Overview Tab

* General Interrogatories

* Technical Interrogatories

* Appendices A, B and C

* Fee-Cost Proposal

End of Sheet

General Interrogatories

GENERAL INTERROGATORIES

Proposer's Name:

The Respondent MUST provide an answer to each of the requirements listed in the table below.

If you answer “Partial” or “No,” please provide the clarification in the Explanation column for what can be done to meet the requirement.

1 Description Response (select one)

•If so, what type of training do you do provide? Describe the modality, length, and frequency of trainings.

2 •Do you provide publishing services such as custom course packs for faculty members?

•If so, describe how you secure the appropriate copyright clearance, printing and binding, as well as distribution and sale of custom course packs?

3 • Do you provide complimentary desk copies to faculty for course(s) that have been submitted for adoption?

• If so, describe the procedure for a faculty member to request a desk copy.

4 • Do you provide direct customer‑service support (e.g., phone, live web chat, email) with access to a human representative for faculty users?

• If yes, confirm whether your standard service levels include responding to faculty inquiries within one (1) business day, and no later than three (3) business days.

5 • Do you support the adoption of course materials other than textbooks (e.g., art supplies, uniforms, medical supplies)?

• If so, what is the process for adoption of such materials?

6 • Do you have policies and procedures before implementing any fee increase for textbook/materials or adding fees to the online books store?

• If so, how will you inform faculty, administration, and students about price adjustments?

• Will you provide advanced notification to the faculty, students, and administration?

• What channels will this information be shared to these stakeholders?

7 • Can you provide faculty with a dashboard and reporting system that enables them to:

• View real‑time information on which students have purchased or accessed the required course materials.

• Send reminders or notifications to students who have not yet purchased or accessed those materials.

• If so, how are OER materials made available for faculty during the adoption process?

• What tools or support resources are provided to help faculty select and use OER?

• How can faculty search for, choose, and adopt OER materials within the system?

10 • Does your portal provide faculty with the ability to access and review textbook adoptions from previous semesters?

• If so, describe the process by which faculty access prior‑term adoption records.

• Describe the information displayed (e.g., ISBN, edition, term, section, pricing, format), and any historical limitations on such data.

11 • Does the vendor’s portal allow faculty to add notes or comments during the textbook adoption process?

• If so, how can faculty create, edit, and manage notes within the adoption workflow?

• Are notes visible to students in the online bookstore?

• Can notes provide specific instructions from faculty to students regarding course materials?

• Does the portal notify faculty if their notes are modified during the adoption period?

12 • Do you have established procedures for faculty members to negotiate pricing directly with vendors?

• If so, please describe the procedure faculty should follow with the vendor and how you may support faculty in such negotiations.

13 • Will you employ and assign a full‑time dedicated account manager to support all seven colleges?

• If so, please describe how this account manager will be assigned and the responsibilities they will fulfill.

• If so, please describe the procedures, including how the vendor will provide two library reference copies (eBook, paper, or rental format) to each of CCC library in which the new book is adopted.

2 • Can you provide three shipments throughout the semester for library reference copies to CCC libraries that have new adoptions?

• If so, please describe the procedures you follow to process and fulfill these orders.

3 • Do you provide e-book library reference copies?

• If so, can you provide multiuser reference copy e-books?

4 • Do you have specific established procedures for adoption and fulfillment to support CCC libraries for every semester?

• If yes, please describe your procedures for meeting all requirements:

• Providing two reference copies for all three library orders for each semester.

• Updating order status on a regular and timely basis.

• Sending shipping notifications for all reference‑copy orders.

• Providing estimated delivery date ranges for all shipments.

• Supplying tracking information for all deliveries.

• If yes, specify the annual amount of scholarship vouchers provided to CCC.

• Describe in detail the procedures for issuing, tracking, redeeming, and reporting on these vouchers.

2 • Do you have established refund procedures for situations in which a student’s class is canceled, or the student drops a class within a certain date/week of a given semester?

• If yes, please describe the refund process, including eligibility criteria and timelines.

• How refunds are handled for digital materials, including items delivered through your digital bookshelf?

3 • Do you provide students and faculty with guides and instructional videos on how to place orders through the online bookstore?

• If yes, how are these guides and videos shared with students and faculty.

• How do you provide step‑by‑step instructions and videos for students on activating eBooks.

4 • Do you provide an online process to facilitate the textbook buyback program for students after each semester?

• If yes, please describe the steps you follow to:

• Provide qualified online support representatives to assist students during the buyback period.

• Manage and process online buyback requests from students at all seven CCC colleges.

• Communicate instructions, timelines, packaging, and shipping requirements to students.

• Issue payments or credits to students once their buyback submissions are processed.

5 • Do you have documented policies and technical controls in place to secure student and financial data within your system?

• If yes, your encryption standards and methods supported, such as SHA-256 and SOC compliance.

