Mailing Services

The University of Wisconsin System Administration, specifically representing the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and University of Wisconsin-Stout, is seeking a mailing services contractor to supplement their existing in-house mail processing capabilities. The Request for Bid (RFB) solicits a vendor to provide comprehensive mailing services including tabbing, addressing, bar-coding, mail preparation, presorting, material pickup from multiple campus departments, and delivery to USPS mail handling centers. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of three years of experience providing mailing services and hold a valid USPS permit for presort mail processing. The RFB was issued on April 16, 2021, with written questions due by April 21, 2021, and final bids due by May 21, 2021, at 2:00 PM CST. The initial contract term will run from the date of final signature through June 30, 2024, with potential automatic renewals for two additional one-year terms. Evaluation criteria will include pricing, service capabilities, and demonstrated experience, with the universities reserving the right to conduct trial periods and require product demonstrations before making a final contract award.

The universities have implemented supplier diversity initiatives, potentially offering a 5% price preference to qualified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (DVB) certified vendors. Contractors must carry commercial liability insurance with minimum coverage of one million dollars and maintain worker's compensation insurance. Additional contract requirements include mandatory criminal background checks for all contractor employees, employee photo identification badges, and strict compliance with USPS regulations. While specific budget ranges were not explicitly detailed, the solicitation includes estimated volumes of approximately 25 mailing set-ups and 150,000 pieces of presort first-class mail annually. The universities emphasized that this contract is not mandatory and they reserve the right to issue separate bids when deemed in their best interest. Payment terms are net 30 days following service acceptance, and contractors will be required to provide quarterly activity reports documenting their service provisions.