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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 12i - Citywide Printing Services STAFF REPORT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT DATE: June 16, 2026 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Henry Chen, Administrative Services Director By: Monica Li, Buyer SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MARS PRINTING FOR CITYWIDE PRINTING SERVICES FOR A FIVE-YEAR TERM, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $180,000 ANNUALLY, WITH THE OPTION OF TWO ONE- YEAR RENEWALS CEQA: Not a Project Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY On June 4, 2019, the City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement for Citywide printing services with The Workshop, which is due to expire June 30, 2026. The City issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for printing services and received two (2) proposals for consideration. The proposals were reviewed by a five-person committee, composed of representatives from several City departments. Following a careful evaluation of the proposals, Mars Printing was deemed the lowest and most responsive bidder. It is recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Mars Printing for Citywide printing services for a five-year term, with the option to renew for two additional one-year terms, at an annual cost of $180,000. It is further recommended that the City Council delegate the authority to approve future extensions under this agreement to the City Manager, without having to return to the City Council for subsequent approval, provided that any changes to the financial terms stay within standard inflationary limits. Professional Services Agreement for Citywide Printing Services June 16, 2026 Page 2 of 4 BACKGROUND Citywide printing services have been outsourced by the City of Arcadia for more than 18 years to maximize efficiency and reduce costs. The current agreement with The Workshop is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2026. Under the agreement, various printed materials are produced on an as-needed basis, including the Monthly Hot Sheet, Connection Newsletter, business cards, envelopes, department letterhead, certificates, folders, general forms, brochures, posters, signs, banners, receipt books, carbonless forms, and other promotional materials for City events. Special printing services are also provided as needed. DISCUSSION On April 14, 2026, the Request for Proposals (“RFP”) was posted on the City’s website, and a Notice Inviting Proposals was published in accordance with City Council Resolution No. 7483. Requests for proposals were also distributed to 24 prospective vendors. A pre-proposal conference was held on April 23, 2026, during which approximately 95 example documents from various City departments were made available for viewing and inspection by prospective vendors. The pre-proposal conference, held in the City Council Chambers Conference Room, was attended by four (4) vendors: Castle Press, The Workshop, Mars Printing, and Alpha Printing. A committee composed of representatives from various City departments was established for the evaluation of proposals. On May 14, 2026, two (2) responsive proposals were received by the City from Alpha Printing & Graphics and Mars Printing. A proposal was also submitted by Paydirt Printing Services; however, the proposal was deemed non-responsive due to its incompleteness and because it was not received by the City Clerk’s Office by the established deadline. City staff were subsequently notified that no proposal would be submitted by the incumbent, The Workshop, as business operations are concluding permanently this year. A table below summarizes the average ranking each proposer received based on the submitted bids. Results of the committee’s evaluation are presented as follows, with each proposal scored out of a maximum of 100 points: Professional Services Agreement for Citywide Printing Services June 16, 2026 Page 3 of 4 Proposer TOTAL Mars Printing 93.2 Alpha Printing & Graphics 86.8 Each proposal was evaluated by the committee based on the proposer’s thoroughness and understanding of the scope of work. Additional consideration was given to related experience, references, the quality of the proposals submitted, and the overall costs anticipated over the life of the contract. As specified in the Request for Proposals, all quoted prices were required to include shipping and handling and/or desktop delivery costs, as well as all materials, tools, pickup, labor, equipment, disposal, incidental expenses, necessary supervision, and any other services required for the completion of the deliverables. Although similar scores were received by both proposers for most evaluation criteria, greater competitiveness was demonstrated by Mars Printing when overall contract costs were considered. Following the calculation of total pricing for the requested sample items, including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, flyers, and other printed materials, pricing submitted by Alpha Printing & Graphics was found to be, on average, 19% higher than pricing submitted by Mars Printing over the five-year contract term. In addition, a higher typesetting and design fee was proposed by Alpha Printing & Graphics, whereas Mars Printing proposed a lower overall fee for services. Presented below is a schedule of estimated printing costs for a sample of projects that are typically required by the City on an annual basis. Proposer Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 5YR TOTAL Mars Printing $25,264.25 $26,263.54 $27,314.07 $28,406.60 $29,542.86 $136,791.32 Alpha Printing & Graphics $31,004.40 $32,285.14 $33,584.45 $35,009.48 $36,535.57 $168,419.04 Based on the results of the committee’s evaluation, it is recommended that the City Council approve an agreement with Mars Printing for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, with the option for two one-year renewal periods thereafter. Professional Services Agreement for Citywide Printing Services June 16, 2026 Page 4 of 4 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. FISCAL IMPACT The funding for Citywide printing services is included within each department’s operating budget. It is anticipated that the annual costs for general citywide printing services will not exceed $180,000 annually, including paper and delivery costs. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council determine this action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and approve, authorize, and direct the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Mars Printing for Citywide printing services for a five-year term, in an amount not to exceed $180,000 annually, with the option of two one-year renewals. It is further recommended that the City Council delegate the authority to approve future extensions under this agreement to the City Manager, without having to return to the City Council for subsequent approval, provided that any changes to the financial terms stay within standard inflationary limits.