RFP for Provision of Library Materials with Services

Request for Proposals (RFP) for
Provision of Library Materials with
Services
RFP release date: June 8, 2026
Submission due date: July 6, 2026
Government Center | 14949 62nd Street North | P. O. Box 6 | Stillwater, MN 55082-0006
P: 651-430-6001 | F: 651-430-6017 | TTY: 651-430-6246
www.washingtoncountymn.gov
Washington County is an equal opportunity organization and employer

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Background Information .......................................................................................................................... 3
1.2. County Authorized Representative .......................................................................................................... 3
1.3. Schedule ................................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Scope of Services ............................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. Mandatory Services & Deliverables ......................................................................................................... 4
2.2. Other Requirements ................................................................................................................................. 5
2.3. Optional Services ...................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Proposal Content ............................................................................................................................................... 6
3.1. Cover Letter .............................................................................................................................................. 6
3.2. Qualifications and Experience .................................................................................................................. 6
3.3. Appendix A & B - Itemized Cost Schedule & Sample Order Pricing ......................................................... 6
3.4. References ................................................................................................................................................ 6
3.5. Appendix C - County's Standard Terms and Conditions .......................................................................... 6
3.6. Conflict of Interest .................................................................................................................................... 6
4. Proposal Submittal ............................................................................................................................................. 7
5. Proposal Evaluation and Selection..................................................................................................................... 7
5.1. Evaluation Committee .............................................................................................................................. 7
5.2. Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................................................................... 7
5.3. Interview/Presentation ............................................................................................................................ 7
5.4. Final Selection........................................................................................................................................... 8
5.5. Conditions of this RFP ............................................................................................................................... 8
6. Proposal Questions ............................................................................................................................................ 8
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Provision of Library Materials with Services RFP
1. Introduction
The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is for Washington County to obtain the furnishing and
delivery of print and audiovisual materials for the Library. The County is seeking to award multiple one-year
contracts with the option to renew for up to four (4) additional one (1) year periods. These services will go
through the RFP solicitation process every five (5) years at minimum.
1.1. Background Information
Washington County, Minnesota is the fifth most populous county in Minnesota with a diverse population,
including longtime residents, young professionals and families, and new immigrant communities. Over the
last 20 years, Washington County has experienced rapid growth from a rural, farming community to an
expanding urban area.
The County was established in 1849 and has the powers, duties, and privileges granted counties by state
law, codified in Minn. Stat. 373. The County serves an area of 423 square miles, with an estimated
population of 262,748. The County's fiscal year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31. The County is
governed by a five-member County Board of Commissioners representing separate districts. In addition, the
Offices of County Attorney and Sheriff are elected on a countywide basis.
The County offers a full range of services including property tax administration, law enforcement and
corrections, public works, parks, solid waste management, library, community health, county extension,
human resources, courts, and general administration. The County employs approximately 1,400 employees.
Washington County Library uses the Acquisitions module of SirsiDynix's Symphony Workflows to manage all
materials ordered and associated invoices.
1.2. County Authorized Representative
The County Authorized Representative for this RFP is:
Jennifer McLaren
Procurement Specialist, SR.
Jennifer.Mclaren@washingtoncountymn.gov
1.3. Schedule
Washington County anticipates the following schedule:
Schedule Due Date
RFP Release Date June 8, 2026
Questions Due June 17, 2026
Addendum Release Date June 24, 2026
Proposals Due July 6, 2026
Notification of Award July 31, 2026
Commencement Date September 1, 2026
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2. Scope of Services
2.1. Mandatory Services & Deliverables
The successful Vendor shall be capable of furnishing and delivering print and audiovisual materials to the
Library. The Vendor shall also be capable of performing all functions identified under the Mandatory
Services & Deliverables and shall provide such services and deliverables throughout the term of the
contract.
Acquisitions
* Library uses the acquisitions module of Symphony Workflows. Library requires the ability to File
Transfer Protocol (FTP) orders. Vendor will describe how to provide this status both using the
library's online system and through any website or online portal the vendor maintains.
