Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc.

RFP 04-02-10 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Title: Subscription Services for Serials South West Information Network Group, Inc. (SWING)

ATTACHMENT B

Service Requirements Deemed Important In Consideration of Contractor Selection

Offerors shall return a completed copy of this attachment with their proposals, indicating how they will meet each requirement in regard to the scope and suitability of the work to be performed, capability and capacity to fully satisfy contract requirements, the manner in which these services are to be provided, approach to providing the service, and ability to meet schedules. The following section is an itemized checklist of the service requirements to be considered. In the space provided describe the services that will be performed by the contractor. Additional documents may be attached only if necessary. 1. Describe your company’s financial stability, available equipment, and other

resources that will ensure the delivery of acceptable services to SWING. 1.a. Financial Stability. Basch Subscriptions, Inc., is a financially sound, privately held company with the financial resources necessary to service this contract with the South West Information Network Group, Inc. Total sales for 2003: $15,000,000. We pay publishers with each order, except for bill-later or continuation titles, which are paid for upon our receipt of the publisher’s invoice. Our bank references are listed below. Other information is available upon request. Bank References:

Fleet Bank Storrs Street Branch Concord, NH 03301 Contact: Ms. Kathleen McEntee Telephone: (603) 643-1063 Bank of New Hampshire 43 North Main Street Concord, NH 03301 Contact: Ms. Susan Nagle Telephone: (603) 229-5922

1.b. Experience. Since our founding in 1995, our growth has been driven by our customers recognizing the talents of Basch Subscriptions, Inc., to offer unparalleled, cutting-edge service in ordering, invoicing, claiming, and management reports, coupled

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 1.b. (continued) with excellent technology, which are described in this proposal. The company was founded by N. Bernard “Buzzy” Basch and is based on the philosophy of quality serial service that Buzzy developed during 30 years in senior management with Faxon, Turner and EBSCO subscription agencies. Customers of Basch Subscriptions have the right to expect the best from our service and products. We will provide SWING members with personal attention, high quality results, and responsive and efficient service and reporting. Basch Subscriptions, Inc., has the resources and experience to insure that appropriately trained and experienced staff will be assigned to the SWING contract. Basch employs a staff of 24, with an average of four years experience in subscription service, and several of the employees have over 20 years experience in the business. SWING members will have priority service from Basch related to all aspects of the contract. We will allocate whatever amount of time is needed to insure that SWING has a superlative experience with Basch Subscriptions, Inc. As a full-service library subscription agency, the company is organized into two divisions – Operations and Sales and Marketing. Operations personnel will be responsible for servicing the SWING contract. The Operations Manager, Meredith Ritchie, will oversee the contract, along with N. Bernard Basch, founder and President of Basch Subscriptions. Michelle Sawyer will be the assigned Account Manager (AM) for SWING members. As the Account Manager, Ms. Sawyer will be the daily contact and is responsible for the management, administration and service of the contract. She will handle all questions, service requests, and routine maintenance of the account, interact with publishers, maintain the member’s subscription orders, renewals, and claims and abide by contract terms. Ms. Sawyer has access to all company files containing information on client orders, serial titles, rates and publishers, and can provide accurate and timely information. Our client service staff is available by toll-free telephone, fax and e-mail. Other client service staff, claims staff, and the Client Service Manager further support each Account Manager. Our client service department is staffed Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Biographies of key staff follow. Additional information is available upon request. N. Bernard “Buzzy” Basch, President Telephone: (800) 226-5310, buzzy@basch.com Basch Subscriptions is based on the philosophy of quality serial service that Buzzy developed during 30 years in senior management positions with Faxon, Turner and EBSCO subscription agencies. As an internationally recognized expert in subscription services management, Buzzy has close connections with the library community and has held elected and appointed positions in SLA, ASIS, and ALA. He is a fellow of SLA. Buzzy has undergraduate and graduate degrees in business from Washington University in St. Louis and serves on the national advisory committee for that university’s Olin Library. Buzzy Basch co-authored, Buying Serials, A How-To-Do-It Manual for

