action - Ottawa Public Library

4
ACTION
Subject:
Approval of purchase of RFID Tags for new material
Prepared by:
Monique Brûlé, Manager, Collection Management
Monique Désormeaux, Division Manager, Service
Excellence
Prepared for:
Ottawa Public Library Board
Meeting of:
January 14, 2013
Date of preparation:
January 2, 2013
RECOMMENDATION
That the Board approve the following purchases from Bibliotheca related to the
RFID tagging of new library material in 2013 totaling $169,303.00
References
Doc 5, Approval of 2012 RFID Tenders, OPL Board, April 16, 2012.
Background
1. RFID has been approved by the OPL Board as a key priority in the 2012-2015
Strategic Plan. RFID is a pillar in the 2013 OPL budget supporting fiscal
sustainability through the implementation of technology. RFID will help address
OPL’s future growth needs, current and foreseeable financial conditions, and
pressures associated with an aging work force.
2. OPL’s equipment is currently a mix of RFID-enabled equipment and barcode
equipment. Since OPL will be transitioning from barcode equipment to RFID
equipment, within a 5 to 8 year project window, there is a need to currently process
new library material with RFID tags and with barcodes. This need will continue until
OPL has completely adopted RFID technology within all of its branches.
Doc. 4
Purchase of RFID tags
January 14, 2013
Page 1 of 3
3. Collection management processes approximately 300,000 new physical items in a
year, which will require double-tagging during the phase-in of RFID technology.
Analysis
1. In April 2012, the Board approved a contract for the purchase through Tender of
RFID tags from Bibliotheca to complete the implementation of RFID tagging of the
existing collection. This purchase is being sole-sourced as a result of the approvals
made by the Board April 16, 2012. A Request for Tender was issued on Merx on 9
February 2012 and closed on 1 March 2012 with eleven (11) vendors submitting
bids. Bibliotheca (Ottawa, ON) was awarded the contract to supply and deliver RFID
Tags based on lowest price and meeting quality standards, and approved by the
OPL Board on April16, 2012.
2. This proposed purchase of additional RFID tags encompassed by this report is being
recommended as OPL is exercising an expressed Follow-on contract provision or
option contained within the original Request for Tender, RFT 18112-52500-T01
document.
3. This Follow-on contract will be for the purchase of RFID Tags that are pre-encoded
and inserted into the newly acquired library materials on an ongoing basis. A
majority of these RFID tags are encoded credit card sized tags + barcode, with an
OPL logo on each tag.
4. All unit prices for the proposed Follow-on Contract purchase were pre-established by
the original competitive bidding process associated with RFT No. 18112-52500-T01.
5. This purchase will provide collection management with a one-year supply of RFID
combo tags, including:
1. Purchase of 30,000 full-coverage tags for discs with OPL logo, at a cost of
$19,458.00
2. Purchase of 45,000 square RFID-barcode combo tags for multimedia items
with OPL logo at a cost of $20,785.00
3. Purchase of rectangular 300,000 pre-encoded RFID-barcode combo tags
for printed material at a cost of $129,060.00
Doc. 4
RFID Tender Approvals
January 14, 2013
Page 2 of 3
Please note that although Collection management processes approximately 300,000
items a year, extra tags are being purchased to allow for possible delays in procurement
of tags in 2014 and to supply the branches with replacement of damaged or missing
tags.
Conclusion
The procurement of RFID goods and services described above is a key component of
the system-wide implementation of RFID at the Ottawa Public Library, and will lay the
groundwork for the success in the project in the years ahead. The OPL is seeking
approval for the purchase of $169,303 of goods.
The additional cost of double tagging was identified within the $270,000
license/maintenance operating pressure in the 2013 budget. Therefore, the first
$100,000 of the total cost of this purchase will be funded through this operating budget
(170005/502445). The remaining cost ($69,303) will be funded through the approved
capital budget 906400 (RFID 2012). As the total cost is within budgeted funds, OPL
staff are recommending that the purchase be made as described above.
Doc. 4
RFID Tender Approvals
January 14, 2013
Page 3 of 3