SR-102307-1Oc7~+
~;tYO, City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: October 23, 2007
Agenda Item: ~ "a
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Eileen Fogarty, Director of Planning and Community Development
Subject: Permit and Plan Document Imaging
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute
a three year contract with PC Imaging to scan, index and import permit and plan
documents images in an amount not to exceed $150,000 for records completed during
FY2007/08 through FY2009/10, as part of the Department's ongoing conversion to
electronic records management and maintenance.
Executive Summary
PC Imaging was previously authorized by Council on February 14, 2006, to scan, index,
and import permit and plan documents predating July 1, 2007. During the FY2007/O8
budget process, Council appropriated $50,000 for the ongoing cost of maintaining the
scanning, indexing, and importing of records created during the fiscal year with
offsetting revenue. To date, a total of approximately 1.3 million records have been
scanned and are in the process of being imported into the City's digital record database.
Successful completion of the existing project and seamless continuous maintenance will
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afford the public and staff expedient and .reliable access to public records.
The purpose of executing a new contract is to delineate the one-time expense of
converting archived records from the ongoing annual maintenance cost for newly
created records. Staff considered whether or not current staffing and equipment are.
sufficient to absorb the workload associated with the digitization of the records.
However, reliable data to project the necessary resources will become available only
after time. Several years of ongoing digital record maintenance will provide data on
contract costs, activity levels, and staff time to reevaluate the need to use a contractor
to perform the scanning function.
PC Imaging is the recommended sole source vendor for this project based on the
expertise demonstrated and quality control exhibited during the previous related project,
as well as the methodology used and procedures implemented. For enhanced reporting
and budgeting purposes, it is recommended to establish a three year maintenance
contract instead of modifying the original contract because the original scope of services
exceeds the scope of services required for the future maintenance of the City's Planning
and Community Development records.
A three year contract is recommended for the ongoing nature of the work to be
conducted, and the finite time period ensures that the project and the vendor will be
reevaluated in the future. The not to exceed amount of $150,000 is set at three times
the annual budget for the project, which may be adjusted from year to year as
experience is gained with the ongoing costs of digital records management. To date,
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this project has cost the City $671,400 for the scanning, indexing and importation of
approximately 1.3 million records.
Discussion
Background
The Planning and Community Development Department (PCD) maintains and files, as
official City records, all property records pertaining to planning approvals, building
permits and related plans and reports. Planning approvals, building permits and related
plans and reports are public records. PCD receives approximately 1,200 public records
requests per fiscal year. In addition, realtors, property owners, potential property
buyers, developers, attorneys and City staff research the permit history of properties
and review property records at the Permit Center public counter daily.
The industry standard for records management in planning and building departments
has shifted towards the digitization and scanning of files allowing access to records
through the Internet for the public and staff. Currently, paper-based records are stored
either at City Hall or in an off-site archive. Retrieving files from archives causes a
substantial delay in processing requests. Additionally, paper-based documents are
subject to misfiling, deterioration and damage/destruction by water or fire. To provide
expedient and reliable public service for public records requests, digital images of these
documents will be readily available for review via the City's website or a workstation at
the public counter. The conversion of all paper property records into digital format will
allow fast, easy and secure document storage and retrieval. Currently, files predating
July 1, 2007, have been scanned and are in the process of being imported to the City's
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Laserfiche system under the prior contract. Based on PC Imaging's demonstrated
expertise and quality control exhibited during the previous related project, as well as the
methodology used and procedures implemented, PC Imaging is the recommended sole
source vendor for this project.
Previous Council Actions
In July 2004, the Matrix Consulting Group completed an evaluation of the City's permit,
plan check, inspection, and code enforcement processes. Matrix recommended that
permit records and related plans be digitized. To implement this recommendation, staff
prepared a Request for Proposal and evaluated responses from potential imaging
conversion vendors. Staff met with several vendors to discuss and evaluate their
methodology, experience and ability to manage this project. As a result, Council
authorized the negotiation of a contract with PC Imaging to scan, index and import the
files predating July 1, 2007, on February 14, 2006.
Contractor/Consultant Selection
Staff recommended the selection of the consultant based upon the proposals submitted
during the Request for Proposal process for the initial document conversion project to
which Council awarded contract authority on February 14, 2006. Staff recommends PC
Imaging to continue with future scanning, indexing and importation of files because of its
proven track record and knowledge of Santa Monica, as well as the prior investment of
resources to develop the processes and training of staff on systems proprietary to PC
Imaging.
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Budget/Financial Impact
Funds for these services are available in accounts 01321.533670 ($35,000) and 01266.
533670 ($15,000) for FY2007/08. Funding to continue the activity in subsequent years
will be contingent upon budgeting the necessary funds and collecting the offsetting
revenue through the document imaging fee, which is intended to be full cost recovery
and became effective September 1, 2006.
Prepared by: Gay Forbes, Development Services Officer
Mara Malch, Administrative Analyst
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Aileen Fogarty/~ ,/ ~ // `~ C~ont Ewell
Director of F nniy~fj and C~mmunity Manager
Development
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Reference Contract
No. 8843 (CCS).