RFP LCFDL10R7500.doc

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

RATING

PAGE

OF PAGES

| 68

2. CONTRACT NUMBER

3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

LCFDL10R7500

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

FORMCHECKBOX

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

5. DATE ISSUED

05/20/10

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NO.

7. ISSUED BY

CODE

8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

The Library of Congress

OCGM/FEDLINK Contracts

101 Independence Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20540-9414

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations “offer” and “offeror” mean “bid” and “bidder”

SOLICITATION

9.

Sealed offers in original and copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the depository located in see Section L.5* until 2:00 pm local time Monday, June 21, 2010.

CAUTION ( LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

10. FOR INFORMATION

CALL:

Anthony Lembo, Contract Specialist

AREA CODE

NUMBER

707-0459

EXT.

alem@loc.gov

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within___calendar days (90 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232-8)

10 CALENDAR DAYS

20 CALENDAR DAYS

30 CALENDAR DAYS

CALENDAR DAYS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the

SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated):

15A. NAME AND

ADDRESS OF OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN

OFFER (Type or print)

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE

AREA CODE

NUMBER

EXT.

ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

20. AMOUNT

N/A

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

10 U.S.C. 2304(c) ( )

FORMCHECKBOX

41 U.S.C. 253(c)( )

23.SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

ITEM

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

28. AWARD DATE

IMPORTANT -- Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Previous edition is unusable Prescribed by GSA – FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c

SUMMARY OF OFFER

Offeror’s Name:

DUNS Number

Tax ID Number:

Offeror’s Address:

Offeror’s Telephone:

Offeror’s Fax:

Small Business

Small Disadvantaged

8(a)

HUBZone Small Business

Woman Owned Small Business

Veteran-Owned Small Business

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

Large Business

Woman-Owned Large Business

Joint Venture

Business Type:

(Check all that apply)

Authorized Negotiators: (List each individual’s information)

Most Recent Fiscal Year Sales to Federal Government:

CERTIFICATION

By signing below, the Offeror represents that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the information included in this offer is complete, accurate and true. The undersigned certifies that no changes have been made to the solicitation and that the hard copies submitted with the proposal are identical to the Request for Proposal issued under solicitation number LC08R7500.

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES / PRICE PROPOSAL

Multiple awards will be made as Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA). The Government reserves the right to reopen competition to new potential BOA holders annually.

Quantities, units, and unit prices requested in this section may be given as estimated ranges. Prices are firm and not subject to increase for each fiscal year performance period under this BOA. Contract period shall be for one base year with four (4) one-year option periods.

Prices, services, terms and conditions found in catalogs or brochures do not apply to the extent that they modify or conflict with the prices, services terms and conditions of this BOA.

FEDLINK customers may sign basic software, database, or electronic publication license agreements for products or services acquired under this BOA; however, terms and conditions of this BOA, Federal Law, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) take precedence over any such license or other agreement.

All goods and services acquired through FEDLINK are for official government use only. It is the customer agency's responsibility to ensure that its employees (and contractors) are aware of and follow agency rules for using and safeguarding personally identifiable information - including information accessed through commercial databases.

All payments shall be in accordance with the terms of Section G of this contract.

The Publisher List Price is the price that the publisher has established and announced in its catalog and/or other trade publications. This price shall not include freight pass through. Vendors may subdivide categories to make pricing more precise (e.g., break Non-English Language materials down by language.)

Indicate a discount or service fee as a percent change from publisher's list price. For categories priced as net (i.e. simple pass-through of publisher's list price), indicate 0% discount.

Indicate a discount or service fee as a percent change from publisher's list price. For categories priced at net (i.e. simple pass-through of publisher list price) indicate 0% discount.

(This Lot may only be offered by vendors who also provide firm order services under Lot 1.) Prices shall be expressed as a deep percentage discount off publisher's list price per title, as appropriate. Publisher list price is the price the publisher has established and announced in its catalog and/or other trade publication. This price shall not include freight pass through.

