Prioritize a 3PL with direct access to major highways (I-29 proximity), rail interchanges or transload services, multiple dock doors and staging lanes, cross-dock capability, integrated TMS/WMS, and established carrier contracts for LTL and regional TL lanes to ensure predictable transit and capacity.

Compare total cost-to-serve metrics (storage per pallet, receiving and pick/pack labor, outbound freight), minimum volumes, flexibility for peak labor, and value-add pricing. Use sample SKU profiles and projected order streams to model landed cost across carriers.

Key KPIs: on-time shipment rate, order accuracy, dock-to-stock cycle time, order lead time, inventory accuracy, perfect order rate, and average transit time to primary markets. Request historical reports and thresholds tied to penalties or credits.

Look for segregated cold storage zones, monitored temperature controls, contingency power, racked storage for multi-SKU density, batch/zone picking systems, lot and serial tracking in WMS, and documented procedures for product integrity and traceability.

Yankton’s central Midwest location shortens transit to Plains and Upper Midwest hubs, but assess local labor pools for peak season scalability, availability of third-shift operations, and proximity to training resources. These variables influence fulfillment speed and ability to scale without compromising SLAs.