Other Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 12, 2006

The Blue Book of Building and Construction Announces an Alliance with the Reprographers Services Association to Streamline the Bidding Process

Westchester, N.Y. — The Blue Book is pleased to announce a strategic alliance with the RSA (Reprographer’s Services Association). In an effort to facilitate the time-sensitive bidding stage of a project, The Blue Book has integrated its Invitation to Bid Messaging service within the RSA members’ online plan room offerings, including PlanCommand™ and e-Distribution.  This integration will enable users of those services (owners, architects and general contractors) to quickly and easily find the contractors and suppliers that they need for a project within The Blue Book’s industry-leading database and message them via email or fax for free, using the Blue Book’s Invitation to Bid Messaging Service. The Invitation to Bid will include a link back to the user’s private plan room in PlanCommand or e-Distribution. Invited vendors can then view, download and order plans and specifications directly from RSA members.

 The alliance between The Blue Book and RSA extends beyond this integration. With The Blue Book’s Construction Industry Professionals and RSA’s sales force located nationwide, there will be over 500 field representatives across the country to introduce, train and support The Blue Book’s Invitation to Bid Messaging service as well as the RSA’s document management and distribution services.

 To further service the industry, the RSA will work with each of its 140 member locations to establish co-branded kiosks throughout the U.S. These kiosks, supplied with a computer and Internet connection, provide onsite access to RSA members’ plan rooms and document/project management systems as well as The Blue Book’s Invitation to Bid Messaging Service. Users will be able to create and send invitations to bid, along with electronic plans to targeted categories and or companies. Contractors and suppliers will be able to view and download their specified documents to a printer attached to the kiosk. Both RSA and Blue Book customers will benefit by having a “Virtual Plan Room” at each location with full document management and printing capability.

 “The Blue Book is excited to be working with the RSA and its members. Our industry leading services compliment each other and we are pleased to be able to join forces in an effort to help streamline the bidding process, explains Rich Johnson, The Blue Book’s General Manager. “Both the RSA and The Blue Book have a large national presence, but also a very local focus. Both RSA and Blue Book customers have the advantage of a national print network with local service and support,” he added.

 Mark Beilman, RSA’s Executive Director believes, “The partnership between the RSA and The Blue Book heralds the next step in the evolution and merger of online project and collaborative commerce tools for the AEC communities.” He points out that, “a single point of contact with 24/7 access to online catalogs, a nationwide database of subcontractors and a national print network for document distribution will provide process efficiencies that not only improve information access but increase document control and reduce transaction costs.”

About The Blue Book…

Since 1913, The Blue Book of Building and Construction has provided the industry’s most comprehensive database of general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers working within the building and construction industry. This year, over 700,000 copies of The Blue Book will be distributed – free of charge – to buyers of construction-related products and services throughout the United States. Online, thebluebook.com features over 1,000,000 company listings, display ads and profiles in 560 ‘Industry Classifications’ and is searchable by keyword or company name. BB-Bid, the company’s free online bid management system delivers over 250,000 messages weekly.

About RSA…