* Library wants access to order status of all titles ordered. Vendor will describe how this
information is communicated to the library.
* Library seeks robust ordering system with the ability to create and populate carts or lists. Carts
or lists must be transferable or shareable from one staff account to another. Vendor will
describe all features associated with carts and lists in their proposal.
* The Vendor shall have a process in place to identify and notify the Library when an item has
been ordered previously. These notifications shall assist in preventing unintended duplicate
purchases while allowing the Library to proceed with repeat orders when additional quantities
are required. The Vendor shall provide a detailed description of the process used to support this
capability.
* Vendor will provide confirmation for all orders placed and all orders cancelled. Vendor will
ensure that any confirmations for cancelled orders will include the reason for cancellation.
Library reserves the right to determine if the title will be reordered from vendor.
* Vendor will establish separate accounts for different ordering standards as needed by library.
* Library shall have at least 120 days from the delivery date of each item to return materials to
vendor at vendor's expense that are damaged, or otherwise defective by library industry
standards.
* Vendor will initiate, deliver and not charge for replacement items due to product defects and/or
delivery shortage.
* Vendor will pay for return shipping of replacement items and duplicate and incorrect shipments.
Vendor will refund Library.
* Vendor must provide all digital artwork for all audiovisual materials.
* Vendor's material notes field must be mapped and marked for Symphony ILS.
* Vendor's website DVD and Music CD material records must identify the correct audience ratings
and included content.
Delivery
* Vendor will maintain an average wait time between order and shipping of 45 days, excluding
prepublication and back orders.
* Vendor will maintain a consistent level of shipping - no less than 300 items weekly and no more
than 1,500 items weekly.
* Vendor will describe their method for packing and shipping of materials.
* Vendor will pack materials in boxes not to exceed 30 pounds in weight.
* Vendor will ensure a method for claiming items shipped but not received.
* Vendor will ensure physical packing slips are present with every order.
* Vendor will deliver materials new and free of damage.
* Vendor shall include all freight, shipping, handling, transportation, delivery, unloading, and any
other associated logistics costs in the prices proposed.
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Support
* Vendor will provide a dedicated contact person to provide support and enhance communication
with Vendor staff.
2.2. Other Requirements
The Vendor shall issue a single invoice for each Library assigned purchase order number. A copy of the
invoice shall be included with the shipment and shall also be provided electronically to the Library. Service
charges must be listed separately at the end of the invoice and shall clearly define the charge for materials,
processing costs, shipping costs, and a grand total. Materials shall be mailed to Washington County Library,
8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury, MN 55125
The invoice shall contain, at a minimum, the following general information:
* Delivery location, 8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury, MN 55125
* Invoice number
* Washington County Library account number
* Library Assigned Purchase Order Number
* Order date
* Billing date
The invoice shall contain the following information for each item purchased, presented in alphabetical
order by title:
* Quantity
* Title
* Author
* Publisher
* 13 Digit ISBN/ISSN
* Total number of volumes
* List unit price
* Discount
* Unit price after discount
* Processing price- total for invoice
* Total price per title
Vendor shall notify OCLC Inc. of new titles that are entering the delivery/shipment process. OCLC Inc. will
then provide MAchine Readable Cataloging (MARC) record files based on info supplied by Vendor.
Washington County then downloads these files into our catalog.
2.3. Optional Services
The County may add the optional services listed below. Vendors shall clearly indicate if they provide these
services and highlight any particularly notable qualifications or experience with these services. The Library
reserves the right to determine, on a service-by-service basis, whether to utilize the Vendor's processing
services or perform the work internally, based on the proposed pricing and operational considerations.
* Vendor Provided Processing Services: The Library may elect to utilize Vendor-provided processing
services based on proposed pricing and operation needs. The Library reserves the right to use any,
all, or none of the processing services offered by the Vendor. If the Library chooses to utilize
processing services, it will provide the Vendor with samples and specifications outlining the required
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Provision of Library Materials with Services RFP
processing standards for materials ordered under the contract. These requirements will be provided
after contract award and may be updated as necessary during the term of the contract.