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 1.b. (continued) Librarians, published by Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. He is also the author of numerous articles on serials management and has taught many courses and seminars on serials management topics and issues. Meredith Ritchie, Operations Manager Telephone: (800) 226-5310; E-mail: Meredith@basch.com Meredith brings over 16 years of management and organizational experience with her to administer the overall day-to-day operations of the Basch Subscription, Inc., Publisher and Customer Service departments. Before joining Basch, Meredith enjoyed working in education and managed a law library. Meredith is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and majored in foreign languages. Shelly Rogers, Customer Service Manager Telephone: (800) 226-5310; Fax: (603) 226-9443; E-mail: shelly@basch.com Shelly joined Basch in 2001, as Customer Service Manager and brings with her a strong background in research. Prior to joining the company, she served as an archival researcher for a documentary film company. She has also worked with NOVA, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and ABC News. Shelly enjoys the close contact she has with libraries and information centers, and although her education focused on marketing, she found research was her true calling. Shelly manages the day-to-day operations of the Customer Service Department, with all customer service staff reporting to her. She ensures that our clients are receiving the best possible service. Michelle Sawyer, Account Manager Telephone: (800) 226-5310; Fax: (603) 226-9443; E-mail: michelle@basch.com Michelle brings with her over 16 years of customer service and administrative experience in a wide variety of fields. She was a Customer Service Supervisor at Fidelity Investments before coming to Basch Subscriptions in January of 2004. She immediately picked up the intricacies of our business and was quickly promoted to Account Manager. She studied Liberal Arts at Southern New Hampshire University with an emphasis on Creative Writing. She is an avid reader and loves to travel to the exotic places she's read about. Janice McIntyre, Sales Executive Telephone: (703) 787-9810; Fax: (703) 787-9817; E-mail: jmcintyre@basch.com Janice McIntyre brings over 25 years experience in service, management, and sales for companies marketing services and products to libraries. She has considerable experience in the Federal market, a thorough knowledge of procurement and acquisitions activities as they apply to the library market and a strong background in service delivery and client satisfaction. Janice spent over 20 years with Faxon, bringing a thorough knowledge of the subscription and library business to her position. She attended Northeastern University and is a graduate of the George Washington University Government Contracts Law Program.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 1.b. (continued) JodieBoutwell, Sales Executive Telephone: (800) 226-5310; Fax: (603) 226-9443; E-mail: jodie@basch.com Jodie joined Basch in 2001, starting in our Claims and Consolidation Department. She was responsible for overseeing the consolidation department’s check-in service and claims processing for the consolidation and regular subscription clients. Prior to joining Basch, she spent eight years in customer service with Cigna Healthcare. Her strong customer service background made her the perfect person to organize and expedite our claiming process. Jodie was recently promoted to a Sales Executive position for schools and public libraries. Service Location:

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. 88 North Main Street Concord, NH 03301 Telephone: (800) 226-5310 or (603) 225-5109 Fax: (603) 226-9443 Website: subs@basch.com or www.basch.com

1.c. Equipment. N. Bernard (Buzzy) Basch, the President and CEO of the company, is a recognized leader and expert in the development of serials management software. He oversaw and developed the software for Basch Subscriptions, Inc. Buzzy has been involved in many seminal software developments in the decades since subscription agencies recognized the importance of automating their processes. He played a key role in managing systems development at Faxon and Turner prior to starting his own company. He took Faxon from the punch-card era to the online environment. Basch Subscriptions, Inc., state-of-the-art serial management software allows us to serve your needs in a seamless and efficient way. All orders, claims, adjustments, billings and reports are handled through this system. The system is written in Visual Fox Pro 7 and resides on a server in our office, with PC’s attached through a local area network. BOSS, the client web-based system, is on the ASP.net platform. We maintain two servers in the office; one for client access to BOSS that has a firewall for security and the other for staff use. A backup server is also maintained offsite. A high-speed printer handles all printing requirements. Files are backed up nightly and are stored in a secure offsite facility. We have system programmers and local network support. The system is enhanced regularly to meet the ever-changing serials environment, with many of these enhancements based on staff and client input. Some of our electronic capabilities are described below.

• Client’s have access to our web-based information system, BOSS – Basch Online Subscription Service, that provides customers with direct and immediate access to details of their subscription accounts and allows them to place orders and claims and make address changes online. See Item 5.a for more information.

• Data is exchanged with clients via FTP or diskette transfer (see Item 5.b).

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 1.c. (continued)

• We have developed EDI in X12 and EDIFACT formats with major automated library systems as clients request it. We have the ability to develop these interfaces for other systems, subject to negotiation. Please see Item 5.b for more information.

• Basch Subscriptions Consolidation Service uses our own PC-based journal check-in system to receive, claim, process, and assemble journals for clients (see Item 45.b).

• We can provide electronic invoices, renewal checklists and management reports (see Item 5.b).

1.d. Other Resources. Basch Subscriptions, Inc., will provide the necessary staff, equipment and other resources to ensure the timely receipt of subscriptions ordered for each of the SWING members. We will provide personal attention, high quality results, and responsive and efficient service and reporting. The services, resources and method by which we will perform all work under the contract are described throughout this proposal. 2. Explain how your company is a prime serials vendor dealing directly with serial

publishers. Basch Subscriptions is a full-service, international subscription agency dealing with clients and publishers worldwide. We have over 300 clients worldwide, with thousands of ship-to addresses and deal with over 30,000 publishers from around the world. We work with all types of clients, including academic, public, school, medical, government, special, and corporate libraries and information centers, end-users, and purchasing organizations. Basch Subscriptions deals directly with publishers or the publishers required supplier to place orders and claims on behalf of clients. We do not use other ‘middle-men’ to accomplish our work. We are a member of the Association of Subscription Agents and Intermediaries. The company was founded in 1995 after Buzzy Basch spent several decades managing subscription agencies, including Faxon, Turner Subscriptions, and EBSCO. Buzzy’s knowledge of our industry is unparalleled. Our growth has been driven by our customers who have recognized our talents and the superior service we provide. 3. Approximate the number of serial publishers you can supply: Basch Subscriptions currently works with over 30,000 publishers worldwide. We can work with any publisher or supplier who will work with subscription agencies.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 4. Approximate the number of serial titles you currently supply: Our title database contains over 262,000 titles. We can order materials in any format, including print, CD-ROM, microfilm, microfiche, and electronic journals and continuations. 5. Please describe the type of electronic support offered and equipment that is

needed to access these services. Basch Subscriptions offers electronic data and access to electronic data in several ways as described below. Our system is capable of handling any type of EDI in X12 or EDIFACT formats. We would be pleased to work with the SWING members on any EDI that is desired. 5.a. Web-based System. Each SWING member that becomes a client of Basch, will have access to BOSS (Basch Online Subscription Service), our web-based system, to track the status of orders and claims, view title information, etc. BOSS is accessed from our Website, www.basch.com. BOSS is password protected and offers a wealth of information on titles, publishers, orders and claims. With BOSS, users can do the following:

• Browse through their orders • View our title database for prices and other publisher information for over

262,000 titles • Place new orders directly online • View billing and shipping addresses • Change delivery addresses • View invoice and payment information • View publisher and payment information • Claim missing issues • View dispatch data • View outstanding claims and publisher responses • View and print their renewal checklist • Process their renewal online (renew, cancel and hold orders) • View check-in data • Maintain client-specific account information • View titles that are part of a membership or combination • Link externally and seamlessly to e-journals • Link to the Library of Congress MARC records • Link to NLM records

BOSS is intuitive and user friendly, with “Help” screens throughout to guide users as necessary. Searching for records is easy and options include title, keyword, ISSN, client-specific data fields, and Basch subscription reference ID (unique identifier assigned to each subscription).

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 5.a. (continued) BOSS is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. It is updated daily to reflect current information at all times. Help Desk staff is available Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. BOSS is accessed via the Internet with Explorer or Netscape browsers. 5.a.1. System Features. With BOSS, users can search the entire catalog for journal titles, or a subset of the catalog containing only their current subscriptions. Users log into BOSS from our Website with a username and assigned password. From the main page users can perform the following functions:

• Help – online help is available on each page for immediate assistance • My Account Information – list of their accounts and sub-accounts; view orders for

the account or ship-to address; view list of outstanding claims; place claims; view publisher claim responses

• Search My Subscriptions – search current subscription orders by title, ISSN, client-specific identifier, or Basch subscription reference ID

• Search My E-journals –view a list of their e-journal subscriptions and link externally to them; there is also a facility for storing access details such as user names and passwords; users can search for specific e-journals or browse their entire list

• Search Title Database – search entire title database and place orders • Index (of all help pages) • What’s New (new features of BOSS)

We continually enhance the system in response to client and staff feedback and to stay abreast of industry trends and changes. Some recent developments and minor cosmetic changes to BOSS are described below.

• Order Checklist: From My Accounts it has always been possible to browse a complete list of your orders by account. When displaying this list, users can now click on a View/print detailed checklist, which will display a list of active orders for the account, together with the title information usually provided on the printed invoices and checklists (with the exception of price, for which only an estimate can be given). This page has been designed with a 'printer-friendly' format.

• Claim Functions: In addition to the order-level claim page, the My Accounts function now allows claim entry. Users can also view all outstanding claims for the account, and view reports on claims and publisher responses.

• Quick Claim: If the user knows the Basch Subscription Reference ID’s of the titles to be claimed, they can use the new "QUICK claim" feature to speed up claim entry. This is accessed from the My Accounts function and allows users to enter several new claims quickly and easily, with a minimum of clicks and button presses.

• Consolidation Functions: Customers who use our consolidation service can view a list of recent dispatches (including dispatch contents) and items that have been

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 5.a.1. (continued)

checked in and will be sent in the next dispatch. These functions are located within My Accounts. Routing/Circulation list users can now view and edit the master list of recipients easily from this page.

Electronic Publications: We have been looking at how electronic publications might be more seamlessly accessible through BOSS. A new button on the main menu, Search My E-journals, provides a familiar search interface to locate orders for electronic journals. Users can click on the e-journal to link externally to it and can use BOSS to store username and password details for these subscriptions.

5. b. Electronic Data Interchange. Basch’s system is capable of handling any type of EDI in X12 or EDIFACT formats, and can provide information via FTP or diskette. We can provide the following data in ASCII, PDF, EDI X12 or EDIFACT formats:

• claims responses • invoices • renewal checklists • management reports

We can receive EDI X12 or EDIFACT formatted orders and claims from Integrated Library Systems that have those capabilities. We also have the ability to receive eye-readable files of orders and claims via Internet FTP. We currently do EDI with several integrated library systems for which client’s have requested it. 5.c. Electronic Ordering and Claiming. SWING members can place electronic orders and claims through BOSS (see above). Order and claims placement through BOSS is easy and users are prompted to enter specific information; other account or title information is automatically included on the screen reducing the amount of input required by the user. 6. The contractor must place all orders directly with publishers and not through

other vendors, jobbers or fulfillment houses.

Basch Subscriptions deals directly with publishers or the publisher’s authorized supplier for the placement of orders. 7. The contractor must enter orders and make payments, as instructed with

publishers throughout the world for serial literature available through agencies on subscription terms and standing order arrangements, except as modified by publisher policies, non-availability, or other uncontrollable restrictions, and to report on such modifications.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. Basch Subscriptions will place orders, with payments, to publishers worldwide for serials that are available to subscription agencies for the subscription terms and standing order arrangements requested by the client, within publisher policies. We report information to 7. (continued) clients on non-availability, changes that affect a subscription, and other uncontrollable restrictions by telephone, e-mail, fax, and through cover letters that accompany renewal checklists and invoices. Orders are processed weekly and rush orders are processed daily. Continuations, or bill laters are paid upon our receipt of the publishers invoice. Orders are sent to publishers two months prior to the expiration date for renewals, or the start date for new subscriptions. Our system automatically handles foreign currency exchange rates. 8. The contractor must handle all correspondence with publishers in regard to

duplication, cancellation, claims, address changes, adjustments, and other service communications.

