**QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS for NLM 2007 UNITED STATES AND FOREIGN SERIAL
SUBSCRIPTIONS**

**Question 1** - The contact name on the solicitation is Karen Riggs at
301-495-6456.  This phone number appears to be disconnected.  Do you
have a better number for Karen or, even better, an e-mail address?

**Answer** - The SF-1449 -- Commercial Item Contract Cover Page has been
replaced and updated to correct the telephone number to 301-435-4376 and
include the email address to: kr33v@nih.gov.

 

**Question 2** - The Due Date on the solicitation is noted as 08/23/2007
at 2:00 PM.  This differs substantially from the date of May 29th as you
have noted.  Please advise which is correct.

**Answer** -- The SF-1449 -- Commercial Item Contract Cover Page has
been replaced and updated to correct the due date to May 29, 2007 at
2:00 pm.

**Question 3** - Sometimes contracts specify a date by which all
questions must be submitted.  Have you established one?

**Answer** - The SF-1449 -- Commercial Item Contract Cover Page has been
replaced and updated to include that all questions must be submitted in
an electronic format on or before COB May 25, 2007 to kr33v@nih.gov.

 

**Question 4** - Some journals have the notation \"electronic
resource\".  Am I correct in presuming this means online only for that
publication?

 

**Answer** - There are 64 orders for serials which contain \[electronic
resource\] in the title. NLM's practice it to catalog a title based on
the first format identified by our subject selectors. In some cases the
electronic version is cataloged first, hence the inclusion of
\[electronic resource\] in the title field but, a print version may
exist, and NLM will generally subscribe to the print version as well as
the online version. Additional information is provided in the attached
spreadsheet indicating whether NLM orders online only or print + online
for the specified titles. In general, indexes and reference tools are
online only and journals are print + online (where print exists). The
description \[electronic resource\] is also used on physical format
e-resources such as CDs and DVDs. These titles are also included in the
spreadsheet.

**Question 5** - Unless otherwise noted, our plan is to quote print +
free online if available.  If it is not available, we will default to
print. Is that what you had in mind?

 

**Answer** -- Yes, NLM's practice is to order print subscriptions for
all titles where a print (or other physical format media) version
exists. We generally obtain online access on a publisher by publisher
basis and, at that point, would convert orders to print + online.

**Question 6** - In searching for the word \"package\", I only located a
couple of entries.  Do you currently subscribe to any electronic
packages from top publishers such as Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis,
Springer, etc?  If so, do you qualify for deeply discounted pricing on
your print?

 

**Answer** - We do have access to the major STM publisher online
packages. However, in most cases, the licenses are negotiated and
maintained by the NIH Library. As an Institute of the National
Institutes of Health, NLM is entitled to have access to journals that
are licensed by the NIH Library. NLM works with the NIH Library and with
a broader Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) consortium on
some licenses that do include sharing title lists and costs. In these
cases, the NIH Library pays for the licensed content and we pay them
directly. For titles not subscribed to by the NIH Library, or in cases
where a joint or consortium license is not feasible, NLM undertakes its
own licensing process. At this point, NLM does not have deep discount
pricing in place for any of its print subscriptions. However, there are
licenses that are based in part on NLM's print subscriptions.

**Question 7** - To whom should I send the Proposal Intent Response
Form?

**Answer** - The Proposal Intent Response Form can be emailed to
<kr33v@nih.gov> or mailed to: National Library of Medicine

> 8600 Rockville Pike
>
> Building 38A, Room B1N20
>
> Bethesda, Maryland 20894
>
> Attention: Karen Riggs

Proposal Intent Form: RFP 07-001/KDR

**Question 8** - The forms ask for a fixed percentage applied to the
actual subscription for handling and consolidation services.  Would you
consider a consolidation fee based on the unit number of titles?  

**Answer** - Yes, NLM would consider a consolidation fee based on the
number of titles vs. a percentage of the subscription cost.  Having this
option for offerors is one of the reasons that the consolidation service
is broken out as a separate charge from the subscription handling fee. 
 

 

**Question 9** - Shipping requirements are clearly defined.  Are
shipping costs to be included in the consolidation fee?  Are shipping
costs to be quoted separately? Would NLM consider paying the actual cost
of shipping as a pass through cost?  

**Answer** -- No, shipping cost are not to be included in the
consolidation fee. Yes, shipping costs are to be quoted separately. Yes,
NLM would consider paying the actual cost of shipping as a pass through
cost. This is how it handled under the current contract  

**Question 10** - .  "Estimated Total Cumulative Payment to Publisher
(Not to Exceed)" is defined as the subscription cost paid to the
contractor for the publisher list price for subscription.  We are
assuming this number includes the publisher current price plus and
estimated inflation factor for 2008 rates if the rates are not
established yet by the publisher.   

**Answer -** Yes, that is correct.   

**Question 11** - We are also assuming it includes the best estimate for
standing orders and bill later titles.  The second part of the question
has to do with how the titles are invoiced. Are titles always invoiced
at the current publisher price with future supplemental invoices if
necessary due to publisher increases? Are standing order and bill later
titles processed as published? 

**Answer** - Yes, that is correct in reference to the best estimate for
standing orders and bill later titles.  Yes, supplemental charges, bill
later titles, credits, etc. are to be consolidated and issued to NLM on
a monthly invoice.  Yes, standing orders and bill later titles are
processed as published.

**Question 12 -** We are assuming that under 52.212-4 Contract Terms and
Conditions, Alternate 1 (Feb 2007), which this is not a time and
material or labor hour contract and those provisions do not apply.  Is
this correct? 

**Answer** -- Correct, Alternate 1 does not apply to this requirement.

**Question 13** - Under section 3 of the Business Proposal Instructions
it asks for a detail breakdown of cost to support an analysis of
material costs (when sufficient information on labor and overhead rates
is already established), or information on prices and quantities at
which the offer has previously sold the same or similar services.  Our
expenses are all include in our quoted "Fixed Service Charge".
  Publisher costs are detailed under "Estimated Cumulative Total
Payments to Publishers".  We do not invoice for direct labor, materials,
subcontracted items, raw material, purchased parts, fringe benefits,
indirect costs, special equipment, travel or other costs.  What
information are you looking for in this section?

**Answer -** The information stated in this section is boilerplate
information and do not apply to this solicitation.