Microfilm/Electronic Resources for Library of Michigan

The Michigan Department of Education issued an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN 180000000098) on June 15, 2018, for the procurement of microfilm and electronic resources to support the Library of Michigan. The State seeks to establish a multi-year contract for subscriptions to Michigan newspapers on microfilm, including publications such as the Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal, and Macomb Daily, as well as online databases including the Public Health Database and Ancestry Library Edition. These resources will be accessible to all State of Michigan employees and residents and are intended to supplement the Library of Michigan's existing collection while fulfilling its obligation as a permanent public repository. The procurement is classified under commodity codes 95635 (Internet Database Subscriptions) and 95645 (Microfilm Subscriptions). The State has identified ProQuest LLC of Ann Arbor, Michigan as the intended single-source provider, and potential bidders must submit written responses disagreeing with this designation and describing equivalent products or services by June 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm EDT. Written questions concerning the Invitation to Negotiate must be submitted by June 15, 2018 at 5:00 pm EDT through www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS, with inquiries directed to Ruth Thole, Solicitation Manager, at 517-241-2170 or TholeR@michigan.gov. Various microfilm and database subscriptions and collections that become available during the contract term may be purchased as one-time purchases or ongoing subscriptions.

The procurement notice does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations eligible to respond, nor does it detail any disadvantaged enterprise requirements. ProQuest LLC is identified as the current incumbent vendor and intended single-source provider, suggesting an existing relationship and established infrastructure for resource delivery and integration with the Library of Michigan's operations. The notice does not provide a specific award value or budget range for the contract, though the procurement is structured as a multi-year agreement with flexibility for additional purchases of newly available microfilm and electronic resources throughout the contract term. The State's decision to pursue this procurement as a sole-source justification indicates that the resources and services sought are highly specialized, with ProQuest positioned as the primary vendor capable of delivering the required combination of Michigan historical newspapers, health databases, and genealogical resources.