* Barcode Labels: Barcode labels may be supplied by the Library or produced by the Vendor, at the
Library's sole discretion.
* Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags: RFID tags either preprogrammed with the item barcode
number or supplied blank for Library programming.
* Mylar Covers: Mylar covers, with a minimum thickness of 1.5 mil, to dust jackets. Mylar covers shall
be securely attached to the book using tape in accordance with the Library's processing
specifications.
3. Proposal Content
The following will be considered minimum contents of the proposal and must be submitted:
3.1. Cover Letter
Introduce the Vendor submitting the proposal and state the Vendor's understanding of the services. Include
name, address, telephone number, and email address of the contact person(s), as well as the names of any
others participating in the proposal.
3.2. Qualifications and Experience
Provide demonstrated qualifications and experience that proves the ability to perform the services and
meet the requirements of this RFP.
3.3. Appendix A & B - Itemized Cost Schedule & Sample Order Pricing
Provide costs or discounts for each line item listed in Appendix A and B. Vendor shall include all freight,
shipping, handling, transportation, delivery, unloading, and any other associated logistics costs in the prices
proposed in Appendix A and Appendix B. No separate charges, surcharges, or additional fees for freight,
shipping, or delivery will be accepted by the County.
3.4. References
Provide three references for organizations currently utilizing your services that are similar in size and with
similar needs as Washington County. Include agency name, contact name, email address, phone number,
and a brief description of the services you provide.
3.5. Appendix C - County's Standard Terms and Conditions
Submit a signed Appendix C as the Vendor to whom the contract is awarded shall be required to comply
with the terms and conditions contained therein.
3.6. Conflict of Interest
The Vendor must identify any potential conflict of interest it may have with the County or any other party or
entity that may be affected by the terms of this RFP and responsive proposals. The Vendor agrees that,
should any conflict or potential conflict of interest become known, it will immediately notify the County of
the conflict or potential conflict, and will advise the County whether it will or will not resign from the other
engagement or representation. Unless waived by the County, a conflict or potential conflict may, in the
County's discretion, require withdrawal or rejection of the Vendor's proposal.
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Provision of Library Materials with Services RFP
4. Proposal Submittal
Proposals will be limited to no more than ten (10) pages in length, excluding a cover sheet, a cover letter,
table of contents, and appendices. The proposal must be combined as one document and the font shall be
no smaller than 11-point. All proposals must include Proposal Content set forth in Section 3 and be sent
electronically to the County Authorized Representative:
Jennifer McLaren
Procurement Specialist, SR.
Jennifer.Mclaren@washingtoncountymn.gov
Vendors must submit to the e-mail address above with a subject line clearly marked as Provision of Library
Materials with Services, no later than July 6, 2026, at 4:00 PM CST. Late submittals will not be considered.
All proposals, once submitted, become the property of the County. They will not be returned to the Vendor.
Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the Vendor of the conditions contained in this RFP unless
clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the County
and the selected Vendor.
5. Proposal Evaluation and Selection
The County will evaluate the information the Vendor provides in response to this RFP. Step one will consist
of a review to determine which proposals comply with all mandatory submission requirements. Non-
compliant proposals will, subject to the express and implied rights of the County, be disqualified and not
evaluated further. Step two will consist of scoring each compliant response based on the evaluation criteria
below.
5.1. Evaluation Committee
The evaluation committee consists of representatives of Washington County.
5.2. Evaluation Criteria
The criteria and assigned weight on which proposals will be evaluated are:
Evaluation Criteria Points
Expressed understanding of the services and requirements of 40
this RFP
Qualifications and Experience 30
Cost 20
References 10
Total 100
5.3. Interview/Presentation
During the evaluation process, the evaluation committee may at its discretion request Vendors for an
interview or to provide a presentation to the evaluation committee. Not all Vendors may be selected for
interviews/presentations.
