The University of Alabama is beginning a careful and thoughtful review of campus mail services to identify ways for improved efficiencies and services, including the possibility of outsourcing operations and staff.
Service providers will be invited to bid on modernizing the campus service as the University explores opportunities to enhance processes, meet service expectations and stem increasing costs.
“The expectations of today’s students, parents and employees — accustomed to modern delivery services — are growing, and we need to keep pace while at the same time addressing the realistic fiscal responsibilities related to costs,” said Matthew Fajack, vice president for Finance and Operations.
Campus Mail Service includes departmental mail services, the Ferguson mail center, the Tutwiler package center, and the fingerprinting and passport facility.
“Every day we are exploring ways to do better,” Fajack added. “We are always looking for efficiencies, for cost savings, increasing revenues, and providing better customer service. Our current operations need to address increasing costs and finding innovative approaches.”
To address these challenges, a request for proposals to improve mail service operations is being issued. Officials will consider three main points when evaluating proposals: enhanced services for the campus community, costs and increased revenue opportunities, as well as the impact on current Campus Mail Service staff.
Any potential outsourcing proposals will be evaluated on a number of criteria, including whether they will retain most or all of the 21 current employees in the department. The University is committed to ensuring employees are treated fairly with comparable pay and benefits as well as retirement opportunities for those near retirement milestones, Fajack said.
The expectation is to modernize mail service processes with technology, create a modern retail mail solution for walk-in services, speed up package delivery systems for students and potentially add locker options for package pick-up, among other improvements.
Fajack said current operations require a cost-savings review because revenues are not keeping up with expenses, package delivery inefficiencies cause complaints, and student storage has become a problem due to limited space.
“As service providers, we have an obligation to the University community to meet expectations and always explore ways to improve what we’re doing with the funding available,” Fajack said. “I expect to see a number of improvements out of this process.”
Similar models have proven effective at other campuses across the country, including Auburn University, Clemson University, Syracuse University, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.