OCLC Sole Source: Cataloging, Resource Sharing and Discovery Services for Illinois Libraries

The Illinois Secretary of State's office intends to enter into a sole source contract with Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) for cataloging, resource sharing, and discovery services for over 1,000 Illinois libraries of all types. The initial 3-year contract term is from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027, with a potential 24-month renewal, and is valued at $5,658,610.48. The services to be provided include support for MARC 21 cataloging formats, online cataloging and record editing, interlibrary loan facilitation, and access to OCLC's nationwide and global bibliographic database of over 440 million titles. The state evaluated alternatives such as Auto-Graphics and SkyRiver but determined that OCLC is the sole provider capable of meeting the full scope of the required services.

This sole source procurement is based on OCLC's proprietary systems and services, which the Illinois Secretary of State's office has determined are the only ones that can meet their requirements. No other funding sources or set-asides are mentioned. The state has contracted with OCLC for these services for over 40 years, and failure to approve this sole source would result in the cessation of cataloging and interlibrary loan services for over 1,100 Illinois libraries until alternatives could be identified, which the state believes is not feasible.