**FEDLINK BOOKS AND LIBRARY PUBLICATIONS ACQUISITION SERVICES**

**RFP S-LC00026**

**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS**

1.  Vendor has many prices and publications to list. Should vendor
    submit them to you as a separate list or is there another way vendor
    needs to complete the form?

> **Yes, provide a copy of a current catalog or other
> listing/publication which includes your prices. The form (Section J -
> Attachment 1) may be filled in with check marks or xs. Section B
> shall be completed by indicating the percentage.**

2.  Vendors discount schedule varies slightly from the FEDLINK schedule
    \[different discount for 5-9 copies and 10-29 copies\]. Should
    vendor write in their discount schedule?

> **For evaluation purposes we need the break-down as stated in the RFP.
> As supplemental information, vendor may supply us with their current
> schedule.**

3.  Vendor practice differs from requirements.

> **Vendor must read the description of requirements given in Section C
> in order to understand the CLINs established in Section B. Offerors
> must conform to categories, discount ranges, or other required
> elements in the RFP. If the vendors typical practice differs from
> that identified in the FRP, the vendor may provide supplemental
> information describing his practice, but must first conform to the
> requirements of the RFP.**

4.  Section B, Lots 1, 2, & 3. B.1, B.2 and B.3. The FPT (freight pass
    through) is not added into pricing and therefore discount
    development by all FEDLINK vendors. Vendor wants to make sure that
    the playing field is level.

> **The above sections specifically state that FPT charges must NOT be
> added to the publishers list price.**

5.  How is Section B CLIN-4210 (Physical Processing) different from
    CLIN-4230 (complete technical processing)?

> **CLIN-4210 Physical Processing (per unit) may not include cataloging
> processing of all units that may be required by the FEDLINK member and
> developed as a profile during discussions between the vendor and the
> member. CLIN 4230 also will include cataloging.**
>
> **Section C.4.4.2. explains the basic technical processing allowed
> under this RFP. Physical processing alone does not include cataloging
> and cataloging alone does not include physical processing. C.4.4.2.3
> explains that complete technical processing consists of both physical
> processing and cataloging processing. The intent of complete physical
> processing, as indicated in the Service Description, would be to
> supply items to the customer in shelf-ready condition.**

6.  In Section B CLIN-4211, what exactly is included in a Circulation
    Kit?

> **The minimum inclusion for a circulation kit is defined in section
> C.4.4.2.1 (a) as cataloging data, a book pocket, a circulation card,
> and a spine label. The offeror would describe and price this
> requirement and might also choose to offer a kit with more or
> different elements. In a cost proposal the offeror could subdivide
> CLIN-4211 to reflect both the requirement and t he other options or
> could identify the other options under CLIN-4400\--Other Charges.**

7.  In Section B CLIN-4212, what exactly is included in a Barcode Label?

> **In cases where the vendor offers more options than there are CLINS,
> the vendor may subdivide a CLIN to more closely specify his offering.
> For all processing items, the offer should identify and price the
> different types of materials/services he provides. Customer will then
> choose from identified options.**
>
> **For example, Section C.4.4.2.1. states, The vendors shall identify
> the materials to be used in physical processing, such as the type,
> grade, size, and make of spine labels. Thus, in a technical response
> to the section on barcode labels, and offeror might identify his
> ability to:**

-   **affix random or intelligent barcodes supplied by the customer.**

-   **supply and affix random barcodes of various specific sizes and
    grades.**

-   **supply and affix intelligent barcodes of various specific sizes
    and grades.**

8.  In Section B CLIN-2200. What is a source based profile?

> **Section 4.2.2.2. Source Based Approval Plan. This type plan profile
> may include publisher based profiles, a university press type of
> profile, association based profile, produces/format based, or any
> other type of materials that are acquired from a single source that is
> defined by a profile agreed upon during discussions between the vendor
> and the FEDLINK member, for the year at any time during the fiscal
> year.**

9.  C.3.3 Basic Ordering Process. Vendor questions methods of order
    communications. There is a list that includes telephone, facsimile,
    mail as the required methods and goes further to add other possible
    types of communications, e-mail system - Internet, online system
    etc.

> **The three methods for ordering that are mentioned in this section
> include t he three that are mentioned in questions. The sections state
> that the three methods (telephone, facsimile, and mail) are the only
> methods each vendor MUST have. The other methods, while timely and
> expedient may also be included.**

10\. C.3.4.(b). Shipping Charges. Can special charges that are agreed to
by the FEDLINK member be passed on to the member? (special deliver,
overnight mail, etc.)

