To Be Rescinded
UCR Policies and Procedure Number 350-60
Use of Off-Campus Vendors for Printing and Reprographics Services
Policy Owner: Printing & Reprographics
Effective Date: 04/10/2002 (updated 5/26/2010)
A. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
The University has developed the Printing and Reprographics Department (P&R) on campus to provide convenient, responsive and cost-effective services to campus departments, students, and university affiliates.
The P&R Department’s prices and rate structure are reviewed annually by the Committee on Sales and Service Activities (COSSA) and the campus Resource Planning and Budget Office, and are approved by the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. A key element of the review process is a comparison of P&R’s rates and prices to those offered by local vendors and other UC campuses. This review helps ensure that UCR meets its need for printing and reprographics services at the lowest overall cost.
There may be occasions where because of timing, nature of the services, or cost that it is appropriate to have printing done off-campus. This procedure discusses how those situations are handled.
B. BACKGROUND AND RELATED POLICIES
Service Enterprise rates and prices are to be reviewed annually to ensure they remain reasonable and competitive (see UCR P&P 300-66 Sales and Service Activities: Establishment and Budgetary Review).
Campus purchasing policy UCR P&P 750-69 Campus Purchasing – Policies and Requirements describes the processes and criteria for vendor selection and determining price reasonableness.
C. PROCEDURES
All requests for printing, irrespective of the service provider, must be submitted using P&R's online work order system on the web site at http://pnr.ucr.edu.
Departments are entitled to competitive quotes or bidding from off-campus vendors on printing jobs, and may indicate on the work order "off-campus bidding" if they so desire. Any preferences for certain printers should also be noted on the work order. The work order, with the job specifications attached, should be forwarded to Printing & Reprographics. Each vendor, including P&R, must quote or bid from the same specifications. The department will be contacted if clarification of the job specifications is needed. The quotes or bids will be provided to the requesting department. The lowest responsive, responsible quoter or bidder will be awarded the job.
There may also be occasions where P&R cannot meet the timing, service or equipment requirements on a specific printing request. P&R will identify appropriate off-campus vendors for the requesting department and coordinate the job for the department. Services include getting quotes, determining best source, pickup and delivery, and technical liaison with the off-campus vendor. The mark-up for this service is between 2.5% to 10%, depending upon job complexity and quantity. Additional mark-up of up to 30% may be charged on certain bindery functions.
If the printing job is greater than $50,000, the campus Purchasing Office will solicit formal off-campus bids and handle the award process.
D. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question: My supervisor would like to see if we can lower our printing costs on a project by using a specific off-campus vendor. How do I proceed?
Answer: Submit the printing request through the P&R on-line system and indicate on the request “Off-Campus Bidding” and the specific vendor(s) from whom the quote(s) should be requested. Also if desired, request to review the quotes.
E. EXCEPTION PROCESS
To request an exception to this policy, please contact the campus Materiel Manager.
F. FEEDBACK
For questions or comments on this policy, please contact the Manager of the Printing & Reprographics Department.