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<div align="center"><h1><b>Request for Proposal </b></h1><b>Project
Director for the revision of the <i>Standards and Guidelines of Service
for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped<br>
</i></b></div>
American Library Association<br>
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies<br>
<br><br>
<h1><b>I.
Introduction</b></h1> <br><br>
<h2><b>A. Purpose</b></h2>The American Library
Association is seeking an individual to serve as Project Director to
oversee revision of the 2005 <i>Revised Standards and Guidelines of
Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind
and Physically Handicapped</i>. 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.<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>B. Summary of Project<br><br>
<br>
This is a project to oversee revision of the 2005 Revised</i> Standards
and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of
Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped</i>. 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. </b></h2> <br>
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.<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
The project is expected to be completed by October 2011. A schedule for
the project is included in point VII.<br><br>
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.<br>
<i>
<br><br>
</i><h3><b>II. Submission of
Response</b></h3>
Applicants must submit one print copy and one copy on a CD of the
proposal by 4:30pm CT on February 19, 2010 to:<br>
<br>
American Library Association<br>
Attention: Susan Hornung<br>
50 East Huron Street<br>
Chicago, IL 60611-2795<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Questions about the Request for Proposal or requests for further
information should be addressed to:<br>
<br>
Susan Hornung<br>
Executive Director, ASCLA<br>
American Library Association<br>
50 East Huron Street<br>
Chicago, IL 60511<br>
800-545-2433 x4395<br>
312-944-8085 (fax)<br>
<a href="mailto:shornung@ala.org">shornung@ala.org</a><br>
<br><br>
<h1><b>III. Role of Project
Director</b></h1>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.<br>
<br>
This will involve the following responsibilities:<br>
· Arranging meetings for the
Working Team and Advisory Group<br>
· Arranging for public hearings
and presentations before interested groups<br>
· Conducting necessary
research<br>
· Hiring and paying for
services of any project support staff<br>
· Preparing all drafts and
final copies of standards and handling their distribution<br>
· Communicating with the
Working Team and Advisory Committee and handle inquiries from the
field<br>
· Providing progress reports
for the ASCLA Standards Review Committee and for the ALA Standards
Committee<br>
· Working with the Manager of
Web Services and the ASCLA Executive Director regarding the specifics of
the contract and expenditures<br>
<b> <br>
IV. Factors for Selecting Project
Director<br>
</b>
The following factors will be examined to determine the successful
proposal.<br>
<br>
A. Background and Experience<br>
The successful candidate will demonstrate:<br>
1. background and experience with the
network of libraries for the blind and physically handicapped<br>
2. background and experience with library
and other services for persons with disabilities<br>
3. background and experience with the
development and use of library standards and guidelines<br>
4. background and experience with similar
projects and responsibilities<br>
5. background and experience working with
laws covering services for persons with disabilities<br>
<br>
B. Timetable for Carrying Out the Project<br>
The successful candidate will be able to meet the deadlines listed in the
schedule. (See VII) <br>
<br><br>
<h4><b>
V.
Proposal Specifications<br><br>
<br>
</b></h4><h5><b>A. General Instructions</b></h5>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.<br>
<br>
A complete proposal includes:<br>
1. Letter of application<br>
2. Formal proposal (including budget)<br>
3. Attachments as appropriate (resume,
etc.)<br>
4. Five (5) copies of the proposal are due
by 4:30 on Monday, February 19, 2010 <br>
Send to:<br>
American Library Association<br>
Attention: Susan Hornung<br>
50 East Huron Street<br>
Chicago, IL 60611-2795<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br><br>
<h6><b>B. Letter of Application</b></h6>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.<br><br>
<b>C. Formal Proposal <br>
</b>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.
<br>
<br>
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.<br><br>
<b>1. Staffing Section<br>
</b>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.<br><br>
<b>2. Budget <br>
</b>The budget proposal must contain, at a minimum, the following
information (in sufficient detail to show how cost is determined):<br>
· 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.<br>
· Computing/data
tabulation/data gathering costs<br>
· Contracted services<br>
· Miscellaneous costs<br>
· Total cost for project<br>
NOTE: Institutional overhead is <b>not </b>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.<br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>3.