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5.4. Final Selection
The Vendor with the highest evaluated score will be selected. It is anticipated but not guaranteed that the
selection of a Vendor will be completed by July 31, 2026. Following notification of the selected Vendor, it is
expected a contract will be executed between both parties by September 1, 2026.
5.5. Conditions of this RFP
* This RFP process does not obligate the County to award a contract or complete the services.
* The County reserves the right to waive any minor irregularities.
* The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
* The County reserves the right to request additional information or clarifications from Vendors.
* The County reserves the right to interview any, all, or none of the Vendors.
* The County reserves the right to enter into a contract with more than one Vendor.
* If the RFP process concludes by withdrawal, cancellation or rejection of all proposals, the County
reserves the right to issue another RFP for this service.
* The County shall not be liable for any expenses incurred by the Vendor including but not limited to
expenses associated with the preparation and submission of the proposal.
* Proposals submitted become a matter of public record. All data collected, created, received,
maintained, or disseminated for any purposes by the activities of the Vendor because of this RFP is
governed by the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, as
amended, the Minnesota Rules implementing such Act now in force or as adopted, as well as
Federal Regulations on data privacy.
6. Proposal Questions
To notify the County of any inconsistency or ambiguity in this RFP and for all questions pertaining to this
RFP, all questions and notifications must be sent via e-mail by June 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM CST to the County
Authorized Representative:
Jennifer McLaren
Procurement Specialist, SR.
Jennifer.McLaren@washingtoncountymn.gov
Only written questions and notifications will receive responses. Washington County reserves the right to
disregard questions received after June 17, 2026, at 4:00 CST. An addendum will be issued through the same
communication medium as this RFP was originally distributed no later than June 24, 2026, at 4:00 PM CST.
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Appendix A Itemized Cost Schedule:
Provide costs or discounts for each line item listed in Appendix A. Vendor shall include all freight, shipping,
handling, transportation, delivery, unloading, and any other associated logistics costs in the prices proposed in
Appendix A and Appendix B. No separate charges, surcharges, or additional fees for freight, shipping, or delivery
will be accepted by the County.
Definition Discount
Adult Trade Hardcover Editions (Popular Fiction and Non-fiction) _________%
Juvenile Trade Hardcover Editions _________%
Adult Trade Paperback Editions (Popular Fiction & Non-fiction) _________%
Juvenile Trade Paperback Editions (Popular Fiction & Non-fiction) _________%
Mass Market Paperback Editions _________%
Single Edition Reinforced (Juvenile) _________%
Publisher's Library Edition (Juvenile) _________%
University Press Trade Editions _________%
Text, Technical, Reference and Small Press Editions (May be of any binding and includes non-trade University
Press titles and some spoken word audio) _________%
Spoken Word Audio (Unabridged only) _________%
Imported Foreign Language Titles _________%
DVDs (Entertainment, popular) _________%
DVDs (Non-fiction) _________%
CD Music _________%
BluRay DVDs _________%
Boardbooks _________%
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Services Cost
Theft Detection-RFID TAGS (provided by the Library) cost to apply and code $_________
Theft Detection-RFID TAGS (provided by the Vendor) cost to apply and code $_________
Mylar Jacket $_________
Barcode (provided by Library) cost to apply $_________
Barcode produced and applied by vendor $_________
Property Stamp $_________
Spine label $_________
Spine label protection if no jacket $_________
Web based collection development tool/ordering database(cost per user account) $_________
DVD case (per case) $_________
BluRay DVD case (per case) $_________
DVD digitized art and library specific information (per unit) $_________
BluRay DVD digitized art and library specific information (per unit) $_________
CD music case (per case) $_________
CD music digitized art and library specific information (per unit) $_________
Spoken word audio case (per case) $_________
Spoken word digitized art and library specific information (per unit) $_________
Digitized art and library specific information on case (per unit) $_________
Cost of providing OCLC electronic records (per record) $_________
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