TTS for DTB Pilot - Request for Information

**09/28/2026: Amendment: Attachments Added, see below. This is a Request for Information (RFI) to obtain capability statements and potential feedback for an upcoming Library of Congress (LOC) requirement. Specifically, the Library of Congress (Library) requires the contractor to design software to automate the construction of digital talking books compliant with DAISY ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2002 and NLS specifications 1202, 1203, 1205, 1206 as applicable and Proper XML structure and validation for digital talking books. The software shall be capable of generating digital talking books from commercial audiobooks with pre-existing audio files, as well as from electronic text source materials that do not include pre-existing audio. The software shall automate the synthesis of speech from provided announcement scripts and/or the electronic text source materials. Automatically generate and manage XML control/navigation files and Metadata and structural elements. Support synthetic speech generation for announcements and full-length digital talking books. Handle large-scale batch processing. Shall require demonstrations or samples. The contractor shall demonstrate that the software integrates with NLS AWS systems. Supports standard file formats (audio, XML, text, metadata). Allows export/import without proprietary lock-in. Requires interface controls. The contractor shall demonstrate knowledge and experience with Amazon Web Services (AWS) sufficient to support the requirements of this contract. The Library�s existing Digital Talking Book (DTB) production environment is a high-volume, semi-automated pipeline designed to transform source text into accessible, navigation-rich audio assets. The current DTB architecture utilizes a standardized ingestion-to-distribution framework that relies on adherence to established specifications, metadata schemas, and structural navigation hierarchies. In order to obtain this information, the Library is seeking capabilities statements, rough...