PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      6j 
Date of Meeting     June 2, 2009 
DATE:    May 18, 2009 
TO:      Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Jane Kilburn, Director, Public Affairs 
Nancy Blanton, Manager, Corporate Communications 
SUBJECT:  New Procurement for Graphic Design Services 
ACTION REQUESTED: 
Authorization for the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) to conduct Category III procurement
processes for IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity) contract, and execute all contracts,
service directives and amendments for graphic design services to maintain the Port's graphic
identity, support brand standards and messages, and support customer marketing and
communications strategies, internal communications and signage needs for a period of up to three
years, for an approximate value of $366,000 per year, for a total estimated procurement amount of 
up to $1,200,000. 
BACKGROUND 
Professional graphic design is a critical element of successful, targeted communication and public
information programs, because it helps the viewer navigate efficiently through information to find
what they need. It promotes clarity and accessibility and assists in achieving revenues within each
business unit through compelling visual marketing. It also, at a glance, communicates the identity
and significance of an organization. 
In recent years, the Port's Public Affairs Department has managed annual contracts for ongoing
and special project graphic design needs, such as printed materials, signage and electronic
graphics. The Port produces a wide variety of informational and promotional material every year
to support the Port's goals of increasing and maintaining the transparency of Port business,
supporting our business lines and their customer requirements, and enhancing accessible
information for public understanding of the Port's role in the community. 
Public Affairs does not have a graphic designer on staff, but typically has awarded several
contracts each year to local small businesses. Public Affairs manages the Port's graphic design
contracts as a means of protecting and expanding our brand identity and maintaining the high
quality of our marketing materials, communications and public information products.
Given the breadth of the Port's activities, there are a number of graphic design projects underway
at any time. In 2008, for example, contract designers produced advertisements for the Seaport and

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
May 18, 2009 
Page 2 of 3 

Airport, trade booth exhibits, marketing materials, fact sheets, event banners, the annual report,
brochures about our environmental programs and economic impact, maps to help people navigate
our facilities, and more. So far in 2009, contract designers have produced the new Green Gateway
logo and map, the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal logo, Seaport maps showing the new cargo and
cruise terminals; cruise, cargo and airport ads for community and industry publications, and new
marketing material for the Airport Conference Center. Contract designers also have produced
materials that support the Port's efforts to recruit small businesses to compete for Port contracts.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 

Under the new Central Procurement Office procedures, and as the result of several planning
sessions with CPO staff, Public Affairs was encouraged to centralize all graphic design needs for
the Port under one procurement process, and then award contracts to design firms based on
specific capabilities that align with the scopes of work. 
Under this procurement, we intend to advertise three Requests for Proposal, focusing scopes of
work on particular areas of design expertise, and estimated dollar values as follows: 
Contract A: 
Scope: Graphic design services for marketing, advertisements and other related public
information projects 
Approximate value: $200,000 to $250,000 per year 
Contract B: 
Scope: Graphic design services for community relations and outreach related projects.
Approximate value: $60,000 per year 
Contract C: 
Scope: Graphic design services for electronic communications and products 
Approximate value: $65,000 to $70,000 per year 
We will competitively award contracts with those firms that best meet our defined criteria in the
specific areas. Each contract will be for one year, with the option of extending for up to two
additional years. Contracts will include our small business initiative goals where appropriate.
Public Affairs will manage and oversee all design approvals, schedules and work processes. 
To define our scopes of work and contract values, Public Affairs surveyed Port users of graphic
design services about the kinds of design needs they could anticipate for the coming year, and the
dollar amounts they would budget for them. We combined all anticipated design needs Port-wide 
into an annual sum except for the graphic design requirements for the Airport Concessions
Marketing Tenant Program which will be procured separately. There is also the understanding that

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
May 18, 2009 
Page 3 of 3 

communication programs and budgets may change, and each department would use graphic design
services only at the level approved in their final annual budget. We used the sum and specific
departmental needs to create scopes of work for an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)
Procurement, as recommended by CPO. 
IDIQ contracts provide the Port with the flexibility to meet business requirements as they arise by
issuing individual Service Directives to accomplish tasks within a general, pre-defined Scope of
Work on an as-needed basis for a fixed period of time and a maximum contract amount. 
Competitively bid IDIQ contracts are a widely used public sector contracting tool, consistent with
the Port's Resolution No. 3605 and governed by CPO-1 policy. 
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED / RECOMMENDED ACTION 
1.  Prepare separate procurements each year for graphic design contract services. This option
would not be the most efficient use of Port resources because it would result in multiple
contracts for similar services, and increase the Port's costs for management and
administration. 
2.  Prepare one Category III procurement for each specialized service. This alternative ensures
a competitive process, encourages small business participation and provides staff with the
ability to respond in a timely manner to needs as they arise. This is the recommended
alternative. 

PROJECT SCHEDULE 

For the three scopes of work, RFPs are being issued in May 2009. With Commission authorization,
the first year contracts would begin in August 2009 and, if renewed for the two year options,
expire in August 2012. Each Service Directive will specify a schedule associated with tasks
involved. 
SOURCE OF FUNDS 
The procurement amount is based on actual work completed in 2008 and projected out for three
years. Each department requesting design services would cover the expense from its own
approved annual budget each year.