Books, new and popular, leased, term contract

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners Purchasing Department issued Invitation for Bid (IFB #20-004/KP) on February 20, 2020, for a term contract to supply new and popular leased books to support the Palm Beach County Library System. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to provide hardcover, trade paperback, mass market, and Spanish-language titles across adult, teen, and children's collections for delivery to 20 specified library locations throughout the county. The successful bidder must maintain a database of at least 500,000 titles and supply approximately 90,000 books annually with full processing, cataloging, and shipping services included, with all materials delivered shelf-ready to designated facilities. Pricing must be submitted as a single, fixed unit price per book with no escalation clauses, and prices shall remain firm for ninety days from bid submission and throughout all contract terms. The bid submission deadline was March 19, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., with contract award to be made on an all-or-none, total offer basis to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The initial contract term is twelve months with options to renew for four additional twelve-month periods, contingent upon mutual written agreement and annual appropriation of funds by the Board. Required qualifications include evidence of Commercial General Liability Insurance ($500,000 minimum), Business Auto Liability Insurance ($500,000 minimum), and Workers' Compensation Insurance, along with submission of three professional references demonstrating similar services within the past three years.

Vendors must comply with the County's Commercial Non-Discrimination Policy and Equal Business Opportunity requirements, with a 5% local preference provided to businesses located in Palm Beach County or Glades. The procurement applies a Local Preference Ordinance favoring eligible local vendors, though no incumbent vendors or existing contractors are specified in the documentation. All shipments must be F.O.B. destination with the vendor responsible for all transportation costs, liability, and risk of loss. The County is exempt from federal and state taxes and will not reimburse vendors for sales taxes paid to suppliers. Vendors must register in the County's Vendor Self Service system and comply with the Criminal History Records Check Ordinance as a condition of contract award. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the bid documents, as pricing will be determined through the competitive bidding process based on the vendor's unit price per book multiplied by the anticipated annual volume of approximately 90,000 units.