MCV Magazine Fulfillment Services

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is requesting proposals for full-service magazine fulfillment services for Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, an 86-year-old bimonthly publication, with proposals due September 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. CDT. The State encourages participation from small businesses certified under Minnesota's Small Business Procurement Program, particularly those that are minority-owned, woman-owned, disability-owned, veteran-owned, or located in economically disadvantaged counties, and will award up to 120 preference points to qualified targeted group, economically disadvantaged, or veteran-owned businesses.

The scope encompasses data entry, donation and payment processing, customer service, lettershop operations, e-commerce platforms, and marketing reports. The contractor must process approximately 4,200 orders monthly (ranging 2,000–7,000 seasonally), manage roughly 40,000 checks and 10,000 credit card orders annually, maintain a subscriber database of approximately 117,400–121,000 records, provide warehouse storage not exceeding two pallets, and deliver weekly donor acknowledgment letters and renewal notices. All data storage and processing must occur within United States borders with no foreign outsourcing permitted. Web services must comply with Section 508 accessibility standards.

The anticipated contract term runs January 2027 through January 2029, with options to extend up to an additional three years in State-determined increments. Pricing must remain firm for the initial two-year term, with potential escalation thereafter limited to ten percent based on demonstrable industry-wide or regional cost increases; postage and freight costs are excluded from the firm pricing provision. Responses must be submitted electronically through the SWIFT Supplier Portal. The evaluation awards up to 1,000 points across eight categories, with cost detail comprising 325 points, reporting capabilities 135 points, and renewal effort samples 130 points. Responders must submit completed reference forms, cost proposals, accessibility approach descriptions, banking service procedures, and service level capability demonstrations. The primary contact is Charles Thomas Schuman at 218/328-8951 or Charles.Schuman@state.mn.us.