Attachments</b></h1>· The
proposal must include resumes of all project staff.<br>
· Submit the names of three
references that are familiar with your qualifications and
experiences.<br>
<br><br>
<h4><b>VI. Other
Considerations<br><br>
<br>
A. Compensation</b></h4>No more than $20,000 will
be provided for the Project Director’s fee.<br><br>
<b>B. Selection Process<br>
</b>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.<br><br>
<b>C. Contract for Services and Payment Schedule<br>
</b>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.<br><br>
<b>D. Financial Reports<br>
</b>The Project Director will submit financial reports that show, for
each expenditure category in the proposal, what was budgeted and was
actually spent.<br><br>
<b>E. Products<br>
</b>The results of this project will be a revised version of the 2005
<i>Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of
Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped</i>. The final version and all drafts will be submitted to
the ASCLA Executive Director in both a printed and electronic (Microsoft
Word) format.<br><br>
<b>F. Ownership of Materials<br>
</b>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.<br><br>
<br>
<br>
VII. Deliverables and
Meeting
Schedule
BOLD- designates deliverables<br>
<br>
<div align="center">ACTIVITY<br>
DATE<br>
</div>
Schedule of outline established<br>
December 17, 2009<br>
The RFP for the Project Director is announced through the LC/NLS network,
ALA press release, and notices sent to interested individuals<br>
January 31, 2010<br>
<b>Respondents submit their proposals to ASCLA Executive Director<br>
<br>
</b>Feb 19, 2010<br>
Ad Hoc Selection Committee reviews proposals and makes a recommendation
to the ASCLA Board and LC/NLS liaison<br>
March 2, 2010<br>
ASCLA Board selects Project Director<br>
March 6, 2010<br>
ASCLA hires Project Director and draws up contract for services<br>
March 20, 2010<br>
<br>
ASCLA President, with LC/NLS input, appoints Working Team and Advisory
Committee members<br>
March 20, 2010<br>
Working team meeting, <b> </b>(3 days) <br>
Advisory committee meeting, <b>(</b>1 day)<b> <br>
</b>April 2010<br>
Distribution of working paper<br>
May 2010<br>
Working team meeting; Project Director at National Conference of
Librarians Serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals<br>
May 20, 2010, <br>
Des Moines<br>
Working team meeting - ELECTRONIC<br>
June 2010<br>
Working team meeting<br>
<b> <br>
</b>Annual –DC<br>
June 24-30, 2010<br>
Project Director Reports to ASCLA Board<br>
Annual – DC<br>
June 24-30, 2010<br>
Project Director holds public hearings at ALA Annual 2010 <br>
<b> <br>
</b>Annual 2010<br>
June 24-30, 2010<br>
<b>Distribution of first draft<br>
</b>August 2010<br>
Working team meeting<br>
October 2010<br>
Working team meeting <br>
<br>
Midwinter 2011<br>
San Diego<br>
Project Director reports to ASCLA Board<br>
Midwinter 2011<br>
San Diego<br>
Project Director holds public hearings<br>
<b> <br>
</b>Midwinter 2011<br>
San Diego<br>
<b>Distribution of second draft<br>
</b>March 2011<br>
Working team meeting-ELECTRONIC<br>
Advisory committee meeting - ELECTRONIC<br>
March 2011<br>
Working team meeting<br>
Advisory committee meeting<br>
May 2011 (before distribution of proposed standards)<br>
<b>Distribution of proposed standards<br>
</b>May 2011<br>
<br>
Project Director meets with ALA/ASCLA Board<br>
Working Team or Advisory Meetings as needed at ALA Annual 2011<br>
<br>
Annual 2011 (late June) New Orleans<br>
ASCLA Board approval of standards<br>
(or done electronically by August 2011)<br>
<b> <br>
</b>Annual 2011 (late June) New Orleans<br>
<b>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.<br>
<br>
</b>October 2011<br>
<br>
<b> <br>
</b> <br>
<br>
Final 11-30-09 CAD<br>
Rev. Final 12-29-09
SH <br>
Rev. timeline 1-26-10 SH<br>
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