This is a Statewide Contract for office supplies, recycled paper, and envelopes.

The Commonwealth identified the most frequently purchased items purchase under the categories of this contract; these are referred to as “market basket” items.

Market Basket items offer buyers a number of environmentally preferable products under each category, and the ability to make immediate price comparisons and identify competitive pricing that will result in significant cost savings and identify environmentally preferable products.

Note: This contract may be used to procure the goods or services described in this user guide at any dollar amount. Any limitations, including for procurements involving construction, are outlined in this Contract User Guide.

For Master Contract Record, refer to the Master Blanket Purchase Order (MBPO) with RFR PO-24-1080-OSD03-OSD03-32274.

Benefits and Cost Savings

Statewide Contracts are an easy way to obtain benefits for your organization by: 

• Leveraging the Commonwealth’s buying power
• Simplifying the solicitation process
• Providing contracting expertise
• Enhancing vendor relationships through proactive management and oversight
• Offering competitive pricing
• Offering Prompt Payment Discounts (PPD), which is a percentage discount given to the buyer if the invoice is paid within a specified time, in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Bill Paying Policy

• Partnering with a pool of qualified and experienced vendors
• Dock Delivery Discounts (DDD)
• Volume Purchase Discounts (VPD)
• Market basket representing the most frequently purchased office supply items at the deepest discounts. Since the market basket represents the best value, these items should be considered first.
• All non-market basket items (Full Catalog), representing all other items on vendor catalogs for office supplies.
• Significant discount percentages off list price.
• Accessing a wide range of environmentally preferable products and services 
  

This contract includes 3 categories listed as follows:

• Category 1: Category 1A and Category 1B Office Supplies
  • Sub-Category 1A: Market Basket Items
  • Sub-Category 1B: Non-Market Basket Items (Full Catalog)
• Category 2: Recycled Copy and Print Papers
• Category 3: Recycled Plain and Printed Envelopes
  

OFF53 is for office supplies, recycled paper and Recycled envelopes.

Please refer to the following list of products and services not available for purchase. Related products that are not covered under this contract are listed below along with the statewide contract under which they can be found:

• Postage and Mail Processing Equipment, Accessories, Services and Supplies, OFF54
• Print, Copy, Mail Services and Printed Promotional Products, OFF48
• Art and Instructional School Supplies, OFF51
• Office, School and Library Furniture and Accessories and Services, OFF52
• Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Products, Programs, Equipment and Supplies, FAC118
• Imaging Devices, Supplies and Services, ITC80
  

The following is a complete list of the types of organizations generally allowed to use the Operational Service Division’s (OSD's) Statewide Contracts (SWCs). Some SWCs may be open to additional organizations, and some are more restricted in usage.

• Cities, towns, districts, counties, and other political subdivisions
• Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches, including all departments and elected offices therein
• Independent public authorities, commissions, and quasi-public agencies
• Local public libraries, public school districts, and charter schools
• Public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Public institutions of higher education
• Public purchasing cooperatives
• Non-profit, UFR-certified organizations that are doing business with the Commonwealth
• Other states and territories and their cities, towns, districts, counties, other political subdivisions, and public institutions of higher education without prior approval from the State Purchasing Agent 
• Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent
  

This contract offers pricing as a specific discount off the MSRP for category 1, and direct quote pricing for Categories 2 & 3.

To streamline purchasing decisions, all vendor pricing is available in one Master Price File for each category.

Note: To minimize packaging and transportation impacts, minimum orders on this contract must be at least $50 per instance.

• Buyers should inform vendors to reference Contract OFF53 on all quotes and invoices
• Prepayment or Pre-ship Deposits are not allowed
• Sales tax is not allowed
• Fees and or surcharges (including travel, fuel, delivery) not allowed.
• Special order fees must be agreed upon by both parties upfront.
• Payments for products or services provided must be paid within 45 days per Massachusetts Bill-Payment Policy, or sooner if applying Prompt Payment Discount.

