Office Supplies

Years ago Minnesota State created an Office Supply service center to provide MSU departments with reasonably priced products deemed essential to office routines. Our primary supplier was the State's Central Stores operation located in St. Paul, an organization which achieved lower costs by ordering in massive quantities. We committed staff to make sure the office supply service centers functioned smoothly, and orders were efficiently handled.

The MnSCU System wants to ensure that self sustaining service centers do indeed stand on their own without any hidden M & E state funded personnel subsidies. In the spring of 2002 facing a price hike to better accommodate all the costs of providing a MSU run office supply operation, the University asked area office supply retailers to submit proposals to handle our customer volume. Four companies responded to our "Request for Proposal" and we evaluated each submission based on discounts, quickness of delivery to the MSU department, customer service techniques, etc. That process was repeated in Spring 2006 with Innovative Office Solutions being awarded another contract.

Innovative Office Solutions named MSU Partner.
The University awarded Innovative Office Solutions based on its high evaluation score. This public/private sector partnership is reviewed periodically to determine what changes, if any, are needed to ensure the best in customer service. Discounts provided to MSU by Innovative Office Solutions are substantial and at levels in many product lines MSU would be unable to match. Orders received by 4:30 pm workdays will be delivered the next workday to the customer's office.

Consumer Oversight Panel in Session - 1/10/08

(click to see a larger picture)

Office Supplies Contract Oversight Consumer Panel

Bonnie Windschitl, Academic Affairs Office
Donna Schutt, University Advancement
Karen Purrington, Sociology & Corrections
Verone Nelson, College of Business Dean’s Office
Karen Bunde, Campus Hub
Tammy Kunze, Graduate Studies
Katherine Voight, English
Jan Gostonczik, Special Education
Mary Racek, Extended Learning
Delorna Marti, Family Consumer Science
Julie Dornack, Library Services
Skye Dauer, Mathematics & Statistics
Connie Derner-Hulke, Art
Barb Dobie, Counseling Center
Gary Greenfield, University Stores/Receiving & Delivery Services
Cindy Hobbs, Intercollegiate Athletics
Vicky Hudson, Education Studies – K-12 & Secondary Programs
Cathy Hughes, Residential Life Office
Rita McEvoy, Urban & Regional Studies Institute
Yvonne Schmeling, Recreation, Parks & Leisure Services/Honors Program
Helen Wenner, Business Services
Sharon Wetzel, Music
Jean Willaert, Auto.& Manufacturing Engineering Tech./Mechanical & Civil Engineering
David Cowan, Facilities Services Director
Panel Membership as of 1/10/08

New MSU Atomic Clocks

Innovative Office Solutions (formerly JC Office)
(Discounts for MSU departments coded within charges)
Printed catalogs are available at Facilities Services

MSU Purchasing Card Application

Register for Innovative Office Solutions User ID/Password & Info Sessions
(Requested completion for first time users only)

MSU Forms


Gary Feichtinger Account Manager (507) 475-2930 gfeichtinger@innovativeos.com	Nichole Beeman Customer Service (866)574-5389 ext. 201 nbeeman@innovativeos.com	Scott Rollings Delivery Driver

Suggestions for Change
Directed to MSU's Facilities Services Unit
Directed to Innovative Office Solutions

Members Needed for MSU Consumer Panel
As part of the agreement with Innovative Office Solutions a "MSU Consumer Panel" has been created. Members include at least one departmental secretary per academic building and at least one MSU supervisor/department head. E-mail david.cowan@mnsu.edu if you are interested in serving on the panel.