LVA-SER-26-011 - Library Serials/Subscriptions

The Library of Virginia is issuing Request for Proposals LVA-SER-26-011 on behalf of the Mid-Atlantic Library Alliance, Inc. (MALiA) to procure library serials and subscriptions services for a consortium of 230 member institutions across eight states (Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio, and Florida), comprising 189 public libraries, 28 academic libraries, 8 school libraries, and 5 special libraries. Qualified vendors must supply serials in multiple formats—print-only, electronic, or both—from publishers worldwide and accommodate subscriptions with varied start dates and common expiration dates as requested by member libraries. The RFP evaluation criteria include company qualifications and financial stability, capabilities for managing orders and cancellations, claims processing efficiency, title change handling procedures, invoicing practices, overall cost considerations, customer service quality, and small business subcontracting plans, with a maximum possible score of 100 points. Vendors must submit electronic proposals through the eVA website by April 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST, with questions due by March 23, 2026; no pre-proposal conference will be held. The resulting contract will operate from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, with two optional one-year renewals available.

While the RFP does not contain set-aside designations explicitly restricting vendor participation, small business certification through DSBSD (Division of Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned Business) is encouraged and will be considered in the evaluation process. Vendors must comply with standard Virginia procurement requirements, including eVA vendor registration, drug-free workplace certification, E-Verify participation for employers with average staffing exceeding 50 employees, and appropriate insurance coverage. The RFP indicates that vendor selection will follow competitive negotiations with two or more qualified offerors, though the Commonwealth reserves the right to make multiple awards or negotiate with a single offeror deemed clearly more qualified; participation by MALiA members is optional, with no penalties for withdrawal, and new members may join after contract award under existing terms. The estimated combined annual serials budget exceeds $3,000,000, though MALiA reserves the right to adjust spending based on actual member needs and funding availability. Vendors must provide detailed pricing information including discount rates from publisher list prices (which may vary by library type), early payment discounts, service charges, and fees for special handling.