PUBLIC PRINTING

F.S. Ch. 283
in effect

F.S. 283.30 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the term: (1) “Agency” means any official, officer, department, board, commission, division, bureau, section, district, office, authority, committee, or council, or any other unit of organization, however designated, of the executive branch of state government, and the Public Service Commission. (2) “Department” means the Department of Management Services. (3) “Duplicating” means the process of reproducing an image or images from an original to a final substrate through the electrophotographic, xerographic, laser, or offset process or any combination of these processes, by which an operator can make more than one copy without rehandling the original. (4) “Printing” is the transfer of an image or images by the use of ink or similar substance from an original image to the final substrate through the process of letterpress, offset lithography, gravure, screen printing, or engraving. Printing shall include the process of and the materials used in binding. Printing shall also include duplicating when used to produce publications. (5) “Public” means those entities and persons other than subordinate and functionally related or connected federal, state, or local governmental agencies. (6) “Publication” means any document, whether produced for public or internal distribution.

F.S. 283.31 Records of executive agency publications.

Each agency shall maintain a record of any state publication, as defined in s. 257.015, the printing of which costs in excess of the threshold amount provided in s. 287.017 for CATEGORY THREE, at least part of which is paid for by state funds appropriated by the Legislature. Such record shall also contain the following: written justification of the need for such publication, purpose of such publication, legislative or administrative authority, sources of funding, frequency and number of issues, and reasons for deciding to have the publication printed in-house, by another agency or the Legislature, or purchased on bid. In addition, such record shall contain the comparative costs of alternative printing methods when such costs were a factor in deciding upon a method. The record of the corporation operating the correctional industry printing program shall include the cost of materials used, the cost of labor, the cost of overhead, the amount of profit made by the corporation for such printing, and whether the state agencies that contract with the corporation for printing are prudently determining the price paid for such printing.

F.S. 283.32 Recycled paper to be used by each agency; printing bids certifying use of recycled paper; percentage preference in awarding contracts.

(1) Each agency shall purchase, when economical, recycled paper if and when recycled paper can be obtained that is of adequate quality for the purposes of the agency. (2) Each agency shall require a vendor that submits a bid for a contract for printing to certify in writing the percentage of recycled content of the material used for such printing. Such vendor may certify that the material contains no recycled content. (3) Upon evaluation of bids for each printing contract, the agency shall identify the lowest responsive bid and any other responsive bids in which it has been certified that the materials used in printing contain at least the minimum percentage of recycled content that is set forth by the department. If no vendors offer materials for printing that contain the minimum prescribed recycled content, the contract shall be awarded to the responsible vendor that submits the lowest responsive bid.

F.S. 283.33 Printing of publications; lowest bidder awards.

(1) Publications may be printed and prepared in-house, by another agency or the Legislature, or purchased on bid, whichever is more economical and practicable as determined by the agency. An agency may contract for binding separately when more economical or practicable, whether or not the remainder of the printing is done in-house. A vendor may subcontract for binding and still be considered a responsible vendor as defined in s. 287.012. (2) All printing of publications that cost in excess of the threshold amount provided in s. 287.017 for CATEGORY TWO and purchased by agencies shall be let upon contract to the vendor that submits the lowest responsive bid and that will furnish all materials used in printing. Such contract shall specify a definite term and a definite number of copies. (3) Except as otherwise provided for in this chapter, a contract for printing of a publication shall be subject to, when applicable, the definitions in s. 287.012, and shall be considered a commodity for that purpose. (4) The provisions of s. 946.515(4) shall not apply to purchases of printing.

F.S. 283.34 State officers not to have interests in printing contract.

No member of the Legislature or other officer of this state may have an interest, directly or indirectly, in any printing contract as provided for in s. 283.33; however, nothing in this section prohibits a member of the Legislature from receiving such a contract when the member or his or her firm has submitted the lowest responsive bid for the contract.

F.S. 283.35 Preference given printing within the state.

When awarding a contract to have materials printed, the agency, university, college, school district, or other political subdivision of this state awarding the contract shall grant a preference to the lowest responsible and responsive vendor having a principal place of business within this state. The preference shall be 5 percent if the lowest bid is submitted by a vendor whose principal place of business is located outside the state and if the printing can be performed in this state at a level of quality comparable to that obtainable from the vendor submitting the lowest bid located outside the state. As used in this section, the term “other political subdivision of this state” does not include counties or municipalities.

F.S. 283.43 Public information printing services.

Any agency the authorized functions of which include public information programs is authorized to purchase, pursuant to this chapter and subject to its appropriation and any other limitations imposed by law, typesetting, printing, and media distribution services, when the purchase of such services would be less costly than the performance of the same services directly by the agency or when such services are beyond the production limitations established by agency guidelines.

F.S. 283.55 Purging of publication mailing lists.

(1) By March 1 of each odd-numbered year, every agency shall survey the addresses on each of its publication mailing lists by providing each addressee the following form, which must also disclose whether the publication is available on the agency’s website: (Name of publication) Please choose one of the following options: ☐ I would like to receive this publication in hard copy format. ☐ I would like to receive this publication in electronic format. My e-mail address is: . ☐ I do not wish to receive this publication. Should your response to this survey not be received by April 30, your name will be automatically purged from our mailing list. Those addressees who respond shall be maintained or removed from such mailing list in accordance with the responses. Those addressees not responding by April 30 of such odd-numbered year shall be automatically purged from such mailing list. Agencies are prohibited from supplying addressees with postpaid response forms. (2) The provisions of this section apply to any agency, except a state university or an agency the mailing list of which consists only of those persons registered with or licensed by the agency and the registration or license fee of which includes payment by the registrants or licensees as subscribers for the publication of the agency.

F.S. 283.56 Preparation of agency publications.

When economical and practicable, any publication produced for public distribution shall display the name of such publication on its spine, where such spine is glued to the cover and measures at least one-quarter inch in width.

F.S. 283.58 Agency agreements with vendors for private publication of public information materials; free distribution to public.

(1) An agency may enter into agreements to secure the private publication of public information brochures, pamphlets, audiotapes, videotapes, and related materials for distribution without charge to the public and, in furtherance thereof, is authorized to: (a) Enter into agreements with private vendors for the publication or production of such public information materials, by which the costs of publication or production will be borne in whole or in part by the vendor or the vendor agrees to provide additional compensation in return for the right of the vendor to select, sell, and place advertising that publicizes products or services related to and harmonious with the subject matter of the publication. (b) Retain the right, by agreement, to approve all elements of any advertising placed in such public information materials, including the form and content thereof. (2) Any public information materials produced pursuant to this section and containing advertising of any kind must include a statement providing that the inclusion of advertising in such material does not constitute an endorsement by the state or the agency of the products or services so advertised.

F.S. 283.425 Acceptance for printing; penalty for defective printing.

No printing may be accepted as in compliance with the contract when the printing is not of the grade of workmanship which is usually employed by professional printers on printing of such class, or when the printing is not of the full quantity or acceptable quality for which it has been contracted. If immediate necessity and lack of time to procure printing elsewhere compel the use of defective printing furnished by a contractor, it shall be accepted without approval, and one-half of the contract price thereon shall be deducted as liquidated damages for breach of contract. The agency which contracted for printing shall notify the contractor within a reasonable time after delivery of said printing as to acceptance or nonacceptance, and such reasonable time shall be specified in the contract. The contract shall also provide that a contractor has a reasonable time to correct any defects if delivery is made by a date specified in the contract, unless such a provision is not practicable because of time constraints.
Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter283/AllFetched: 7/8/2026

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