented. While some agencies have considerable knowledge when choosing printers independently, some will require the GPO's expertise, he says. "The only thing that would concern me is that if agencies went direct with everything, there should be a governing body which knows what each agency is doing," he says.
Embry says Gateway Press has developed strong relationships with the GPO and several agencies, and working with the government is profitable. (GPO contracts account for approximately 30 percent of the company's annual sales.) Government work boosts the company's chargeable hours and reduces downtime on its press and bindery equipment.
Working with the GPO also ensures an organized production plan for Gateway Press. "The GPO is one of our best customers when it comes to scheduling," Embry says. "We know exactly the time parameters of each process of a particular job. This is very valuable when trying to operate at maximum capacity throughout the year." For instance, Gateway Press knows when a job will be ready for pick-up during the estimating stage, when the company should order paper and how long proofs will be held. And there's another advantage: The GPO usually pays companies within 20 calendar days--a great benefit to small companies aiming to improve cash flow.
Embry says Gateway Press hasn't lost government business after the OMB-GPO agreement. "Our GPO business is at an all-time high," he says. "We look forward to a bright future whether it be with the current GPO or a reformed GPO."
5 Tips for Working with Uncle Sam
In June 2003, the Office of Management and Budget and the Government Printing Office announced an agreement that freed government agencies to choose their own print vendors. The GPO is launching in the fall an online print ordering and invoicing system. Each agency will now write its own specifications for printing jobs, advertise them on an online system, receive quotes and select a printer. Here are five tips to help you work with the government:
1. Understand GPO rules and regulations. It can be demanding, but it's essential to familiarize yourself with the GPO contract terms and conditions, attribute sampling methods and paper codes. (To learn more, visit http://govprint.access.gpo.gov.) "I am amazed at the number of contractors who find themselves in trouble because they do not fully understand the requirements of a GPO contract," says Darrell Embry, vice president of Louisville, Ky.-based commercial printer Gateway Press Inc., which has more than 40 years' experience with the GPO. "Fortunately, there are people out there to assist. Also, the GPO is most helpful when called upon for assistance."
2. Leverage business ethics. Even after the OMB-GPO agreement is implemented this fall, the GPO will continue to pre-qualify printers for all federal agencies, says Jim Bradley, managing director of GPO's customer service. The GPO looks for companies that offer timely delivery, solid quality and integrity. "If a company says it will provide us a certain level of quality, then it should be able to," Bradley says. "The companies have to own what they say they will deliver. "
3. Start on a small scale. To find out if you're a good fit, work with the GPO on small projects. These help companies understand how the GPO works and if your company's capabilities match. "If you have a lot of other issues in your organization, don't expect the GPO to be the answer to all your problems," says Embry.
4. Make a concerted effort. GPO projects can be tedious, and most vendors working successfully with the GPO are relentless, Embry says. "You can't just jump in from time to time and hope to be profitable," he says. "Keep in mind that you will not be successful on every bid and that the GPO is not for everyone. I find that most printers that are successful at [working with the] GPO also are successful elsewhere. GPO just complements their business."
5. Create a committed workforce. An experienced staff dedicated to top-quality work is critical. "Other variables are important, but not nearly as important as people," Embry says. "Our employees have an average 15 years of experience."
