Susan Amos Palmer is the publications/news services director for Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minneapolis. Her background is in public affairs and journalism. Susan holds a B.S. in mass communications from Bemidji State University in Bemidji Minneapolis, and worked as a reporter/photographer and a book editor prior to starting at Metro State. Susan started at the university in 1977 as an information officer in a one-person shop. Over the years she was promoted and her office’s size responsibilities expanded. The office now includes an editor, a production assistant and a part-time writer. They function as a service office to the university, preparing publications, news releases and buying all printing and creative services including graphics, photography and design.






Susan, tell us about the university and the size of the campus.

The university serves approximately 8,000 in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, primarily adult students returning to school, but also younger students who are serious about education and not seeking a traditional college experience. The students range in age from 14 to 73. We have no athletics or band or choir. We have student government, student life activities and other organizations. We offer around 35 undergraduate majors and five graduate programs. Our alumni number more than 16,000.

Does everyone at the university have to follow the “lowest bid” rule and does that affect the quality of the work?

All the university’s print buying is concentrated in the publications/news services office. My editor and I handle all the ordering. Projects range from business cards, letterheads and envelopes to program brochures, fact sheets, class schedules and catalogs. In addition, we work with the admissions office to plan and prepare admissions materials from invitations to open houses to their main recruitment brochure/folder. We have a vendor list, but, as a state university, are required by law to bid our jobs and use the lowest price vendor. This is not a problem in the Twin Cities as there are many quality printers. We bid jobs to vendors most appropriate to the size, scope and quality needed on a particular job.

If you did not work for a state organization, would you still bid jobs out each time?

Bidding has helped us keep the university’s print budget under control and vendors know we are seeking the best possible prices. I encourage everyone to bid their jobs. We also do work for the Metro State Foundation and Alumni Association. They have more freedom with their spending, but we still bid their jobs to get them the best prices.

Is it difficult to develop good relationships under those circumstances?

From my view our relationships are good and healthy. Hopefully, they would say the same from their view. Over the years we have developed relationships with vendor who do particular work most times for us. They have learned what our requirements are, and that "when in doubt call and ask" is a good motto. Vendors know I am direct and honest with them and I expect that of them as well.

How do vendors get on the “bid list?”

We have more than 20 vendors we use regularly. Many contacted this office and asked to be put on our vendor list. We don’t bid every job to every printer, but try to rotate our business around. They would get a job by being the low vendor. Depending on the job, they might continue doing it for us, particularly if they are willing to hold the price. As a state university we are able to use state contract vendors for business cards and envelope orders more than 5,000. They provide consistent, standard pricing and are easy for us to use and expedite orders.

What would get a vendor delisted from your list?

We have stopped using a printer if we have had consistently questionable quality on jobs, late deliveries or more than five high bids. We have also pulled jobs when awarded if the vendor tries to change the price after award. As a state university our work is public and vendors may ask to know other bids once an award is made.

Has the Internet allowed you to decrease or eliminate certain projects?

As the university continues to build its Web site, more offices are publishing their information on the Web. This results in lower quantities on certain print jobs. For example, we have a Nondiscrimination in Education and Employment booklet with policies and complaint filing procedures being printed now. We ordered 5,000 instead of 7,500 because it is being placed on the Web site. We will still need to provide hard copies, but not as many.

Postage prices continue to rise on a frequent basis. Does the university still mail out a significant portion of their work?

Some pieces, such as newsletters and class schedules are mailed to students. Admissions materials are given to admissions counselors and program advisors (our "sales" force) to use as they work with students one on one, or in group meetings. Our biennial catalog is distributed in racks on campus, but also mailed to agencies, libraries and business human relations/training director offices. It also goes on our Web site.

Describe your internal capabilities to do print and design projects.

As described earlier, the publications/news services office has a small staff. We are limited by hours in a day as to how much we can handle internally. We have learned to use outside designers and sometimes writers to help us get work out. We have no printing on campus, so if a job is going to involve more than 1,000 impressions, we recommend they be sent out. This can be offset printing or simple duplicating, depending on the quantity and quality desired.

Tell us about the proofing process for the university?

We proof every job within our office, by at least two people. Depending on the job, it will go back to the originator and sometimes two or three others. Major projects, such as a class schedule or alumni newsletter, may be proofed by eight to 15 people. This does not guarantee perfection, but does help keep most things accurate.

In your situation, what characteristics would “Super Print Provider” have?

They would answer their telephone and have someone available to take specifications on the spot. They would get bids back by the specified time, or sooner. They would offer suggestions if a selected paper isn’t available or maybe not best suited to a job. They would provide pick up when a job is ready to go to the printer. They would provide quality control at their shop, checking the job before it comes to me. They would provide on time delivery, or sooner. They would follow delivery instructions and packaging instructions, learning what our preferences are. For example, we have all our printing delivered in junior cartons because most people can’t lift the full boxes. They would include the P.O. number on their invoices and have the invoice prices match what was bid, unless there are unusual circumstances, such as a customer change order after the job was released. They would not drop by to see me unannounced without an appointment. They would respect my time, as I respect theirs.

Thank you Susan for your time and support of this community.