6 • Do you have the capability to create and support a voucher system that allows designated student groups identified by the colleges (e.g., need‑based students, student‑athletes, scholarship recipients, veterans, grant‑funded students, textbook‑only groups, Star Scholars, CHA Scholars) to charge course materials?

• If yes, please describe the procedures you follow to implement, manage, and support this voucher system on day one.

7 • Do you provide CCC students with free economy shipping for retail purchases of textbooks, course materials, merchandise, and supplies that are directly related to the classroom experience?

• If yes, please describe the steps you take to support this:

• Order status updates

• Shipping notifications

• Estimated delivery date ranges

• Delivery tracking information 8 • Do you offer a textbook buyback option to students at least three times per year, corresponding to the fall, spring, and summer semesters?

• If yes, please describe how the buyback process is conducted for each of the three semesters.

• What videos, guides, or other instructional resources you provide to help students complete returns.

9 • Do you provide direct customer‑service support (e.g., phone, live web chat, email) with access to a human representative for student users?

• If yes, confirm whether your standard service levels include responding to students inquiries within one (1) business day, and no later than three (3) business days.

10 • Do you provide an alert or notification system that informs students during checkout if they have previously purchased the same course materials including e-books?

• If yes, please provide:

• A description of how the alert is triggered and what data is used.

• The format, timing, and visibility of the alert within the checkout workflow.

• Whether the system differentiates between subscription‑based materials and single‑use access codes.

• Any customization options available to the institution.

• If yes, please indicate which of the following are offered and provide brief details:

• New textbooks (including maximum availability)

• Used textbooks (including maximum availability)

• Rental textbooks (including maximum availability)

• Digital textbooks

• Custom‑published materials 2 • Do you have processes in place to ensure that all required course materials including custom‑published materials, software, and related academic supplies are available for student purchase according to the schedule established by CCC?

• If “Yes,” please provide:

• A brief description of the steps you take to ensure timely availability.

• How you coordinate with faculty, publishers, and suppliers.

• Any monitoring, forecasting, or inventory‑management methods used to prevent shortages.

3 • Do you have established processes to ensure effective and proactive coordination with campus‑designated personnel regarding course material adoptions?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of your coordination process and communication methods.

4 • Do you have established procedures for providing course materials to CCC’s current and future distance learning programs?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of these procedures.

• How materials are delivered, accessed, or fulfilled for online learners.

5 • Are you able to provide emerging technologies to support web‑based course materials operations (e.g., online transactions, real‑time inventory status, registration integration, online textbook rental, online buyback)?

• If “Yes,” please provide:

• A brief description of the technologies and platforms offered.

• Key system features that support online course materials management.

6 • Do you have established policies and procedures for issuing refunds to students for eBooks, access codes, and access cards?

• If yes, please provide:

• A description of the refund policy.

• Any conditions or restrictions (e.g., unused codes, access not redeemed).

• Typical timelines for processing refunds.

• If yes, please provide:

• A brief description of the online services you provide.

• How these services support both students and faculty.

• Any tools, platforms, or workflows used to deliver online buyback and online adoptions.

2 • Are you able to provide a voucher based payment method that allows students to use financial aid, scholarships, grants, or other institution approved funding sources when purchasing course materials through the online bookstore on day one?

• If yes, please provide:

• A description of how students access, apply, and utilize vouchers or eligible funds during the ordering and checkout process.

• Details on how your system verifies student eligibility, prevents duplicate or ineligible transactions, and ensures secure and accurate fund usage.

• An overview of how your platform supports real time reporting, reconciliation, and invoicing for voucher based purchases.

3 • Do you have established processes to ensure that students and faculty have easy and reliable access to course materials?

• If yes, please provide:

• A description of the steps you take to streamline access.

• How you support a clear, intuitive, and user‑friendly experience.

4 • Do you have an established, proactive course materials strategy designed to remain competitive in the current higher education textbook environment?

• If yes, please provide details on:

• Affordability approach (pricing, rental/used/digital options, cost saving programs)

• Digital access strategy (access codes, day one access, support model) 5 • Do you have strategies in place to reduce the cost of course materials for students (e.g., minimizing shipping costs, offering used textbooks, rental options, and digital materials)?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of the cost‑reduction strategies you offer.

• If yes, please provide:

• A description of how you manage branded merchandise collections (e.g., apparel, accessories, promotional products) for multi campus institutions.

• Details on how you coordinate branding and product design with institutional marketing teams or contracted marketing vendors.

• An overview of your approach to inventory management and timely order fulfillment for Spirit Store operations.

• Confirmation of your ability to support credit/debit payment methods while restricting voucher payments from being used within the online Spirit Store.

• If yes, please provide:

• A brief description of the rental return process.

• Policies for lost or damaged materials.

• If yes, please provide:

• A brief description of available dashboards and reports.

• Customization and personalization capabilities.

• Any marketing tools included.

2 • Do you provide adoption data such as course submission status, submission rates, department summaries, and identification of courses not using materials?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of the adoption data available.

