1-LIB110725 RFI - FINAL.pdf

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

SALT LAKE COUNTY

Notice #: LIB110725

The Division of Contracts and Procurement has received a request to purchase from a “sole source” vendor. If, for any reason, any party does not agree that this sole source purchase is applicable, please email the contact person for Salt Lake County Contracts and Procurement Division prior to the “Comments Due Date:” indicated below:

Title: Playaway devices (tablets and audio players)

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

Sole source procurement is appropriate when goods or services are only available from a single vendor; when the most important consideration is the standardization or compatibility of equipment, materials, technology, software accessories, replacement parts, or service; where transitional costs are unreasonable or cost prohibitive; or if it otherwise qualifies under County Ordinance 3.20.030.

The Playaway company offers a number of electronic devices developed specifically for use in libraries. The two devices Library Services purchase are the Launchpad tablets and WhaZoodle! speaker sidekicks (audio devices) which have been developed and made by Playaway.

The Playaway Launchpad is a tablet for children that supports early literacy with curated apps. They are made to be durable and hold up to the heavy use from repeatedly checking out to library customers. They require minimal maintenance or involvement by staff because they have double-tempered glass, a protective bumper, cases with artwork for circulation, and a one-touch reset. These are a unique product in the library market. There is no WiFi or internet connection, to protect children's safety. They come preloaded with content for kids around different themes and designed with a simple interface. No login or user profile is required, which protects privacy. The Playaway Launchpads include learning apps, videos, games and stories for interactive learning and play that supports early learning and bridges the digital divide.

The Playaway WhaZoodle is an all-audio speaker device for children's learning and entertainment. It also doesn't require WiFi, logins, downloads, or extra parts. It is designed to not collect data which protects patron privacy. The WhaZoodle audio devices include podcasts, music, short stories, and guided activities around a number of themes with a variety of bundles offered for different ages and interests. The three modes encourage imagination, play, and discovery including guided meditations and focus activities. It is a portable and durable device designed to be used over and over by library patrons. The WhaZoodle comes with a case and artwork for library use and are easy to charge.

http://library.municode.com/HTML/16602/level2/TIT3REFI_CH3.20PUPR.html#TIT3REFI_CH3.20PUPR_3.20.030PRNORECOPR

These devices are very popular with library patrons. The Playaway Launchpad tablets have been borrowed an average of 25 times per device so far this year. The WhaZoodle devices have only been available to patrons for 6 months and have an average of 9 checkouts per device in that time.

The Playaway devices are very durable, intended for library use, and are child friendly.

The Playaway devices come with curated content pre-installed on the devices which are selected because they support early literacy skills and child development. These devices provide safe access to technology that encourages digital literacy, which is important for our community, especially for the Salt Lake County residents who are most impacted by the digital divide. The Playaway devices are completely locked down:

library patrons can’t change any settings, access the internet, or connect to a PC. This saves library branch and IT staff time and work by ensuring that the devices are secure and working as intended. No patron data is stored on the device, and they need minimal staff intervention to work. There are no cameras or usage data collected on them, protecting the privacy and safety of kids. The library can get MAchine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) bibliographic records of the different tablet configurations for the Integrated Library System (ILS) which allows staff to check out items, patrons to find and request materials, and see items they have borrowed. This saves the cataloging team time and effort and simplifies asset management in the branches.

Playaway Products LLC. is the exclusive maker of Playaway Pre-Loaded Products and has been producing these products and licensing content from publishers directly since 2004. They license and distribute the rights to a growing collection of 30,000 audiobook titles, over 1,100 video titles, 6,000 tablet apps, and over 900 eBooks with all copyright extending to Playaway Products under licensing terms with associated publishers/studios/developers/copyright holders.

Playaway Products is sole source in the public library and PreK-12 channels

Proposed Standardization Provider: Playaway Products LLC

Notice Start Date: 11/10/2025

Comments Due Date/Time: 11/18/2025, before 1:00pm Mountain Time

Estimated Costs: $100,000 ($20,000 yearly for a 5-year period)

Contact Person: Bibi Whitehead email address: bwhitehead@saltlakecounty.gov

Materials Provided to Salt Lake County The County is a governmental entity subject to the Utah Governmental Records and Access Management Act (GRAMA), Utah Code Section 63G-2-101 et seq. All documents submitted in response to this RFI will be treated as protected records under GRAMA Section 63G-2-305(7). Please be advised that documents submitted in response to this RFI will become public records upon execution of a contract directly mailto:bwhitehead@saltlakecounty.gov relating to the subject of this request or in the event the County does not enter into a contract which directly relates to the subject matter upon the expiration of two years from the date of issue of this RFI. Trade secrets and commercial information will not be disclosed provided that you have properly compiled with Utah Code Section 63G-2-305 and Utah Code Section 63G-2-309.

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BACKGROUND

Salt Lake County Library’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of our community by inspiring imagination, satisfying curiosity and providing a great place for everyone to visit.

The County Library is your library, and we're here to help you discover all of the information and entertainment you're looking for. Whether you're young, young at heart, or somewhere in between, your County Library card is your passport to boundless possibilities.

The County Library offers books, music, movies, magazines - in a variety of formats -and much, much more to meet your needs for learning and leisure. From personal reference services, including personalized booklists for your individual tastes, to computers with free Internet access, your County Library is here to put you in touch with the world.