Basch Subscription handles all correspondence with publishers for duplicated items, cancellations, claims, address changes, adjustments and all other service and subscription-related communications, on behalf of our clients. Please see Item 37 for details on how we handle cancellations. Please see Item’s 28 through 32 for information on claims. 8.a. Duplications. Duplications are handled through our claiming process. We request that clients give us copies of the affected mailing labels so we can assist the publisher in identifying and resolving the duplicate issues. 8.b. Address Changes. Basch staff will make address changes upon request. SWING members can send address change requests to their Account Manager via telephone, fax, e-mail or mail, or can make address changes directly online in BOSS (see Item 5.a). When addresses are changed in the system, an address change notice listing the titles affected is produced that day and is sent to each publisher. 8.c. Adjustments. Basch staff will make adjustments, as necessary. Adjustments are generally related to changes in subscription, quantity, period, format, price or availability. All adjustments are made in our system and are coordinated, as necessary, with the publisher and the client so that all records reflect the correct information. Clients can view adjustments in BOSS. 9. The contractor must assure continued receipt and renewal of subscriptions. Basch helps ensure the continued receipt and renewal of subscriptions as described below.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 9.a. Transfer to Basch. Basch will work with SWING members to ensure a smooth transition and maintain the continuity of subscriptions. We will enter all subscriptions based on lists provided by the member. We can work from a list in any format, including 9.a. (continued) those generated at the Library or by another subscription agency, if the following essential detail is included:

• Bill-to and ship-to addresses, • Subscription titles, • Expiration and/or start dates, • Volume information, where appropriate, • Client-specific coding (cost center, department codes, OCLC numbers, etc.)

In certain instances, we may ask for additional information about titles, such as ISSN, publisher, and publisher address. This occurs when publications have the same or similar title and is intended to insure ordering accuracy. After orders are processed, we will prepare invoices, with checks and orders sent to publishers in a timely manner to ensure the continuity of subscriptions. For orders that are transitioned to Basch Subscriptions from another source, our initial order to the publisher notifies them of the order transfer and notes the previous source of the subscription. The order also includes publisher account numbers, when provided by the client. This information helps publishers recognize that the order is a continuation of an existing subscription and prevents lapses or duplicate issues. We also work closely with new clients to explain our operations and processes and guide them through the account set-up process so they can best take advantage of our services. 9.b. Renewal of Subscriptions. We help ensure continued receipt of renewed items through our standard renewal process, which is described fully in Item 14. By consolidating all orders placed throughout the year and including correct subscription periods and publisher account numbers on our renewal orders, we can help ensure continuation of the subscription. Timing of order placement is also important to the continued receipt of subscriptions. We encourage clients to renew at least two months prior to subscription expiration and preferably early in the year to ensure a timely renewal and receipt of their issues. 10. The contractor must clearly define any service charge as a total dollar amount at

the end of each invoice and provide a detailed explanation of how the service charge is calculated.

Basch’s service charge is listed separately as a total dollar amount at the end of each renewal checklist and invoice. Our service charge is based on the mix of titles on the Library’s list. We bill the client at our subscription price, including any discounts for which the client qualifies (i.e., academic, government, etc.) and any associated shipping,

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. handling or other fees levied by the publisher. If the publisher price does not include a subscription agency discount, we assess a fee to that title (net publisher policy). We assess an account-wide service charge on all the titles for the balance of revenue needed to service the account. Some publishers provide vendor discounts, and others do not. We 10. (continued) apply all discounts received to our projected service costs. Publishers who provide discounts help to contribute to lowering the service charge. Please see Exhibit A for a sample invoice. Client’s who are tax-exempt must provide us with a copy of their exemption certificate, since many publishers require it. Tax-exempt clients are not charged sales tax. 11. The contractor must establish a common expiration date for all subscriptions as

instructed. When this is not possible due to publisher restrictions, an advanced expiration will be established to prevent expiration before next annual renewal.

Our system allows us to have all titles on a client’s list meet a common expiration date and any titles ordered during the year will be prorated to that date if the publisher allows it. When publisher restrictions do not allow a common expiration date to be met, we will initially order the subscription for an additional period (generally a period of one year) to ensure that the subscription will not expire before the next annual renewal. 12. The contractor must offer selective options of one-, two-, and three-year

ordering plans permitting one-third of all titles with discounted and non-discounted rates to be renewed each year.