3 • Do you provide a report showing the payment methods utilized for ordering (e.g., credit/debit cards, book vouchers (for use with Financial Aid, Star Scholarships, and other third party funding sources)?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of the report.

4 • Do you measure response times for student and faculty inquiries?

• If yes, please provide:

• How response times are measured and tracked.

• Whether reports are available and what they include.

5 • Do you provide real‑time data or reports showing which staff members created book vouchers?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of the reporting capability.

6 • Do you provide real‑time data or reports related to commission penalties?

• If yes, please provide a brief description of the available real‑time reports.

7 • Do you provide data or reports showing adoption and order volumes over time (e.g., peak ordering periods, average length of faculty adoption before semester start, average length of student ordering time before semester start)?

• If yes, please explain how these data and reports are provided.

• If yes, please describe the steps involved in communicating and implementing these revisions.

2 • Do you provide cost‑per‑student data with the ability to sort and analyze costs by discipline and academic program?

• If yes, please describe this functionality and include any available reporting examples.”

3 • Do you have invoice payment terms.

• If so, include any conditions, timelines, or related requirements.

4 • Do you have established procedures for the proposed commission and payment process?

• If yes, please describe the procedures and include any relevant steps, timelines, or requirements.

5 • Do you provide procedures or documentation describing your invoice automation tools and capabilities?

• If yes, please describe the processes involved and outline the specific automation features available.

6 • Do you have an invoice distribution system that will be fully operational on Day 1 of the contract?

• If yes, please describe the system and its capabilities.

7 • Do you have defined processes for invoicing and reporting by college, program, and department?

• If yes, please describe the steps involved and outline the reporting capabilities.

8 • Do you provide real‑time reporting for all paid and outstanding invoices?

• If yes, please explain how this reporting is delivered and what information is included.

9 • Do you provide real‑time reporting on book buy backs?

• If yes, please describe the reporting capabilities and the information included.

10 • Do you provide real‑time reporting of outstanding payments tied to individual invoices?

• If yes, please describe the procedures and reporting features available.

11 • Do you provide real‑time reporting of order payment methods within the order form (e.g., credit/deb card, book vouchers)?

• If yes, please describe how this information is displayed and reported.

12 • Do you provide real‑time reporting of all payments received from CCC and how those payments were applied?

• If yes, please describe the steps involved and outline the reporting capabilities.

13 • Do you provide reporting on all vouchers created per student each semester, along with the ability to audit voucher activity and access invoices for book‑voucher purchases?

• If yes, please describe the procedures, reporting functionality, and audit capabilities.

• If yes, please provide the maximum number of concurrent users your site can support.

• Can your banking/payment processing system handle these volumes during peak semester periods?

2 • Do you support customization of text, color palette, or branding for each of the seven colleges?

• If yes, please describe the customization options available.

3 • Do you provide dedicated call center representatives to assist and support students over the phone?

• If yes, please indicate the number of staff assigned and describe the level of support provided.

4 • Do you have defined procedures for addressing instances where an e‑book does not function properly?

• If yes, please describe the steps taken to resolve e‑book access or functionality issues, including timelines and support methods.

5 • Do you have notification procedures in place for students and faculty who experience technical difficulties with the online bookstore or course materials portal?

• If yes, please describe:

• How users are informed of system issues.

• The steps users should take when problems occur.

• Any escalation or support channels provided.

6 • Do you scale up support resources during peak ordering periods each semester?

• If yes, please indicate the number and type of resources available during these peak periods and describe how support levels are adjusted.

7 • Do you provide additional student educational materials through the website (e.g., art supplies/kits, photography materials, medical supplies, nursing kits, uniforms, general school supplies)?

• If yes, please describe:

• The types of student materials available.

• Your supplier management processes.

• Your pricing approach for student materials.

8 • Do you have the ability to work with publishers to provide complimentary access to digital course materials at the start of the term?

• If yes, please describe the process and publisher coordination procedures.

9 • Is your system compatible with all major devices and browsers (e.g., Apple, Android, Chrome, Firefox) and fully mobile‑friendly?

• If yes, please list the specific devices and browsers supported for students and faculty when accessing the online bookstore and the adoption portal, including mobile functionality.

Technical Interrogatories

TECHNICAL INTERROGATORIES

Please note that CCC is only interested in SAAS (Software-as-a-Service/Cloud-based) solutions.

Example of offerings:

Appendices A, B, C

APPENDICES A, B and C

Proposer's Name

FEE-Cost Proposal

FEE/COST PROPOSAL

(The book prices charged under this contract shall be determined on a cost-plus fixed fee basis. Please indicate the percent fixed fee.

Please list illustrative prices for the following sampling of books/custom packages, as well as associated shipping costs. If the ISBN has been superseded by a new edition, please indicate that effect in your proposal and provide pricing for the new ISBN.

Describe:

Other Costs (detail and itemize):

Please detail the cost of your services, identifying all costs, including one-time fees, recurring fees, subscription/ license costs, etc.

validation data