- Title
- eBook and eAudiobook Platform
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AGENCY/DEPT
133 State Street, 5th Floor | Montpelier VT 05633-8000
802-828-2211 phone |802-828-2222 fax
http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing
SEALED BID
Request For Proposal
State of Vermont eBook and eAudiobook Platform
ISSUE DATE July 13, 2026
QUESTIONS DUE July 27, 2026 – 4:30 PM (EST)
RFP RESPONSES DUE BY August 3, 2026 – 4:30 PM (EST)
Please be advised that all notifications, releases, and addendums associated with this
RFP will be posted at:
http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php
The state will make no attempt to contact interested parties with updated information. It is the
responsibility of each bidder to periodically check the above webpage for any and all
notifications, releases and addendums associated with this RFP.
STATE CONTACT: Tom McMurdo
E-MAIL: Thomas.McMurdo@vermont.gov
Bidders shall put as the subject line of any email pertaining to this RFP as “eBook and
eAudiobook Platform”
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OVERVIEW:
1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the Vermont
Department of Libraries (hereinafter the “State”) is seeking to establish contracts with one or
more companies that can provide a statewide eBook and audiobook platform.
1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of two (2) years with
an option to renew for up to three additional twelve-month periods. The State anticipates the
start date for such contract(s) will be November 1, 2026.
1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be addressed
in writing to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted contact
with any other individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited and may result
in disqualification.
1.4. BIDDERS’ CONFERENCE: A bidders’ conference will not be held.
1.5. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of this
RFP or wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific questions in
writing no later than the deadline for question indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions
may be e-mailed to the point of contact on the front page of this RFP. Questions or comments
not raised in writing on or before the last day of the question period are thereafter waived. At
the close of the question period a copy of all questions or comments and the State's responses
will be posted on the State’s web site http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Every effort
will be made to post this information as soon as possible after the question period ends,
contingent on the number and complexity of the questions. All information provided by vendors
during this process will be public and bidders shall not provide confidential information, except
as described in 4.1 below.
1.6. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the State
through the issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at
http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Modifications from any other source are not to be
considered.
1.7. SOURCE OF FUNDS:
This project is being funded in whole or in part using federal monies. If a bidder requires
assistance in preparing their proposal or needs guidance on socioeconomic certifications, the
bidder may contact the VT APEX Accelerator. The APEX Accelerator specializes in helping small
businesses navigate the documentation associated with State and Federal procurement. Their
website is: http://apex.vermont.gov
2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES:
Please note in your reply to the RFP if you cannot meet any requirements below. If you cannot meet
any requirement at the anticipated outset of the prospective contract, but can in a later phase of the
contract, please also note this in your reply to the RFP.
2.1. The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids to meet the following business need(s):
2.1.1.The Department of Libraries provides an eBook and audiobook lending service for public libraries in
Vermont. This service expands the eBook and eAudiobook options for all public libraries, whether
they already offer content through another provider or not. The content is also available for individuals
in Vermont, whether they are temporary visitors, or their library doesn’t participate in this offering yet.
This service fills a critical need for the people of Vermont.
2.1.2.This platform will be open to enrollment by all Vermont public libraries through a contract managed by
the State of Vermont, with optional eligibility for academic and school libraries. The platform will
include an audiobook and eBook library with the capability to add additional titles across the duration
of the contract. Preference will be given to a platform that can aggregate content from different
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distributors, whether purchased by the State, consortia, or by participant libraries. Content purchased
by the State of Vermont will be available to all member libraries.
2.1.3.This request continues an eBook and eAudiobook program that is provided at no cost to 135 current
member libraries, but is open to all 186 Vermont public libraries, and optionally available to academic
and school libraries. Information about Public libraries, including circulation, borrower numbers, and
population, is available here (https://libraries.vermont.gov/services/news/public-library-statistics). Bids
must include detailed granular pricing.
The State will be billed under one account with a single bill to the State of Vermont.
Scope of Work:
2.1.4.Authorization & Authentication: To further privacy and security interests, the State of Vermont strives
to use a single sign on identity provider (IDP) called myVermont (built on Okta) where possible to
make State Services available to the public under a single set of credentials. See
https://info.my.vermont.gov/. The Department of Libraries is interested in having its own offerings use
myVermont where appropriate and applicable. Library patrons are likely to access other state
resources via myVermont, making knowledge of the product useful to library staff. In addition, for
similar security and privacy reasons, the State prefers the use of its own employee IDP (Microsoft
Entra) for State Employee authentication. The specific authentication requirements are as follows:
2.1.4.1. Preference for library staff authentication (non-state employees) with myVermont (Okta) as
the identity provider via SAML 2.0 or OIDC.