Basch offers one-, two-, or three-year ordering options to take advantage of reduced multi-year rates, if these options are available from the publisher. We also offer staggered ordering of these subscriptions for budgetary purposes so that one-third of the titles are renewed each year. We work with clients to help them select the option that best meets their needs. Standing orders are placed once, automatically, and will be supplied each year until the client cancels the order. 13. The contractor must respond to inquiries from member libraries within three (3)

working hours. Basch staff will respond to inquiries from member libraries within the same day. Basch Subscriptions assigns a single-point-of-contact to handle each account. The Account Manager (AM) will handle all questions, service requests, and routine maintenance of the account, interact with publishers, maintain subscription orders, renewals, and process claims and abide by the terms of the contract. The AM has access to all company files containing information on the client’s orders, serial titles, rates and publishers, and can provide accurate and timely information. Staff is available by toll-free telephone, fax and

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. e-mail. Other client service staff, claims staff, and the Client Service Manager further support each AM. Our client service department is staffed Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time. 14. The contractor must accept additional orders throughout the year and

automatically merge those titles alphabetically into the following annual renewal invoice so that all titles being handled by the contractor will be listed on a single, updated invoice.

Basch accepts and processes orders anytime during the year. These will be merged into the annual renewal checklist so that all titles due for renewal are on a single document. We will provide each SWING member with an annual renewal checklist several months prior to expiration of all subscriptions. The checklist will contain all titles due for renewal, updated prices, and bibliographic information received from publishers and can be sorted alphabetically or by other sort option desired by the client. The client can make any changes, additions or deletions directly on the list and return it to us for processing. Renewal orders cannot be placed until proper order authorization is received from the client. The renewal checklist is also available electronically as a PDF file. The file can be manipulated and distributed throughout the client’s site (by department, address, cost code, etc.), updated and returned to us for immediate processing of the renewal. Once the renewal is processed, the invoice is produced and is sent to the client. The invoice can be sorted any way desired by the client. 15. The contractor must accept subscription orders on the following basis: (1) “till

forbid”; (2) multiple year plans; (3) renewal authorization required. Basch Subscriptions will accept orders on the following basis: a. “Till forbid” – With this option, we will automatically renew all subscriptions on a

pre-determined date, until told otherwise. b. Multiple year plans – Please see Item 12 for details. c. Renewal authorization required – With this option, we will send the client a renewal

checklist several months prior to the common expiration date. The list can be annotated and returned to us for authorization to order. Please see Item 14 for more information.

16. The contractor must process and confirm new orders within ten (10) working

days after receipt of orders from member libraries.

Basch staff will confirm receipt of new orders and will enter them into our system within ten (10) working days of receipt, but most likely sooner. Order placement with the publisher is keyed to the start date for the subscription. Renewal orders are sent to publishers two months prior to the start date as per standard industry practices. The invoice is confirmation that the order has been processed. 17. The contractor must provide at no charge to member libraries priority handling

and delivery of “rush orders” within fifteen (15) days.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. Rush orders are placed the same day they are received. They are placed by telephone, e-mail or fax when publishers accept credit card payment from us, or via express delivery when payment by check is required. 18. The contractor must release orders and payments to publishers at least forty-

five (45) days before the order starting date for new subscriptions or before the expiration date of renewal subscriptions.

Basch Subscriptions releases orders and payments to publishers sixty (60) days before the order starting date for new subscriptions or before the expiration date of renewal subscriptions. 19. The contractor must notify member libraries within thirty (30) days if unable to

supply a title and must state the reason for non-fulfillment. Member libraries reserve the right to obtain these and any other subscriptions that cannot be provided in a timely manner by the contractor from other source.

Upon receipt of an order for a new subscription, the title is researched in our title database of print and electronic items. If the title is not listed, or the subscription details have not been recently validated, we telephone the publisher (U.S. or foreign) to establish or update the ordering terms. We use standard industry tools, such as Ulrichs, PubList and various Internet searches to locate new titles. We thoroughly research each title requested and update our system with the appropriate bibliographic information. We request that the client provides as complete information as possible so we can accurately identify a title. Information needed includes title (or name of organization), ISSN, and, if possible (for unusual publications or those with generic titles) publisher name, address, volume information, and any other appropriate identifying information. If we are unable to order a title because a publisher does not accept subscription agency orders or if we are unable to locate the title, we will notify the member, together with a reason, within 30-days of our receipt of the order request. Notification is generally included in cover letters that accompany renewal checklists and invoices, or can be handled through e-mail, fax or by telephone. Order fulfillment is the responsibility of the publisher and the client must notify us if a subscription has not started within a reasonable time so we can follow up with the publisher. 20. The contractor must not make any substitutions or additions of titles without the

advance written approval of member libraries on a title-by-title, library-by-library basis.

Basch Subscriptions does not make any substitutions or additions of titles without advance written approval of the client. If a publisher offers a title substitution, we will notify the member and await further ordering instructions.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 21. The contractor must automatically order and invoice for any unscheduled,

additional, or supplemental volumes that are a numbered part of the current year subscription.

