[Blindtlk] Job: Project Director for the revision of the Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

[David Andrews]

Request for Proposal

Project Director for the revision of the 
Standards and Guidelines of Service for the 
Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the 
Blind and Physically Handicapped
American Library Association
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies



I.          Introduction




A.     Purpose

The American Library Association is seeking an 
individual to serve as Project Director to 
oversee revision of the 2005 Revised Standards 
and Guidelines of Service for the Library of 
Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and 
Physically Handicapped. The Project Director will 
facilitate and coordinate all phases of the 
standards development process including managing 
a working team and project advisory committee of 
consumers and librarians. Additional 
responsibilities include arranging meetings for 
the working team and advisory committee, 
scheduling public hearings and presentations 
before interested groups, conducting research, 
preparing drafts and the final copy of the 
standards document and handling distribution, and 
planning project expenditures and managing budgeted funds.



B.     Summary of Project


This is a project to oversee revision of the 2005 
Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for 
the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for 
the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Since the 
last standards were developed, there have been a 
number of significant changes in the operation of 
Network libraries and in the development and use of new technologies.


The revision process will be funded by a grant 
from the Library of Congress/National Library 
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped 
(LC/NLS) to the American Library Association. The 
Association of Specialized and Cooperative 
Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of the ALA, will administer the project.

The project will be carried out under the 
leadership of a Project Director who will be 
hired by ASCLA. Two additional persons will work 
with the Project Director to form a “Working 
Team.” The Working Team will meet regularly 
throughout the project to carry out most of the 
work. A Project Advisory Committee will also be 
appointed to advise the Working Team, review 
draft products, and represent the views and 
concerns of both consumers and librarians. The 
Executive Director of ASCLA will administer the project for ALA.

The project is expected to be completed by 
October 2011. A schedule for the project is included in point VII.

The project budget includes funds for the travel 
expenses of the Project Director, Working Team 
and Advisory Committee. It also provides a fee for the Project Director.



II.        Submission of Response

             Applicants must submit one print 
copy and one copy on a CD of the proposal by 4:30pm CT on February 19, 2010 to:

American Library Association
Attention: Susan Hornung
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611-2795

Proposals not received by the date and time 
specified may not be considered and will be 
returned to the sender marked “LATE RESPONSE.” 
Telefacsimile or e-mail submissions will not be accepted.

Questions about the Request for Proposal or 
requests for further information should be addressed to:

Susan Hornung
Executive Director, ASCLA
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60511
800-545-2433 x4395
312-944-8085 (fax)
<mailto:shornung at ala.org>shornung at ala.org



III.       Role of Project Director

The Project Director will facilitate and 
coordinate all phases of the standards 
development process, with the assistance of the 
Working Team and Advisory Committee. This person 
facilitates the group process of developing the standards.

This will involve the following responsibilities:
·        Arranging meetings for the Working Team and Advisory Group
·        Arranging for public hearings and 
presentations before interested groups
·        Conducting necessary research
·        Hiring and paying for services of any project support staff
·        Preparing all drafts and final copies of 
standards and handling their distribution
·        Communicating with the Working Team and 
Advisory Committee and  handle inquiries from the field
·        Providing progress reports for the ASCLA 
Standards Review Committee and for the ALA Standards Committee
·        Working with the Manager of Web Services 
and the ASCLA Executive Director regarding the 
specifics of the contract and expenditures

IV.       Factors for Selecting Project Director
             The following factors will be 
examined to determine the successful proposal.

A.     Background and Experience
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
1.      background and experience with the 
network of libraries for the blind and physically handicapped
2.      background and experience with library 
and other services for persons with disabilities
3.      background and experience with the 
development and use of library standards and guidelines
4.      background and experience with similar projects and responsibilities
5.      background and experience working with 
laws covering services for persons with disabilities

B.     Timetable for Carrying Out the Project
The successful candidate will be able to meet the 
deadlines listed in the schedule. (See VII)



V.                 Proposal Specifications




A.  General Instructions

The proposal must comply with the content 
requirements detailed in this section. The 
applicant must submit a complete proposal that 
provides proof of experience and qualifications 
to complete the required activities and the 
estimated costs to do so. If the applicant is a 
doctoral student, he/she should send a letter of 
recommendation from a faculty member who agrees 
to supervise work on this project.

A complete proposal includes:
1.      Letter of application
2.      Formal proposal (including budget)
3.      Attachments as appropriate (resume, etc.)
4.      Five (5) copies of the proposal are due 
by 4:30 on Monday, February 19, 2010
Send to:
American Library Association
Attention: Susan Hornung
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611-2795

All costs for the applicant’s proposal 
preparation are the responsibility of the 
applicant and may not be charged to the budget for the study.



B.  Letter of Application

The letter of application must be signed by one 
or more individuals qualified to perform the work 
described. Individuals signing the letter must 
indicate position title. A contact person for 
further information must be identified.

C.  Formal Proposal
The formal proposal must detail methodology, 
scope of work, implementation steps and adherence 
to the schedule. The proposal must provide an 
overview of the approach to be taken in 
completing the tasks required and outline 
specific activities to be undertaken in order to 
produce the required final product.