2.1.4.2. Preference that Patrons are given two options for logging in:
2.1.4.2.1. A non-email-based option using patron library card numbers, with an alternative
non-email approach available for those libraries without access to SIP2; and
2.1.4.2.2. a myVermont login as an authentication option (which requires an e-mail
username).
2.1.4.3. Preference for State employee staff authentication to use the State's Entra identity provider
via SAML 2.0 or OIDC.
2.1.4.4. Where either state IDP is used, Login shall be routed through either State identity provider
login page consistent with SAML or OIDC standards as well as State standards. State IDP
standards include, among others: (i) user identity anchored to a persistent subject identifier
(e.g., OIDC "sub" claim) issued by the State's identity provider; (ii) logout the application and
SSO session simultaneously; (iii) new users provisioned under least privilege by default, with
access elevated only after administrator approval within the application; and (iv) authentication
implemented and validated in test application and IDP environments before UAT testing begins.
2.1.4.5. For bidders that can only connect with a single external identity provider, myVermont can
be used as the sole identity provider and the State can handle routing internal users to Entra.
2.1.5.Licensed content: all items within this contract will be available to users at all participating libraries.
This does not preclude individual purchases by libraries for their specific users.
2.1.6.Implementation: the vendor will provide a detailed implementation schedule.
2.1.7.Statistics and reporting: granular statistics of circulation by item type and collection, tied to specific
libraries, should be readily accessible through reports. Such reports should be accessible by the
State, and the State must have administrative privileges in the system. Preference will be given for
platforms that permit member libraries to run reports and generate statistics.
2.1.8.Training: The vendor must provide a range of training materials for end users as well as materials and
webinars for staff at individual libraries and at the Department of Libraries.
2.1.9.Marketing support: The vendor must provide marketing materials, online in printable form, printed, or
both. Such materials must be customizable to include the Department of Libraries logo and the IMLS
logo. The vendor will work with the State to create such materials.
2.1.10. Technical support: this database should not limit sessions. Access to the database should be 24
hours a day, seven days a week, except for scheduled maintenance. Non-emergency scheduled
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maintenance should occur during off-peak hours and must be warned a minimum of 72 hours in
advance. Uptime should not fall below 99%. Direct technical support to users should be available
every weekday during business hours.
2.2. The State’s Functional and Non-Functional Requirements are provided below:
2.2.1.Non-Functional requirements:
2.2.1.1. Hosting: Any hosting provider must provide for back-up and disaster recovery models and
plans as needed for the solution. Any hosting provider will abide by ITIL best practices for
change requests, incident management, problem management and service desk.
2.2.1.2. Application Solution: Vendor must provide for the backup/recover, data retention and
disaster recovery of a contracted/hosted application solution. Vendor must provide for
application management and design standard of all technology platforms and environments for
the application solution (Development, Staging, Productions, DR, etc.).
2.2.1.3. Security: Vendor must comply with requirements in attachments C and D.
2.2.1.4. Data Compliance: Solutions must adhere to applicable State and Federal standards,
policies, and laws including NIST 800-171 for publicly available data.
2.2.2.Functional requirements:
2.2.2.1. Circulation:
2.2.2.1.1. Check out ebooks and audiobooks.
2.2.2.1.2. Renew items.
2.2.2.1.3. Return items early.
2.2.2.1.4. Download items so they can be available without internet access.
2.2.2.2. Reading:
2.2.2.2.1. Read ebooks.
2.2.2.2.2. Change font size and style, create bookmarks, and move between chapters.
2.2.2.3. Listening:
2.2.2.3.1. Listen to audiobooks.
2.2.2.3.2. Change playback speed.
2.2.2.3.3. Skip ahead or back in small increments or chapters, create bookmarks, and move
between chapters.
2.2.2.4. Compatibility:
2.2.2.4.1. Available Android app (list oldest compatible version of Android).
2.2.2.4.2. Available iOS app (list oldest compatible version of iOS).
2.2.2.4.3. If you offer a patron-facing web-interface for searching/reading/listening, list any
major web browsers it is not compatible with.
