REQUEST for PROPOSAL Bookmobile Davidson County NC
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Bookmobile Davidson County NC DATE: August 27, 2018 County of Davidson, NC RFP # ISSUING OFFICE: 1808009 Support Services Department Purchasing Division CLOSING DATE 925 North Main Street Lexington NC 27292 TELEPHONE: (336) 242-2030 September 18, 2018 PLEASE FILL IN COMPANY NAME & ADDRESS IN THE SPACES PROVIDED BELOW: RETURN THIS COPY CLOSING TIME COMPLETED 4:00 PM __________________________________________ __________________________________ PROCUREMENT OFFICER __________________________________ THIS IS NOT AN ORDER Dwayne Childress Davidson County reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals in whole or in part and waive any informalities in the proposals. Further, Davidson County reserves the right to award any contract deemed to be in the best interest of the county. DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THIS DOCUMENT CONSTITUTES A REQUEST FOR SEALED PROPOSALS FROM QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE THE COUNTY WITH A COMPLETE BOOKMOBILE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING: ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF ADDENDUM: #1____ #2____ #3____ #4____ (Please Initial) IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SOLICITATION AND TO ALL THE CONDITIONS IMPOSED HEREIN, THE UNDERSIGNED AGREES TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS SOLICITATION. AN AGENT AUTHORIZED TO BIND THE COMPANY SHALL SIGN THE FOLLOWING SECTION. FAILURE TO EXECUTE THIS PORTION MAY RESULT IN PROPOSAL REJECTION. AUTHORIZED AGENT/SIGNATURE_____________________________________ TELEPHONE:__________________________ TYPE OR PRINT NAME: DATE: _______________________________ I. PURPOSE A. The purpose of this proposal is to procure a replacement bookmobile for the Davidson County Public Library. II. BACKGROUND A. Introduction DAVIDSON COUNTY INFORMATION • County Seat: Lexington, NC • Land Area: 567 sq. miles • Population: 162,878 (2010 Census) B. Bookmobile History and Current Use: The Davidson County Public Library has a long history of providing bookmobile services. In fact, the system launched its first bookmobile 88 years ago in 1929 and has continuously offered that service to county residents since then. The core services of the bookmobile focus on literacy. It reaches patrons of all ages ranging from children in day cares and summer playground programs to adults with developmental delays and to senior adults living in assisted living facilities, nursing homes and those who are homebound. These citizens (500‐800 per month) are able to check out books, and the bookmobile technician provides programming such as storytelling to a wide range of groups. These patrons still have a need for these resources and services, so purchasing a new bookmobile would ensure continuous coverage. C. Technology: Since the last bookmobile was purchased 28 years ago, technological advances and the Internet have changed the world in which we live. The library has evolved with these changes by offering public access computers, technology training, technological assistance for job seekers, and a vast collection of electronic resources including e‐books, e‐magazines, downloadable music, and databases useful for research and homework assistance. Patrons who visit local branches can access this rich trove of resources. Typically, patrons who use the bookmobile are unable to visit library branches and, therefore, are less likely to access these resources and services. This is especially true of bookmobile patrons who also do not have access to the Internet. Indeed, simply learning about the resources or how to use them may not even be possible. We envision this bookmobile bridging this digital divide by providing technological services such as training in computer basics, training in the use of smartphones and tablets, and access to a printer. Additionally, the technician would provide hands‐on instruction in locating and accessing library resources such as e‐books, databases and music downloads for purposes ranging from homework and research assistance. She would expose children to read‐a‐longs through the NC Kids Digital Library and Tumble Book services. D. Collaboration with Area Schools: A new, reliable, technologically connected bookmobile will provide more services than the traditional bookmobile and provide those services both to existing patrons and potentially to those who are not currently receiving library services at all. For example, we believe a new bookmobile would help us better serve and reach more middle and high school students by enabling us to introduce the bookmobile at their schools. We already visit some area schools, but we want to visit more. Many school libraries have low or no book budgets and a regular visit from the bookmobile provides students with access to more books (both paper and electronic) as well as more current, popular books. Davidson County Public Library began a joint project with the Lexington City Schools system last year in which students in that system were automatically issued borrowing rights along with access to digital resources through their student ID number. We are currently working on a similar project with the Davidson County School system. Adding the bookmobile to this powerful collaboration would increase access to library resources and services for students in these systems. E. Expanded Outreach: We plan to take a new wired bookmobile to places we have not been before: local gathering spots, special events and underserved neighborhoods. For example, in order to reach Hispanic patrons, we plan to take the bookmobile to places they frequent such as the local flea market. We also plan to 2 take the bookmobile to local gathering spots such as coffee shops. Outreaches such as these will increase our exposure, and thus provide more access to digital and other services, to the local citizenry. F. Current Bookmobile Users: The acquisition of a new bookmobile will benefit current bookmobile users (500‐800 per month) such as those at: 1. Day care centers – both teachers and participants 2. Assisted living and nursing home residents 3. Attendees at local Senior Centers 4. ESL learners at Davidson County Community College 5. Homebound residents 6. Shoppers at the local flea market G. Potential Bookmobile Users: A new bookmobile will benefit potential library users such as: 1. Job seekers (through technology) 2. Those attending special events and seasonal markets such as the Davidson County Fair and the Lexington Farmers’ Market (runs May through October) 3. Middle and high school students H. Goals of a new bookmobile Goal 1: Strengthening Capacity. North Carolinians have libraries with essential resources and capable staff that enable them to provide exceptional library programs and services. Goal 2: Expanding Access. North Carolinians have expanded access to resources for learning and success in school, work, and life. Goal 3: Community Engagement. North Carolinians have libraries that are more effective because they cooperate, coordinate, collaborate, and communicate to help the community address its needs. I. Basic Design Considerations 1. The interior and exterior of the vehicle shall allow for both easy reconfiguration adjustable shelving and mobile shelving that can be securely locked in place for transport and fold down computer desks with at least 4 to 5 electrical outlets, a front desk for material circulation. Next to the front desk. The interior should be fitted with wifi and the vehicle should be capable of acting as an enhanced wifi hotspot and antenna for persons in near range outside the vehicle. The interior and exterior should have a monitor or projector and speakers capable of projecting media for instruction and reading enhancement. Our goal is an “eternally flexible” vehicle. 2. The vehicle will state through enticing graphics and inviting interior design that this is a mobile public library and computer lab for a variety of ages through such features as colorful, exterior graphics wrap and inviting interior; awning for outdoor programs, curbside wheelchair access lift and an entrance door with steps reaching down far enough to ground-level to avoid the necessity of an additional step stool. In particular, the programming area on the vehicle must be capable of being quickly “switched out” by the staff throughout the day and week in response to different target audiences. It will be important for the programming area to have as little noise interference as possible from the generator, heaters, etc. 3. The vehicle should be comparable in size to our existing 1989 bookmobile and be easily operated by one bookmobile tech as driver and be gas powered rather than diesel like a current vehicle and include a generator sufficient to handle climate control, lighting, and a small lab of laptops and tablets. There should be both a driver’s seat and passenger seat. 4. The vehicle’s library collection will emphasize quick and easy turnover rather than comprehensive scope. 3 III. SCOPE OF WORK A. General Requirements 1. These specifications are not intended to exclude any Offeror. If your proposed vehicle does not comply exactly with the specifications, please indicate your alternate. The specifications are designed to present the minimum requirements. The Library reserves the right to accept County approved equals or alternates. 2. Offeror shall provide the volume of vehicles delivered during the previous twelve months that are similar to the two different versions of vehicles being requested in this proposal. In addition, the offeror shall provide a complete reference list comprised of three references, with each