Buyers are not required to sign additional agreements with vendors that conflict with the Request for Response (RFR) Terms and Conditions. For more information please refer to the Master Blanket Purchase Order (MBPO) with RFR, and contact Sr. Category Manager (Tatiana Henry or Sean Corbin) if you have any questions.

OFF53 offers several options for purchasing from vendors under this Statewide Contract. These options include COMMBUYS Punchout, and Direct Quote Purchase through COMMBUYS and Direct Quote Purchase Outside of COMMBUYS.

• Only items contained in OFF53 are eligible for purchase under this contract.

COMMBUYS Punchout Catalog

A COMMBUYS Punchout provides the ability to search, select and purchase directly from vendor’s eCommerce site using the Government to Business (G2B) functionality in COMMBUYS, where after check-out, the system transfers the purchased items to COMMBUYS to complete a release requisition.

Punchout-Participating Vendors:

CAM Office, Inc.

G. A. Blanco & Sons

Staples Contract & Commercial, Inc.

ShireWire Global Sales & Distribution, LLC

W.B. Mason

Refer to instruction on How to Purchase from a COMMBUYS G2B Punchout.

To set up a COMMBUYS buyer account, contact your organization’s COMMBUYS administrator. For questions about Punchout purchasing, contact OSD Help Desk or call (888)-627-8283.

Direct Quotes using COMMBUYS

Buyers can solicit quotes directly from multiple vendors, award, and place orders through COMMBUYS using the solicitation-enabled contract Master Blanket Purchase Orders (MBPOs) or Statewide Contracts in COMMBUYS.

Refer to the Vendor MPBO Listing for a listing of eligible vendors.

Refer to the How to Request Quotes from Vendors on Statewide Contracts instructions.

Direct Quotes (Outside of COMMBUYS)

Buyers can solicit quotes directly from multiple vendors outside of COMMBUYS by email or phone.

To ensure application of contract pricing, always reference OFF53 in the Requesting for Quotes (RFQ) and ensure OFF53 is referenced on all quotes and invoice received.

All quotes should clearly indicate Free on Board (FOB) destination, with all charges for transportation and unloading prepaid by the vendor/s for all Commonwealth departments, cities, towns, and political subdivisions within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

To set up a COMMBUYS buyer account, contact your organization’s COMMBUYS administrator. For questions about Direct Quotes purchasing using COMMBUYS, contact OSDhelpdesk@mass.gov, or call (888) 627-8283.

Shipping/Delivery

• Delivery is F.O.B. destination and shall mean delivery and unloading, at no additional cost.
• Should the vendor use an independent carrier to satisfy delivery requests, the vendor accepts responsibility for ensuring the carrier will coordinate with the contract user on delivery instructions.
• Late deliveries or deliveries that cannot be made within the above guidelines may be canceled at no cost to the Eligible Entity.
• Hours for all deliveries shall be performed during business working hours, usually 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST Monday through Friday.
• Other delivery hour/s is permissible only with the written approval of the Eligible Entity

Backordered Items

Category 1: Vendors must automatically deliver backordered items as soon as they become available. If delivery cannot occur within 3–5 business days of the original order date—or within a mutually agreed timeframe—the vendor may substitute an equal or better-quality item at the same or lower price. Substitution requires prior approval from the Eligible Entity and must ship within two (2) business days of approval.

Categories 2 and 3: Backordered items must be delivered within a mutually agreed timeframe.

Discontinued Items

Orders must be fulfilled as placed unless the item is discontinued by the manufacturer. Substitutions require prior approval and must be of equal or better quality and at the same or lower price. If the substitute is cheaper, the invoice must reflect the reduced price. Unapproved substitutions are not permitted and must be replaced with the requested or approved items within two (2) business days of notification. No restocking fees may be charged for unapproved substitutes.

