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July 11, 2023
ITEM TITLE
City Records Digitization Agreements: Approve Agreements with ECS Imaging, Inc., and DRS Imaging Services LLC, Doing Business as Daida, for Citywide Records Digitization Services Report Number: 23-0150
Location: No specific geographic location
Department: Development Services & City Clerk
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
Recommended Action
Adopt a resolution approving agreements between the City and ECS Imaging, Inc., and DRS Imaging Services LLC, doing business as Daida, for Citywide records digitization services for an initial term of two years and a not-to-exceed amount of $1,000,000 for each service provider.
SUMMARY
The Development Services Department and Office of the City Clerk have a need to digitize paper records to reduce onsite paper records, make records more readily available, and adequately preserve records electronically. Staff has identified various records throughout the City that can be scanned and digitized into an electronic format for storage in Laserfiche, the City’s official repository for scanned records. These two agreements will allow City staff to obtain digitization services in a timely fashion to meet the goal of having digital records more widely available and accessible to city staff and our customers . Additionally, these agreements could be used by other City departments should they have the need to digitize records.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with CEQA and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environment; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is required.
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BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
Not applicable
DISCUSSION
The City has a business and operational need for records digitization services to reduce onsite paper records and offsite records storage, improve record accessibility for staff and members of the public, and adequately preserve records electronically in accordance with industry best practices . Development Services and the City Clerk’s office have identified large quantities of onsite documents that can be digitized. Municipalities often enter into agreements with contractors to digitize specific projects and utilize digitization services on an as-needed basis.
On February 24, 2023, the City posted a solicitation for Request for Proposal (“RFP”) RFP P17-2023 to seek prospective vendors for records digitization services. This solicitation produced four proposals. Each proposal was reviewed for qualifications and evaluated by a team of City staff from Development Services and the City Clerk’s office. The proposals were ranked, and the top two contractors were invited t o provide a presentation to the evaluation team. City staff recommends that both top contractors be awarded an agreement: ECS Imaging, Inc., and DRS Imaging Services LLC, doing business as Daida.
The proposed agr eements each have an initial term of two -years and a not -to-exceed contract amount of $1,000,000, with the option for three additional one-year extensions (ending on June 30, 2028). If exercised, each such one -year extension would increase the not -to-exceed amount by $500,000. The agreements provide that the City reserves the right to use or not use the contractors for services based on the City’s needs.
The Development Services Department has identified American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) Revenue Recovery funding for this effort. This effort supports ARPA goals by having paper records digitized for future research needs from internal and external customers. Additionally, this w ill allow city staff to quickly find needed documents when reviewing a specific project or performing research of approvals for our customers.
The proposed agreements allow for contract capacity for future records digitization service needs within the Development Services Department, Office of the City Clerk, and other City departments.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution to approve two service provider agreements for records digitization service needs in the City.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site-specific and consequently, the real property holdings of the City Council members do not create a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code § 87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any City Councilmember, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision-maker conflict of interest in this matter.
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CURRENT-YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
There is no current-year fiscal impact to the General Fund or Development Services Fund as a result of this action. Development Services has allocated State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (Revenue Recovery) , established by ARPA, to cover records digitization expenditures (as identified in the City of Chula Vista Recovery Plan, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds 2021 Report). City Clerk will utilize their existing budgeted funds to cover these expenditures.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
There is no ongoing fiscal impact to the General Fund or Development Services Fund as a result of this action.
Ultimately, staff anticipates realizing staff time savings in searching and retrieving reco rds, transporting records to and from offsite storage, and storing records offsite. The savings will depend on the volume of records digitized and their current storage location.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Agreement – ECS Imaging, Inc.
2. Agreement – DRS Imaging Services LLC dba Daida
Staff Contact: Marc Cass, Assistant Director, Development Services Jay Alvarado, Principal Management Analyst, Development Services Tyshar Turner, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk
Laura C. Black, AICP, Director, Development Services