2.2.2.5. Search:
2.2.2.5.1. Filter by genre, audience age, item availability, and format. Preference given for
filter by language.
2.2.2.6. Holds:
2.2.2.6.1. Place Holds.
2.2.2.6.2. See # of users on hold list.
2.2.2.6.3. See their own holds.
2.2.2.7. Notifications:
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2.2.2.7.1. Receive notifications through the app.
2.2.2.8. Account information:
2.2.2.8.1. Optionally see their own circulation history.
2.2.2.9. Libraries:
2.2.2.9.1. Libraries can purchase items individually for their own patrons.
2.2.2.9.2. These items can be transferred to the main collection if no longer needed.
2.2.2.10. Admin interface:
2.2.2.10.1. Customizable organization for application display.
2.2.2.10.2. Prefer ability to report bugs from within the application.
2.2.2.10.3. Prefer ability to hide items depending on target populations.
2.2.2.10.4. Easy content migration from other platforms.
2.2.2.11. Privacy: All public libraries, including as administered by the State, are required under 22
V.S.A., Chapter 4, to keep Patron registration and transaction records confidential. The State
also seeks to go beyond statutory requirements where possible to preserve Patron privacy. The
Department of Libraries is interested in solutions that help assure Patrons that privacy is an
inherent part of all participating library offerings. For eBook and audiobook platform solutions,
the State is interested in privacy features including but not limited to, the following:
2.2.2.11.1. Compliance with 22 V.S.A., Chapter 4. Depending on the nature of the solution(s),
and the State’s agreements with participating entities, the State may operate as an “agent”
22 V.S.A. § 172(b)(2) in facilitating eBook and audiobook lending. At a minimum, the
solution(s) shall attain compliance within the chosen lending ecosystem.
2.2.2.11.2. Patron information, when kept for authentication purposes (see above), for notice
purposes, or otherwise, shall not be transferred between participating entities without
appropriate consent systems with logging in place.
2.2.2.11.3. If the state can access information of Patrons not originating with the State library,
appropriate consent systems with logging must be in place.
2.2.2.11.4. Under Attachment C to any contract, State Data is defined broadly to include all
data generated in connection with the Contract. Depending on the nature of the
solution(s), and the State’s agreements with participating entities, the State may elect for
some data to be owned and controlled by participating entities—with the State possibly
maintaining data related enforcement rights on their behalf. Accordingly, the State is
interested in bidders amenable to appropriate placement of data rights suited to the
offered solution.
2.2.2.12. AI Controls.
2.2.2.12.1. Any proposed solution that uses automated decision-making or artificial
intelligence systems, as defined in 3 V.S.A. § 3305(a)(2) or § 5021, to process State Data
in any way must be disclosed in the Technical Response and is subject to the AI Usage
Disclosure Form requirement in the Bid Submission Checklist.
2.2.2.12.2. The State prefers solutions that can disclose to Patrons whether any eBook or
audiobook content available through the platform was produced with the assistance of
artificial intelligence, to the extent that such information is known to the vendor, disclosed
by the content distributor, or recorded in State or library system records.
3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
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3.1. PRICING: Bidders must price the terms of this solicitation at their best pricing. Any and all costs
that Bidder wishes the State to consider must be submitted for consideration. If applicable, all
equipment pricing is to include F.O.B. delivery to the ordering facility. No request for extra
delivery cost will be honored. All equipment shall be delivered assembled, serviced, and ready
for immediate use, unless otherwise requested by the State.
3.1.1. Prices and/or rates shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract. The pricing policy
submitted by Bidder must (i) be clearly structured, accountable, and auditable and (ii) cover the
full spectrum of materials and/or services required.
3.1.2. Cooperative Agreements. Bidders that have been awarded similar contracts through a
competitive bidding process with another state and/or cooperative are welcome to submit
the pricing in response to this solicitation.
3.2. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS: The State shall have the authority to evaluate Responses and select
the Bidder(s) as may be determined to be in the best interest of the State and consistent with the
goals and performance requirements outlined in this RFP. The State of Vermont reserves the
right to obtain clarification or additional information necessary to properly evaluate a proposal.
Failure of bidder to respond to a request for additional information or clarification could result in
rejection of that bidder's proposal. To secure a project that is deemed to be in the best interest of
the State, the State reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with
or without cause, and to waive technicalities in submissions. The State also reserves the right to
make purchases outside of the awarded contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the
State.
