ITN VENDOR FAQ - 2022

ITN VENDOR FAQ - 2022 oplin

Preliminary FAQ

The current contracts for Ohio Web Library content run through June 30, 2023. This means that the Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO) group will engage in an Intent to Negotiate (ITN) process in 2022.

Interested vendors may have questions about that process now. Here are answers to a few that have come up already.

What is the timeline for the ITN process?

The LCO group expects the upcoming process to follow this general timeline; specific dates will be announced in the fall:

  • September 2022 - ITN documents posted
    • Released on September 21
  • September 2022 - bidder conference (real-time Q&A session)
    • 1pm on September 27 via Microsoft Teams; connection details in Ariba
  • October 2022 - deadline for written clarifying questions from bidders
    • Question due date is October 10
  • October 2022 - bids due; evaluations begin
    • Close date is October 18
  • November 2022 - committee determines bids for further negotiation
  • December 2022 to January 2023 - OhioLINK leads negotiations with prioritized bids
  • February 2023 - final selections
  • March 2023 - request for LSTA funds from State Library Board

What will the ITN look like?

The LCO group is expecting that the upcoming ITN process and documents will be very similar to the ones used in 2017-18. For reference, copies of those documents are available now:

Can you tell me more about the ITN process?

The ITN will be sponsored by The Ohio State University, which is the fiscal agent for OhioLINK. Their procurement process uses the Ariba Discovery service. More information about the procurement process is available at https://busfin.osu.edu/buy-schedule-travel/purchasing/suppliers/doing-business-ohio-state.

Can you tell me more about the LCO partners?

The LCO partners are comprised of INFOhio, OhioLINK and OPLIN. These organizations represent all PreK-12, academic, and public libraries in the state, respectively. Details about each constituency can be found in Section 3.7 of the 2017 RFP (Program Profiles).

Additional information about Ohio public libraries can also be accessed via the State Library of Ohio.

Publicly available details on OhioLINK membership can be found at https://www.ohiolink.edu/members.

Local K-12 school information is managed by the Information Technology Centers, or you can use the Ohio Department of Education website to download data.
 
You may also find the National Center for Education Statistics helpful as you explore Ohio's library landscape.

Can you tell me more about the content that the LCO partners are seeking?

The 2022 ITN will have additional details about the types of resources and the subject areas desired. In the meantime, you may refer to Section 8 of the RFP (Specifications) to see what was requested in the previous bid.

Can you tell me more about the accessibility and authentication requirements for the proposed content?

The 2022 ITN will have additional details about the measures of accessibility and types of authentication required. In the meantime, you may refer to Section 9 of the RFP (Service Elements) to see what was requested in the previous bid.  For more information about W3C WCAG 2.0 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, you may wish to refer to https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref.

Will there be an opportunity to share a trial?

Similar to section 4.22 of 2017 Vendor Response Form, the evaluation committee may request a trial for your product. The Vendor Response Form will ask you for a contact in case of a need for a trial.

Will there be an opportunity to share a demonstration?

Similar to section 4.23 of the 2017 Vendor Response Form, the evaluation committee may request a demonstration. The Vendor Response Form will ask if you can provide a demonstration with a two week notice.

When the RFP is open, who can I contact for help?

If you have any questions about Ariba, the procurement software used for this RFP, please refer to the Help link at the upper right corner of the Ariba website.  Clicking the Help link will enable you to login and make specific requests for help with your account; the Help link will also enable you to register, reset a username, or reset a password.  Please do not contact OSU procurement with questions requiring Ariba support.

If you have any questions about the RFP process or documents after September 21, please contact Jeff Ulrich from The Ohio State University Purchasing Department at ulrich.78@osu.edu. 

 

Note: updates will be made to this FAQ as additional questions arise; the official ITN documents and FAQ will be posted in September 2022.