Simplified Purchase Agreement (SPA)
As one of GPO's top print suppliers with more than a fifty-year history of business, NPC can provide you with the “best value”.
Compare these facts to other vendors:
- Daily delivery and pick-up services available in the metro DC area and timely parcel services for prompt delivery throughout the United States.
- Consistently listed in the top 10 on GPO's list of top print suppliers for nearly a decade. (You don't get this type of consistency without delivering consistent value.)
- Excellent GPO Annual Compliance Rating—under 2%.
- Operations developed to meet and exceed quality standards set by the GPO.
- Dedicated team of professional representatives to service our Federal Government customers with years of combined Government print buying experience.
- Fifty years of history providing print and print-related products and services.
What is a SPA?
SPAs (Simplified Purchase Agreements) changed the way the GPO buys agency printing from the private sector. In 2000, the GPO gave its official blessing on SPAs in order to meet the changing needs of its agency customers. SPAs are a type of blanket purchasing agreement under which a number of different vendors can submit proposals to do specific types of work. SPAs changed GPO contracting in three major ways:
- Unlike past forms of GPO purchases, SPA prices are not fixed; printers certify that their prices charged for SPA work will be equal to or less than the most favorable price it gives to any other customer.
- SPAs also give agencies the ability to place orders directly with printers. When using an SPA to purchase, they no longer need to use the GPO as a vendor interface.
- Agencies do not have to award vendors based on lowest price. SPA purchases allow agencies to award on “best value,” where they can consider quality, service, price and other distinctive factors that affect the project.
Adapted from "GPO SPAs Provide Agencies a New Way to Buy Printing” by Frederic G. Antoun Jr.
How do they work?
The GPO has single SPA programs from which any agency could award to approved vendors. A few regional offices have followed with their own SPA programs, which can encompass multi-agency purchasing. (For a list of these SPA programs and their associated offices, see below.) The GPO has set up these SPAs by having vendors submit proposals. With an acceptable proposal, good past performance, and a satisfactory compliance rating, the vendor would become certified on an SPA. The names of these printers are available to the agencies. When an agency has a job, it can choose as many or as few of these printers to request proposals. Upon choosing a supplier, the agency works directly with the printer, and then follows with notification to the GPO of the purchase. Invoicing is sent to and paid by the GPO the same as standard GPO contracts. SPA quotes are often done over the fax and phone line.
Adapted from “GPO SPAs Provide Agencies a New Way to Buy Printing” by Frederic G. Antoun Jr.
What SPAs can NPC accept?
| Office | SPA Program # |
|---|---|
| Central | 960 |
| Atlanta | 8405 |
| Boston | 1111 |
| Charleston | 6495 |
| Chicago | 1501 |
| Columbus | 5592 |
| Dallas | 1705 |
| Denver | 2889 |
| Hampton | 2365 |
| New York | 1265 |
| Oklahoma City | 7701 |
| Philadelphia | 4210 |
| St. Louis | 3600 |
| San Antonio | 6701 |
| San Diego | 6901 |
| San Francisco | 1951 |
| Seattle | 1045 |
What is the latest on SPAs?
Dollar Volume Raised to $10,000 on the SPAs.
http://www.gpo.gov/updates/index.html
Agencies must refer to the SPA Upgrade Letter for further details
http://www.gpo.gov/updates/2005/cir580.htm
For general information, please contact GPO.
http://www.gpo.gov/index.html