> **Yes, the cost of special handling and shipping may be passed on to t
> he FEDLINK user if the FEDLINK user has approved of the special
> service and charges. Section C.3.4.(2) specifically states this.**

**Normal FEDLINK shipments are to be made FOB destination.**

11. C.3.5.2 Customer Reports. Questions the need for the quarterly
    reports defined as minimum in the RFP.

> **This section states specifically that there shall be reports at
> least on a quarterly basis.**

12. C.3.6(t) Vendor questions the definition of subscription and
    should they consider their books as periodicals.

> **Books for the purpose of this RFP are not considered as periodicals.
> The monographic series the vendor produces shall be considered and
> ordered as Firm orders under this RFP. (Firm Ordered Monographic
> Series).**

**This RFP is not intended to duplicate the services provided by serials
subscription**

> **agents. These agents place orders with various publishers on behalf
> of library customers for periodicals, journals and other serial items
> supplied on a subscription basis. Such agents serve as intermediaries
> between libraries and publishers - placing orders, making payment,
> delivering and claiming materials, and so forth. Within the framework
> of its serials BOAs, FEDLINK conducts individual competitions to
> select an agent for an individual librarys serials list.**
>
> **FEDLINK recognizes that not all publishers of serial or subscription
> items operate through serials agents. Furthermore, not all multi-part
> materials or items provided on a subscription basis are properly
> classed as serials. This Books and Library Publications Acquisitions
> Services RFP is intended to establish sources of supply for books and
> other publications that are not dealt through serials agents or
> considered regular serials titles. Multi-part items that may be
> considered a monographic series, looseleaf publications designed to
> received additions, publications that are cumulated or updated
> regularly, or other items that may be properly cataloged under the
> Anglo-American Cataloging Rules as a book are appropriate under this
> RFP in Lot 1. (See the *AACR2* rules for cataloging of books,
> pamphlets and printed sheets under 2.5B9, for example.) Items
> delivered in multiple parts shall be delivered within 30 days of the
> date the part is published.**

13. C.4.1.2.2 Format or Specialization. Vendor wished clarification on
    materials supplied. (Hard bound, soft bound. Loose leaf, cumulative
    supplements, diskettes, etc.) There is also a question of breaking
    down these units further into sub-units (such as University Presses
    into trade, general, short discount/handling fee or Public library
    materials into Library Binding, School, or Single Library Edition,
    etc.).

> **CHANGES IN MATERIALS CATEGORIES: Offerors may subdivide the
> materials categories identified in Lot 1, perhaps to reflect more
> specific discounts for subclasses of materials. While the vendors
> subcategories will be effective in a final agreement, for competition
> purposes, LC/FEDLINK will take an average of the subcategory prices to
> reflect a price for the whole category. FEDLINK has chosen to divide
> some categories for all offerors and has identified two new
> categories. These changes are as follows:**

**- Trade and Trade Paperback are now two separate categories:**

> **1220 a Trade Hardcover**
>
> **1220 aa Trade Paperback**

**- Textbook and Textbook Paperback are now two separate categories:**

> **1220 b Textbook Hardcover**
>
> **1220 bb Textbook Paperback**
>
> **- Audio-Visual has been subdivided into the four classes below.
> Vendors may choose to subdivide their A-V offer accordingly. FEDLINK
> will take an average of A-V subcategory prices to reflect a single
> price for the category for competition purposes. Subcategories are:**
>
> **1220 f (1) Video Recordings**
>
> **1220 f (2) Sound Recordings**
>
> **1220 f (3) Educations Materials/kits**
>
> **1220 f (4) Computer Formats (not covered in categories above)**

**- Two new categories include:**

> **1220 p Loose-Leaf**
>
> **1220 q Cumulative Supplements**
>
> **- Vendors that supply specific types of materials that are not
> properly included in one of the established categories may offer under
> CLIN 1220o Other Format or Source Specialization.**

**Schedule B to be updated accordingly.**

14. C.4.1.3.2 Order Date. Can the order be redefined to be the date on
    the order?

**See Section G.3.2.7 of the RFP.**

15. C.4.1.3.2 Order Date. Can the invoice date and the order date be the
    same?

> **There is no reason why the order date (the date in which the vendor
> places the order with publisher) and the invoice date cannot be the
> same date. See Section G.3.2.7 of the RFP.**

16\. C.4.1.3.4 Pre-order Services. Negotiates prices for sets and
subscriptions at the beginning of the Fiscal year and is unsure why an
agency would need to contact us for an estimate prior to placing an
order. Anticipates that all discounts (including quantity discounts IF
my emphasis) negotiated would be disseminated to their customers,
thereby eliminating the need for an estimate. Please clarify.

> **The vendor is presuming that all of the possible FEDLINK customers
> will already know what materials they will need each fiscal year and
> that they will also have the easily prices available. The questions is
> irrelevant since it is stated that when questions for a quote; which
> may be returned as a percentage discount from publishers list prices,
> they will supply the quote.**

17\. C.4.1.3.5 Order Communication. Cannot accept orders at this time
via online methods. Is this acceptable?

