Word: hpps
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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This summer, Harvard Printing and Publication Services (HPPS) went under, blaming its failure on an unsustainable business model and leaving behind many unemployed workers. The closing left precious few months to find an alternative solution for courses using HPPS to print their coursepacks, so Harvard’s Procurement Management Department (PMD) chose XanEdu, a division of ProQuest Information and Learning, as the new printer and the Harvard Coop as the new distributor. For succeeding so quickly, all parties involved deserve praise. But in light of nagging cost-related questions, we hope that the PMD ensures that it made...
...their article lists can get quotes from many different companies, not just Gnomon and the Coop, potentially leading to lower costs. We doubt, at least at first, that many course leaders will expend the effort to do this. Instead, they will take the easiest path and continue using the HPPS-alternative that the PMD arranges. Here, the PMD can use the sheer amount of coursepack business it is representing to drive down printing and distribution prices for all coursepacks. The PMD should submit sample article lists from this year’s coursepacks to multiple printers and distributors...
...light of the closing of HPPS, the PMD, XanEdu, and the Coop have done a tremendous job filling the void. The PMD succeeded in its search for HPPS’ replacement, and the Coop took on a tremendous amount of business in a short time span. Going forward, the PMD can and must aggressively cut coursepack costs by exploiting market competition. Anything less would be a disservice to students...
...coursepacks, which are collections of published readings determined by the course professor, were previously distributed in the basement of the Science Center. Prior to last year’s shift to online ordering of coursepacks, HPPS coursepack distribution was often marked by long waits and perennial shortages...
According to a statement on the HPPS website, increased competition has led to their decision to stop printing the coursepacks...