PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.       6f 
ACTION ITEM 
Date of Meeting    November 24, 2015 
DATE:    November 11, 2015 
TO:      Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:   Dave Caplan, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives 
Nora Huey, Director, Central Procurement Office (CPO) 
SUBJECT:  Office Supplies 
Estimated Amount of This Request:     $1,300,000 
Source of Funds:            Operating Budgets 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to execute contract(s) for up
to five years (1 year initial term with four one-year options) for office supplies. The estimated
value is $1,300,000 for five years. 
SYNOPSIS 
The Port is requesting authorization to execute contract(s) for office supplies. To promote small
business participation in the contract, Port staff recommends structuring the procurement as a
small business set-aside provided the Port receives three or more qualified proposals from small
businesses. The Port believes there are five or more small business firms that are in a position to
submit strong qualified proposals. If the Port receives less than 3 qualified proposals from small
businesses, the solicitation will be structured to create two contracting opportunities: (1) core
products list and e-catalogue; and (2) all other office supplies. Evaluation will include points for
vendors that are small businesses and award will go to the vendor whose proposal best meets the
needs of the Port, taking into account small business status, service, environmental
considerations, and price. 
The Port has identified a core list of high-volume, standardized items and may establish central
supply rooms at Pier 69 and the Airport Office Building so that each department is not required
to store their own supplies. We also will establish an e-catalogue of Port of Seattle preferred
products. We anticipate that a standardized list of core supplies along with the e-catalogue will
provide better volume discounts, more visibility to usage and pricing, promote utilization of
environmentally sound products, and eliminate time spent searching the supply catalog to order
items individually. Port staff also will procure items that are not on the standardized list or ecatalogue
from this vendor at specified discounts.  Staff anticipates some cost savings and
increase staff efficiency by reducing and simplifying the procurement process, and reducing


COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
November 11, 2015 
Page 2 of 5 
redundant purchasing activity. This new process  changes  our current practice of every
department ordering and stocking individual needs.
BACKGROUND 
In August 2009, the Port of Seattle adopted an Environmental Purchasing Policy (CPO-2). One
of the first priorities of the Port was the setup of a system for the purchase of green office
products and paper.  Research was conducted by Aviation Environmental and the Central
Procurement Office to understand opportunities and mechanisms for such a system. As a result
of this research, the Port of Seattle via a cooperative purchasing agreement determined the best
approach was to utilize the City of Seattle Green Office Supply Contract and purchase office
supplies from Keeney's Office Supply. The Port encourages individuals to order from this
contract; however, current practice is within the discretion of each department where they buy
office supplies. 
This year CPO reviewed our office supply purchasing practices and determined that the Port
should change its office supply purchasing practices to gain efficiencies, reduce cost, and
improve our commitment to meeting our environmental goals. CPO developed a three step
approach. First, the Port completed procurement for copier paper; the result standardized the
Port on a 100% recycled paper product. Prior to this contract the Port purchased virgin, 30%
recycled, and 100% recycled paper from various manufactures. Purchases were not coordinated
and may be as small as one ream of paper. CPO estimates a 10% cost savings for consolidating
on one product and ordering pallet loads for delivery to the airport office building and Pier 69.
The contract was awarded to Keeney's Office Supply, a small women owned business. Annual
spend on paper is approximately $50,000 to $55,000.
Second, the Port is in process of procuring managed print services. The Port will contract with
one vendor, selected via a competitive procurement, to manage hardcopy device fleets (copiers,
printers, multifunction devices, and fax machines) in a unified manner. This contract will meet
Port's environmental objectives and values and may result in an 11% decrease in non-labor print
costs upon full implementation.
The office supply procurement is the third step to improve our office supply purchasing
processes. CPO partnered with the Administrative Services at the Port (ASAP) committee to
define a core "standardized list" of office products and has worked with Aviation Environmental
(AV/ENV) to define the "green" opportunities within the core list and e-catalogue. In September
2015, CPO reached out to our current vendor and to another small business. The purpose was to
solicit input from vendors to develop a best in class solution to meet the Port's needs and goals.
In selecting a contractor for the office supply contract, the Port will take into account ability of
the vendor to promote environmental purchases in the e-catalogue, delivery response, small
business opportunities, and price. 
REQUEST JUSTIFICATION AND DETAILS

