GPO Facing Formidable Challenges
He also takes issue with the idea that GPO runs a low-bid system.
"We don't always award based on the lowest price," he declares, adding that more than 30 percent of contracts go to "other than the low bid."
Effect On Small Printers
Enmeshed in this controversy is the fate of the nation's small, regional printers. Last year small businesses received 77 percent of the 148,000 printing contracts awarded by GPO. Under the OMB plan, agencies would not even have to put jobs under $2,500 up for bid—they can purchase them locally with a credit card. GPO says 80 percent of its orders are valued at $2,500 or less. (Jobs exceeding $2,500 must be posted on www.fedbizopps.gov, the executive branch's procurement site, which is not print-specific.)
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
