Everything’s Negotiable … Negotiating Contracts with Database Vendors

“The freedom of the city is not negotiable. We cannot negotiate with those who say, "What's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable."” -- John Fitzgerald Kennedy (American 35th US President (1961-63), 1917-1963)

Access to online databases is essential in any serious enterprise … especially so for scientists and engineers engaged in serious research. One good reason to employ a librarian or some other information professional is to get the best terms possible in negotiating subscription and licensing fees with database providers.

Here, for example, is an interesting looking article that turned up in a search of Elsevier’s ScienceDirect online resource …
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Optimization of oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene using acidic ionic liquid as catalytic solvent
Original Research Article
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology, Volume 37, Issue 2, April 2009, Pages 194-198
Di-shun ZHAO, Zhi-min SUN, Fa-tang LI, Hai-dan SHAN
Purchase PDF
Abstract
The oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in n-octane as model oil with Brönsted acidic ionic liquids (ILs) N-methyl-pyrrolidonium phosphate ([Hnmp]H2PO4) as catalytic solvent and H2O2 as oxidant was optimized by orthogonal experiments. 99.8% of DBT in the model oil was removed under the optimal conditions of molar ratio of H2O2 to sulfur of 16:1, reaction temperature of 60°C, reaction time of 5 h, and volume ratio of model oil to ILs of 1:1. The desulfurization efficiency of actual diesel was 64.3% under the optimized conditions. The influences of the desulfurization efficiency of DBT decreased in the following order: oxidation temperature > oxidation time> molar ratio of H2O2/sulfur (O/S) > volume ratio of [Hnmp]H2PO4 to model oil (VIL/Vmodel oil), according to extreme analysis of orthogonal test. The IL [Hnmp]H2PO4 can be recycled six times without a significant decrease in activity.///////
The two easiest ways to get a full copy of the article are to purchase a PDF for download, or, if you’re a subscriber, to download a copy at no (extra) charge.

Librarians use their experience with a broad range of online databases to identify the best mix of database subscriptions for a particular organization … and then to negotiate the best terms.

If your organization does not employ an information professional, you can do it yourself … but it will take time to understand the nuances of a vendor’s “standard” agreement. Here is a useful document to get you started.
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Negotiating Contracts with Database Vendors
By Richard W. Boss, Information Systems Consultants Inc.
Posted October 23, 2003
The article, which is available for free download, lists the main points to consider before signing a vendor agreement. Here is a selection from the article …

Coverage
“What is actually included? If the database is an online version of a print product, any difference between the print and online products should be spelled out. If it is a database of journals, the contract should include an itemized schedule of the titles, years of coverage, and format (full-text or image). It is a good idea to ascertain whether the package can be modified to exclude subject areas or specific titles that do not meet the needs of the library.”Coverage Creep
“Most products are not static. It is typical for the coverage to expand each year because the amount of available information increases, but also because many products are packages of several products that are frequently modified. This is particularly true with full-text databases of journals. There should, therefore, be an effort to control "coverage creep." If it is not possible to limit the product to that which was initially negotiated, there should be a cap on the price increases that may be associated with broadened coverage. At a minimum, there should be a formula that limits the price increase to the same percentage as that which the expansion in coverage represents.”
Updating Frequency
“Even more important than the frequency of updates is the time lag between initial production and availability for online access. It should be spelled out. An online product should be available no later than the print product.”

Some other points to consider …

• Archive
• Duration of Contract
• Eligible Users
• Authentication
• Statistics
• Features
• Producer Licenses
• Pricing Formula
• Alternatives to Subscriptions
• Escalator Clause
• Cancellation

source: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/pla/plapublications/platechnotes/negotiating.pdf
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