Update on the RFP Process for CDL-Hosted Databases

Members of the Steering Committee for the RFP process have organized various forums on their campuses during December and January to provide opportunities for librarians, library staff, faculty, and students to learn about why a replacement for the Melvyl Catalog and other CDL-hosted databases is being considered, and to gather their concerns and suggestions.  Meanwhile, CDL staff have been re-organizing and editing the RFP draft to reflect the committee’s recommendation to offer three alternatives to potential bidders.  A vendor may choose to bid on the union catalog database server, the abstracting and indexing database server, and/or the user interface.  This flexibility will also allow the CDL and reviewers more options for assessing a reasonable strategy and timetable for replacement, if a decision is made to move forward.

The draft RFP will go to the all-campus groups (HOPS, HOTS, LTAG, CDC, and RSC) the week of February 14.  These groups will be asked to canvas experts on their campuses and provide a response to specific sections of the RFP (e.g., HOPS will be asked to comment on the user interface section).  They may also comment on the document as a whole.  Another draft incorporating this round of feedback will be available early in April for a final review before the RFP is completed at the end of April.

In addition, the committee plans to leave up the online survey [ http://websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/2734/cdlhosted.htm ] through April. Responses are being tabulated at [ http://www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/melvyl/