3.2.1. Best and Final Offer (BAFO). At any time after submission of Responses and prior to the
final selection of Bidder(s) for Contract negotiation or execution, the State may invite
Bidder(s) to provide a BAFO. The state reserves the right to request BAFOs from only those
Bidders that meet the minimum qualification requirements and/or have not been eliminated
from consideration during the evaluation process.
3.2.2. Presentation. An in-person or webinar presentation by the Bidder may be required by the
State if it will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will factor information presented
during presentations into the evaluation. Bidders will be responsible for all costs associated
with providing the presentation.
3.3. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:
3.3.1. Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCOI): An OCOI arises when a bidder as a
business entity has interests (for example, customers, partners, contracts) that could
undermine, or reasonably be perceived to undermine, its faithful and unbiased performance
of a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation.
3.3.2. Personal Conflict of Interest (PCOI): A PCOI arises when an interest held by an
individual, agent or employee of a bidder could undermine, or reasonably be perceived to
undermine, its faithful and unbiased performance of a contract with the State that may result
from this solicitation.
3.3.3. Requirements: The State does not seek to contract with any individual or business entity
having a conflict of interest which cannot be mitigated to the State’s satisfaction. To ensure
the State’s awareness of actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs and OCOIs,
bidders shall:
a) Prior to submitting a proposal, conduct an internal review of its current affiliations and
activities and identify actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs or OCOIs relative
to a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation.
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b) Disclose in your proposal any actual or potential PCOI or OCOI or the existence of any
facts that may cause a reasonably prudent person to perceive a PCOI or OCOI with
respect to a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation. Disclose, also,
any actions proposed to mitigate the PCOI or OCOI.
3.3.4. The State shall have sole discretion to determine whether a PCOI or OCOI can be
mitigated to the State’s satisfaction and may discuss the conflict with the bidder if and to the
extent the State deems discussion necessary to its determination. The State reserves the
right to (a) reject from further consideration any proposal having a PCOI or OCIO that cannot
be mitigated to the State’s full satisfaction and (b) terminate a contract upon discovery that a
contractor failed to disclose facts pertaining to a PCOI or OCOI in its proposal, or otherwise
misrepresented relevant information to the State.
3.4. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with Section 32
of The Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), Bidders must comply with
the following provisions and requirements.
3.4.1. Self Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidder shall complete the
appropriate section in the attached Certificate of Compliance for purposes of self-reporting
information relating to past violations, convictions, suspensions, and any other information
related to past performance relative to coding and classification of workers. The State is
requiring information on any violations that occurred in the previous 12 months.
3.4.2. Subcontractor Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidders are hereby
notified that upon award of contract, and prior to contract execution, the State shall be
provided with a list of all proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’ subcontractors,
together with the identity of those subcontractors’ workers compensation insurance
providers, and additional required or requested information, as applicable, in accordance
with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54). This
requirement does not apply to subcontractors providing supplies only and no labor to the
overall contract or project. This list MUST be updated and provided to the State as additional
subcontractors are hired. A sample form is available online at
http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing-contracting/forms. The subcontractor reporting form is
not required to be submitted with the bid response.
3.5. EXECUTIVE ORDER 05-16: CLIMATE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS IN STATE
PROCUREMENTS:
For bid amounts exceeding $25,000.00 Bidders are requested to complete the Climate Change
Considerations in State Procurements Certification, which is included in the Certificate of
Compliance for this RFP.
After consideration of all relevant factors, a bidder that demonstrates business practices that
promote clean energy and address climate change as identified in the Certification, shall be
given favorable consideration in the competitive bidding process. Such favorable consideration
shall be consistent with and not supersede any preference given to resident bidders of the State
and/or products raised or manufactured in the State, as explained in the Method of Award
section. But, such favorable consideration shall not be employed if prohibited by law or other
relevant authority or agreement.
3.6. METHOD OF AWARD: Awards will be made in the best interest of the State. The State may
award one or more contracts and reserves the right to make additional awards to other compliant
bidders at any time if such award is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. All other
considerations being equal, preference will be given first to resident bidders of the state and/or to
products raised or manufactured in the state, and then to bidders who have practices that
promote clean energy and address climate change, as identified in the applicable Certificate of
Compliance.
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3.6.1. Evaluation Criteria: Consideration shall be given to the Bidder’s project approach and
methodology, qualifications and experience, ability to provide the services within the defined
timeline, cost, and/or success in completing similar projects, as applicable, and to the extent
specified below.
