Scanning services

Tender description

The University of Edinburgh seeks to create a Framework Agreement to provide Specialist Scanning Services for the digitisation of PhD theses from the mid-1700s to the present day and this includes volumes in a range of sizes and conditions. The project objective is to scan and make available online the entire PhD collection. OCR required. Non-destructive methodology required. Please read more detailed description below. This (PIN) is to inform the market of a future Framework Agreement and call off Contracts opportunity. The University of Edinburgh Library is seeking to outsource the digitisation of approximately 4,300 unique PhD theses. The work is part of a wider project to digitise the University of Edinburgh's entire PhD collection; several thousand volumes are being scanned in-house and the remaining 4,300 are to be outsourced in small batches over the next two to three years. The collection dates from the mid-1700s to the present day and include volumes in a range of sizes and conditions. The project objective is to scan and make available online the entire PhD collection. The University Library will be seeking a supplier to collect, transport, scan and return this collection. Simple metadata records are required, as is OCR for typed English-language theses. Non-destructive scanning methodology required. The digitised files will be made available through the Library's online repository. Please note the following important issues: — There is currently no guaranteed funding for this work but we expect money to become available in stages over the coming two to three years. As a result, at this stage we cannot guarantee the number of volumes to be outsourced and the possibility exists that funding for all 4,300 volumes might not become available. — We are looking to set up a framework agreement, against which we can make call off contracts as funding becomes available. — Suppliers must be able to work within a quick timeframe. For example, they should be able to collect, scan and return a batch of 500 — 1000 theses within a 12 week period. — The collection is diverse and is composed of the following sub collections: 1. 1,500 standard A4 typed theses from the 1900s. OCR required. 2. 500 non-standard A4 typed theses from the 1900s, containing foldouts, maps etc. OCR required 3. 300 oversize non-standard A2+ typed theses from the 1900s. OCR Required 4. 1,500 standard A4 handwritten theses from the period 1850-1900. No OCR required. 5. 500 A5 duplex typed Latin volumes from the period 1750-1850. No OCR or metadata required. — All items are unique (the only copy in existence), therefore extreme care must be taken in their scanning, handling, transportation and storage. Non-destructive methodology required. Please note that the University may choose to use the Framework Agreement for other related Scanning requirements as and when necessary. We might require to engage with suppliers registering interest to understand whether there are aspects of our requirements which would present obstacles or affect the affordability of the proposed work.