Minimum/Maximum Order Quantities

Category 1 – Office Supplies: Vendors may sell only limited quantities of recycled copy paper and unprinted envelopes:

• Recycled paper: Maximum 39 cases per order
• Unprinted envelopes: Maximum 5 cases per order

Category 3 – Recycled Envelopes: Vendors may sell only limited quantities of Printed stock envelopes

• Printed stock envelopes: Minimum 1 carton per order

Note: MOSAIC and COMMBUYS do not interface. Payment request and invoice must be reported in both MOSAIC and COMMBUYS.

COMMBUYS is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' e-procurement platform, serving as a central marketplace for state agencies and other Eligible Entities to procure goods and services, connecting government buyers and businesses. It aims to streamline the purchasing process, ensuring transparency and efficiency in the procurement process.

For Executive Agencies, COMMBUYS is required. Per 801 CMR 21.00, Executive Agencies must use established Statewide Contracts (SWCs) for the purchase of products and services. To set up a COMMBUYS buyer account or to update an existing agency account, the buyers must contact the COMMBUYS Help Desk at: 888-627-8283 or OSDhelpdesk@mass.gov.

While COMMBUYS use is not mandated for Non-Executive Agencies and other Eligible Entities, it is highly recommended to streamline the procurement process and assist buyers in making informed purchasing choices. Eligible entities should follow their internal guidelines for COMMBUYS use.

Buyers can view contract documents on COMMBUYS without requiring a COMMBUYS account or logging in.  
To find contract documents in COMMBUYS, follow these steps:

1. On the COMMBUYS home page, enter OFF53 in the search tool and select Blankets from the drop-down list.
2. Select the Search icon. The related Master Blanket Purchase Orders (MBPOs) information opens in a table format. 
3. To view the associated contract documents, under the Blanket # column, select the applicable Purchase Order (PO) link. MBPO opens for the selected PO and the attachments can be found in the Agency Attachments or Vendor Attachments section. 

If applicable, to find vendor-specific documents, view the links to the individual vendor MBPOs on the Vendor Information page, and follow these steps:

1. On the Vendor Information page, select the applicable Purchase Order (PO) link. The Master Blanket Purchase Order (MBPO) opens for the selected PO.
2. If applicable, on the MBPO, scroll down to the Vendor Attachments section to find the vendor-specific documents.
3. To view, select the desired document link.

Please refer to the following guidelines:

• Executive Departments must use diverse and small businesses to the extent possible based on contract terms, Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), and departmental policies, laws, and regulations.
• The Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) applies to small procurements ($250,000 or below annually), while the Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) applies to large procurements (over $250,000 annually). Executive Departments must consider these requirements when soliciting quotes or issuing Statements of Work (SOWs).
• Operational Services Division (OSD) provides a list of SDO businesses through the Statewide Contract Index. Refer to the Programs (SDP and SBPP) tab on the index (scroll to view the tab).

• In cases where all other factors are equal, and particularly when adhering to a best value approach, the department will favor the vendor with stronger SDP commitment.
• For more information, refer to Best Value Evaluation of SDP Plan Forms: A Guide for Strategic Sourcing Teams.
• Vendor SDP commitment percentages may be found on the Vendor List table.

• If available, departments must notify at least two certified small businesses capable of providing the product or service. Bids received from SBPP-participating small businesses must be evaluated, and if one meets the department’s best value criteria, the contract must be awarded to that vendor.
• For more information, refer to Best Value Evaluation of Responses to Small Procurements: A Guide for Strategic Sourcing Teams.
• Vendor SBPP Certification status can be found on the Vendor List table.

The awarded vendor’s use of subcontractors is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Terms and Conditions and Standard Contract Form, as well as other applicable terms of this Statewide Contract (SWC). 

Vendors in this statewide contract offer the following discounts, which may vary for each vendor:

• Dock Delivery Discount: Vendors offer an additional savings opportunity when delivery can be accepted at a central receiving area, loading dock, or building entrance without the need for inside delivery or special handling.
• Volume Discount: A discount is for buyers who purchase a certain quantity of product or service.

Note: Vendor discounts are detailed in the vendor list table and the price files within each vendor's Master Blanket Purchase Order (MBPO) or Master Contract Record MBPO.

