Tough Love in Grand Rapids. This time it's Ikon.

Got this from Wade at www.Xippa.net He said, "They dropped the relationship gig and did what was right. Great job Muskegon." The school board probably loved their vendor of many years. But this is not personal, it's business. It should be a clear lesson to those that think a "relationship" is a defensible advantage.

GR firm wins Muskegon school district's copier bid
by Local reports | The Muskegon Chronicle
Wednesday August 19, 2009, 4:04 AM

MUSKEGON -- A Grand Rapids firm has won a bid to sell $191,000 in new digital copiers to Muskegon Public Schools. IKON Office Solutions submitted the low bid of $190,950 for 45 copiers, that also scan and fax documents directly from computers.

The bid came "well under budget," said Gary Privasky, executive director of administrative services and finance for Muskegon Public Schools. The multifunctional copiers were included in a $12.5 million bond issue approved by voters in May.

Office Machines Co., a Muskegon vendor with which the school district has done business for "many, many years," submitted a bid that was $38,000 higher than IKON's, Privasky said.

The district will save maintenance costs by switching to fewer digital printers connected through its computer system rather than a bunch of smaller printers, said Superintendent Colin Armstrong.

Full disclosure: No interest in Xippa.