Printing of scene magazine

South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV) is seeking a printing contractor for SCENE Magazine through a competitive bid solicitation issued by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. The procurement involves printing and delivering 41,000 monthly magazine copies, with a total estimated contract volume of 2,460,000 copies over a potential five-year period. Specific printing requirements include a 16-page self-cover magazine with 8x10 finished size, printed on 60# offset white wove paper using black and process colors, and including a #6 3/4 remittance envelope. The contractor must deliver 39,000 copies to the U.S. Postal Service on SCETV's mail permit and 2,000 copies directly to SCETV. Key deliverables include artwork and typesetting services, with requirements for medium typeset, blueline proofs, and color digital proof. The solicitation mandates online bid submission by February 18, 2021, at 11:00 AM, with questions due by February 3, 2021. Award notification is scheduled for February 24, 2021, with an initial contract term of one year and four potential one-year renewals.

The solicitation does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations, but it does require bidders to disclose minority business participation or subcontractor involvement exceeding 10 percent of contract costs. Bidders must register as a South Carolina vendor and provide documentation of qualifications, including financial statements and comparable contract history. The procurement emphasizes that the award will be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with contractors required to use vegetable-based inks and provide press checks. Travel reimbursement is limited to standard South Carolina state employee rates and GSA hotel rates. While no specific incumbent vendor is mentioned, the solicitation indicates that the current envelope construction can remain as previously supplied. Although no explicit budget range is provided, the contract's potential five-year duration and monthly volume of 41,000 copies suggest a substantial procurement opportunity for printing and mailing services.