June 25, 2024
Library and Community Services
DATE: June 25, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Kate Eppler, Deputy Director of Community Services –
Library
Christopher Larsen, Library Services Manager
Subject:
Sole-Source Contract with Playaway Products LLC
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Expense not to exceed $20,000 annually over the three- year term of the contract will be funded by the Library operating budget (01242755-400262)
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
11/16/2021
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Library seeks approval of a sole source contract with Playaway Products LLC to pay past invoices and
purchase additional products.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE the sole-source contract with Playaway
Products LLC for a term beginning July 1, 2023, and
ending June 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed
$20,000 per year and $60,000 over the life of the contract to provide and support Launchpad tablets and
Wonderbooks designed for library circulation -
Community Services Department (Kate Eppler 510-620-
5452/Christopher Larsen 510-620-5524).
AGENDA
REPORT
June 25, 2024
DISCUSSION:
In 2021 the Library received a $10,000 grant from the Pacific Library Partnership for the purchase of Playaway-branded learning devices from Findaway World, LLC. This funding was accepted and appropriated on November 16, 2021. During the term of the contract, Findaway World sold the Playaway brand to Bertelsmann Publishing Group.
Consequently, when invoices were received, there was a discrepancy between the contracted party and the billing entity on the invoices. The existing contract expired prior to successful resolution of this discrepancy and submitted invoices could not be processed due to this discrepancy.
Playaway products include Launchpads (self-contained learning tablets), Wonderbooks (print books with an attached audiobook recording), and Playaways (pre-loaded audiobook players) which come pre-loaded with apps and learning content for reading development, math, and exploration of science topics. The Library currently circulates 160 devices from Playaway:
46 Launchpads
63 Playaway devices
51 Wonderbooks
These products are designed for library circulation and provide books and educational content in accessible formats that do not require patrons to own technology.
The Library is seeking approval of a sole source contract with Playaway Products LLC to pay invoices that were not payable under the previous contract and to allow the purchase of additional Playaway products.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Original Contract