(This Lot may only be offered by vendors that also provide firm order services under Lot 1.) Publisher list price is the price which the publisher has established and announced in its catalog and/or other trade publications. This price shall not include freight pass through. Provide a copy of lease/license agreements to be used with LC/FEDLINK customers.

This Lot may only be offered by vendors that also provide firm order services under Lot 1.

FEDLINK Books and Library Publications Acquisition Services Document No.: LC06R7501

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1

BACKGROUND.

C.1.1.

The FEDLINK Program. The Federal Library and Information Network (FEDLINK) is a nationwide interagency consortium sponsored by the Library of Congress (LC or the Library) through its Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC). FEDLINK offers federal libraries, information centers and other federal offices information retrieval and library support services to help them fulfill their crucial mission of keeping the Government and the nation informed. FEDLINK contracting for library services began in 1974 with a delegation of procurement authority (DPA) from the General Services Administration to LC. Both the Office of Management and Budget and the General Accounting Office encouraged the program’s development and use by federal agencies. In many ways, FEDLINK’s simplified contracting procedures and voluntary cooperative approach anticipated the federal procurement reforms of the 1990s. Although a DPA is no longer necessary for the program, the FEDLINK approach retains the benefits that come from centralization and experience.

C.1.2.

Statutory Authority for the Program. As a federal revolving fund program authorized under the Library of Congress’ Fiscal Operations Improvement Act, P.L. 106-481, section 103 (2 U.S.C. section 182c), the LC/FEDLINK program takes advantage of the Library of Congress’ extensive knowledge of the information industry and library operations to establish contractual agreements for commercial library/information products and services and then makes these contracts available to other federal offices.

C.1.3.

Eligibility to Use LC/FEDLINK Contract vehicles. LC/FEDLINK establishes Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) and Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contracts which are available to federal offices in the executive branch (including the armed forces), the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and independent agencies. In addition, contractors to government agencies who are authorized by the terms of their agency contracts to use federal sources of supply are able to purchase through FEDLINK. Although LC/FEDLINK contracts meet the standards demanded by librarians and other information professionals, LC/FEDLINK users are not limited to libraries. Legal offices, laboratories and information centers, analyst, scientist and other end-users in federal agencies may acquire their electronic and print publications through FEDLINK. The federal agencies that are users of the LC/FEDLINK contracts are known as “members” of the FEDLINK cooperative.

C.1.4.

FEDLINK Contracts. In FY09 federal offices bought more than $100 million in commercial off-the-shelf information services through FEDLINK. LC/FEDLINK contractual vehicles are established through formal procurement processes that meet the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The program’s broad range of contracts includes: access to electronic databases and other publications; document delivery; subscription services for periodicals, newspapers, and other serials; acquisition of print materials from book wholesalers and publishers; and membership in bibliographic utilities (for cataloging, resource sharing, interlibrary loan, and reference services). FEDLINK thus offers its 1,000 participating member organizations “one stop shopping” for their information and library support requirements. By using the FEDLINK program, agencies with little experience with the information industry can take advantage of LC’s expertise and save considerable time and expense in purchasing print and electronic publications and library services.

C.1.5.

FEDLINK Services. FEDLINK also provides fiscal support to members of the cooperative. When establishing an interagency agreement (IAG) with LC to use FEDLINK services, the member agency may choose to transfer funds to LC to pay invoices for services ordered through the IAG. Under this “transfer pay” option, the contractor sends invoices to FEDLINK, where FEDLINK Fiscal Operations (FFO) staff examine them, pay the contractor electronically, and send the member a statement of account with copies of the paid contractor invoices. With transfer pay, the contractor only has to deal with one financial office and the member is relieved of the invoice processing workload. Alternately, members may choose a direct invoice/payment relationship with contractors. Terms for the transfer pay or direct pay options, information on delivery order/contracts and invoice procedures are described in Section G of this document.

C.1.6.

