FEDLINK INFORMATION ALERT 2005-1
TO: FEDLINK Customers
FROM: Susan M. Tarr, Executive Director, FLICC
DATE: October 20, 2004
SUBJECT: Vendors Offering Direct Express Option in Fiscal Year 2005
To view a PDF version of this Information Alert, visit
http://www.loc.gov/flicc/ia/2005/ia0501.pdf.
More than 50 online services vendors participate in FEDLINK's Direct
Express program. Similar to making a purchase using the GSA schedule,
FEDLINK customers can place orders directly with online services vendors
via the Direct Express option. Under this streamlined purchasing
process, products and service offerings are as comprehensive as
always--electronic database publications, document delivery services,
associated print publications and specialized access options.
Revolving Fund Establishes Authority for Direct Express
Under Section 103 of P.L. 106-481 (2 U.S.C. 182c), which established
FEDLINK as a revolving fund beginning in Fiscal Year 2002, FEDLINK can
provide "the procurement of commercial information services,
publications in any format, and library support services,...related
accounting services,...related education, information and support
services" to federal offices and to other organizations entitled to
use federal sources of supply. In addition to interagency transfers for
Transfer Pay services, FEDLINK can accept fees from federal agencies
that have "passed through" a vendor and have been earned for
facilitating federal purchasing, i.e., the vendors pay the FEDLINK
administrative fees.
To establish this option, FEDLINK negotiated indefinite delivery
indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts on a sole source basis with online
services vendors. An IDIQ allows the government to place orders for an
indefinite quantity of commercially available supplies or services
during a fixed period.
Place the Order Directly With the Vendor
With Direct Express, customers simply cite the FEDLINK contract number
on their agency's purchase order and send it straight to the vendor.
No synopsis nor further competition is required on purchases over
$25,000 as the FEDLINK IDIQ establishes the vendors as sole source for
their individual products and services. When comparing two vendors with
similar databases, customers may want to compare prices or choose a
vendor based upon their interface.
The vendor receives the purchase order, sets up the customer's
account and promptly issues passwords and/or authorization numbers. The
vendor will then invoice the FEDLINK customer directly against their
agency's purchase order. The customer's agency finance office pays
the invoice (and any interest penalties) and reports disbursements to
the customer. FEDLINK does not issue statements of account for Direct
Express purchases.
The vendor pays the FEDLINK fee based on the volume of quarterly sales
of Direct Express customers. Direct Express customers are responsible
for initiating the purchase, managing delivery of the products and
services, and paying invoices.
Online Services Vendors Participate in Direct Express
The following online services vendors have contracts with FEDLINK to
accept Direct Express orders. (See the list below.) These same vendors
are also available under Transfer Pay mode but are no longer available
through the FEDLINK Direct Pay option.
Vendors Offering Direct Express and Transfer Pay Options
(Vendor ID and Contract # follow vendor name.)
Acquisition Solutions--AQ--LOC04C-7069
American Chemical Society--CA--LOC04C-7039
Cambridge Scientific (CSA)--SA--LOC04C-7010
ChoicePoint, Inc.--CT--LOC04C-7058
Columbia University Press--CO--LOC04C-7046
Congressional Quarterly--CQ--LOC04C-7011
CountryWatch.com--CW--LOC04C-7065
Court Express.com--RS--LOC04C-7062
CQ Press--QP--LOC04C-7013
CRIBIS Corporation--SM--LOC04C-7049
Dialog Corporation (DataStar)--DI--LOC04C-7019
Dun & Bradstreet--DU--LOC04C-7018
East View Information--EV--LOC04C-7030
EBSCO Publishing--EH--03CSFC70101
Economist Intelligence Unit, N. A.--EU--LOC04C-7023
Economy.com, Inc.--EC--LOC04C-7002
ERI-Economic Research Institute--ER--LOC04C-7065
Fastcase.com, Inc.--FC--LOC04C-7014
Gale Group--GR--03CSFC70102
Global Insight--WG--LOC04C-7008
H. W. Wilson--WI--LOC04C-7035
IBISWorld Pty Ltd--IS--LOC04C-7063
IEEE--IE--LOC04C-7022
InfoUSA--AI--LOC04C-7005
Ingenta--CU--LOC04C-7036
Inside Washington Publishers--IW--LOC04C-7003
Investigation Technologies (formerly Rapsheets.com)--DN--LOC04C-7020
Jane's Information Group--JN--LOC04C-7037
JSTOR--JS--LOC04C-7043
Knovel Corporation--KN--LOC03C-7031
LexisNexis/LexisNexis CourtLink--ML--03CSFC70103
LRP Publications--PS--LOC04C-7060
Market Research.com--MA--LOC04C-7015
MD Consult (Elsevier)--MK--LOC04C-7050
Mindbranch, Inc.--IM--LOC04C-7068
Moreover Technologies--MO--LOC03C-7051
netLibrary, Inc.--NE--LOC04C-7048
NewsBank, Inc.--NB--LOC04C-7009
OECD--OE--LOC04C-7006
Outsell, Inc.--OS--02CSFC40001
Ovid Technologies, Inc.--BR--LOC04C-7038
Oxford University Press--OU--LOC04C-7007
Peterson's Guides--PG--LOC04C-7044
Press Association--PA--LOC04C-7012
ProQuest Information and Learning Co.--UM--03CSFC70104
Questel/Orbit--OR--LOC04C-7059
Reis Reports, Inc.--RR--LOC04C-7064
Research Libraries Group (RLG)--RL--LOC04C-7053
RIA--RI--LOC04C-7042
R.R. Bowker, LLC--RB--LOC04C-7061
Serials Solutions--SS--LOC04C-7032
Tax Analysts--TA--LOC04C-7056
TD Net--TD--LOC04C-7054
TLC (The Library Corp.)--LC--LOC04C-7025
United Communications Group (Periscope)--UC--LOC04C-7001
West Publishing Corp.--WE--03CSFC70105
World Bank--WB--LOC04C-7055
Transfer Pay Option Offers Customers More Account Options
As cost effective as Direct Express is, most current members will
continue to prefer transfer pay mode, which offers them more flexibility
in managing their funds and provides more assistance with procurement
processes.
Under the Transfer Pay option, customers transfer both FEDLINK
administrative fees and estimated annual service dollars to
FEDLINK/Library of Congress (LC) via a signed Interagency Agreement
(IAG), purchase order, or MIPR. On behalf of the customer, LC/Contracts
issues a delivery order to the vendor in the amount specified on the
IAG. After receiving the delivery order, the vendor provides service to
the customer and submits the customer's invoices to FEDLINK. FEDLINK
reviews the invoices, rejects improper ones, and pays acceptable ones
from the customer's account. FEDLINK sends the customer copies of
rejected invoices, paid invoices, and a monthly statement of account.
If there are surplus funds in one vendor account, an amendment form can
conveniently move these funds to another needed service.
Another major benefit of Transfer Pay is extended order deadlines.
Instead of having to fulfill a member's order either by providing
services or by issuing delivery orders to vendors prior to the end of
the fiscal year, before their funds expire, FEDLINK is able to accept
signed IAGs with firm orders late in September every year and generate
delivery orders well into October. In addition, FEDLINK is also
authorized to accept IAGs and amendments by fax, pending receipt of
originals via courier service or mail. This reduces the lead time
necessary to add funds to purchase information products and services at
the end of the fiscal year.
More Information Is Available
For questions on Direct Express, contact FEDLINK Network Operations by
phone at (202) 707-4848 or by email to [log in to unmask] For assistance
with your current accounts, please call the FEDLINK Fiscal Hotline at
(202) 707-4900.
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