030ADV25R0019 - Questions and Answers_Release.1.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 17 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Digital Talking Book (DTB) Production for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
- Solicitation number
- 030ADV25R0019
- Issued by
-
Library of Congress
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document for Solicitation #030ADV25R0019, a Digital Talking Book (DTB) Production contract for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). The solicitation is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract expected to exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, with multiple incumbent contractors including American Printing House for the Blind, Astoria Media Inc, Books to Life, Potomac Talking Book, and Talking Book Publishers. Each incumbent contract has a $55 million ceiling.
The contract requires contractors to produce Digital Talking Books in English, Spanish, French, and other languages, with books primarily delivered via epub (80%) and hard copy (20%). Orders will be placed bi-weekly, spread among multiple contractors. Contractors must narrate books, convert them to Digital Talking Books, and transfer files to the Library of Congress for review. The work involves standard, difficult, and complex book categories, with image descriptions occasionally required. Contractors have flexibility in narrator selection, with NLS prioritizing quality and appropriate casting. Technical proposals are limited to 20 pages, with additional pages allowed for quality assurance plans, charts, and resumes.
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Questions
| Solicitation#: 030ADV25R0019 | ||
| Digital Talking Book (DTB) Production for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled IDIQ | ||
| Questions and Answers - Release 1 | ||
| Q# | Questions or Other Observations | Library of Congress Response |
| 1 | Would the amount of this contract awarded exceeded the simplified acquisition threshold? | Yes, the total amount is expected to exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. |
| 2 | Is there any incumbent/recompete or this is a brand-new project? If yes, could you please provide us with their award number or even if the customer bought similar services in the past? | There are multiple incumbents; award numbers LCNLS20D0044, LCNLS20D0045, LCNLS20D0046, LCNLS20D0047, and LCNLS20D0048. See also, answer to Q11. |
| 3 | What format will the books be delivered in? Will the contractor be responsible for digitizing books received in a hard copy format? | Books will be delivered in a digital package. Contractors are not responsible for digitizing the source material provided for narration. The Library will provide books for narration in either hard copy format or as an epub (on rare ocassions potentially PDF format). The contractor shall narrate the book, convert it into a Digital Talking Book, and transfer the files to LOC for review and approval. Specifications related to file packaging, delivery and upload instructions can be found in some of the following attachments: Spec 1202- Mastering , Spec 1203- Talking Book Construiction, Spec 1206- Uploding a Talking Book. |
| 4 | If books will be delivered in multiple formats, can you estimate how many will be delivered in which formats (i.e. as PDFs, epubs, hard copies, etc?) | 80% of the books will be delivered via epubs, the remaining will be hard copy books. It will be very rare that a producer will receive books via PDF. |
| 5 | How often will orders be placed? Monthly or weekly? | Orders will be placed bi-weekly. |
| 6 | Do you anticipate contracting a single service provider for all DTB orders or will orders be spread out among multiple contractors? | NLS anticipates orders to be spread out between multiple narrators. |
| 7 | It is written that all "complex" titles will fall under the "very difficult" category for time estimation. Does this mean that all "standard" titles will fall under "normal" or "difficult" categories? Can you estimate what percentage of titles ordered in a year will be normal, difficult and very difficult? | The assumption from the time-table is correct. Unfortunatley we do not have a annual projection of what category the books will fall under. Our librarians select from a variety of genres where it can vary from normal, difficult and very difficult. However, the majority of assignments annually will always be standard/normal. For context complexity data from 2023 and 2024 is as follows: |
Complex books produced:
| • | 10/01/2022 - 09/30/2023 – 20 books | ||
| • | 10/01/2023 - 09/30/2024 – 21 books | ||
| 8 | Can you estimate what percentage of books will require image descriptions? | Annual selections can vary. But for reference in FY24 (Oct 1, 2023 - Sept 30, 2024) we assigned and produced 7 audio narration books with image descriptions. This was distributed between several producers. | |
| 9 | Will the presence of images in the book affect the book’s classification as “standard” or “complex”? | Images do not automatically cateogrize a book as complex. There may be a handful of really basic images to descibe in a single book, whereas in another book there may be a multitude of images that may even require research. It is up to the discrection of the COR/Controller if the level of effort is significant enough for a series of image description in a book to be determined complex. If it isn't already assigned as complex at the time the order is issued, the producer may submit a request to the COR/Controller in writing to consider changing the classification from standard to complex. | |
| 10 | Is the expectation that we hire a unique narrator for each project we produce, or can we hire a group of reliable narrators who voice most of the projects while bringing in unique voices for outlier material? During the NLS AUDIO NARRATION INDUSTRY DAY, it appeared that having full-time narrators recording the majority of the projects is how past and incumbent vendors are maintaining consistency, but it was not clear if this is actually the case, and if it's okay to do. | Producers are at liberty to cast and assign narrators to books however they see fit. Whether that be with full-time staff, on call, or by "the job" staffing. NLS' only concern is that a quality book is produced with appropriate casting. However the producer establishes a business model to meet the need is up to them. | |
| 11 | Who is/are the incumbent(s), what is the contract number, and what is the total value of the contract(s)? | Please see contract numbers above. The incumbents are American Printing House for the Blind, Astoria Media Inc, Books to Life, Potomac Talking Book, and Talking Book Publishers. The ceiling of each contract is $55,000,000.00. See also, answer to Q1. | |
| 12 | Is the unique proposal number up to the contractor? Should it include any particular signifiers? | Yes, the proposal number is up to the contractor. It does not need to include anything specific. | |
| 13 | Should the QAP, charts, and resumes be located immediately after the Technical Proposal, or after the Price Proposal? Should their pagination be subsequent to whatever the preceding page is? | The QAP, charts and resumes should be included with the Technical Proposal, but they will not count toward the 20 page limit. | |
| 14 | Is there a page limit for the QAP? | No page limit for the QAP. | |
| 15 | Can charts be embedded in the Technical Proposal if there is room within the 20-page limit? | Yes, charts can be embedded. | |
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