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Committee approves one-year option with W.B. Mason; staff cites smaller price bumps and high fulfillment rates
Summary
The committee voted to authorize a one-year amendment with W.B. Mason for county office supplies. Purchasing staff said prior paper-product price hikes reached 38.8%; the current amendment limits paper-item increases to up to 5.5% and non-paper increases to about 1.44%. Vendor fulfillment and sustainability metrics were also presented.
Cuyahoga County’s Governmental Relations and Public Transportation committee on Jan. 21 approved Resolution 20250042, authorizing the county to exercise an option year on its existing contract with W.B. Mason for general office supplies and related services.
Paul Porter, director of the Department of Purchasing, told the committee the contract was solicited in 2020 and began April 1, 2021. The amendment under consideration would exercise an option year that Porter said would leave one additional option year remaining under the current agreement. Porter described prior price movement under the contract and explained the current amendment’s proposed increases: a prior, larger increase for paper-related products was about 38.8% when the vendor re-priced after several years; by contrast, the amendment under consideration limits paper-related item increases to a maximum of 5.5% per item and non-paper items (pens, staples, binder clips and similar goods) to about 1.44% per item. Porter said the contract also guarantees a 45% discount off list pricing for non-core items ordered through the vendor’s platform and that many departments use private-label alternatives included in the contract.
Porter presented vendor performance metrics: roughly 17.99% of products ordered under the contract from April 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2024 were recycled or contained recycled content; returns represented approximately 4.5% of orders; and reported order fulfillment was about 99.3%, with most orders processed online and many arriving next day.
During questioning, Councilman Sweeney asked whether the 45% discount applies to core items and requested follow-up to confirm the county’s average discount on core-list items; Porter said he believed core items generally receive at least a 45% discount but said he would follow up with specific figures and additional procurement history. Porter also explained the county originally used a three-year base contract with three one‑year options; the committee discussed tradeoffs between one‑year option periods and longer option terms.
A motion to accept the resolution as written was made and seconded; committee members responded 'Aye' and the chair declared the motion carried. Staff clarified the action was recorded as second reading; Porter noted the current option period runs through March 31, 2025, giving the county time to plan future solicitations.
What this means: if the county exercises the option, the vendor will continue supplying office goods under the revised prices and contract terms described to the committee; staff has committed to provide additional discount and historical-contract details on request.