Evaluation criteria and weight:
Evaluation Factors Total Points for This Criterion: 100
Cost 35
User experience 25
Platform compatibility across devices 5
Platform compatibility with multiple vendors’
content and existing collections
25
Back-end administration 10
3.7. CONTRACT NEGOTIATION: Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State may select
one or more bidders with which to negotiate a contract, based on the evaluation findings and
other criteria deemed relevant for ensuring that the decision made is in the best interest of the
State. In the event State is not successful in negotiating a contract with a selected bidder, the
State reserves the option of negotiating with another bidder, or to end the proposal process
entirely.
3.8. COST OF PREPARATION: Bidder shall be solely responsible for all expenses incurred in the
preparation of a response to this RFP and shall be responsible for all expenses associated with
any presentations or demonstrations associated with this request and/or any proposals made.
3.9. CONTRACT TERMS: The selected bidder(s) will be expected to sign a contract with the State,
including the Standard Contract Form and Attachment C as attached to this RFP for reference. If
IT Attachment D is included in this RFP, terms may be modified based upon the solution
proposed by the Bidder, subject to approval by the Agency of Digital Services.
3.9.1. Business Registration. To be awarded a contract by the State of Vermont a bidder
(except an individual doing business in his/her own name) must be registered with the
Vermont Secretary of State’s office https://sos.vermont.gov/corporations/registration/ and
must obtain a Contractor’s Business Account Number issued by the Vermont Department of
Taxes http://tax.vermont.gov/ .
3.9.2. The contract will obligate the bidder to provide the services and/or products identified in its
bid, at the prices listed.
3.9.3. Payment Terms. Percentage discounts may be offered for prompt payments of invoices;
however, such discounts must be in effect for a period of 30 days or more in order to be
considered in making awards.
3.9.4. Retainage. In the discretion of the State, a contract resulting from this RFP may provide
that the State withhold a percentage of the total amount payable for some or all deliverables,
such retainage to be payable upon satisfactory completion and State acceptance in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.
3.9.5. Quality. If applicable, all products provided under a contract with the State will be new
and unused, unless otherwise stated. Factory seconds or remanufactured products will not
be accepted unless specifically requested by the purchasing agency. All products provided
by the contractor must meet all federal, state, and local standards for quality and safety
requirements. Products not meeting these standards will be deemed unacceptable and
returned to the contractor for credit at no charge to the State.
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4. CONTENT AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES: The content and format requirements listed below are
the minimum requirements for State evaluation. These requirements are not intended to limit the
content of a Bidder’s proposal. Bidders may include additional information or offer alternative
solutions for the State’s consideration. However, the State discourages overly lengthy and costly
proposals, and Bidders are advised to include only such information in their response as may be
relevant to the requirements of this solicitation.
4.1. Unsolicited Bidder-Confidential Information Prohibited. Bidders are hereby expressly
directed not to include any confidential information in their proposal submissions, except as
specifically permitted below. By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, bidders
acknowledge and agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined in this document, including
the prohibition on submitting confidential information. This prohibition reduces the burden on the
State while preventing bidder-confidential information from entering the public record.
4.2. Disclosure under Public Records Act. All information received by the State in response
to this solicitation will become part of the contract file and subject to public disclosure in
accordance with the State’s Public Records Act, 1 V.S.A. § 315 et seq. The State may also
choose to publicly post responses to this solicitation and the resulting agreement(s), following
conclusion of this procurement process.
4.3. Unsolicited Confidential Materials. This RFP does not solicit bidder confidential
information and bidders are expressly prohibited from providing confidential information in
response to this RFP. All materials furnished by bidders in response to this RFP, including those
marked as confidential by bidders, are subject to disclosure if requested under the Public Records
Act, or public posting.
4.4. State Not Responsible for Disclosure of Unmarked Bidder-Confidential
Information. It is the sole responsibility of the bidder to ensure that, other than where specifically
directed or permitted by this RFP and accordingly marked as described below, no information that
should not be publicly disclosed is included in their proposal materials, including any 1) trade
secrets or intellectual property, 2) proprietary financial or business information, 3) personal
information, or 4) any other information that should not be disclosed to the public. For example,
bidders should avoid including specific details of their proprietary technologies or methodologies
that they consider confidential, and any references to previous client engagements should be
presented in a manner that does not disclose the client's confidential information.
