MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The base's Consolidated Material and Service Center, better known as Serve-Mart, is marking a privatization partnership of base services through a contract that will have Office Depot "taking care of business" here.
On Aug. 16, the center will have a "grand opening" to celebrate the renovation of the store and the implementation of a new system.
Camp Pendleton is the first Marine Corps base to contract with an office supply store, but the long-term goal is to implement the contract regionally, said Capt. Andrew A. Merz, deputy director of the center.
"We are the only ones to have this. It's a partnership," Merz said.
Once everything is up and running here, the Corps will begin offering the program at other bases in the region, Merz said.
The new partnership brings a number of advantages - including 10-15 percent lower costs on most items and wider selection, Merz said.
"It is going to be cheaper than to go to the Oceanside Office Depot," Merz said. "They are giving us a better rate - a government discount."
The prices also will beat the General Service Administration's, he said. The GSA traditionally has supplied the government with office supplies.
For the last three years, the center has provided delivery to its customers, but Office Depot will provide a faster special-order system.
"They have a giant warehouse in Los Angeles that has approximately 20,000 products," Merz said.
Personnel who once commuted into town to use a government credit card to purchase office supplies can now use the same card to place special orders via the World Wide Web.
"We're also going to accept the (credit) cards here at the store," Merz said.
Although a handful of personnel will represent Office Depot at Serve-Mart, the Marine Corps will still oversee the store.
"Our intention is not for them to take over the entire store, but to work together," said Merz. Government employees will remain on the sales floor, he added.
Office Depot received the contracts by outbidding other competitors.
"Last October we went out with a contract, and they competed and had the best value for the government with the best services and prices," said Merz.
The contract states that Office Depot must provide office products, an onsite representative, renovation of the Serve-Mart store and help marketing the CSMC to the region.
Office Depot also brings a 100 percent guarantee on their products and warranties.