CORT to Furnish 2010 Census Offices Nationwide

The U.S. Census Bureau has selected CORT to manage and provide all office furnishings for the 2010 census. The three-year project will involve establishing more than 500 offices across the nation with more than 165,300 pieces of office furniture.

CORT is a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A and BRK.B) and the only national furniture rental company with more than 90 distribution centers and locations in every major U.S. market. CORT has a successful track record of supporting both government and private sector companies in setting up thousands of offices across the country.

Census officials conducted a life-cycle cost/benefit analysis to determine whether to purchase new, refurbished, lease-to-purchase furniture, or rent furniture to meet their specific needs for temporary offices. The Census Bureau, like many private companies that need to remain nimble, found that after assessing the costs and risks associated with the delivery, installation, disposal, storage, project management and administrative impact of each decision, it was clear that renting furniture offered the greatest value.

Census officials involved in the competitive selection cited CORT’s superior operational capabilities across the nation, past history of excellence serving the Census Bureau including the 2000 Census, and the development of an online project management system specifically tailored to Census requirements.

The bidding process gave CORT the opportunity to demonstrate that it could deliver better than competitors on technical and operational aspects of the project. CORT offered U.S. Census consultation and pre-planning services, inventory and purchasing services, online project management and IT support, superior logistics and distribution capabilities, communications, and administrative services. CORT’s sound performance supporting their regional offices and other past projects also helped the company win the confidence of the selection panel for the 2010 Census project.

“This contract is about more than the delivery of furniture,” said Mark Taylor, former Census employee and current Senior Management Consultant supporting the Census Bureau on this contract. “CORT proposed a comprehensive plan that was so detailed as to include the removal of all packaging materials and debris. We are confident that when the CORT trucks pull away from the Census office, our teams will be ready to start operations. Working with CORT through the online project management system, we can manage and monitor the project in real-time and effectively communicate any potential obstacles to ensure smooth operations.”

Approximately 60 percent of CORT’s employees are dedicated to operations, providing a national operational and logistics infrastructure to support the project. A centralized command center at CORT’s Government Department in Washington, D.C. leads the project management and deploys local field operations. The entire process is strategically planned, beginning with the coordination of furniture orders, the timelines for delivery and set-up, punch-list completion and the ongoing maintenance and coordination of all pickups.

“The logistical demands of the project are such that only a company with CORT’s expert project management and proven operational expertise can successfully organize and orchestrate these deliveries to the furthest corners of the country,” said CORT’s Senior Government Manager Peggy Moore. “Just as we would with any client, CORT has been active in making certain that we are meeting the Census Bureau’s needs. We are working in tandem with the Census bureau to perform daily online project management, and we are conducting post-delivery customer satisfaction surveys to make sure we closely monitor performance.”

The furnishings required for the 2010 Census offices include case goods, seating, tables, and files, as well as drafting tables and shelving units. CORT’s tenured relationship with its manufacturers played a key role in allowing CORT to deliver large quantities of furnishings quickly.

Information gathered through the 2010 Census will directly affect how federal and state governments allocate more than $300 billion per year for neighborhood improvements, public health, education and transportation. Census data is used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to redistrict state legislatures. At the local level, Census information is used to define legislative and school districts.

About CORT

For more than 35 years, CORT has been the nation’s leading provider in rental furniture for offices and homes. CORT supports transitions, from recruitment to relocations, by helping businesses rapidly establish offices, relocate employees and contain costs. CORT has established the world’s most extensive global network of furniture rental partners in more than 50 countries. CORT is on the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule and has more than 2,500 employees in every major U.S. market. For more information about CORT, visit www.cort.com.