4.5. The bid should include a Cover Letter and Technical Response and Price Schedule.
4.6. COVER LETTER:
4.6.1. Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions. If a bidder wishes to propose an exception
to any terms and conditions set forth in the Standard Contract Form and its attachments,
such exceptions must be included in the cover letter to the RFP response. Failure to note
exceptions when responding to the RFP will be deemed to be acceptance of the State
contract terms and conditions. If exceptions are not noted in the response to this RFP but
raised during contract negotiations, the State reserves the right to cancel the negotiation if
deemed to be in the best interests of the State. Note that exceptions to contract terms may
cause rejection of the proposal, and that the State’s non-rejection of a proposal on this basis
does not indicate acceptance of the exceptions.
4.7. TECHNICAL RESPONSE. In response to this RFP, a bidder shall:
4.7.1. Provide details concerning your form of business organization, company size and
resources.
4.7.2. Describe your capabilities and particular experience relevant to the RFP requirements.
4.7.3. If you have experience working with the State of Vermont, identify all current or past State
projects. Provide the name of the Vermont department or agency and the project title or a
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brief description of the work. Do not include references or statements from State of Vermont
agencies or employees.
4.7.4. Identify the names of all subcontractors you intend to use, the portions of the work the
subcontractors will perform, and address the background and experience of the
subcontractor(s), in response to the questions described above in this section.
4.8. REFERENCES. Provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three companies
with whom you have transacted similar business in the last 12 months. You must include contact
names who can talk knowledgeably about performance. Do not list a State of Vermont agency or
employee as a reference.
4.9. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Provide a sample of any reporting documentation that may be
applicable to the Detailed Requirements of this RFP.
4.10. PRICE SCHEDULE: Bidders shall submit their pricing information in the Price Schedule
attached to the RFP.
4.11. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE: This form must be completed and submitted as part
of the response for the proposal to be considered valid.
5. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
5.1. CLOSING DATE: Bids must be received by the State by the due date specified on the front page
of this RFP. Late bids will not be considered.
5.1.1. The State may, for cause, issue an addendum to change the date and/or time when bids
are due. If a change is made, the State will inform all bidders by posting at the webpage
indicated on the front page of this RFP.
5.1.2. There will not be a public bid opening. However, the State will record the name, city and
state for any and all bids received by the due date.
5.2. ELECTRONIC BIDS ONLY: All bids under this RFP must be submitted electronically in
accordance with the submission requirements herein.
5.2.1. Electronic bids will be accepted via email submission to
Thomas.McMurdo@vermont.gov . The subject line of the email submission must
reference the Project Title as indicated on the front page of this RFP.
5.2.1.1. Bids must consist of a single email with a single, digitally searchable PDF attachment
containing all components of the bid. Multiple emails and/or multiple attachments will
not be accepted.
5.2.1.2. There is an attachment size limit of 40 MB. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to
compress the PDF file containing its bid if necessary in order to meet this size
limitation. It is also the Bidder's responsibility to ensure that their own email system
can send and receive messages up to this size.
5.2.2. Bids may also be submitted through Vermont’s eProcurement System, VTBuys, link to the
system can be found:
https://vtbuys.suppliers.vermont.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen
%2fbuy%2fho mepage
6. BID SUBMISSION CHECKLIST:
Cover Letter
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 11 of 23
Technical Response
AI Usage Disclosure Form (required only if the proposed solution uses any automated decision or
artificial intelligence systems, as defined in 3 V.S.A. § 3305(a)(2) or § 5021, to process State Data
in any way). Complete the AI Usage Disclosure (12-19-2025) at
https://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing-contracting/forms.
References
Price Schedule
Signed Certificate of Compliance
7. ATTACHMENTS:
7.1. Certificate of Compliance
7.2. Price Schedule
7.3. Worker Classification Compliance Requirement; Subcontractor Reporting Form
7.4. Standard State Contract with its associated attachments, including but not limited to, Attachment
C: Standard State Provisions for Contracts and Grants (February 13, 2026)
7.5. Attachment D - System Implementation rev 12.09.25
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 12 of 23
RFP/PROJECT: eBook and eAudiobook Platform
DATE:____________
Page 1 of 4
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
For your bid to be considered valid, this form must be completed in its entirety, executed by a
duly authorized representative of the bidder, and submitted as part of the response to the
proposal.
