The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) would like to respond to the May 10, 2011 e-LYNXX story "U.S. GPO Work Decreasing Significantly." https://www.groundreport.com/Business/U-S-GPO-Work-Decreasing-Significantly/2939083
Public Printer William J. Boarman expressed the importance the private sector printing industry plays in Government printing recently at two congressional hearings. The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) procures about 75% of Government printing to the private sector annually, thus stimulating local congressional districts around the country with between $450 million and $500 million annually.
Other than congressional and inherently governmental work such as the Federal Register, the U.S. Budget, and secure and intelligent documents, GPO produces virtually all other information product requirements via contracts through a longstanding partnership with the private sector printing industry. This system is one of the Government’s longest running and most successful programs of utilizing the private sector, which is represented by more than 16,600 individual firms registered to do business with GPO, the vast majority of whom are small businesses averaging 20 employees per firm. Contracts are awarded on a purely competitive basis; there are no set-asides or preferences in contracting other than what is specified in law and regulation, including a requirement for Buy American. This partnership provides great economic opportunity for the private sector.
Due to budget reductions for Federal agencies, GPO’s Print Information Control System, an in-house procurement tracking system, shows a 36% decrease in revenue from Federal agency jobs through the procurement program for the first seven months for FY 2011 compared to the same period for FY 2009. The agency’s tracking systems also shows approximately a 7% decrease in revenue from Federal agency jobs through GPO’s own in-plant operation for the first seven months for FY 2011 compare to the same period for FY 2009.
Earlier this year, Public Printer Boarman highlighted the importance and savings GPO’s print procurement program has to the industry and American taxpayer in a February 28, 2011, response to a William Gindlesperger article, saying:
I think that the percentage of private sector printing could potentially increase as GPO demonstrates the savings that Federal agencies can achieve in their printing and publishing programs by increasing their use of GPO’s printing procurement program…With the Federal Government confronting the need to reduce spending, my view is that GPO’s printing procurement program deserves a closer look by Federal agencies looking for ways to increase savings in meeting their requirements for printing, and by a Congress committed to reducing the costs of Government operations. And for a Congress and an Administration who want to stimulate job growth in the private sector, GPO’s printing procurement program can also help.”
As Public Printer Boarman has stated numerous times in the past several months, GPO is looking forward to working closely with Congress, Federal agencies, and our longstanding partners in the American printing industry in taking a close look at the opportunities for taxpayer savings and job growth that could occur if more printing is made available for private sector procurement through GPO.
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