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Co-Publishing

1. What is co-publishing?
   
2. How does co-publishing work?
   
3. Who owns the copyright on the work?
   
4. What types of works are published?
   
5. Who pays for co-publishing projects?
   
6. What is the Depository Services Program?
   
7. How are proposals evaluated?

What is co-publishing?

Co-publishing is the publishing of Government of Canada publications (in paper and/or electronic format) in co-operation with Canadian publishers in the private sector. Canadian Government Publishing is responsible for the planning and implementation of this program. CGP may delegate the entire publishing function to the publisher or share it with the publisher. In co-publishing projects, the Crown retains copyright of the work, while the publisher is generally granted a sole license for 3-5 years and pays royalties to the Crown.

On behalf of the author department, the role of CGP is to be responsible for the operational steps of the project. Negotiations, signing of the co-publishing agreement and the management of the project for the duration of the contract are also the responsibility of CGP.

In a typical co-publishing arrangement, the author department is responsible for the technical content of the work. The publisher will look after product development, editing, design, printing, marketing, warehousing, distribution and commercialisation. The title page of the work acknowledges the joint contribution of the publisher, the author department and CGP.

How does co-publishing work?

A co-publishing project begins with the introduction of the project by a letter of interest sent to approximately 80 publishers on the CGP source list, including university presses and publishing houses across the country. Then a request for proposal (RFP) is sent to interested publishers, who are given a few weeks to respond. Publishers are required to bid accordingly to predetermined specifications. Lastly, proposals are evaluated by CGP and the author department, a publisher is selected, and the contract is negotiated and signed. This process can take six months or more.

Once the contract has been signed, the publisher will edit the manuscript in English and French (and in some circumstances do the translation), prepare a design mock-up of the cover and inside pages, lay out the text and integrate any visual material, proofread the page layouts, and get the work camera-ready. The author department will be involved in approvals at all stages of production. Then, the publisher will print or produce, market and distribute the work. This process can also take six months or more.

Who owns the Copyright on the work?

The question of intellectual property rights, including copyright, moral rights and licensing, is an important issue in publishing. Copyright protection, which applies automatically as soon as a work is created, whatever the format (e.g. print or electronic), is a matter of considerable concern in the world of electronic publishing, where information can easily be downloaded, reproduced, manipulated, retransmitted and transferred to other media. Under the Copyright Act, protected works include not only books, pamphlets, letters and memoranda, but also tables, computer programs and databases.

What types of works are published?

Printed publications come in many different forms, ranging from coffee table books, lavishly illustrated with colour drawings and photos, to technical books, articles and periodicals on highly specialized topics, as well as all kinds of brochures and pamphlets that touch on every aspect of daily life. Other formats such as diskettes and CD-ROMs may be published in addition to, or as replacements for, printed publications.

Who pays for co-publishing projects?

In co-publishing projects, the author department will sometimes help the publisher offset part or all of the costs associated with product development, editing and design. The Crown (author department and PWGSC) will always purchase a specified number of copies of a new title or of a new or revised edition of a title which is being co-published. These copies are for internal use and for the depository libraries across Canada (which is a mandatory requirement). The publisher may be able to get some additional financial assistance by applying to the Canada Council, which provides grants for costs involved in the promotion and distribution of Canadian books and periodicals.

What is the Depository Services Program?

The Depository Services Program (DSP) is a network of more than 650 libraries in Canada and another 100 institutions around the world that hold collections of Canadian government publications. This service, which is administered by CGP, ensures that the Canadian public has access to Canadian government information free of charge.

Every government department and agency is required to provide copies of its publications, both free and priced, as well as electronic and alternative media, to the DSP. The quantity required can vary from 100 copies of a highly technical title to 500 copies of a popular or topical title.

How are proposals evaluated?

Proposals that satisfy the mandatory requirements of an RFP are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Experience of the company

Does the company have demonstrated experience in the editing, publishing, marketing and distribution of similar works offered in bilingual, or in English and French, nationally and internationally? Has the company provided samples of similar works it has produced, and a catalogue of published items?

Design concept and visual

Does the company have experience in designing book or product covers and similar types of works?

Printing

Has the company taken into consideration any printing or production specifications mentioned in the RFP? Does the print or production run reflect the results of the market analysis, as well as copies required by the Crown?

Production and delivery schedule

Has the company provided a detailed production and delivery schedule for the bilingual, or the English and French versions of the work? Has the company taken into consideration the approval stages of the author department and specified the time required for each stage? Can the company deliver the work according to the specified time frames? How effective is the schedule?

Marketing and distribution plan

What is the company's experience in marketing and distribution and in the implementation of recent projects? Has the company done a market study with a detailed market analysis? Has the company identified the target market? Has the company made sales projections for the first year and for subsequent years that are used to determine the print or production run? What national and international marketing methods and networks does the company plan to use for the publicity, promotion, distribution and selling of the work? Has the company proposed any innovations, ideas or suggestions for marketing and distribution?

Cost analysis and List Price

Has the company provided a cost analysis that includes a breakdown of all production costs associated with the work, including preparation costs for editing, design and fieldwork, as well as printing or production costs per unit? Is this analysis sufficiently clear and complete in detail to avoid misinterpretation in the evaluation of the proposal?

Has the company proposed a List Price for all versions and is it the same for both the English and French editions?

Technical requirements

Has the company included technical details of the work?