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Massachusetts Statewide Delivery/Sorting Solution Request
for Information (RFI)
and Request for Proposal (RFP)
The six Massachusetts regional
library
systems issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a new model for
statewide library delivery services. We are seeking innovative
solutions to centralize sorting for some 12-14 million items per year,
provide overnight delivery for virtually all materials with improved
accuracy, and to reduce the workload, improve efficiency, safety, and
ergonomics at libraries. We are currently reviewing responses to
our recent RFI.
We plan to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) by June 2010.
RFI Information (closed 8/17/09)
Download the RFI: Word PDF RTF (rich text
format)
RFI Issued: July 7, 2009
Responses Due: August 17, 2009
Download responses to questions of interest to potential respondents:
PDF Word Final Update 8/14/09
Download video of Central
Massachusetts Regional Library System sort site: WMV
View video of Newton Free Library's
sorting area on a very busy day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwMnDB90NfU
RFI Related Documents
2009 Regional Delivery Samples,
download Excel
2008 Massachusetts Library Delivery
Consultants' Report, download PDF
Library Branches and Bookmobiles in Massachusetts, download Excel
The
links from section 2.3.1 "Transportation Issues" in the RFI listed
below do not work in all browsers, so we are
repeating them here: A map showing delivery stops in each region,
network affiliation (color-coded) of each stop (if applicable),
address, expected number of items delivered per day, expected number of
items shipped out per day and distance from Woburn is available for
each region on Google Maps. In one region (WMRLS), the delivery
service is
handled in-house with customized trucks owned by the region.
Sorting
is mostly done on the trucks along the route and the rest is done at
the WMRLS HQ (indicated by a yellow push pin in the above WMRLS
map).
While sorting on the trucks is not generally considered an optimal
solution, there may be some benefit to the approach because of the
relatively light volume of material handled at each location, the
condition of the roads (many are rural, dirt roads) and the distance
between libraries. See Consultant's Report (Appendix B) for more
information.
BRLS
CMRLS
Metrowest
NMRLS
SEMLS
WMRLS
For further information about Massachusetts library delivery services,
see: http://www.nmrls.org/msdc
This RFI is the product of a
Committee that
was formed with the following charge: Investigate the establishment of
a single, automated, central sort for all regions. Working group will
develop a detailed cost/benefit analysis (including costs to networks
and libraries) and will perform a review of case studies in libraries
and industry that will help identify successes and pitfalls and use
this research to develop a report that examines costs related to a
single automated central sort. For information about the Committee
planning this RFI, see: http://autosort.pbworks.com/