Qualifying Contractors. Vendors shall supply publications as ordered in an effective and efficient manner, and shall also provide a variety of associated services that support the execution and administration of library acquisitions operations, and certain options in delivery and physical processing of materials. Libraries and other federal offices centralize the acquisition of books and library publications through qualified firms in order to reduce the Government's time and labor investment in acquiring information needed to support agency missions. Accordingly, vendors who qualify for the FEDLINK program will be those who demonstrate a thorough understanding of the technical requirements of the library acquisitions services described herein; who have the required experience and facilities to provide efficient, quality services; whose past performance demonstrates reliability, business stability, and professionalism; and whose prices represent cost savings for the Government and the FEDLINK membership.

C.1.7.

Instructions for Proposals. Detailed directions for the format and scope of proposals are given in Section L of this RFP. Vendors must demonstrate in their proposals an understanding of the technical requirements of the offered lot(s). Vendors should supply sample materials (catalogs, system documentation, management reports, invoices, etc.) to illustrate the narrative description of their services required by Section L, but shall not submit such materials in lieu of narrative description. Vendors should provide lists of the publishers they commonly deal with, and supply information about discounts to which FEDLINK customers are entitled or fees associated with supplying certain publisher's materials. FEDLINK's goal is to establish BOAs that provide the best value to the Government by enabling FEDLINK members to buy the publications needed in their particular agencies from the vendor that provides the best product and service for the least cost.

C.2.

SCOPE OF WORK - BOOKS AND LIBRARY PUBLICATIONS ACQUISITIONS. This solicitation is for services from vendors, publishers (electronic or print), manufacturers, distributors, or producers of non-print firm ordered materials who can supply books and library publications (non-serial publications) and associated acquisition support services to federal libraries, information centers, and other federal offices. Such vendors are often called "book jobbers” or just “jobbers" in the information services industry. This document is divided into four lots which define four different but related aspects of books and library publications acquisitions. Vendors must offer products and services under Lot 1. Vendors who provide firm order services under Lot 1 may also offer optional Lots 2, 3, and/or 4. Each lot follows the same basic organization, with descriptions of the service required by the lot, the publications to be supplied, and the order and delivery process. Responses must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the technical requirements of each offered lot.

C.2.1.

Publications. Materials covered by this solicitation include books and other publications that are complete in one part or, are intended to be completed in a finite number of separate parts. This contrasts with "serial" publications such as magazines, journals and newspapers, which are not covered by this solicitation. Varied publishing formats and/or media such as books, electronic publications, reports, treatises, encyclopedias, atlases, sound recordings, videotapes, CD-ROMS, audio-visual materials, reprints, etc., are acceptable under this solicitation.

C.2.2.

Firm Orders. Under the basic lots of this document, vendors will supply publications in response to firm orders from FEDLINK customers. A firm order is a one-time order for a specific title or titles in a specific number of copies (in contrast to a subscription or open standing order.) Vendors typically will supply requested materials from in-house stock or acquire items as needed directly from the publisher. Most of the publications categories in this document refer to items commonly available in the United States, but some categories, such as foreign press publications, concern non-domestic materials. Further definitions of key terms used in this document are listed in section C.3.6.

C.2.3.

Physical Requirements of Publications. The vendor shall supply publications in the customer's choice of the bindings or all formats offered by the publisher, i.e. cloth, paper, or library binding, loose-leaf, hardbound, electronic, or all other issued formats. All materials shall be new and in mint condition. The vendor shall supply the latest edition of all publications unless the customer specifically requests another edition. Unless otherwise specified, the vendor shall supply publications as they are available domestically. Foreign press materials shall be supplied in the requested foreign version.

C.3.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

C.3.1.

REQUIRED FIRM ORDER SERVICE - LOT 1. Vendors must offer products and services under Lot 1 in order to be considered for a BOA under this RFP.

C.3.1.1.