We automatically order and invoice all annual and other indexes, special issues, unnumbered supplements and other material that is included in the basic subscription rate. We will notify the member library of items that are not included in the basic subscription rate and will place orders for the material upon receipt of proper order authorization from the library. These will be invoiced upon order authorization. 22. The contractor must process interim orders upon receipt and send interim

invoices for all such orders. Basch Subscriptions will process interim orders upon receipt. Invoices are produced and are sent to clients as the orders are processed. Interim orders will be merged into the annual renewal checklist to ensure continuation of the subscription. 23. The contractor must assign a separate account number for each “ship-to”

address. Our system automatically assigns a separate account number for each billing address and each ship-to address. The system has the capability to store an unlimited number of ship-to addresses for each billing address. The address fields contain 6 lines with 35 characters each. 24. The contractor must provide an itemized invoice, billing each title at the current

published price in effect at the time of the invoice processing. Our invoices itemize the subscriptions ordered and bill the titles at our subscription price as of the date of the invoice, as discussed in Item 10. Invoices can be sorted a variety of ways and we will work with each client to determine the option that best meets their needs. Invoices can be provided in print and electronic formats (PDF, diskette, etc.). Clients can also view their invoices online in BOSS. 25. The contractor must deliver invoices to the address as supplied by member

libraries. We can send any number of invoice copies to any address(es) desired by the client. Invoices will contain the required information, including SWING contract number and/or purchase order number and Basch’s Federal Tax ID.

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Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 26. The contractor must accept credit card payment (American Express, VISA,

MasterCard) without imposing an extra charge. Basch Subscriptions accepts all major credit cards and will not impose an extra charge on the invoice. 27. The contractor must prepay all publishers with each order, except for bill-later,

continuation or billed-as-published titles. Basch prepays all publishers of regular subscriptions with each order. Bill later, continuation, and billed-as-published titles are paid for upon our receipt of the publisher’s invoice and are billed to clients via supplemental invoices. 28. The contractor must provide claim service for missing issues free of charge or

secure an extension of the subscription. Claims may be submitted by mail, telephone, fax or electronically.

Basch will process claims for missing, defective or mutilated issues, or for any appropriate situation, at no additional charge. We request that notification of a claim be reported to us in a timely manner so we can place the claim within the publisher’s claim restriction period and ensure fulfillment. We will request replacement issues, unless an extension of the subscription is requested. The assigned Account Manager and our claims specialists handle all claims for the account. Clients can submit claims to us by telephone, e-mail, fax, mail, electronically through BOSS (see Item 5), and via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) from an Integrated Library System (see Item 5.b). Our goal is to resolve all claims within 45-days and we have established procedures to help us meet that goal and ensure prompt resolution for clients. Claims are entered within 24 hours of receipt in our office and are sent to publishers via e-mail or fax on a daily basis. Urgent claims are telephoned to publishers. Second claims and claims to problem publishers are faxed or telephoned to publishers. We proactively process second claims for clients using a special report that lists all claims that are outstanding for 45 days or more. We do not send claims to publishers via mail as we have found that our more immediate method of claiming produces better results and faster fulfillment for our clients. 29. The contractor must handle all claims with the publisher for materials provided

through the contractor. A monthly summary of claims and their status must be provided to member libraries. On claims for missing issues, the vendor must secure replacement copies free of charge. Securing an extension of the subscription will be accepted only if a replacement copy cannot be secured or at the request of the member library.

Basch Subscriptions will handle all claims with the publisher for all material ordered through us. We automatically provide monthly reports on claims submitted and publisher responses. Claim report formats and frequency can be customized to reflect each client’s

RFP 04-02-10 15 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. preferences. The standard claim report shows a cumulative listing of claims and publisher responses, organized by title, reporting the action taken by Basch Subscriptions. The report should be annotated by the client and returned to Basch so we can reclaim appropriately and close out resolved claims. 29. (continued) On claims for missing issues, we will request replacement issues free of charge. If a publisher assesses a charge for an issue, we will notify the client before securing it. If a replacement copy of an issue cannot be obtained, we will request an extension of the subscription at the request of the member library. We also maintain a missing copy bank in our office as a back issue replacement service. We inventory back issues for the current year and maintain the data online so we always know which issues are in stock. Inventory is received from duplicates received from publishers and we also purchase multiple copies of some popular titles to use as emergency replacements. 30. The contractor must supply all bibliographic and financial information needed

to place a claim for missing issues through the vendor or directly with the publisher.

All claims received are researched in our system to ensure the claim is valid. We check dispatch information and records of receipt for our Consolidation Service clients before placing a claim. All claims sent to publishers include the appropriate bibliographic and financial information. Proof of payment is included for publishers who require it. Clients can view claims information in BOSS.

31. The contractor must provide preprinted claim forms and/or electronic claims for use in claiming missing issues.

We can provide pre-printed claims forms should the member libraries wish to use those. The forms can be customized for each client and will contain our mailing address, telephone and fax numbers and any other appropriate information the client desires. Clients can also enter claims electronically, through BOSS. Please see Item 5 for detailed information. 32. The contractor must submit claims to publishers within five (5) working days of

receipt from member libraries. Basch Subscriptions will submit claims to publishers within five (5) working days of receipt from member libraries. Our goal is to submit them daily, within 24 hours of receipt in our office.

RFP 04-02-10 16 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 33. The contractor must accept library supplied identification numbers (such as

OCLC numbers) or other data and request that publishers include such numbers or data as part of the address label for each subscription.