> **Yes, the vendor does not have to be able to communicate via online
> methods to be in compliance with the RFP. They must, however be able
> to have orders communicated via telephone, facsimile, and mail.**

18. D.1.3.1 Identification Information. Can this be an option? Vendor
    has been using: contractor name, ship to, bill to, address, date of
    shipment, library PO number and order date. Vendor does not want to
    use the LC contractual identifiers nor the FEDLINK ID.

**See Section D.1.3.1 of the RFP, No, this cannot be optional.**

19. D.1.3.3. Item Information. Questions the information to be placed on
    a packing slip. The information in particular question is list price
    and discount information when the ship-to and the bill-to are
    different.

> **For FEDLINK Transfer Pay Accounts: If this information is not placed
> on the packing slip; it is most likely that the ship-to address will
> not receive fiscal information concerning the shipment for at least 60
> days and possibly longer this makes it virtually impossible for the
> library receiving the merchandise to accurately monitor their
> account.**
>
> **If the vendor does not wish to place this information on the packing
> slip then some other mechanism for informing the reciever of the
> acutal costs involved. One way would be for the vendor to
> simultaneously mail an invoice CLEARLY MARKED as non-payable so that
> there is absolutely no possibility of a duplicate payment being made
> by the receiving librarys fiscal unit.**
>
> **If the vendor does wish to use the above or some other mechanism for
> informing the FEDLINK member of the cost of the shipment, each item
> supplied/not supplied in the shipment. The vendor shall further notfiy
> FEDLINK of the method used, the vendor shall further be required to
> continue that method during the period of performance for this
> solicitation.**

20\. G.2. FEDLINK Services. Vendor wants clarification of the term
organizations authorized to use federal sources of supply.

> **Organizations authorized to use federal sources of supply indicates
> sall of those entitles that are unable to, by contractual means
> (federal contractors), use federal supply sources. (see 48 CFR 51)**

21 . G.3.3.6. Clarify Consolidating billing on a weekly basis. Would
it be acceptable to hold the daily printed invoices and batch them for
shipment once a week.

**Yes, weekly consolidation is acceptable.**

22\. G.3.3.12 Pre-payment invoice. Refers to the question on
subscriptions and wants to know if prepayment for these items is
permissible. Will advance payment be made within 30 days for
subscription items upon submission of a correct invoice?

> **PREPAYMENTS. Vendors may offer a discount for prepayment of orders.
> FEDLINK will may prepayments when it is in the Governments interest
> to do so. The benefits of a prepayment must offset the cost to the
> Government of early expenditure of funds. Typically, FEDLINK makes a
> regular prepayment on behalf of the entire group of transfer pay
> customers that earns a discount for the entire group. That is,
> prepayments and discounts are not handled on an individual customer
> basis. The following CLINS are added to the RFP:**
>
> **Lot 1 1700 Network level prepayment discount.**
>
> **Vendors** **are encouraged to offer an additionl discount for
> network level prepayment that may be exercised at the option of the
> Government. Please provide details of your offering. Prepayment will
> be authorized only if the discount is equal to or better than the
> current cost of funds rate established by the US Treasury.**
>
> **Lot 2 2700 Network level prepayment discount.**
>
> **Vendors** **are encouraged to offer an additional discount for
> network level prepayment that may be exercised at the option of the
> Government. Please provide details of your offering. Prepayment will
> be authorized only if the discount is equal to or better than the
> current cost of funds rate established by the US Treasury.**
>
> **Lot 3 3600 Network level prepayment discount.**
>
> **Vendors** **are encouraged to offer an additional discount for
> network level prepayment that may be exercised at the option of the
> Government. Please provide details of your offering. Prepayment will
> be authorized only if the discount is equal to or better than the
> current cost of funds rate established**

**by the US Treasury.**

23. G.5.2. Mailing Lists. Vendor would like to know where can they get a
    list of FEDLINK members?

**See Section G.5.2. of the RFP**.

24\. Section L. Vendor wishes to include responses to sections D, E, F
and G under this section.

> **Section L.6.1.1. The sections mentioned D, E, F, G, or H are
> non-negotiable and do not have to be answered on a point-by-point
> basis; they are presumed to be treated in the manner specified by all
> FEDLINK providers. The Vendor should, however, state in their proposal
> an understanding of FEDLINK processes and address their normal
> practices.**

25\. Is it permissible to make an offering of used books?

> **Used materials are acceptable under this RFP, provided** **that the
> customer has specifically indicated willingness to accept them instead
> of a new, mint-condition publications/ Customers may also order an
> edition other than the latest edition (see C.3.(c), may order
> out-of-print materials (C.4.1.2.2.(i)), may exercise an option to
> purchase materials they have leased (see C.4.3.3.3.).**