High School Yearbooks, Caps/Gowns/Tassels/Stoles and Diploma Covers/Inserts

The Madison Metropolitan School District is issuing a Request for Proposal for the procurement of high school yearbooks, caps, gowns, tassels, stoles, diploma covers, and diploma inserts for six high schools serving approximately 25,500 students across 52 school buildings in the Madison area. The District seeks vendors with established reputations as service leaders and demonstrated flexibility and innovative solutions. Specific deliverables include approximately 2,280 diploma covers with school-specific customization, 2,130 completed diploma inserts with 300-400 blank inserts, yearbooks meeting detailed design and technical specifications, caps and gowns in school colors with quantities ranging from 50 to 600 units per school, and honor cords in various colors for recognition programs. All pricing must be submitted on a net, tax-exempt basis including all discounts and F.O.B. Madison, WI 53718, with delivery required on or before May 1, 2026. Key dates include a vendor conference on April 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM (CST), proposal submission deadline of April 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM (CST), estimated interviews on April 24, 2026, demonstrations or site visits on May 1, 2026, Board approval estimated for May 18, 2026, and notification of intent to award on May 22, 2026. Evaluation criteria include cost (30%), organizational ability to meet service and support requirements (30%), organizational qualifications and experience (25%), documentation as a diverse-owned business (5%), and references (10%). The contract shall be effective upon award through June 30, 2029, with an option to renew for two additional one-year periods by mutual agreement.

Diverse-owned businesses certified by the Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program or participating in the Wisconsin Diversity Procurement Network may receive a 5% preference, though no set-asides are designated for disadvantaged enterprises. The current vendors are Walsworth for yearbooks, Midwest Scholastic for caps, gowns, stoles, and tassels, and Herff Jones for diploma covers and inserts; all incumbent contracts expire on June 30, 2026. The District qualifies for governmental and educational discounts and is tax-exempt. Late delivery may result in liquidated damages assessed up to one-half of the total contract value. Standard insurance requirements, affirmative action compliance, and contract terms and conditions apply to all vendors. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the RFP documentation.