DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Annual Contract for Integrated Library System (ILS) - San Antonio Public Library
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes a contract with Sirsi Corporation dba SirsiDynix to provide the core functionality in an Integrated Library System for the San Antonio Public Library for an estimated total amount of $1,717,000.00. The first year amount of $354,798.00 will be funded through ITSD Project Fund and the subsequent years will be funded through the Library Department’s General Fund.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Submitted for Council consideration and action is a proposal submitted Sirsi Corporation dba SirsiDynix to deliver a suite of services, that aligns with the City's vision of providing a world-class library system.
The San Antonio Public Library’s (SAPL) mission is to change lives through the transformative power of information, imagination and ideas. For more than 110 years, the San Antonio Public Library has been a vital center for free learning, knowledge, communication, culture and enjoyment within the City of San Antonio and for all Bexar County residents. The SAPL, in support of its overall mission, strives to ensure seamless access to excellent library service by partnering with contractors for the acquisition of new technologies.
A new core Integrated Library System (ILS) will support the Library Staff and its patrons with efficient workflows, adherence to both library industry and technology standards and best practices, provide staff access to statistical data on both system use and inventory, provide self-service opportunities for patrons, provide access controls to protect patron privacy and be scalable and adaptable for future growth and needs.
The ILS is composed of multiple independent functions which work together to create an efficient operating system. These categories include but are not limited to:
Patron Experience - which comprises the public interface allowing library patrons to use the search functionality to select library materials of their choice.
Collections - which include the placement of orders for the acquisition of library materials and the maintenance of various funding sources;
Resource Management - which provides the importation and exportation of created material records and overall maintenance of the collection;
Circulation and Outreach - that allows patrons to utilize City books and materials as well as to enable outreach for books and materials not owned by SAPL through the Interlibrary Loan Program. The system will also allow patrons to select and place holds on library materials and will also enable SAPL to send notification emails which alert patrons concerning the status of library materials they have either selected or they have checked out;
System Administration - Provides the system’s nerve center where the system is monitored electronically as well as enables manual intervention by staff when necessary;
Reporting - will enable the system to generate scheduled reports (i.e. monthly/quarterly) or on-demand reports when needed for financial and internal controls.
This core business system will be the foundation upon which additional systems can be added to provide world-class services as outlined in the San Antonio Public Library IT Roadmap.
The City issued a Request for Competitive Sealed Proposals (RFCSP) for “Annual Contract for Integrated Library System - San Antonio Public Library” (RFCSP 2018-087, 6100010349) on August 17, 2018 with a submission deadline of October 17, 2018. Three proposal responses were received. Sirsi Corporation dba SirsiDynix is recommended for contract award based on the City’s standard RFCSP evaluation process.
The evaluation committee consisted of representatives from the San Antonio Public Library, the Information Technology Services Department, and the Finance Department. The Finance Department, Purchasing Division assisted by ensuring compliance with City procurement policies and procedures. The evaluation of each proposal response was based on a total of 100 points; 35 points allotted for experience, background, qualifications; 45 points allotted for proposed plan; and 20 points allotted for respondent’s price schedule. Additional categories of consideration included references and financial qualifications.
The evaluation committee met on December 12, 2018 to evaluate the three responsive proposals received. After committee review and discussion, interviews and demonstrations were held on January 10-18, 2019. On January 29, 2019, the evaluation committee met to discuss the interviews and demonstrations and seek clarification of information provided during the interviews and demonstrations. A decision was made by the committee to conduct telephone interviews with library systems in Chicago, Houston and Nashville each having recently implemented one of the Integrated Library Systems submitted in response to the City’s RFCSP. The telephone interviews were conducted on February 8-12, 2019. On February 14, 2019, the evaluation committee met to discuss the results of the telephone interviews and to conduct the final scoring. Once the evaluator’s scores were finalized, pricing scores were revealed. Sirsi Corporation dba SirsiDynix received the highest ranking and was recommended for award by the evaluation committee.
The base proposal submitted by SirsiDynix provided an ILS that addressed all of the minimum requirements listed in the RFCSP for a total cost of $1,100,000.00 over 8 years. SirsiDynix also submitted optional functionality and associated pricing as part of their original proposal. During the demonstration and presentation phase of the evaluation, SirsiDynix demonstrated working environments for the optional software suites and services, which are currently available for a production environment. These optional enhancements to the base offering include a web based client and back end environments and mobile circulation that will provide SAPL with the necessary technology that will positively impact the customer and internal library experience. By incorporating this additional functionality into the contract with SirsiDynix, SAPL will be in a position to cancel two existing license agreements used in conjunction with the current ILS platform. This will result in an increase of approximately $546,000.00 to the base proposal amount submitted by SirsiDynix over the eight year term of the contract.
A post solicitation briefing was presented to the Audit Committee on February 19, 2019.
The initial term of the agreement shall be upon execution by all parties through March 31, 2024. Three additional one-year renewals at the City’s option shall also be authorized by this ordinance.
ISSUE:
This contract will provide the City of San Antonio Library Department with the necessary software and implementation services for a new core Integrated Library System.
The Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Ordinance requirements were waived due to the lack of small, minority, and/or women businesses available to provide these goods and services.
This contract is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) Preference Program does not apply to non-professional service contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the San Antonio Public Library Department would not have access to various customer facing and library management specific enhancements. SAPL would be required to continue utilizing a system that is near end of life and lacks feature sets that will improve the customer and library employee experience.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes a contract with Sirsi Corporation dba SirsiDynix to provide an Integrated Library System for the San Antonio Public Library for an estimated total amount of $1,717,000.00. Funding for the implementation of the Integrated Library System and first year of maintenance in the amount of $354,798.00 for this contract is available through the New Technology Project, a Tax Note funded project included in the FY 2019-2024 Capital Budget. It is estimated that maintenance costs for the ILS will be approximately $200,000 annually in the outer years. Annual maintenance will be funded through the San Antonio Public Library’s General Fund budget and is subject to appropriation by City Council as part of the annual budget process.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the approval of this contract with Sirsi Corporation dba SirsiDynix in the estimated amount of $1,717,000.00 to provide San Antonio Public Library Department with an integrated library system.
This contract is procured by means of Request for Competitive Sealed Proposals and a Contract Disclosure Form is required.