REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Award of Contract to Brodart Co. in the Amount of $420,000 for Library Print Materials and Shelf-Ready Services (F24-086)
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
Approval is requested to award a Service Agreement in substantially the same form as Attachment 1 to this report to Brodart Co. in an amount not-to-exceed $420,000 for the Opening Day Collection (ODC) at Lakewood Branch Library and Learning Center. Approval is also requested to delegate authority to the City Manager to renew the contract for up to five additional one-year periods and increase the contract amount subject to budget availability for ongoing collection development services.
EXISTING POLICY
Pursuant to Chapter 2.08 of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, contracts for this type of service are awarded pursuant to a Request for Proposals (RFP) best value process, unless otherwise exempt from the competitive bidding process. Additionally, City Council approval is required for the procurement of goods and/or services exceeding $250,000 in any one transaction.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Materials are required for the Opening Day Collection (ODC) for the new Lakewood Branch Library and Learning Center, which is currently under construction with an estimated completion date of late 2025. Materials should be appropriate for a public library collection consisting of mostly popular titles in a variety of formats, including graphic novels, board books, and paperbacks. An ODC generally includes “classic” titles, reference materials, and other categories of items that a typical library will have on its shelves, as well as newly published works and bestsellers. The budget for the Lakewood Branch Library ODC was developed by library staff based on a variety of factors including projected shelf space in the new library. Once the contract is executed, library staff will work with Brodart to develop the base materials for the ODC collection and will continue selecting and ordering newly published works up to and through the opening date of the new library.
Staff estimates the $420,000 budget for the ODC will support the purchase of approximately 30,000 volumes distributed as follows: 50% children and teens, 25% adults, and 25% audiovisual materials. Precise numbers and distribution of titles may vary depending on the cost of individual materials selected. eBooks and databases are not included in the ODC, because digital resources are part of a shared online collection with the Sunnyvale Main Library.
Shelf-ready services are also required for the ODC. Shelf-ready services consist of bibliographic or descriptive records for all purchased titles and labels applied to each ODC item according to the library’s specifications.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was utilized to solicit proposals for the ODC services for the Lakewood Branch Library. The RFP specifications were posted on DemandStar public procurement network on April 23, 2024. Three responsive proposals were received on May 28, 2024:
• Baker & Taylor: Submitted a proposal for both print and audiovisual materials.
• Brodart: Submitted a proposal for print materials only.
• Midwest Tape: Submitted a proposal for audiovisual materials only.
The proposals were reviewed by an evaluation team consisting of Library and Recreation Services Department staff. The firms were evaluated on qualifications, experience, project understanding, project approach, and innovation. Following the written evaluation process, the City invited the three firms to participate in formal interviews for the firms to further clarify the Opening Day Collection project approach, possible challenges, and processes for delivery.
At the conclusion of the RFP process, the evaluation team recommended awarding two contracts based on the firms’ proposed project plans, pricing, and customer service:
• Print materials and shelf-ready services awarded to Brodart - $420,000.
• Audiovisual materials and shelf-ready services awarded to Midwest Tape - $205,000.
Council approval is not required for the contract awarded to Midwest Tape as the amount falls under the City Manager’s authority. The focus of the agreement with Brodart is the print materials ODC, but approval is also requested to give the city manager the authority to extend the agreement for ongoing collection development services.
The total breakdown for the Lakewood Library ODC is outlined in the table below:
Estimated Opening Day Collection Materials Cost
|
Collection |
Estimated Cost |
|
Adult print |
$160,000 |
|
Children/Teen print |
$260,000 |
|
All media |
$205,000 |
|
Estimated Total Materials Cost |
$625,000 |
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted funds for the collection are available in Fund 3101 - Capital Projects Fund - General Fund Assets under Project 830600 - Lakewood Branch Library Facility.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the NOVA Workforce Services reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Take the following actions:
- Award a contract to Brodart Co. of Williamsport, PA in the amount of $420,000.00, for the Opening Day Collection (ODC) at Lakewood Branch Library and Learning Center;
- Authorize the City Manager to execute the contract when all the necessary conditions have been met; and
- Authorize the City Manager to modify and renew the contract for up to five additional one-year periods, not-to-exceed budgeted amounts, for ongoing collection development services.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $250 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
A check in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
_X_ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
_ _ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
___ General policy and legislative actions
*“Competitively bid” means a contract that must be awarded to the highest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: David Battaglia, Purchasing Officer
Reviewed by: Dennis Jaw, Acting Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Michelle Perera, Director of Library & Recreation Services
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Service Agreement