36C77624Q0143_1.docx

DRAFT

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Program Contracting Activity Central

6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Lee Anne Eshom leeanne.eshom@va.gov 651-206-9881

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought Notice

Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration

STATEMENT OF WORK

HIG SST Integrated Library System

The Library Network Office (LNO), the program office that supports the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Library Network (VALNET) of library professionals and staff, seeks to procure an off the shelf secure web-based multi-tenant integrated library system (ILS) for VALNET libraries, that provides all the applications needed to manage a library, including cataloging, circulation, serials control, customized reports, and an online public access catalog.

VALNET medical center libraries’ collections are diverse, ranging in size and scope, covering general interest reading to coverage of every medical specialty. Collections span National Library of Medicine (NLM), Library of Congress (LC) and Dewey classification schemes.

LNO supports VALNET library professionals and staff with centralized services and resources, policies and procedures, staff development opportunities, and assistance with local library issues. Centralized purchases of services and resources funded at the national level provide volume discounts and reduce labor hours of personnel to maintain separate contracts at each medical center.

LNO has traditionally funded and managed administration of contracts in support of technical services operations for VALNET, including OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) Cataloging and Metadata, OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan, and LibraryWorld as an option for an integrated library system for cataloging, circulation, serials control, and public access catalog.

Medical centers are autonomous, and the LNO can offer to fund technical services subscription opportunities for a medical center library, but libraries are not required to participate. Therefore, the number of libraries participating in this contract will be fluid. It is anticipated that no more than 100 libraries will utilize a nationally purchased ILS. Currently, there are 80 VA libraries utilizing the LibraryWorld ILS purchased under the previous contract.

Implementation will be administered by LNO’s technical services librarian, who will oversee the contract with the vendor, and coordinate planning with participating medical center library staff. The technical services librarian will decide the order in which participating libraries will be converted from their current systems to the new integrated library system under this contract, should a conversion away from LibraryWorld be required.

2.2 Objectives:

To acquire a secure, web-based multi-tenant integrated library system in order to:

1. Provide a single, nationally-purchased system to manage VALNET’s physical collections, for any participating local VA libraries;

2. Support sharing opportunities by providing an ILS system that offers a shared union catalog;

3. Take advantage of the benefits of a single ILS system that facilitates resource sharing and collection analysis and management;

4. Provide a platform for VALNET libraries who wish to participate that will ensure centralized administration and technical support.

2.3 Requirements

All requirements are considered to be mandatory.

The contractor shall provide operations critical to VALNET – circulation, cataloging, online public discovery and access, serials control, collection analysis, reporting, and access to VALNET collections among the libraries – in a productive and streamlined manner (see below for detailed features of various modules).

The contractor shall provide all-inclusive pricing for: the migration of data, annual subscription to all modules, a union catalog, training and customer support for all levels of operations.

The contractor shall implement the ILS for as many libraries as required by the LNO Technical Service Librarian, and shall disable accounts as directed by same, with the possibility that the disabled library account may be reinstated at a later time.

The contractor shall provide migration of 1 or more libraries at any given time during the length of the contract.

The contractor shall provide a union catalog that will include the capability to incorporate the holdings of libraries that will not use the system as their main ILS, enabling all VALNET holdings to be searchable collectively.

Subcontracting shall not be permitted for any portion of this requirement without the written approval of the Contracting Officer.

The contractor shall be prepared to provide a product demonstration upon request.

The requirements of VA Handbook 6500.3 Certification and Accreditation (C&A) do not apply to this effort. A Security Accreditation Package is not required.

2.31 Required System Features

1. Core library operations including circulation, cataloging, serials control, collection analysis and evaluation, and reporting functionality.

2. Ability to view other VALNET libraries holdings through a union catalog.

3. Accessibility via a variety of mobile device platforms including smart phones and iPads.

4. Accommodation for unlimited library staff and patron simultaneous users.

5. Accessibility for all VA authorized remote users (with VPN, dial-up, or wireless access) through any VA networked computer.

6. Architecture and hosting which does not require installing software on customer equipment.

7. 508 compliancy (http://www.section508.gov/).

8. Compatibility with Internet Explorer and with most other standard web browsers, which have cookies enabled. To insure privacy, the product uses session cookies rather than persistent cookies.

9. System security that meets or exceeds VA/Government minimum requirements for security.

10. The contractor shall provide the following modules as part of the integrated library system. Of the typical and expected features that each of these modules should provide, the following are noted:

• Printing

· Ability to print any screen in any module, i.e. card pockets and call number labels, reports.

• Circulation

· Batch load of patron records – importing patron base from previous ILS.

· Circulation statistics and reports.

· Receipt printing.

· Email disseminated overdue notification.