Basch offers the fields described below in which client’s can store local information. Each field contains 20 alpha-numeric characters. (1). FISL (Financial Information Service Line) – This is a field in which to store financial information, such as cost code. (2). PISL (Publisher Information Service Line) – This is a field in which we store publisher-related information, such as subscriber number or publisher account number. (3). AISL (Address Information Service Line) – This is a special address-related field in which we can store copy-specific information for a client, such as to indicate Copy #1 or Copy #2, or other information to appear on the publisher mailing label. (4). SISL (Special Information Service Line) – This is a free-form field in which the client can store any information related to the subscription, such as local system information, OCLC numbers, etc. 34. The contractor must accept orders for and supply back issues of serials

published during the past year.

Upon request, Basch can order back issues of a title for up to one year prior to the date of the current volume, within publisher policies. These are handled through our normal ordering procedure. If the publisher assesses a fee for the back issue(s), we will notify the client and will order the item(s) upon receipt of authorization. 35. The contractor must attempt to obtain refunds or substitute material from

publishers for any non-expired portions of orders for discontinued publications. Basch Subscriptions will obtain refunds, where applicable, or substitute publications for non-expired portions of subscriptions that have discontinued publication during the subscription period if offered by the publisher. If the publisher assesses additional fees for the substitute materials, we will notify the member library and will order the material upon receipt of proper authorization. We do not refund our service charge. We refund the amount refunded by the publisher after we receive it. 36. The contractor must request publishers to send replacement copies for serials found to be defective, mutilated, damaged, or lost in shipment, provided the loss is reported within the publishers’ announced time frame. Basch will process claims for issues that are missing, defective, mutilated, or are lost in shipment. We request that notification of a claim be reported to us in a timely manner so we can place the claim within the publisher’s claim restriction period and ensure

RFP 04-02-10 17 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. fulfillment. We will request replacement issues unless requested otherwise by the client. Please also see Item 28 for more information on our claiming process. 37. The contractor must accept cancellations, as instructed during the term of an

order (within publisher policies); process written cancellation notices to publishers with acknowledgement of action taken by you; request a refund for all timely cancellations of any non-expired portions of orders and process refunds or credits for the full amounts refunded by the publishers; automatically delete canceled titles from the following main renewal invoice list.

We accept requests for immediate cancellations and ‘cancel at expire’ instructions. Cancellation and refund procedures vary with circumstances and publisher policies. We recommend cancellation at expiration for maximum effectiveness. Most publishers charge a cancellation fee or cancel with no refunds to the customer. A cancellation at any time other than expiration is not usually in your best interest, except in cases of costly materials. It is Basch’s policy not to accept cancellation requests from customers if the subscription term has less than six months remaining. If a title is cancelled before we have sent the order to the publisher, we will refund the full amount paid to us. If the publisher has already been paid, we will notify the publisher of the cancellation and request a refund. Refunds are subject to publisher policies. We will refund the amount refunded by the publisher after we receive it. Titles that are to be cancelled upon their expiration will not be renewed. Titles that are cancelled during their subscription period will not be renewed and are automatically deleted from the renewal checklist. The service charge is not refunded for orders already placed with the publisher. Refunds are in the form of credit memos, unless requested otherwise. Cancellation requests should be sent to us by letter, fax, or e-mail by an authorized staff member. For bill later titles, continuations, or other irregularly published items, the client is responsible for payment of any invoice issued for materials shipped from publishers within 90-days of the cancellation. 38. The contractor must supply, if requested, sample issues, at no charge to

requesting member libraries. Basch will request sample issues at no charge to requesting member libraries. These are subject to publisher policy. Client’s can also link directly to publisher web pages from our website to view information on titles and request sample copies.

RFP 04-02-10 18 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 39. The contractor must provide member libraries, at no charge, a copy(s) of the

current title listing that shows titles available, prices, volume numbering, frequency, and other pertinent information.

Basch Subscriptions title catalog is available on our web-based system, BOSS, at no additional charge. All clients can have access to BOSS. At a minimum, our online catalog contains the following information: (1). Titles (2). ISSN (3). Cost (4). Frequency (5). Enumeration (6). Title changes and cross-references (7). Documented constraints A print copy of our catalog is available upon request. Customized listings of titles ordered by a client are provided through management reports, as described in Item 40. 40. The contractor shall describe the types and formats of reports that can be

generated, schedule for supplying routine reports, list any costs, and include sample copies.

Basch’s state-of-the-art software allows us to produce hundreds of reports based on our clients needs. A flexible report writer allows us to produce reports on any available variable, including title, ship-to name/address, cost center, order control number, frequency, subscription period, price, etc. These reports are tailored to specific requirements by selecting those fields the client wishes to display on the report. All the client needs to do is tell their Account Manager the information that is desired and a report will be customized to those specifications. Reports are available in paper format, as well as ASCII delimited or PDF format. Some of our most frequently requested reports are described below and are available on request, or on any schedule desired. Subscription Profile Report. This report provides a comprehensive view of the client’s subscriptions list and has the ability to identify titles and expenditures by department, fund, ship-to, etc. We offer several levels of sorting and subtotals. This report has a huge variety of formats, sort options and selection criteria. This report contains basically the same information that is on our renewal checklist. Please see Exhibit B. Electronic Journal Reports. We can provide a report listing all e-journals to which a client subscribes. We also offer an electronic journal match report to inform the client of their print journals that are also available in electronic format. Please see Exhibit C.