Subject Area Specialization. Vendors may specialize by subject area of publication and identify the types of materials they are prepared to supply within each subject area. Thus, for example, a vendor might specialize in scientific and technical publications and might supply trade, scholarly, textbook, audio-visual, non-English language, association press, electronic publications, and university press materials on sci-tech subjects. Vendors may specialize in more than one subject area. Providing materials in a "General" category is one of the possible specializations.

C.3.1.2.

Source or Format Specialization. Alternately, vendors may specialize by format or source of publication and then identify the subject areas in which they can provide materials. Thus, for example, a vendor might specialize in trade publications in all subject areas except juvenile/young adult; in textbooks in all subject areas; in foreign press publications on business, scientific, medical, and legal subjects, or wholly electronic in format. Vendors may specialize in more than one format/source area.

C.3.2.

OPTIONAL SERVICES - LOTS 2, 3, AND 4. Vendors who provide firm order services under Lot 1 may also offer under optional Lots 2, 3, and/or 4.

C.3.2.1.

Lot 2 - Approval Plan Service. Under an approval plan, vendors automatically supply publications to the customer "on approval" in accordance with a customer-specific collection ordering profile. Customers may approve and retain supplied materials or access to supplied materials, or return/cancel items deemed unsuitable for addition to the collection. The customer only pays for the publications retained. Instead of shipping books to the customer automatically, vendors may send selection tools (catalogs, descriptive title lists, or notification slips) that list publications within the scope of the library's profile. The customer then chooses items from the selection lists. The approval plan ordering profile typically specifies the library's primary subject areas and collection intensity (e.g. comprehensive), and other collection parameters such as format, language, place of publication and price range. Approval plans are intended to improve library efficiency and effectiveness in buying materials in routine collection areas or in esoteric subjects. Approval plans provide important pre-purchase information concerning new and/or forthcoming titles and eliminate the need for libraries to place individual orders.

C.3.2.2.

Lot 3 - Leasing Plan Service. Vendors lease or license books or other library publications in all formats in response to orders for specific titles (as in Lot 1, above) or according to a customer profile (as in Lot 2). The customer leases publications from the supplier instead of buying them, and retains an option to purchase leased items at a reduced price when the term of the lease is over. The publications are supplied in shelf-ready condition. The leasing plan is a way for a library to expand the resources available to its users by obtaining popular titles as needed, without having to buy multiple copies for its permanent collection. Leasing also extends the shelf life of heavily used titles.

C.3.2.3.

Lot 4 - Technical and/or Order Processing Services. The vendor may provide technical processing for materials supplied under this solicitation, performing physical processing or cataloging in order to supply materials to the customer in shelf-ready condition. The vendor may provide a computer-based order processing system for the customer to make the acquisitions control process more efficient. However, no computer equipment may be provided under LC/FEDLINK BOAs.

C.3.3.

BASIC ORDERING PROCESS. Basic requirements of the process by which FEDLINK customers will order books and library publications are described below. Additional specific requirements for firm orders, approval plans and leasing plans are described in Lots 1, 2, and 3.

C.3.3.1.

Order Communication. Vendors shall accept orders via multiple methods of communication. These shall include US mail, telephone, and telefacsimile transmission, and may also include electronic mail, general commercial online systems, or the vendor's own computerized system. Response must clearly state methods of order communication accepted

C.3.3.2.

Online Ordering. The vendor may provide a basic method of online ordering which may be used at the library's discretion. As a minimum, the contractor's system shall meet the following requirements for library ordering:

(a) Dial Access/World Wide Web Based. Real time online via dial access or World Wide Web based and accessible via standard equipment. The system must allow the library to connect to the contractor's computer, transmit an order to the contractor's computer, and receive confirmation of the order, communicating through the Internet, open phone lines or a standard value added telecommunications network (i.e., not only contractor's leased/dedicated lines).

