Print and distribute hurricane guide

The South Carolina Office of the Adjutant General - Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) is seeking a contractor to print and distribute the 2020 Hurricane Guide, a 2-page newspaper insert with specific production and distribution requirements. The procurement involves printing 313,661 copies on 60# house offset white text stock using 4-color process printing, with precise dimensional specifications of 8.375" x 10.875" when folded. The project requires the successful bidder to print the guides and coordinate distribution across multiple locations, including 19 Department of Motor Vehicle offices (500 copies each), 9 Welcome Centers (1,000 copies each), 10 Walgreens locations, and 15 newspapers for public distribution through home delivery and rack sales. Key deliverables include providing press proofs during normal business hours, ensuring one round-trip from SCEMD to the press for proof checking, and holding surplus copies at newspapers for at least one week post-distribution. The solicitation was issued as an Invitation for Bid (IFB) with critical dates including a bid submission deadline of March 10, 2020 at 10:00 AM, questions due by March 3, 2020 at 10:00 AM, and award notification scheduled for March 13, 2020.

The procurement allows for potential vendor preferences, specifically prioritizing South Carolina press operations and applying state vendor preferences as outlined in South Carolina Code Section 11-35-1524. Vendors must be registered in the South Carolina Enterprise Information System (SCEIS) and submit pricing on a fixed unit price basis without sales tax. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly noted, the state will consider resident vendor, resident contractor, and resident subcontractor preferences. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with the contract term estimated from March 13, 2020 through March 12, 2021. Bidders are required to submit optional cost schedules for potential variations, including additional or reduced quantities, reprints within one year, and signature modifications. The total project volume is 313,661 copies, with SCEMD providing layout in print-ready PDF format. The award remains contingent upon funding availability, and the state emphasizes cost-effectiveness as a priority evaluation criterion.