CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: November 06, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. __-23 AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH BMI IMAGING
SYSTEMS, INC. FOR DIGITIZATION SERVICES AND INDEXING OF CITY ARCHIVES AND APPROPRIATE $350,000 IN ARPA FUNDS FOR
RELATED PROJECT EXPENSE
SYNOPSIS
The City has made great strides in offering more of its services digitally and online. There are many advantages to operating and storing records electronically including increased efficiency, improved transparency, and the reduced need for physical storage space. To further the City’s efforts in this area, staff is requesting the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with BMI Imaging Systems, Inc. for digitization services and indexing of City archives.
DISCUSSION
Background
Over its history, the City has amassed a significant footprint of records, plans, and reports, which are stored in perpetuity at City Hall. Not only are these archives occupying valuable and limited real estate at City Hall, some do not have backup copies and will either slowly deteriorate over time or be accidentally destroyed due to an unforeseen circumstance.
As technology continues to advance, the conversion of physical documents into digital formats has become increasingly important for efficiency, accessibility, and security. The advantages of digitizing the City’s archives include but are not limited to the following:
Enhanced Accessibility - Digitized records can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, allowing authorized personnel or the public to retrieve information remotely. This accessibility is valuable for staff, improving the City’s efforts to increase transparency, and potentially alleviating the number of public records requests (PRA) submitted to staff for processing.
Improved Data Retrieval - Digitized documents can be indexed, tagged, and organized for quick and easy retrieval, significantly reducing the time and effort required to find specific information.
Space and Cost Savings - Digitization will reduce the need for physical storage space, thus staff will be able to reclaim much of the storage areas at City Hall currently used to house records.
Increased Collaboration - Digital records can be easily shared and collaborated on, fostering better teamwork and information exchange among staff, departments, external consultants and the public.
Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity - In the event of natural disasters or unforeseen emergencies, digital records are less vulnerable to damage, ensuring that critical information remains intact and accessible.
Enhanced Data Security - Digitized records can be protected through encryption and access controls, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches, thus improving overall security.
Maintain Retention Periods - Digitization in combination with the City’s Electronic Document Management System (EDMS), or Laserfiche, can simplify retention compliance by ensuring records are preserved and easily accessible in accordance with appropriate retention schedules.
Long-term Preservation - Properly managed digital archives can ensure the long-term preservation of valuable historical data, which may otherwise deteriorate or become unreadable in physical form.
The effort to digitize the City’s archives initially started as a test pilot in 2017 with the City Clerk’s Office. The test pilot proved to be beneficial as staff learned lessons relative to improved efficiency, avoiding potential pitfalls, and establishing clear procedures for the overall process.
The scope of this project is to expand beyond the initial test pilot to include all remaining plans, records, and documents archived at City Hall and at the Public Service Center.
On February 2, 2022, the Budget Committee reviewed the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to fund this project. The Budget Committee recommended the project proceed to the City Council with an allocation of $350,000 in ARPA funds for this project.
Analysis
On March 2nd, 2023, the City issued a Request for Proposal to secure vendor services to scan/digitize records, including large format drawings/plans, quality check the scanned images, add indexing and metadata, and upload the images into the City’s EDMS. The EDMS centralizes the storage of (electronic) records, makes the records searchable, and protects the records into the future.
Five vendors submitted proposals by the required deadline. Of the five, two finalists were selected for in-person interviews. A City staff member from each division within the Community Development Department (Building, Engineering and Planning), the Finance Manager, and the Chief Technology Officer attended both interviews. From the two interviews, the finalist was selected. BMI Imaging Systems, Inc, was provided sample archive boxes from the three CDD divisions and from the Finance Division to perform a test run in order to establish expectations and solidify pricing.
Since 1958, BMI Imaging Systems has been a leading Bay Area-based provider of high-volume document and microfilm conversion services and has established a decades-long reputation for providing exceptional quality and service. With over 60 years of experience, BMI is based in California with offices in Sunnyvale and Sacramento. Their proximity to the City will reduce the risk associated with transporting the physical documents over great distances and minimize the related cost.
BMI Imaging Systems serve a customer base of over 800 organizations, many of whom have been clients for over 20 years. Of the 800 organizations, 28 of those are municipalities located in Northern California, including the cities of Walnut Creek and Martinez in addition to seven county offices.
FISCAL IMPACT
The digitization/scanning and indexing services per this agreement shall not exceed $336,568.
This includes processing and estimated 2,048,000 sheets of documents and approximately 114,340 sheets of architectural plans. ARPA will be used to fund this project and staff collaborated with the City Attorney’s Office to ensure all the ARPA requirements for funding were satisfied. Staff will return any savings of the ARPA funds at the completion of this project. The Finance Department has confirmed that adequate funds are available to fund this request.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Adopt the proposed resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with BMI Imaging Systems, Inc. for digitization services and indexing of City archives and appropriate $350,000 in ARPA funds for related project expense.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
The City Council could reject the proposed action.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposed Resolution
Exhibit 1 - Agreement with BMI Imaging, Inc.
Prepared by: Ling King, Chief Technology Officer
Approved by: Ethan Bindernagel, City Manager