Martine Padilla is the president of Sophizio, a consulting company that educates Fortune 500 companies about smart print procurement. She had a lot to say on this subject. "Understanding and knowing how to select the right equipment, whether digital or conventional, is what separates the serious print procurement professionals from those who just happen to buy print. Today, the first chore is to decide which print technology—digital, offset, inkjet, etc. With digital, there is no apples-to-apples equipment, so I do spec brand equipment. Within the conventional world, in order to acquire the fairest cost for a project, one must always make sure it prints on the most appropriate-sized equipment with the required features. I rarely have factored in the brand of equipment, unless I sought it out because of its very unique features.