A. NON COLLUSION: Bidder hereby certifies that the prices quoted have been arrived at without
collusion and that no prior information concerning these prices has been received from or given to
a competitive company. If there is sufficient evidence to warrant investigation of the bid/contract
process by the Office of the Attorney General, bidder understands that this paragraph might be
used as a basis for litigation.
B. CONTRACT TERMS: Bidder hereby acknowledges that is has read, understands and agrees to
the terms of this RFP, including Attachment C: Standard State Contract Provisions, and any other
contract attachments included with this RFP.
C. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT: In accordance with Section 32 of
The Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), the following provisions and
requirements apply to Bidder when the amount of its bid exceeds $250,000.00.
Self-Reporting. Bidder hereby self-reports the following information relating to past violations,
convictions, suspensions, and any other information related to past performance relative to
coding and classification of workers, that occurred in the previous 12 months.
Summary of Detailed Information Date of Notification Outcome
Subcontractor Reporting. Bidder hereby acknowledges and agrees that if it is a successful
bidder, prior to execution of any contract resulting from this RFP, Bidder will provide to the State a
list of all proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’ subcontractors, together with the identity of
those subcontractors’ workers compensation insurance providers, and additional required or
requested information, as applicable, in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), and Bidder will provide any update of such list to the State
as additional subcontractors are hired. Bidder further acknowledges and agrees that the failure to
submit subcontractor reporting in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54) will constitute non-compliance and may result in
cancellation of contract and/or restriction from bidding on future state contracts.
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 13 of 23
RFP/PROJECT: eBook and eAudiobook Platform
DATE:____________
Page 2 of 4
D. Executive Order 05 – 16: Climate Change Considerations in State Procurements
Certification
Bidder certifies to the following (Bidder may attach any desired explanation or
substantiation. Please also note that Bidder may be asked to provide documentation for
any applicable claims):
1. Bidder owns, leases or utilizes, for business purposes, space that has received:
Energy Star® Certification
LEED®, Green Globes®, or Living Buildings Challenge℠ Certification
Other internationally recognized building certification:
____________________________________________________________________________
2. Bidder has received incentives or rebates from an Energy Efficiency Utility or Energy
Efficiency Program in the last five years for energy efficient improvements made at bidder’s
place of business. Please explain:
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Please Check all that apply:
Bidder can claim on-site renewable power or anaerobic-digester power (“cow-power”). Or
bidder consumes renewable electricity through voluntary purchase or offset, provided no
such claimed power can be double-claimed by another party.
Bidder uses renewable biomass or bio-fuel for the purposes of thermal (heat) energy at its
place of business.
Bidder’s heating system has modern, high-efficiency units (boilers, furnaces, stoves, etc.),
having reduced emissions of particulate matter and other air pollutants.
Bidder tracks its energy consumption and harmful greenhouse gas emissions. What tool is
used to do this? _____________________
Bidder promotes the use of plug-in electric vehicles by providing electric vehicle charging,
electric fleet vehicles, preferred parking, designated parking, purchase or lease incentives,
etc..
Bidder offers employees an option for a fossil fuel divestment retirement account.
Bidder offers products or services that reduce waste, conserve water, or promote energy
efficiency and conservation. Please explain:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Please list any additional practices that promote clean energy and take action to address
climate change:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 14 of 23
RFP/PROJECT: eBook and eAudiobook Platform
DATE:____________
Page 3 of 4
E. Executive Order 02 – 22: Solidarity with the Ukrainian People
By checking this box, Bidder certifies that none of the goods, products, or materials offered in
response to this solicitation are Russian-sourced goods or produced by Russian entities. If Bidder
is unable to check the box, it shall indicate in the table below which of the applicable offerings are
Russian-sourced goods and/or which are produced by Russian entities. An additional column is
provided for any note or comment that you may have.
Provided
Equipment or Product Note or Comment
F. Certification Regarding Use of Contract Funds for Lobbying - Applicable to contracts over $100,000.00
when federal monies are involved - this clause must be included in all subcontracts over $100,000.00.
1. The prospective contractor certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, under the penalties of
perjury under the laws of the State of Vermont and the United States that on behalf of the person, firm,
association, or corporation he or she represents, that:
a. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to
any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee
- Issue Date
- Jul 13, 2026
- Due Date Raw
- 08/03/2026 04:30PM
- Categorized By
- llm-nc
- Detail Fetched
- Yes
- Questions Due Raw
- 07/27/2026 04:30PM
