1. A Partnership Approach to Collaborative Book Agreements
Susan Wright
8th November 2017

2. Overview My background History of our Book Agreements
Current status of book agreements in England and Wales HE
Approach to our most recent book tender
Lessons learnt
Contract Management

3. Procurement Professional
Ex Head of SUPC
Worked with librarians for over 22 years
Managed the first collaborative book tender
Subsequently managed 7 collaborative book tenders

4. Development of Book Agreements since 1996
1st Agreement (SUPC only) awarded in 1997 following collapse of net book agreement. Shelf Ready Service in development with a couple of institutions.
2nd Agreement (2002) Shelf Ready Service was the norm
Period of stability in the marketplace – emergence of e-books
Mid 2000’s a bespoke e-book agreement – different supply market from print books
2009 onwards combined e-book and print agreements for multiple English regional consortia

5. Where we are now
5 English HE library consortia, Welsh HE and FE library consortium participate in new agreement
Almost 300 institutions participating
Annual value of agreement estimated to reach £90m
Greater involvement with library directors and other relevant sector bodies

6. The 2017 Book Tender Supply Market Research
Pre
Tender
Supply Market Research
Sector Research – all bodies working together
Multi disciplinary tender working group – develop strategy
The Tender
PIN in OJEU
Market Engagement
Contract Notice in OJEU - Open Procedure
Contract Management
Implement the agreement – launch & buyers guide
Meetings with suppliers
Measure and monitor KPIs

7. Pre Tender - Key Activities
Work formally started 18 months prior to contract start date
Tender Working Group established comprising librarians and procurement
Engage all interested sector bodies – SCONUL, Jisc Collections
Listen to acquisition librarians
Supplier Research – informal meetings with suppliers

8. Contract Objectives
A sector wide approach that reflects the current market but allows flexibility (e.g. e-reader and Ebook platform development)
Transparent pricing with flexible models to allow member choice
Current and appropriate content to be available through aggregators
EU Compliant route to market – in a market where new commercial models are often introduced
Complement national Ebook negotiations with publishers led by Jisc

9. Contract benefits to be delivered
A sector e-book requirements document for aggregator and publisher supplied content that guides contract management and supplier strategy
An easy to use EU compliant route to market for print and Ebooks in a supply market that is constantly introducing new commercial models
Improved, clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to support the robust performance management and tighter control of pricing compliance by supplier
Price transparency with a choice of pricing models to suit member requirements

10. E-Books The Big Challenge!!
Ever evolving business models
The role of aggregators
Continuity of access
Poor service
The Publisher Big Deal?

11. HE Sector E-Book Requirements
SCONUL (library directors), Jisc and procurement met to draw up their vision for e-book provision
Summarised this in a 4 page document
Each representative body sought feedback from their key stakeholders
December 2016 e-book requirements paper published to the sector for feedback and then finalised

12. Main e-book imperatives
High Quality Student Experience
Expectation that all books are available in the library at no additional cost
Seamless equity of access for all titles and across all users
distance learners
at partner institutions
or ‘walk-in’

13. Specific e-book requirements
E-book Availability
E-book Models
Affordability
Usability
DRM
Accessibility
Guarantee of Access
Usage Statistics and Management Information
Metadata and Discovery

14. Initial strategy for the Book tender
Lot 1 – English Language Print (library stock)
Lot 2 – English Language Print (non-library stock)
Lot 3 –Library Ebooks and sub-Lots
Lot 4 – Ebooks Course Materials
Lot 5 – Standing Orders
Lot 6 – Mainland European Language Books and English Language Books Published in Mainland Europe
Lot 7 – Individual Staff & Student Sales
Books Agreement
English Language Print
Standing Orders – Include E??
European Language Material
Ebooks
Individual Staff & Student Sales

15. Supplier Engagement Day
Invited all potential suppliers who had responded to our PIN and others known to us to an information and discussion day – presented strategy and e-book requirements paper
Sought market feedback before finalising tender approach