RFP 04-02-10 19 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 40. (continued) Claims Reports. Reports on claims submitted and publisher responses are produced and are sent automatically to clients each month. Claim report formats and frequency can be customized to reflect the client’s preferences. The standard claim report will show a cumulative listing of claims and publisher responses, organized by title, reporting the action taken by Basch Subscriptions. The report should be annotated and returned to us so we can reclaim appropriately and close out resolved claims. Please see Exhibit D. Ship-to List. We can provide a listing of all ship-to addresses for each billing address. The list can be customized for each client. Please see Exhibit E. 41. The contractor must maintain full and complete records of all financial

transactions processed and, upon request, supply records to the member library. Basch Subscriptions maintains full and complete records of all financial transactions processed, indefinitely. Clients can view this information through BOSS. Upon request, we can provide copies of the records to member libraries. 42. The contractor must submit an annual report of total usage in US dollars of this

agreement to the SWING Contracts Administrator. Annually, Basch Subscriptions will submit an annual report of total usage, in US dollars, of this agreement to the SWING Contracts Administrator. The report can be customized as desired. 43. The contractor must not charge member libraries any delivery charges. Basch Subscriptions does not charge any delivery charges. Any publisher assessed delivery charges for materials ordered are automatically included in the cost of the subscription.

RFP 04-02-10 20 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 44. The contractor must use the list of titles from the member libraries that appear

at the end of this RFP in the Appendix B, “SWING Serials Lists for Performance Capability” to indicate the number of titles that can be supplied from those submitted, the percentage fill rate, the total cost before discount, the total cost after discount, and the % of discount or service charge (discount to be indicated by – and service charge to be indicated by +).

Academic Public School Special # Of titles listed

400 126 102 146

# Of titles that can be supplied

385 of the 400 titles are available to subscription agency and we can supply. Of the 400 titles, 8 are order direct, 7 have ceased.

124 of the 126 titles are available to subscription agents and we can supply. Of the 126 titles, 1 has merged, 2 have ceased.

95 of the 102 titles are available to subscription agents and we can supply. Of the 102 titles, 4 have ceased and 3 are order direct.

137 of the 146 titles are available to subscription agents and we can supply. Of the 146 titles, 5 are order direct, 4 have ceased.

% Fill Rate 100% 100% 100% 100% Total cost before discount

$57,638.58 $6,855.83 $4,351.09 $20,177.67

Total cost after discount

$57,638.58 to $59,944.12

$6,513.04 to $7,027.23

$4,133.53 to $4,459.87

$20,177.67 to $20,984.78

% Discount (-) OR Service Charge (+)

0% to +4% -5% to +2.5% -5% to +2.5% 0% o +4%

RFP 04-02-10 21 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc. 45. The contractor shall specify other services provided. In addition to the services described throughout this proposal, we also offer the following services. 45.a. Electronic Journal Services. With the rapid growth of e-journals, the traditional role of the subscription agent is expanding. Basch Subscriptions, Inc., navigates e-journal complexities and manages the labor-intensive processes to insure that our customers have access to e-journals. Basch provides our customers the multi-pricing options offered by publishers and price transitions/alterations are handled appropriately. In addition, Basch will collect crucial information, such as access control, registration requirements, licensing terms and conditions, and all current pricing options. Basch will communicate with clients as proactively as possible to relay information we receive from e-journal publishers. Basch’s aim is to keep our customers up-to-speed with developing information and new electronic availability. Because there are no standards for e-journals, they vary by publisher and by title. Basch partners with our customers for e-journal ordering and management and offers the following services:

• Obtain subscriber number(s) from publishers. • Set-up single and multiple user access. • Obtain and enter IP, e-mail addresses, and passwords. • Facilitate the processes related to those publishers who require single and multiple

user site licenses. • Provide pricing information for titles in all formats, e.g., paper/hardcopy only;

paper and electronic formats; electronic only. This information is displayed on customer invoices, renewal checklists and all reports.

• Trouble-shoot all aspects of e-journal management and delivery with publishers and e-journal fulfillment services.

• Establish links for customers to access all e-journals ordered through Basch via BOSS. BOSS provides a familiar interface to locate orders for electronic journals, as well as link externally to those journals.

• BOSS can be used to store username and password details for your electronic subscriptions.

45.b. Consolidation Service. Basch has provided a journal consolidation service for many years. With this service, we receive the journals you designate, check them in, process them to your specifications, and forward the shelf-ready issues to you by the frequency, packing, and delivery methods of your choice. We verify that all issues are in good condition, claim them if they are not or if they are missing, and ship them to the library or any location designated.

RFP 04-02-10 22 7/23/2004

Basch Subscriptions, Inc. South West Information Network Group, Inc.

RFP 04-02-10 23 7/23/2004

45.b. (continued) Journals are checked-in to Basch's automated serials control system, which predicts the upcoming issue and notifies us of missing or lapsed issues. We can provide a variety of statistical management reports upon request. Our standard consolidation service includes check-in, claiming and packing slips. Monthly bills will list the number of issues checked in and the appropriate check-in fee, as well as shipping charges. The exact shipping charges are passed through to the client. Additional services, such as those listed below, can be provided for an extra fee. • Routing slips • Circulation slips • Spine labels • Attachment of client supplied security labels • Date stamp • Property stamp • Packing slips • Call number labels • Shipment to more than one location • Special packaging requirements • Special labeling requirements