(b) Standard Equipment. The contractor shall not require the ordering agency to procure specific, single-use equipment for the system. Instead, the ordering agency must be able to use either an asynchronous terminal with a modem, or any IBM compatible microcomputer with modem to access the system.

C.3.3.3.

Cancellation Notices. The vendor shall provide written cancellation notices by U.S. mail or electronic mail to the customer for all orders canceled by the customer and for all items the vendor cannot supply. Notices shall be supplied within five working days of the date the user cancels the order or the date the vendor determines the item cannot be supplied. The cancellation notices will show, at a minimum, the vendor's name, the order number, the title, the date of cancellation, reason for cancellation, and the address to which the item would have been shipped.

C.3.4.

DELIVERY. Materials shall be delivered in a timely manner, shipped in durable packing (i.e., containers and clean filling), labeled appropriately, and identified with packing slips that list the items, quantity and purchase order number of materials in the shipment. All approval plan and leasing plan shipments shall be clearly identified as such and shall be clearly numbered to reflect the month and fiscal year of the order/shipment. All materials shall be shipped to the address specified on each order, on a regular frequency, as mutually agreed upon between the vendor and the customer.

C.3.4.1.

Shipment. Publications shall be shipped f.o.b. destination. The vendor shall ship items picked from in-house stock within five working days of receipt of the customer's order. Drop shipments directly from the publisher to the customer, without inspection by the vendor, shall be an exceptional delivery process, used for rush orders or other special circumstances.

C.3.4.2.

Shipping Charges. The Government shall not be charged for shipping, except:

(a) Charges for registered mail for priority overseas shipment shall be reimbursed to the vendor.

(b) Charges for special delivery services (e.g., Federal Express, UPS, Overnight Mail, etc.) for rush orders shall be reimbursed to the vendor upon invoicing, provided the user approved the use of the rush delivery method in advance.

(c) Rejected items, those not approved for addition to the collection, under firm orders, approval plans or leasing plans, shall be returned to the vendor at the Government's expense. Items returned at the expiration of a lease shall be returned at the Government's expense. But, items returned due to vendor error may be returned at the vendor's expense.

C.3.4.3.

Tracing and Lost Materials. If 30 days have elapsed from the date of shipment, and the ordering agency has not received the items ordered, upon notice the contractor shall trace shipments and report status to the customer. Lost materials not recovered by tracing shall be replaced at no additional cost to the customer.

C.3.5.

ACQUISITIONS SUPPORT SERVICES. Customer support is an essential component of services offered through the LC/FEDLINK program. Vendors shall provide responsive, knowledgeable support to the federal libraries, information centers, and other federal offices that are their FEDLINK customers. Basic elements of customer support are described below.

C.3.5.1.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT - ALL LOTS.

(a) Support Representative. The vendor shall designate an individual to serve as a point of contact (POC) for FEDLINK customers. This individual shall be familiar with the terms of the LC/FEDLINK BOA and FEDLINK processes, and shall understand the publications acquisitions needs of federal libraries and information centers. This individual shall have the ability and authority to answer questions and resolve problems.

(b) Telephone Support. The vendor shall provide a toll free telephone number, and shall appoint a POC for FEDLINK customers for inquiries about orders, problems, or other information. The vendor shall provide telephone service, at a minimum, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, EST, but additional hours are recommended.

(c) "Mini-Network" Support. Many federal libraries are organized into a headquarters/field-site system similar to a large public library or university system with many branch units administered through a main library office. Some "mini-networks" have strong central control systems, others are comprised of relatively autonomous libraries whose funds are simply managed from a central FEDLINK account. In still other situations, a federal library may be responsible for ordering materials for the entire agency - library copies as well as office copies of publications. Vendors must use extra care in managing orders for such mini-network customers, particularly in the following areas:

(1) Addresses. The vendor shall maintain extensive and accurate lists of ship-to addresses, updating them as the customer deems necessary. Items shall be delivered to the appropriate ship-to address.

(2) Order coordination. The vendor shall coordinate orders from multiple sites, associating them with the delivery order that represents the customer's central FEDLINK account.

(3) Billing coordination. The vendor shall coordinate billing, to generate invoices for multiple sites against the customer's central delivery order/account.

(4) Management reports. The vendor shall generate management reports, which summarize the acquisitions activity of the mini-network. Such reports shall have the same characteristics defined for basic reports, below. In addition, reports should include summarized information on multiple copy orders, discounts, and expenditures. As an illustration, individual titles ordered in multiple copies should be listed only once with the number of copies, price, discount, and extended price totaled. The vendor shall work with mini-network customers to define reports as necessary.

C.3.5.2.

CUSTOMER REPORTS - LOTS 1, 2, AND 3. The vendor shall provide a status of orders report, outlined below, free of charge to firm order, approval plan, and leasing plan customers. The report is not intended to replace or duplicate the title-specific information provided on shipping lists and invoices, but is intended to track the customer's overall ordering activity. The customer will use this report to certify orders placed/received and will forward the report to the Library of Congress FEDLINK Fiscal Operations office. Other, additional reports for the customer may be supplied, but are optional. Any costs for optional reports must be identified in the vendor's offer. A separate Quarterly Summary Report shall be provided to the LC Contracts and Logistics Services office as required in Section H.

(a) Frequency. The report shall be provided to the customer at least quarterly. To improve their acquisitions management, customers may request that the report be provided on a monthly basis. The customer shall receive this report within 30 calendar days after the end of the particular reporting period.

(b) Format. Paper is the required basic format for reports, but machine-readable and other formats, such as a data file or online query, are encouraged as well.

(c) Content. The basic quarterly status of orders report shall be a year-to-date cumulative listing of the status of all of the customer's orders, open and closed. A monthly report need not be year-to-date accumulation. Reports shall include the following data:

(1) Identification information: customer ordering office; FEDLINK ID; LC delivery order number; ship-to address or ID.

(2) Order information: customer's order number; order date; number of items in the order; total amount of order; identification of individual authorized to place the order; fund code if supplied by the customer.

(3) Status information: status of order, e.g. open, shipped, closed, backordered, canceled.

(d) Sorting Order. Sorting shall be available on the following keys: order status; order number; order date; fund. The Order Management Report shall be sorted first by order number.

(e) Totals. The report shall show the total number and cost of items on each order and the grand total for all orders on the report, including quantity ordered, list price, discount, service charge, and extended price. Subtotals by order status shall be provided.

C.3.6.

DEFINITIONS. The following definitions are provided to clarify FEDLINK usage of common terms in the books and publications acquisitions industry.

(1) Annual Period. Reflects the federal fiscal year, October 1 through September 30, unless otherwise noted.

(2) Approval Plan. An arrangement whereby a vendor automatically supplies materials potentially required by a library as they are published, in accordance with a detailed profile of the library's collection needs. The library may return any publications deemed unsuitable for addition to the collection and is only billed for items retained. An approval profile typically specifies the library's subject areas and collection intensity, and other collection parameters such as format, language, place of publication and price range. Approval plans improve library effectiveness and efficiency by providing important pre-purchase information about new and/or forthcoming titles and eliminating the need for libraries to place individual orders in either routine or esoteric collection areas.

(3) Association Publication. A publication issued by, or under the auspices of, an association or institution, including proceedings, monographs, and memoirs.

(4) Back Issue. A single issue of a serial publication preceding the current issue. A "back file" is a set or file of old issues of a serial.

(5) Binding. The device or covering used to cover and/or fasten the covering of a book.

(6) Books and Library Publications (Non-Serial Materials). Publications that are complete in one part or are intended to be completed in a finite number of separate parts. This category includes disparate non-serial publication formats such as books, reports, treatises, encyclopedias, atlases, sound recordings, videotapes, audio-visual materials, reprints, etc. This contrasts with "serial" publications such as magazines, journals and newspapers, which are not covered by this RFP.

(7) Digital rights management (DRM) is a generic term for access control technologies that can be used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals to try to impose limitations on the usage of digital content and devices. It is also, sometimes, disparagingly described as Digital Restrictions Management. The term is used to describe any technology which inhibits uses (legitimate or otherwise) of digital content that were not desired or foreseen by the content provider

(8) Distributor. An agent or agency that owns the exclusive or shared rights to market a publication or other item, usually within a designated geographic area. In domestic publishing, the distributor is usually but not always the publisher. Foreign publications are often distributed by a domestic publishing company under an agreement with the original publisher.

(9) Edition. All copies of a bibliographic item produced from substantially the same type image or from an original physical or electronic pattern or prototype; the form in which a work is produced, such as original, revised, reprint, textbook, etc.

(10) E-book (short for electronic book, or EBook), also known as a digital book, is an e-text that forms the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book, sometimes restricted with a digital rights management system. An E-book, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary of English, is "an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a personal computer or hand-held device designed specifically for this purpose". E-books are usually read on dedicated hardware devices known as e-Reads or e-book devices. Personal computers and some cell phones can also be used to read e-books.

(11) Electronic (eBook) Book Reader. An e-book reader, also called an e-book device or e-reader, is an electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital books and periodicals and uses e-ink technology to display content to readers. The main advantages of these devices are portability, readability of their screens in bright sunlight, and long battery life.

(12) Electronic publication. A work in digital form capable of being read or otherwise perceived, distributed to the general public electronically. The category includes electronic journals and e-prints, electronic magazines and newspapers, electronic books, Web sites, Weblogs, etc. Some electronic publications are online versions of print publications; others are born digital. Synonymous with e-publication.

(13) Fair use. Conditions under which copying a work, or a portion of it, does not constitute infringement of copyright, including copying for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Click here for more information about Copyright & Fair Use: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html .

(14) Firm Order. A one-time order for a specific title(s) and number of copies, in contrast to a subscription or standing order.

(15) Format. Those materials that are described by similar general appearance and physical makeup, including size, proportions, quality and style of paper and binding, typographical design, etc.; the medium in which a publication is presented. Also includes electronic publications.

(16) Leasing Plan. The library leases publications from a supplier instead of buying them, retaining an option to purchase leased items at a reduced price when the term of the lease is over. The leasing plan is a mechanism for libraries to obtain popular titles without having to buy multiple copies for the permanent collection.

(17) Library. Libraries, information centers and other federal offices that use information services or acquire publications are included in the broad term "library" in this RFP.

(18) Library Binding. A strong binding designed for heavy library use.

(19) Manufacturer. In library cataloging, the agency which is responsible for actually making a bibliographic item. In the case of books and other printed publications, the printer is the manufacturer or the electronic format of the book or other item.

(20) Mass-Market Paperback. New work or reprint of a title previously published in hardcover or trade paperback, produced and distributed in paperback for sale at newsstands and in supermarkets, drugstores, chain stores, etc., rather than trade bookstores. Copies are usually of standard rack size (4 x 7 inches).

(21) Metadata) is literally, "data about data." structured information describing information resources/objects for a variety of purposes. Although AACR/MARC cataloging is formally metadata, the term is generally used in the library community for nontraditional schemes such as the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, the VRA Core Categories, and the Encoded Archival Description (EAD).

(22) Multimedia. An item containing two or more categories of materials no one of which is identifiable as the predominant constituent of the item.

(23) Network. Refers to people and organizations, not to computer or telecommunications networks.

(24) Open access. Information content made freely and universally available via the Internet in easy to read format, usually because the publisher maintains online archives to which access is free or has deposited the information in a widely known open access repository.

(25) Out-of-Print. Not obtainable through the regular market because the publisher's/producer's stock is exhausted. Out of print is to be distinguished from "out of stock", a term used to indicate that the item is not available from the publisher or jobber's inventory at the present time but probably will be later.

