Title
Resolution Determining Arcadia Publishing, Inc. to be the Only Source Practically Available From Which to Procure Publishing Services Associated With the Text Titled "On This Day in Hampton, Virginia History"
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
“On This Day in Hampton, Virginia History” (the “Work”) is a compilation, which when finished, will be comprised of approximately 40,000 words, and has entries for each day of the calendar year (except we could not find anything that happened on Leap Day, February 29). Many days have more than one entry, some of them having 5 or more. Any entry gives a vignette of an interesting event, a person’s achievement, or an occurrence which happened on, or was related to, a particular date in the history of Hampton, Virginia and of Elizabeth City County, which was absorbed into Hampton in 1952, but which was one of the original eight shires bounded off by the early English colonists. The prior, Indian name of the place was Kecoughtan, forming an important part of Powhatan’s empire, and events dealing with the Indians, the Spanish (in 1570), and then the English settlement of the area (in 1609, the second place after Jamestown) are included, going back into the 1500s in a few instances. The name “Kecoughtan” was also used for an incorporated town (which lasted about a decade) on the western edge of Elizabeth City County which was absorbed into neighboring Newport News in the first quarter of the twentieth century. The Book covers all Elizabeth City County towns and communities, each now (like the County itself) within the city limits of Hampton: they have long been an integral part of the local story-Phoebus (once called Chesapeake City), Fox Hill, Aberdeen Gardens and Buckroe; two important military bases and the accompanying communities, Langley Air Force Base and Fort Monroe (both inside the county’s former limits); and some events occurring in the navigable waters of nearby Hampton Roads and the adjacent portions of the Chesapeake Bay. There are entries dated as late as 2013. Variety, diversity, curiosities, and inclusiveness are hallmarks of the volume. Keyed entirely to a small and specific area in Tidewater Virginia, this thoroughly-researched tome of history will greatly appeal to all who live in the Tidewater area, including Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach, as well as residents of Hampton.
The Work is based largely on the efforts of Luci Cochran, Executive Director of the Hampton History Museum, as well as Edward Hicks and Wythe Holt. A Request for Proposals was issued on November 4, 2014 and remained open for a month, without success. Subsequently, Arcadia Publishing, Inc. was discovered and is willing to publish the Work on terms comparable to those solicited in the original RFP.
Discussion:
See Purpose/Background above.
Impact:
See Purpose/Background above.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve the Resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, the Hampton History Museum plans to authorize the publication of a text titled “On this Day in Hampton, Virginia History” to memorialize the history of the City of Hampton, Virginia (the “Work”);
WHEREAS, in 2014, the City issued Request for Proposals No.: RFP 15-35/CLP Publishing Book for Hampton History Museum (the “RFP”);
WHEREAS, no respondents submitted proposals responsive to the RFP;
WHEREAS, the Hampton City Council determined the preferred source for the publication of the Work is Arcadia Publishing, Inc., a South Carolina corporation trading as Arcadia Publishing and The History Press (“Arcadia Publishing”); and
WHEREAS, Arcadia Publishing has offered its services for this purpose at a price which is fair and reasonable.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAMPTON, VIRGINIA:
1. That the contract for publishing “On this Day in Hampton, VA History” procuring the services described above may be negotiated and awarded to Arcadia Publishing, Inc. as the “sole source” without competitive sealed bidding or competitive negotiation as set forth in Code of Virginia §2.2-4303(E);
2. That the City Manager or her authorized designee is hereby authorized to negotiate and execute a purchase contract with Arcadia Publishing, Inc.; and
3. That the notice awarding the contract to Arcadia Publishing, Inc. shall be posted in a public place pursuant to Code of Virginia §2.2-4303(E).