Vendor_Questions_Answers_02.pdf

VENDOR QUESTIONS/ANSWERS 02

1) In response to the question “Will you consider a partial solution that meets all requirements except for library functionality.”; the government responded “Yes all bids will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria.” What are the evaluation criteria that the government will be using? They don’t appear to be included in the RFP.

- All offers will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 52.212-2 Evaluations and Addendum, which has been added as part of Amendment 0001.

2) What commercial product is USAHEC currently using to met the library functionality requirements?

- A combination of Polaris Integrated Library System (ILS) and ExLibris Summon (federated search).

3) What commercial product is USAHEC currently using to meet the archival functionality?

- In-house access database exportable to excel spreadsheets and excel spreadsheets

4) What commercial product is USAHEC currently using to meet the digital management & preservation functionality?

- ContentDM

5) What commercial product is USAHEC currently using to meet the collection management functionality?

- Gov’t owned system that will provide data in excel spreadsheet format

6) Does USAHEC intend to continue to use any of these products in parallel to a product procured under this solicitation?

- Intent is not too.

7) In several requirements, the RFP lists the following proprietary software packages, (BitCurator, SharePoint, MS Outlook PST files, and ContentDm), but not the archival system or ILS you are using. In order to determine the complexity of integration, can you please list the proprietary packages you do use?

- Polaris ILS, in-house Access database, excel spreadsheets

8) 5.2 (q) states “System shall provide cataloging API/module/function that is compatible with OCLC Cataloging subscription’. Will the government assure that OCLC will use a vendor provided API for the cataloging module?

- Government’s intent is to utilize the OCLC Metadata API is located at https://platform.worldcat.org/api-explorer/apis/WorldCatMetadataAPI but is potentially open to vendor provided API.

9) 5.4 (s) states “System should support Dublin Core to MARC record crosswalk for the purpose of making information available in WorldCat.” If the proposed solution is completely MARC-based, will this requirement be considered obsolete?

- No, it will not https://platform.worldcat.org/api-explorer/apis/WorldCatMetadataAPI

10) 5.2 (e) states “Catalog function: Supports authority record creation and automatic authority record update from both Library of Congress (LC/LOC) and Online Computer Library Center (OCLC).” How is this functionality currently achieved in the existing system?

- For new records (record creation), we can either export LC/OCLC authority file records to a file and load into the ILS, or use a Z39.50 connection to the OCLC authorities database and save records directly into the ILS authorities database. For existing authority records (record update), our ILS vendor provides a weekly file including all new and changed authority records in the LC/OCLC authority file. This file is imported into the ILS and matched against existing ILS authority records, which are updated to reflect the changes to the master authority file record.

11) 5.2 (aa) states “Module should supports the electronic transmission of periodical claims to periodical subscription service or other contractors (example WTCox).” What protocols does the government require for this electronic transmission?

- Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

12) 5.3 (k) states “Items should be associated with condition assessments.” Please provide a list of all of the condition assessments required.

- Government currently utilizes a simple numerical value (1-5) to indicate physical condition of materials.

13) 5.6 (w) states “System should support federated search and faceted classification systems, within USAHEC. Also, shall interoperate with other federated search engines.” Please list the other federated search systems that will require integration.

- Government is currently running ExLibris Summon discovery service. The ideal system should be able to search all library, archives, and artifacts, and also databases procured by the USAWC – as listed on the Library website here under “USAWC Subscription Databases” -http://usawc.libguides.com/current/resources. Government ideal goal is a single search intelligent capability

14) 5.7.3 (d) “SQL-based database, non-SQL based database, and supports metadata schemas with the option of simultaneous use of Dublin Core, EAD, MARC, and RDA.” What type of database is actually required?

- An SQL database is currently viewed as the ideal solution; however, the government is open to other approaches.

http://usawc.libguides.com/current/resources