Envelopes

The State of California Department of General Services, Procurement Division is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB Event ID 0000034618) for a mandatory statewide contract to supply envelopes for use by the Office of State Publishing and other state buying agencies. This solicitation seeks bids for 150 different envelope line items organized into three classes: Commercial & Official Envelopes, Booklet Envelopes, and Open End (Catalog & Clasp) Envelopes, with total contract quantities exceeding 500,000 units. The envelopes range from standard #9 and #10 sizes to larger catalog sizes up to 12" x 15.5", with specifications for varying materials (Bond/White Wove, Brown Kraft, and Manila), basis weights (24-28 pounds), window dimensions and placements, customized printing, and security features including interior tint colors. All envelopes must comply with environmentally preferable purchasing standards, requiring Forest Stewardship Council or Sustainable Forestry Initiative Chain of Custody certification and a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content. Envelopes must be suitable for high-speed mail inserting and mechanical sorting operations, with performance requirements specifying jamming rates not exceeding one per 8,000 letter-sized or one per 5,000 booklet envelopes. Bids are due February 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM PT, submitted to CMU@dgs.ca.gov, with a bidders' conference scheduled for February 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT via Microsoft Teams. Pricing must be submitted on a per-thousand-unit basis for all line items, with all pricing firm fixed for the original contract term, and award will be made on an "All or None" basis to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest cost after applying applicable preferences and incentive calculations.

The contract structure provides for an initial two-year base term with three optional one-year extension periods. Optional socioeconomic program incentives are available, including a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) incentive, a five percent Small Business preference, a five percent Non-Small Business Subcontractor preference for entities committing to 25 percent small business participation, and an optional Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) preference. The incumbent contract is number 1-21-75-04 for Recycled Paper Envelopes. Bidders must comply with multiple certification and compliance requirements, including Iran Contracting Act certifications, Federal debarment certifications, Russian sanctions compliance, California civil rights laws certification, and Tax Compliance Preference Act (TACPA) certifications. The contractor must establish customer service operations with office hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT on weekdays, accept orders via email, facsimile, and mail, provide order acknowledgment within two working days, and deliver products within 15 calendar days or two working days for expedited orders. Based on historical contract expenditures for the current term, the total contract value is estimated at $14,694,548.00 over the five-year period (two-year base plus three one-year extensions). All pricing shall be F.O.B. destination with freight prepaid by the contractor, and bidders must provide detailed narratives addressing business qualifications, distribution plans, certifications, and acceptance of Cal Card as a payment method.