(26) Print on demand (POD), sometimes called publish or produce on demand, is a printing technology and business process in which new copies of a book (or other document) are not printed until an order has been received.

(27) Producer. The organization responsible for creating the content of a machine-readable data file such as a bibliographic database or electronic publication, usually indicated on the welcome screen, not necessarily the same as the vendor that markets and provides access to the product.

(28) Profile. A description of the significant features of the collection areas of special interest to the library, such as academic discipline, country or region of publication, or language. The profile serves as a basis for approval plan or leasing plan orders and is developed by the FEDLINK member in collaboration with the vendor.

(29) Publication. Under U.S. copyright law, the act of distributing copies of a creative work to the public by sale, lease, rental, or lending. Also refers to a work capable of being read or otherwise perceived book (in paper or electronic format), audio recording, video recording, CD-ROM, etc.), issued by a publisher for sale to the general public, usually in multiple copies and sometimes in multiple editions. Compare with privately printed.

(30) Publisher List Price. The list price is the one the publisher has established and announced in its catalog or other trade publications. List price shall not include freight pass through.

(31) Reprint. A new impression of an edition or a new edition from a new setting of type, for which an impression of a previous edition has been used as a copy; a separately issued article, chapter, or other portion of a previously published larger work, usually a reproduction of the original.

(32) Scholarly Publishing. A publishing term for a book that is: (1) written in a scholarly style (2) about a specialized subject, (3) aimed at a relatively narrow, clearly defined market segment, (4) sold primarily within that market, (5) often purchased on the basis of imprint, (6) not price-sensitive, (7) not highly profitable for the publisher, (8) usually published by a university press or the publishing arm of a scholarly society, (9) reviewed mainly in scholarly journals, and (10) indexed, with a bibliography or list of references for further reading at the end.

(33) Serial Publication. A publication in any medium issued in successive parts bearing a numerical or chronological designation and intended to be continued indefinitely.

(34) Subscription. The arrangement by which, in return for a sum paid in advance, a periodical, newspaper, or other serial is provided for specified numbers of issues or a specified period of time.

(35) Standing Order. A general order to a vendor or a publisher to supply the volumes or parts of a particular title or type of publication as they appear, usually until otherwise notified.

(36) Trade book.

1. A book produced by a commercial publisher for sale to the public primarily through bookstores, as distinguished from a textbook edition, subscription book, or a book meant for a limited public because of its technical nature, specialized appeal, or high price.

2. Any high discount (more than 40 per cent) book regardless of subject matter or type of publisher. [American Library Association Glossary].

C.4. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

C.4.1. LOT 1 - FIRM ORDER SERVICE - SUBJECT AREA, FORMAT OR SOURCE SPECIALIZATION. Under Lot 1, Firm Order Service, vendors shall supply books and other library materials in response to firm orders from FEDLINK customers. Customers may place firm orders for traditional monographs - single volume print books - or for other non-serial library materials in varied formats, physical media, and digital composition. Vendors may supply publications from in-house stock, or acquire them directly from the publisher or other appropriate source. Vendors must offer services under Lot 1 in order to be eligible to offer services under Lots 2, 3, or 4. Vendors shall specialize by subject area, format or source of publication and shall identify the types of materials they supply within their specializations. Vendors may specialize in more than one area. Thus, for example, a vendor might specialize in scientific and technical publications and might supply trade, scholarly, textbook, audio-visual, association press and university press materials on sci-tech subjects; or a vendor might specialize in trade publications in all subject areas except juvenile/young adult; in textbooks in all subject areas; or in foreign press publications on business, scientific, medical, and legal subjects. A vendor may also specialize in all or any of the areas by providing materials in electronic digital formats. The chart provided as Attachment 4 identifies the options available. Vendors shall specialize in one or more of the subjects, formats or sources identified, i.e. by column (subject) or by row (format or source). Within each specialty the vendor shall indicate the publications supplied.