State Library of Queensland (SLQ) Standing Offer Arrangement (SOA) for Provision of Library Resources

The Principal (the Library Board of Queensland) has issued this Invitation to Offer (ITO) with the objective of forming a Standing Offer Arrangement (SOA) panel of suitably qualified, resourced and experienced suppliers providing Library Resources across resource types 1 to 3 plus Shelf-ready Services as summarised below. The Principal seeks to engage the panel of supplier(s) and finalise all arrangement(s) within the timeframes stated in ITO section 1.4 Indicative timetable.

The SOA term will be for a period of three (3) years commencing Monday, 13 July 2020, with two (2) further options to extend the SOA for a period of twelve (12) months each at the Principal’s discretion for a potential five (5) year combined term, which will end in accordance with the dates stated in the SOA term.

The State Library of Queensland (the State Library) will only make a commitment when it issues a Contract (SOA Order) under the SOA as a Customer (by the process outlined in the documents) and other eligible Customer(s) (entities defined in the conditions) will be eligible to purchase under the arrangement where they satisfy all their requirements (without amending any SOA Conditions). However, as the State Library will be the core eligible Customer under this arrangement, both the ITO and SOA (including Requirements) have been developed to specifically meet their objectives.

The State Library's premier public reference and research library as well as the provider of centralised support to over 320 public libraries and Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) in Queensland.

In summary this arrangement is for the Supply of book and non-book material, including materials in Languages other than English (LOTE) to support both the State Library reference and research services and the Public Library Services functions, and will exclude other resources as specified in the SOA.

The State Library provides a diverse range of library and information resources directly to the people of Queensland, which include:

• circulating collections for Rural Queensland libraries and IKCs of adult, young adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction in all formats;
• centralised collection of LOTE materials in over sixty (60) languages to all public libraries in Queensland;
• contemporary and retrospective collections reflecting events, people, places and ideas that continue to shape Queensland; and
• collections that meet the needs of communities throughout Queensland and provide information to Queenslanders in support of their research endeavours.

These collections comprise a wide range of resource types (Goods) including:

• (1) – General resources: books and DVDs including adult fiction, ready reference material, large type, children's and young adults’ fiction and non-fiction;
• (2) – Large type and Audio books: large print and audio book versions of fiction and non-fiction titles for adults, young adults and children; and
• (3) – Community languages (LOTE): books and DVDs written in languages other than English including fiction and non-fiction titles for adults, young adults and children.

To ensure timely and efficient accessibility to clients, the following form part of the requirements (Services) including but not limited to:

• contemporary online selection and ordering services;
• Shelf-ready Services including electronic supply of cataloguing records and end-processing; and
• Free-Into-Store (FIS) delivery to State Library South Bank and Cannon Hill site locations only.

Suppliers should refer to the ITO and draft SOA Details document (attached) for the fully specified Requirements (including any exclusions).

Essential requirements - It is essential the Supplier tenders for all “Shelf-ready Services" (it cannot submit for part supply of these Services), and it must nominate in “Schedule A” which “Library Resource types” 1 to 3 (Goods) it is tendering for and ensure all responses (including pricing) are completed for those types.

Suppliers considering submitting a response against the ITO should:

(a) have the demonstrated capability and capacity (experience and resources) to provide the Goods and perform the Services as specified;
(b) maintain cohesive stakeholder relationships to communicate, coordinate and liaise with Principal and/or Customer nominated personnel (as required); and
(c) apply demonstrated best practice and provide the above Goods and Services in accordance with current standards.

There is 'no' industry briefing required for this tender. For detailed information on the specific goods / services sought under this tender, refer documents in Section 3 below.

Tender submissions as outlined in the ITO document with close electronically via QTenders at the link provided in section 4 below.