Vendor Certification

Service Level Agreement

A central feature of the certification status is the Service Level Agreement (SLA). The SLA is a formal agreement between PSC and the Certified Print Vendors.  It outlines a set of expectations on the part of Yale’s print-buying community when commissioning printing services from Certified Print Vendors.

The SLA requires the printer to assign a dedicated account representative and an inside customer service support person. A key feature of the SLA is that the printer’s representative will communicate directly with University print buyers and will advise them on cost- and time-saving alternatives. Other performance enhancements covered in the SLA are:

• Preferred pricing
• Estimate response time
• Communication around schedule changes and author’s alterations
• Deliveries
• Billing consistency

PSC advisers play a critical role in the active management of the program, including helping to resolve any issues that may arise between the Yale buyer and the printer. PSC will also randomly spot-check supplier invoices and printed materials to ensure that pricing and quality guidelines are being met. Supplier performance levels will be monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis, with formal reviews biannually.