City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Library
Meeting Date: September 15, 2025
Report #:2506-4846
TITLE
Approval of Contract Amendment Number 1 to Contract C21177635B with Ingram Library Services in the amount of $255,000 for Print Materials and Services for a new not-to-exceed (NTE) of $455,000; and Contract Amendment Number 1 to Contract C21177635C with Midwest Tape in the amount of $53,000 for Media and Digital Materials and Services for a new not-to- exceed (NTE) of $753,000; CEQA Status – Not a Project.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute:
Amendment No. 1 to Contract C21177635B with Ingram Library Services (Attachment A), increasing the not-to-exceed (NTE) amount by $255,000, for a new total NTE of $455,000, to support the acquisition of print materials and services. Amendment No. 1 to Contract C21177635C with Midwest Tape (Attachment B), increasing the NTE amount by $53,000, for a new total NTE of $753,000, to support the acquisition of media and digital materials and services.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff recommends amending the City’s contracts with Ingram Library Services and Midwest Tape. These amendments will reallocate funds from Baker & Taylor’s contract to vendors that have demonstrated consistent, timely service. Staff have faced consistent and significant performance issues with Baker & Taylor—originally the City’s primary vendor for print materials. This adjustment ensures the community’s continued access to print, media, and digital materials without increasing the total cost among the City’s vendors for these services.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, the Library issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify qualified vendors for the acquisition and delivery of print, media, and digital library materials and related services. The
RFP resulted in three six-year contracts, approved by City Council on June 22, 2020.1 All three contracts have a six-year term of July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2026. Contract C21177635A – Baker and Taylor
oTotal NTE for six years = $2,000,000
Contract C21177635B – Ingram Library Services
oTotal NTE for six years = $200,000
Contract C21177635C – Midwest Tape
oTotal NTE for six years = $700,000
Following the RFP process, Baker & Taylor was selected as the primary vendor for print, media and digital materials and services, with Ingram and Midwest Tape designated as secondary vendors.
Over the course of FY25, Baker & Taylor’s performance declined significantly, with numerous orders delayed or unfulfilled. In March, the vendor abruptly canceled over 1,000 backordered items without notice, depriving the Palo Alto community of timely access to new and popular materials. In response, staff worked with Ingram and Midwest Tape to replace the canceled items. Both vendors fulfilled the replacement orders promptly and reliably.
ANALYSIS
To ensure uninterrupted service to the community and continued access to new and high- demand books and media, staff recommends reallocating $308,000 in funds from Baker & Taylor’s contract (C21177635A) as follows:
$255,000 to Contract C21177635B – Ingram Library Services $53,000 to Contract C21177635C – Midwest Tape
This reallocation ensures continued access to high-demand materials, reflects vendor performance and maintains service quality. The current contracts, which were competitively awarded, are in their sixth and final year and will expire on June 30, 2026. Staff will initiate a new RFP process in advance of that date.
This adjustment results in net zero fiscal impact, and the total not-to-exceed (NTE) amount of $2,900,000 across all three contracts remains unchanged, as shown in this table:
1 City Council, June 22, 2020, agenda item 26, staff report # 11398, https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=57607&repo=r-704298fc&searchid=d68ce02a-f768-4a04- a9f3-e3d190743a01
Staff does not plan to formally amend the Baker & Taylor contract to reflect this decrease but will instead manage the spending at a staff level. These contracts themselves do not obligate the City to pay any amount of money to the vendors — the City is charged only for the orders it places under the contract. Staff plans to place no more than $50,000 worth of orders with Baker & Taylor in FY26.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for these contract amendments is available in the Library’s Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget and does not require additional appropriations. The proposed reallocation of $308,000 from Baker & Taylor’s contract reduces its not-to-exceed (NTE) amount and increases the NTEs for Ingram Library Services and Midwest Tape accordingly. This adjustment results in a net zero fiscal impact, as the total NTE across all three contracts remains unchanged.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Library staff worked closely with Ingram and Midwest Tape as well as with the ASD Purchasing Division during the development of this contract amendment.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because approval of this contract amendment—related to the procurement of library materials—is an administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5)).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Contract Amendment Number 1 to C21177635B Ingram Library Services Attachment B: Contract Amendment Number 1 to C21177635C Midwest Tape APPROVED BY:
Gayathri Kanth, Library Director
6 Years
NTE orginalDecreaseNTE amendedNTE orginalIncreaseNTE amendedNTE orginalIncreaseNTE amendedYear 1 - FY21 (July 1 '20 to June 30 '21)$210,000 $210,000$20,000 $20,000$110,000 $110,000 Year 2 - FY22 (July 1 '21 to June 30 '22)$358,000 $358,000$36,000 $36,000$118,000 $118,000 Year 3 - FY23 (July 1 '22 to June 30 '23)$358,000 $358,000$36,000 $36,000$118,000 $118,000 Year 4 - FY24 (July 1 '23 to June 30 '24)$358,000 $358,000$36,000 $36,000$118,000 $118,000 Year 5 - FY25 (July 1 '24 to June 30 '25)$358,000 $358,000$36,000 $36,000$118,000 $118,000 Year 6 - FY26 (July 1 '25 to June 30 '26)$358,000$308,000$50,000$36,000$255,000$291,000$118,000$53,000$171,000 TOTAL life of contract$2,000,000 $1,692,000$200,000 $455,000$700,000 $753,000 Contract C21177635A - BAKER & TAYLORContract C21177635B - INGRAM Contract C21177635C - MIDWEST TAPE