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INTRODUCTION The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries Librarians' Council Professional Development Committee announces a request for proposals for software development of a Professional Development Portal for Librarians. UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES OVERVIEW As a gateway to knowledge, the Libraries are a key partner in teaching, learning, and research at UMass Amherst. Supporting freedom of inquiry, the Libraries foster a diverse and inclusive environment in which to engage with ideas and acquire the critical skills necessary for life-long learning. By combining the latest information technology with excellent public service, the staff guides and maintains a rich information environment, facilitates access to it, and creates a hub of campus and community scholarly activity. The University Libraries employ 49 Librarians with an FTE of 45.32. PROJECT OVERVIEW The University Libraries Librarians' Council Professional Development Committee is soliciting proposals to build an online, centralized tool, which will allow librarians to easily share professional development experiences and opportunities with each other. Librarians will not only be able to post about opportunities, such as upcoming conferences, webinars and events, calls for submissions to journals and books, and positions on editorial and peer review boards, but they will also be able to report back on their experiences after participation. A calendar of upcoming events and deadlines will be generated, and links will be provided to other Librarians Council committee information. As professionals who teach and perform research in library science as well as subject domains, librarians could benefit from a tool that would help to communicate information about their own professional activities, as well as discover possible collaborative research or teaching opportunities. Librarians attend numerous professional events each year, yet there is no formal way to communicate the attendance of these events, let alone report out on takeaways. Better communication on professional development activities among librarians would help to facilitate a high professional standard by institutionalizing the process of reporting on one's activities. DEADLINE The deadline for applications is March 14, 2014 and applications must be submitted by 1:00 P.M. EST. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS 1. The proposal must respond fully to all items in Project Requirements: Librarian Professional Development Portal document (attached). 2. Evidence of experience and expertise in software development, including three references for similar projects. 3. A summary timeline to be completed by June 1, 2014. 4. Details for a budget up to $3500. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA University Libraries staff will review and select a proposal whose product, pricing, availability, and references best fit the needs of the Libraries. The evaluation will include, but will not be limited to, the following: 1. Demonstrated understanding of the scope of the project. 2. Quality of the proposal with evidence of a clear plan for project execution. 3. Qualifications of proposed staff. 4. The proposed schedule of completion. 5. References. CONTACT AND SUBMISSION Submit questions and proposals to: Ian Walls, Web Services and Emerging Technologies Librarian, <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]