16. Changes to Initial Tender strategy
Lot 1 – English Language Print (library stock) – Shelf Ready Mandatory
Lot 2 – English Language Print for institution purchase (mainly non-library stock)
Lot 3 –Library Ebooks and sub-Lots (see next slide)
Lot 4 – Ebooks Course Materials – E textbook access (see next slide)
Lot 5 – Standing Orders
Lot 6 – Mainland European Language Books and English Language Books Published in Mainland Europe
Lot 7 – Individual Staff & Student Sales
Books Agreement
English Language Print
Standing Orders – Include E??
European Language Material
Ebooks
Individual Staff & Student Sales

17. Changes to E- book Lots 4 E- book sub-Lots 2 E-textbook sub-Lots
Individual title or package purchase for access on aggregator’ own platform
Individual title or package purchase for access on third-party platform
Patron/Demand Driven Access
Subscriptions
4 E- book sub-Lots
Supplier negotiated terms with publisher for offer to institutions
3rd party/institution negotiated terms with publisher for access via Supplier/Aggregator platform
2 E-textbook sub-Lots

18. Tender Strategy 30 slides outlining
Supplier Market analysis
Risks
CSR considerations
SWOT analysis
Pricing Strategy
Tender Evaluation Criteria
Expenditure profile
Consultation with all potential users of the agreement

19. New features of agreement
NAG standard servicing standard for printed material encouraged
Standard e-book license developed by sector for purchase and subscription models – all suppliers to use the same
Recognition that e-textbook pricing model is different ; separate Lots for e-textbooks
Requirement to provide access to content should supplier cease trading – access to be available within 6 months of contract award, otherwise we reserve the right to terminate the agreement
Sales to Staff & Student Lot has facility for library/inst profit share with supplier

20. The Result!
Awarded all Lots within timescale (despite having 72 tender clarification questions when out to tender) and no challenge ☺
Lot
No of Suppliers
1 – EL Print Books for Libraries 6
2 – Mainland European Language Books
3 – Standing Orders 4
4 – EBooks
4.1 Titles on Aggregator Platform
4.2 Titles on 3rd Party Platform via Aggregator
4.3 PDA
4.4 Subscriptions 2 3
5 – E Textbooks on Aggregator Platform
5.1 Price negotiated by 3rd party – eg inst or Jisc Price negotiated by Aggregator
6 – English Language Books for Inst Departments
7 – Sale to Staff and Students

21. Our Achievements
Contractual framework for aggregators, publishers, institutions and other sector bodies to work together to better understand the supply chain to deliver more efficiencies etc to institutions
Flexible agreement that allows technical innovation and new business models within the scope of the agreement
Wide choice of good suppliers for institutions
Ability to compliantly use a range of suppliers without undergoing a further competition

22. Our Achievements
Standard e-book license saving time for institution when choosing a supplier
Security of access to e-content should an aggregator cease trading
Some more savings – average 1% on print
Ability to drive further savings through further competitions (either individual institutions or groups of institutions)

23. Ensure that there is no ambiguity in the tender evaluation questions
Review selection criteria – make sure that key suppliers can meet all the selection criteria
Emerging business models meant that some suppliers could not provide customer references
Testing of platforms on devices such as i-pads was very difficult
Test bibliographic sites did not have live book prices.

24. Next Stage Identify requirement – specification
Supplier Research & develop strategy
Source suitable suppliers – tender
Award and Manage Contract
Supplier Research to understand the marketplace

25. Award and Implement the Agreement
Produce a Buyers Guide
Summary of Lots Awarded
Suppliers Awarded and Contact Details
Headline Terms
Supplier Contact Details
Sector Contract Management Contact Details
Guidance on Calling-off from the Contract
Implementation Webinar for Libraries
Launch Event Libraries and Suppliers

27. How we manage our contracts
Establish a contract management team – librarians and procurement
Hold regular contract management meetings
Regular reports from suppliers on their performance – sales, supply times, adherence to KPIs
Survey libraries for their supplier feedback and performance scores from libraries
Discuss supplier/market developments and areas to increase efficiencies/reduce costs

28. Tips for good collaboration
Be honest
Clearly outline what you want to achieve
Listen to each other
Be accommodating to each other’s arguments
Look for common ground
Try and understand each other’s language
Make the process as simple as possible
Challenge each other and others around you
Align objectives and ask questions
Remember, together you can be a formidable team