If you wish to become a prequalified creative services vendor, you must follow the process outlined below. This includes receiving approval of submission material and attending a brand training session if you meet the outline of prequalifications. Please allow 15 business days for review of materials. Once prequalified, you become a trusted university partner from which any campus unit can request creative services.
Specific examples of communications materials that you may be asked to develop include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Brochures, booklets, reports and manuals.
- Direct mail flyers, postcards and specialty print pieces.
- Event materials (e.g., invitations, programs, award certificates).
- Posters, banners and vehicle wraps.
- Print, web-based, social media and outdoor advertisements.
- Emails, web graphics and other e-marketing materials.
- Tabletop displays and conference, open house and trade show exhibits.
- Graphs, charts and other individual graphics and illustrations.
- Short-form video, animated GIFs and other motion visuals.
To start the process, please review the request for qualifications Download docx(203 KB) and submit all requested materials to bmscibet@buffalo.edu and ucombids@buffalo.edu. Please follow the outline of this form when submitting information to the university; failure to do so may result in disqualification of your application. Application materials must include three professional references as well as an outline of how you meet the following criteria:
- Evidence that the vendor or its officers have been engaged for at least five (5) years providing services in a similar capacity as outlined above, demonstrated through vendor website. Please provide the year of inception.
- Proven ability to work in an established brand platform.
- Consistent high quality in the production of an array of communication materials.
- Ability to provide conceptual development, art direction and comprehensive graphic design support with an expansive creative range, from simple layout to large-scale marketing campaigns. Some projects may also require editorial support such as writing, copyediting and/or proofreading, which a vendor may offer to provide if they have the capabilities, though this is not a requirement.
- Considerable experience in dealing with complex, stratified organizations such as higher education, health care and/or nonprofits. This should be reflected through a client list detailing the length of the partnership.
- Mature design practices including an advanced understanding of composition and tone, image selection and manipulation, and sophisticated use of type (including attention to leading and kerning). Please submit three examples that depict these design practices, with a strong preference of two from higher education, but at minimum one.
- Capacity to perform the majority of the work in-house, indicating when any part of work will be subcontracted out by providing details as to what entity will serve as the primary vendor, and who will serve as a “subcontractor.”
- Portfolio of work that aligns with the breadth of projects described above.
- Submission of W9 for taxpayer identification information. Please see UB's preferred form.
Once submission materials are reviewed and approved, after 15 business days or less, you must attend the next available training session held virtually. Additionally, all vendors within the pool must update their qualification by attending a training refresher course once per year. UB will also conduct periodic reviews of the work and obtain feedback from each unit that requested services.
Training Schedule (subject to change):
Please contact bmscibet@buffalo.edu and ucombids@buffalo.edu to provide prequalification documentation and confirm your attendance.