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David Sangurima, Program Officer sangu@harvard.edu
LASPAU: Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas
Harvard University * 25 Mount Auburn St. Cambridge, MA 02138-6095 USA
Tel: 617-495-0530 * Fax: 617-495-8990 * Peacenet: sangu@igc.apc.org
*** http://www.harvard.edu/LASPAU ***
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 17:27:47 -0400 (EDT)
From: Lee Ellen Friedland <lfri@loc.gov>
To: David Sangurima <sangu@igc.apc.org>
Subject: National Digital Library Program
The National Digital Library Program, in its early stages,
explored various options for the conversion of texts into
searchable form. The following procurements represent the
exploration of this conversion methodology. All procurements
were made following federal rules and regulations; some
contracts were multiyear.
Awarded fiscal year 1990
Automated Sciences Group (ASG), Silver Spring, Maryland. (N70145) This
contract covered the production of a CD-ROM containing two collections.
For one of these collections, ASG prepared the searchable texts that were
needed. Rekeying was carried out by paid employees of a subcontractor in
Jamaica.
Conversion Plus Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. (N53185) This contract entailed
the conversion of a collection of eighteenth century documents. Rekeying
was carried out by the contractor's paid employees in Maryland.
Awarded fiscal year 1991
Appalachian Computer Services, London, Kentucky. (H70166) This contract
entailed the conversion of a collection of manuscripts. Rekeying was
carried out by the contractor's paid employees in Kentucky.
Input Solutions, Gaithersburg, Maryland. (H53465) This contract converted
the texts of a group of books by means of Optical Character Recognition
(OCR). The work was carried out by the contractor's paid employees in
Maryland.
UNICOR* (Federal Prison Industries), Washington, DC. (H71130) This
contract converted the texts of a group of books. Rekeying was carried
out within a paid prison skills-training program established by the U.S.
Bureau of Prisons. The work was carried out in Kentucky.
Awarded fiscal year 1992
Systems Integration Group, Lanham, Maryland (SIG). (I70284) This contract
entailed the capture of images of manuscript and book pages and the
conversion of some texts to searchable form. Rekeying was carried out by
the paid employees of a subcontractor in the Philippines. SIG is
recognized as a "small disadvantaged business concern" by the U.S.
government and received its award under the U.S. government's full and
open competition procedures.
Current activities
New text conversion contracts have not been awarded since fiscal year
1992; the Library currently has one outstanding request for proposals. A
new contract will be awarded through competitive processes that conform to
federal procedures and rules. The selection of a new contractor to convert
texts into searchable form is in its final phases and award is anticipated
by early fall.
*UNICOR's authority to operate is covered by 18 U.S.C. sections 4121-9,
which states, in part: "It is the policy of the Federal Government that
convicted inmates confined in Federal prisons, jails and other detention
facilities shall work. The type of work in which they will be involved
shall be dictated by appropriate security considerations and by the health
of the prisoner involved. ... Such forms of employment shall be provided
as will give the inmates of all Federal penal and correctional
institutions a maximum opportunity to acquire a knowledge and skill in
trades and occupations which will provide them with a means of earning a
livelihood upon release. ... The several federal departments and agencies
and all other Government institutions of the United States shall purchase
at not to exceed current market prices such products of the industries
authorized by this chapter as meet their requirements and may be
available."
"UNICOR is a wholly owned Government corporation whose mission is to
provide training opportunities for inmates confined in federal
correctional facilities. UNICOR manufactures a wide range of items -- from
executive and systems furniture to electronics, textiles and graphics
signage. Services provided by UNICOR's inmates include data entry,
printing and furniture refinishing. [UNICOR] funds selected preindustrial,
vocational and experimental training programs."
--From U.S. Government Manual
For more information about UNICOR, contact Todd Craig at (202) 307-3198.
7/26/96
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* LeeEllen Friedland *
* National Digital Library Program *
* Library of Congress *
* Washington, DC 20540-1310 *
* (202) 707-3980 voice *
* (202) 707-3764 fax *
* lfri@loc.gov *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *