Library Archives Services: Collection reconfiguration, storage and retrieval

Concepts

• library and archive
• norwich
• bespoke services
• collection reconfiguration
• uea library
• bespoke academic library collections
• library
• library archives services
• its ongoing library collections reconfiguration project
• its ongoing library collections project

Location

Description

UEA Library intends to enter into a contract with Archive Vault in respect of the services described below. The proposed contract has a term of 5 years. "Library and archives services: collection reconfiguration, storage and retrieval " is an expansion of an existing service used by UEA Library for its ongoing Library collections reconfiguration project. The service is essential as it provides bespoke services that enable the Library to "right size" its physical collections and maximize the space available for study over a planned project timescale.

Total Quantity or Scope

"Library and archive services" covers bespoke academic library collections cataloguing, classification, moving, storage, retrieval, scanning, archiving and disposal service and is the existing service used by UEA Library for its ongoing Library collections project. The contract involves the scaling up of the existing custom logistics solution based on existing bespoke workflows and bespoke software. The solution has been engineered to minimize disruption to library users whilst maximising the return on investment from having set up a bespoke solution in which all the above services are interrelated.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 92510000 - Library and archive services

Legal Justification

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed Below: 32(2)(b) "where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons":- (ii) competition is absent for technical reasons Explanation: This award is lawful in accordance with the regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) because the competition is absent for technical reasons. UEA Library has used the bespoke services of Archive Vault since July 2018, and the system is an essential component of the Library's collection management infrastructure such that any splitting up of the services would have a detrimental effect on the day to day running of the Library's current and future services. Academic Libraries like UEA are increasingly using off site storage options for their collections. What makes this project more complex than simply off site storage is that UEA Library is also combining this off site storage move with a bespoke collections "right-sizing" project requiring selective de-accessioning, withdrawal and disposal of stock. This requires consultancy, specialist knowledge of the UEA collections, appropriately trained staff, the ability to keep track of stored and withdrawn materials, the ability to return or scan material in high demand, and adherence to ISO standards for quality and security. At the present time it would be impossible for UEA Library to procure an alternative economic operator to provide this service as all the current and future stock needs to be managed using the same retrieval software under its bespoke configuration, otherwise the existing stored collections would have to be de-accessioned at great cost and re-catalogued to fit with another service providers cataloging schedules which are unlikely to be suitable for library specific stock. A change of service provider would dramatically increase the risks of stock loss and disruption of existing retrieval services would be high and the Library services could not cease for the duration of such a transfer of services. This would also mean we were unable to keep to our project timescales. The cataloguing of the UEA material is bespoke and has been devised through consultancy between UEA and Archive Vault. The current solution has also been devised to maximise the sustainability of the solution, ensuing a local company to keep transport costs as low as possible, and bespoke scanning services where possible to avoid unnecessary journeys. It is key that stability of provision is ensured over the next few years to allow proper consideration of the above mentioned aspects. No other economic provider would be able to provide this bespoke service at this time and in the timeframes required.

Other Information

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