· Wireless inventory.

· Hold capability.

· Check out recall capability.

· Reserve desk capability.

· Checkout via regular or temporary circulation record.

· The option for a self-service circulation portal so that library patrons may check out and check in materials at a dedicated self-service station

• Materials booking

· Ability to reserve/book items like audiovisual equipment.

· Ability to limit view of bookable items.

· Ability to group similar resources for finding a like available item.

• Cataloging

· Capability using the vendor’s Z39.50 functionality to import MARC bibliographic records from the NLM and LC databases

· Capability to add Z39.50 ports as deemed necessary

· Capability for a librarian to hand enter records, if appropriate

· Capability via template to create MARC bibliographic records

· Capability to create reports on collection statistical data (i.e. number of items, copies, materials weeded, etc.)

· Capability to search and import a catalog record from any VALNET library they have access to

· MARC21 environment

• Administration Interface

· Ability to configure/customize the public catalog.

· Allow searching by home library, as well as ability to broaden search to include specified VALNET libraries - include a search all catalogs button.

· Ability to control access levels for different user levels.

· Ability to produce labels for card pockets (call number, title, author, ed.) and call numbers.

• Serial Control

· Predict issues.

· Check-in.

· Modify issues.

· Electronic claiming.

· Allows sharing of serials enumeration.

• Reports

· Statistical reports for each module component.

· Suite of delivered standard reports covering basic activities and needs.

· Ability to design and create customized reports.

· Site specific reporting for multiple division institutions.

· Global editing for bibliographic, item, and user records.

· Missing items report.

• Union Catalog

· Access for each library staff to all other libraries or a subset of the libraries.

· Option for patrons to search all libraries that the librarian has set up as an OPAC union catalog.

· Multiple display modes that can indicate item status (checked out, available, etc.)

2.32 Required Services

1. Implementation support and training (can be via telephone and online).

2. Data migration service and support.

3. Workflow consultation and training for LNO Technical Services librarian and VALNET library staff during migration of data and implementation. Training shall be provided at no additional cost during the term of the contract.

4. Responsive vendor support 24/7, able to mitigate and resolve problems quickly and accurately with minimal downtime.

5. Ongoing customer support such as trouble shooting and application advice during normal hours (to include all U.S. time zones) of VALNET operation by telephone, online, or in person.

2.4 Performance Period: One (1) year from date of award, plus four (4) one (1) year option periods to be exercised at the discretion of the Government;

B. Price/Cost Schedule:

The contractor shall provide a network price for an integrated library system, and if applicable the migration of data, for approximately 100 libraries’ physical collections - not the typical by seat, collection size or site-by-site pricing. The contractor shall provide all-inclusive pricing for the migration of data, annual subscription to all modules, a union catalog, training and customer support for all levels of operations. In addition, the contractor will provide access to a union catalog that combines the individual records of the various VA facility libraries into a single, comprehensive catalog for searching by any VA library staff. The contractor shall distribute the anticipated cost of migration over the 5 year term of the contract.

Base Period of Performance Up to 100 Libraries

Base Period of Performance

Option Year One (1) of Four (4) Up to 100 Libraries

Option Year One (1) of Four (4)

Option Year Two (2) of Four (4) Up to 100 Libraries

Option Year Two (2) of Four (4)

Option Year Three (3) of Four (4) Up to 100 Libraries

Option Year Three (3) of Four (4)

Option Year Four (4) of Four (4) Up to 100 Libraries

Option Year Four (4) of Four (4)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans’ Health Administration Program Contracting Activity Central 6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence, OH 44141

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

36C77624Q0143

This is a Request for Information (RFI) – Sources Sought Notice. This is not a solicitation. The purpose of this RFI is to gain knowledge of current market conditions relative to NAICS 519290, Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services, with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) is seeking to procure an off the shelf secure web-based, multi-tenant integrated library system (ILS) for VALNET libraries, that provides all the applications needed to manage a library, including cataloging, circulation, serials control, customized reports, and an online public access catalog. The anticipated contract will be a Fixed Price contract with a total expected duration of five years.

All business sizes are encouraged to respond i.e., SDVOSBs, VOSBs, and other small businesses. Respondents are not limited to SDVOSBs, VOSBs, and other small business vendors; all sources are encouraged to respond. VA is seeking to identify all potential sources.

Telephone responses will not be accepted, however you may call Lee Anne Eshom at 651-330-3603 with questions regarding this RFI. Responses must be received no later than 4:30 PM Central, May 9, 2024. No solicitation documents are available at this time. This RFI is to acquire information only. Vendors interested in providing an offer will have the opportunity to respond to a Request for Quotes that shall be published separately at a later date.

DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

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