Applying General Advice for Winning Government Work to GPO
6. Do your homework. The most successful GPO print suppliers rely upon data from the only database in the country that maintains an archive of GPO jobs, dating back more than 20 years. Analysis of this data, such as how past GPO work has been priced, allows printers to make an educated bid for work that can be profitable.
7. Don't assume it's automatically in the bag. Keep in mind that competition for GPO work can be fierce, especially for jobs in the $2,500 to $5,000 range. Large, difficult, specialty or fast turn-around jobs tend to have limited competition. Don't assume you can bid and win based on guesstimates. You need to be very careful and specific when evaluating job specifications and determining whether your equipment and staff can handle the work within the required timeframe. Paper is another important consideration, and you must know when you can substitute stock and when you cannot. Miscalculating on just one aspect of a job can cost you the bid, rejection of the completed job and worse.