Any anticipated theoretical or practical problems 
associated with the completion of each task must 
be discussed in the proposal, and solutions, 
alternatives or contingency plans related to 
these problems must be proposed as appropriate.

1.      Staffing Section
The staffing section must present a plan for the 
work that will ensure accomplishment of all 
needed tasks. Staff assigned to the project must 
be identified by name, title, and the amount of 
time devoted to each project task.

2.      Budget
The budget proposal must contain, at a minimum, 
the following information (in sufficient detail 
to show how cost is determined):
·        Compensation, at a per day or other unit 
rate for personnel, and the number of hours 
projected for each individual to complete each 
task within the scheduled timeline.
·        Computing/data tabulation/data gathering costs
·        Contracted services
·        Miscellaneous costs
·        Total cost for project
NOTE: Institutional overhead is not an acceptable 
cost. No more than $20,000 will be spent on the 
fee for the Project Director. The cost of travel 
for the Project Director is provided by the grant 
and does not need to be included in the budget. 
Expenses for telephone, fax, postage and 
duplicating are also covered by the grant and are 
not charged against the Project Director’s fee.



3.      Attachments

·        The proposal must include resumes of all project staff.
·        Submit the names of three references 
that are familiar with your qualifications and experiences.



VI.       Other Considerations


A.     Compensation

No more than $20,000 will be provided for the Project Director’s fee.

B.     Selection Process
The Project Director will be selected from those 
proposals submitted in response to this RFP. The 
proposals will be reviewed by an Ad Hoc Selection 
Committee, comprised of a past ASCLA President, 
the ASCLA Standards Review Committee Chair, and a 
Network Librarian. This Committee will make a 
recommendation to the ASCLA Board of Directors 
for their approval. The Project Director will be hired by ASCLA.

C.  Contract for Services and Payment Schedule
ASCLA will prepare a contract with the Project 
Director that includes the specific 
responsibilities and timetable for the project. 
(The final timetable may vary from the one 
included in the RFP.) It will also clarify a 
schedule for payment that will be negotiated 
between the Project Director and the ASCLA Executive Director.

D.  Financial Reports
The Project Director will submit financial 
reports that show, for each expenditure category 
in the proposal, what was budgeted and was actually spent.

E.   Products
The results of this project will be a revised 
version of the 2005 Revised Standards and 
Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress 
Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped. The final version and all drafts 
will be submitted to the ASCLA Executive Director 
in both a printed and electronic (Microsoft Word) format.

F.   Ownership of Materials
All materials developed, data collected, or 
reports prepared under the terms of this project 
agreement become the property of the ALA. ALA 
reserves the non-exclusive rights to copy such 
material and to publish, disseminate, and 
otherwise use the materials developed under the 
terms of this agreement in print or electronically.



VII.         Deliverables and Meeting 
Schedule                BOLD- designates deliverables

ACTIVITY
DATE
Schedule of outline established
December 17, 2009
The RFP for the Project Director is announced 
through the LC/NLS network, ALA press release, 
and notices sent to interested individuals
January 31, 2010
Respondents submit their proposals to ASCLA Executive Director

Feb 19, 2010
Ad Hoc Selection Committee reviews proposals and 
makes a recommendation to the ASCLA Board and LC/NLS liaison
March 2, 2010
ASCLA Board selects Project Director
March 6, 2010
ASCLA hires Project Director and draws up contract for services
March 20, 2010

ASCLA President, with LC/NLS input, appoints 
Working Team and Advisory Committee members
March 20, 2010
Working team meeting,  (3 days)
Advisory committee meeting, (1 day)
April 2010
Distribution of working paper
May 2010
Working team meeting; Project Director at 
National Conference of Librarians Serving Blind 
and Physically Handicapped Individuals
May 20, 2010,
Des Moines
Working team meeting  - ELECTRONIC
June 2010
Working team meeting

Annual –DC
June 24-30, 2010
Project Director Reports to ASCLA Board
Annual – DC
June 24-30, 2010
Project Director holds public hearings at ALA Annual 2010

Annual 2010
June 24-30, 2010
Distribution of first draft
August 2010
Working team meeting
October 2010
Working team meeting

Midwinter 2011
San Diego
Project Director reports to ASCLA Board
Midwinter 2011
San Diego
Project Director holds public hearings

Midwinter 2011
San Diego
Distribution of second draft
March 2011
Working team meeting-ELECTRONIC
Advisory committee meeting - ELECTRONIC
March 2011
Working team meeting
Advisory committee meeting
May 2011 (before distribution of proposed standards)
Distribution of proposed standards
May 2011

Project Director meets with ALA/ASCLA Board
Working Team or Advisory Meetings as  needed at ALA Annual 2011

Annual 2011 (late June)  New Orleans
ASCLA Board approval of standards
  (or done electronically by August 2011)

Annual 2011 (late June)  New Orleans
Delivery of 25 copies of published product to NLS 
and an electronic copy to be mounted on NLS’s 
Network Library Services (non public) web site.

October 2011




Final 11-30-09 CAD
Rev. Final 12-29-09 SH
Rev. timeline 1-26-10 SH