Vendors on this contract may be required to provide products or services in cases of statewide emergencies. The 801 CMR 21.05(3) defines emergency for procurement purposes. Visit the Emergency Response Supplies, Services and Equipment Contact Information for Statewide Contracts list for emergency services related to this contract.

Vendors' performance is measured by several factors, including the following:

• Buyers provide actionable feedback on vendors for this contract to optimize performance through the Procurated platform. On the Procurated website, click "Search for a Massachusetts Vendor to Review", then search for the vendor by name and select them from the list. Once you enter your professional email address, you will be forwarded to the review screen.
• Buyers are encouraged to reach out to the Category Manager(s) (Tatiana Henry or Sean Corbin) if vendors are not meeting their contractual obligations and buyers may be surveyed for vendor performance feedback.
• Vendors will be evaluated on their current performance and may be asked to work with the Commonwealth toward improvement.
• Vendors must meet all contractual requirements throughout the life of the contract, including requirements for timely and accurate report submission, to remain in good standing under the contract.
  

• OFF53 vendors must meet all contractual requirements throughout the life of the contract and are subject to an annual Business Review.
• Buyers and Contract Users are encouraged to contact the Category Manager if vendors are not meeting their contractual obligations.
  

For general procurement guidelines and best practices, follow these recommendations:

• Buyers should inform vendors to reference Statewide Contract OFF53 on all quotes and invoices.
• No prepayment should be made for products not yet delivered or services not yet rendered.
• No sales tax should be applied to invoices.
• No fees or surcharges (including travel, fuel, delivery) should be applied to invoices.
• Special order fees must be agreed upon by both parties upfront.
• Payments for products or services provided must be paid within 45 days per Massachusetts Bill Payment Policy, or sooner if applying Prompt Payment Discount.
• Buyers are not required to sign additional agreements with vendors that conflict with the Request for Response (RFR) Terms and Conditions. Contact the Category Manager(s) (Tatiana Henry or Sean Corbin) for guidance. 
• Vendors must notify buyers of product substitutions.

This contract offers a wide selection of office supplies—hundreds of items—featuring recycled content and other environmentally preferable attributes, which are required to be clearly labeled in all buyer catalogs.

All state agencies must comply with Massachusetts Executive Order 515, which mandates the procurement of Environmentally Preferable Products (EPPs) when they meet performance standards and represent best value.

A detailed list of product requirements is available in Appendix I: Product Specifications of the RFR. Key specifications include:

• Binders: Minimum 25% post-consumer recycled content (PCRC)
• Breakroom Supplies:
  • Cleaning chemicals certified by GreenSeal, UL Ecologo, or EPA Safer Choice
  • Paper products meeting GreenSeal or UL Ecologo and FSC standards, with recycled content
  • Surface disinfectants (sprays or wipes) must use safer active ingredients—no bleach or quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)
• Copy Paper, Other Papers, Bulk Envelopes: Minimum 30% PCRC
• File Folders: Minimum 30% PCRC
• Markers: Must be AP non-toxic certified by the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI)
• Post-Its: Minimum 30% PCRC
• Rechargeable Batteries: Must be offered and supported with recycling services

Vendors awarded under this contract must:

• Minimize packaging and transportation impacts by enforcing a $50 minimum order, except for printed stock envelopes (minimum: one carton)
• Provide free recycling services for rechargeable batteries
• Offer copy paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to support sustainable forest management
  

Learn More

Explore the Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) Procurement Program and discover detailed guidance in the EPP Products and Services Guide.

When placing orders with a vendor, MOSAIC users must reference the contract ID number OFF53* in the Agreement ID field in MOSAIC for encumbrances related to purchases from Statewide Contracts. Please address all inquiries regarding MOSAIC technical support and job aids by emailing the Comptroller Help Desk or by calling 617-973-2468. 

*The asterisk is required when referencing the contract in the Massachusetts Management Accounting Reporting System (MOSAIC).