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
November 11, 2015 
Page 3 of 5 
Project Objectives 
This procurement has four main objectives: 
Develop and promote opportunities for small businesses. 
Port environmental goals  Support the Port of Seattle Environmental Purchasing Policy. 
Staff efficiency  Simplify the procurement process, standardize products Port-wide. 
Cost savings  Reduce current office supply annual spending of $300,000. 
Schedule 
Commission authorization and office supply procurement in Q4 2015, implementation in Q2 2016. 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
Budget Status and Source of Funds 
This is not a request for funding. The costs for office supplies are within the annual approved
expense budget. 
Financial Summary 
By implementing this contract we will increase efficiencies, reduce cost, and establish more
accurate "spend" data to assist in managing Port expense budgets. 
STRATEGIES AND OBJECTIVES 
This procurement and contract supports the following Port objectives and values: 
Procurement will support Port's objectives of promoting contracting with small
businesses. 
Century Agenda objective of meeting conservation and renewable resources. 
Value of responsible stewardship of community resources and the environment. 
Lean - by reducing waste implementing the Port-wide procurement of office supplies.
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE 
Economic Development 
This procurement will include provisions for small business set aside provided the Port receives
at least three qualified proposals. The Port believes there are five or more small business firms
that are in a position to submit strong qualified proposals. In the event the Port receives less than
three qualified small business proposals, the solicitation will be structured to create two
contracting opportunities: (1) core products list and e-catalogue; and (2) all other office supplies.
Evaluation will include points for vendors that are small businesses as defined by the U.S.
Federal Government Small Business Association. Firms will self-certify their small business

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
November 11, 2015 
Page 4 of 5 
status. Announcements of the procurement will be placed in strategic media locations to make
certain small businesses know about the opportunity, and the Port will send specific email
notifications to known small business firms.  Office of Social Responsibility is helping to 
identify potential small business firms. 
Environmental Responsibility 
This contract will be structured to ensure that the Port is maximizing its purchasing of "green"
products. In compiling the core standardized list of items and e-catalogue, the Port and selected
vendor will establish protocols to promote selection of environmentally responsible items.
Vendors who provide tools for promoting the selection of non-core green products will be
evaluated more favorably.
Community Benefits 
This procurement will benefit the community by providing opportunities for Puget Sound small
businesses to compete for the contract. The contract will establish a core standard product list
and e-catalogue of environmentally preferable products. 
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1) Continue with current practice of purchasing office supplies from multiple
locations with non-standard products; this does not support our future procurement goals. 
Pros: 
No disruption to organization's current business practice. 
Staff has more choices of office supplies to meet individual preferences and store their
supplies in office area nearby. 
Cons: 
Pay higher costs by not reducing and consolidating supplies. 
Reduced efficiency by employees ordering core office supplies. 
Cannot maintain standard list or ensure environment goals. 
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 2) Establish two contracts: one contract will be for office supplies at Pier 69 and
other Seattle based Port locations and a second contract will be for provision of office supplies at
the Airport and other Port locations in SeaTac.
Pros: 
Provide additional opportunities for vendors to do business with the Port. One vendor
could potentially win both contracts.
Structure the procurement to promote small business opportunities. 
Better implementation of Environmental Purchasing Policy by establishing a standard
core products list and e-catalogue. 
Consolidate delivery of supplies, reducing the carbon footprint and packaging.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
November 11, 2015 
Page 5 of 5 

Cons: 
Potentially different costs for identical products based on location. 
Potentially different e-catalogues. 
Not able to use purchasing power to lower costs if we have two different vendors. 
Increase management of two contracts and potential for one vendor being preferred over
the other. 
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 3) Establish one small business vendor for office supplies, establish standardized
office products list and e-catalogue. In the event the Port receives less than three qualified small
business proposals, the solicitation will be structured to create two contracting opportunities: (1)
core products list and e-catalogue; and (2) all other office supplies.
Pros: 
Structure the procurement to promote small business opportunities.
Better implementation of Environmental Purchasing Policy by establishing a standard
core products list and e-catalogue. 
Consolidate delivery of supplies, reducing the carbon footprint and packaging. 
Improved spend analytics for visibility of cost, product consumption, management of
standardized list and green supplies. 
Cost savings due to consolidating purchasing power, consolidating supplies, and ordering
in bulk. 
Established discount for e-catalogue and discount for products that are not in the ecatalogue.
Cons: 
Disruption to organization's current business practice during transition. 
This is the recommended alternative. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
None 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None