Summary Sheet- RFCA SUMMARY

CITY OF TEMPE
Meeting Date: 01/22/2026  
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Agenda Item: 7B5
ACTION:  Award two-year contracts with three, one-year renewal options to Children’s Plus, Inc; 
Ingram Library Services; Mackin Educational Resources; and Midwest Tape, LLC., for the purchase of 
library materials and associated processing and cataloging services for the Tempe Public Library.
FISCAL IMPACT:  The total cost of the contracts will not exceed $600,000. Sufficient funds have been 
appropriated in the General Fund, Cost Center 2440 (Library), for anticipated expenditures during the 
current fiscal year and next fiscal year, contingent upon City Council approval of the City’s annual 
budget.
RECOMMENDATION:  Award the contracts.
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:  (RFP 26-039) The City issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to 
establish a contract for the purchase of library materials and associated processing and cataloging 
services for the Tempe Public Library. This contract will cover materials for both adult and juvenile 
collections, including but not limited to print books, Spanish-language materials, and DVD and Blu-ray 
video recordings, to be purchased on an as-needed basis. This contract supports the City’s goals of 
promoting early literacy, educational excellence, and equitable access to diverse library resources, 
ensuring patrons have timely access to high-quality materials and services.
Evaluation Process
The City issued notices of this opportunity to all registered firms for this commodity, along with 
advertising in the Arizona Business Gazette.  A total of 61 firms downloaded the RFP from the City’s e-
procurement portal, resulting in the submission of nine (9) proposals from the following firms:

Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc.

Children’s Plus, Inc.

Ingram Library Services, LLC.

Mackin Educational Resources

Midwest Tape, LLC.

MT Library Services dba Junior Library Guild

Phoenix Book Company

The Penworthy Company

The Reading Warehouse, Inc.

2
The proposals were evaluated by a committee composed of Community Services and Procurement staff 
across two categories: Books/DVD’s and Blu-Ray Video Recordings. The evaluation results are 
presented in the tables below, listed in rank order.
Category 1: Books
Award Criteria
Weight
Ingram 
Library 
Services
Mackin 
Educ. 
Resourc
es
Children
’s Plus, 
Inc.
The 
Reading 
Warehou
se
Bound 
to Stay 
Book
The 
Penwort
hy 
Compan
y
Phoenix 
Book 
Compan
y
MT 
Library 
Service
s
Cost
20
160
160
160
160
120
120
200
120
Firm’s 
Experience to 
include 
references
15
150
130
135
60
110
110
45
105
Quality and 
Compliance of 
Materials
15
150
110
100
75
70
60
65
35
Processing and 
Cataloging 
Services
15
125
120
110
80
60
40
45
55
Integration with 
Polaris ILS
10
100
100
80
36.7
0
0
0
10
Inventory 
online system; 
Fill rate; 
Turnaround 
Time
10
93.3
90
76.7
56.7
50
50
33.3
40
Collection 
development 
services
10
96.7
83.3
76.7
43.3
73.3
70
46.7
20
Overall 
response to the 
RFP and 
acceptance to 
the City’s terms 
and Conditions
5
40
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
Total Points:
915
843.3
788.4
561.7
533.3
500
485
435
Initial Ranking:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Discount Off:
29%
20%
27%
27%
10%
0%
40%
0%
The discount referenced above represents the average discount applied to the titles most frequently 
ordered under this contract, including general trade hardcover books, children’s books, and young adult 
titles.
Category 2: DVD and Blu-Ray Video Recordings
Award Criteria
Weight
Midwest 
Tape, LLC.
Ingram 
Library 
Services, 
LLC
Mackin 
Educational 
Resources
Phoenix 
Book 
Company
Cost
20
160
120
120
200
Firm’s Experience to include 
references
15
150
150
130
70
Quality and Compliance of Materials
15
125
150
110
65
Processing and Cataloging Services
15
135
125
120
45
Integration with Polaris ILS
10
100
100
100
0
Inventory online system; Fill rate; 
Turnaround Time
10
100
93.3
83.3
33.3
Collection development services
10
93.3
96.7
83.3
53.3

3
Overall response to the RFP and 
acceptance to the City’s terms and 
Conditions
5
50
40
50
50
Total Points:
913.3
875
796.6
516.6
Initial Ranking:
1
2
3
4
Discount Off:
25%
8%
5%
40%
The discount referenced above represents the average discount applied to DVD and Blu-Ray video 
recordings.
Recommendation
The evaluation committee recommends that contracts be awarded to the three highest-scoring firms by 
category: Ingram Library Services. LLC., Mackin Educational Resources and Children’s Plus, Inc. for 
Category 1: Books; and Midwest Tape, LLC., Ingram Library Services, LLC. and Mackin Educational 
Resources, for Category 2: DVD and Blu-Ray Video Recordings. Each recommended firm demonstrated 
the capacity to provide an extensive and diverse selection of library materials and video recordings, 
along with comprehensive cataloging and processing services that support efficient library operations. 
All firms have proven experience working with public libraries of comparable size and scope, offer 
competitive discounts, maintain reliable inventory systems with strong fill rates and timely turnaround, 
and have confirmed compatibility with the City’s Polaris Integrated Library System.
ATTACHMENTS:  Vendor Offer Forms
STAFF CONTACT(S):  Jessica Jupitus, Deputy Community Services Director - Library, (480) 350-
5254
Department Director:  Laura Calder, Financial Services Director  
Legal review by:  Dave Park, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Prepared by:  Cecille Lewis, Procurement Officer