Agenda Item: 6
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: April 25, 2023
SUBJECT: EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY INCREASE FOR ELECTRONIC
SIGNATURE PROCESSING THROUGH DOCUSIGN, INC., TO
SUPPORT ONGOING CITY OPERATIONS
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services
PRESENTER: Andrew Adams
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Approve an increase of $17,700 in expenditure authority with DocuSign, Inc., for ongoing electronic signature processing, for a total not to exceed subscription amount of $67,700 for Fiscal Year 2022-23.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute up to three additional one-year subscription options, beginning in Fiscal Year 2023-24, not to exceed $70,000 annually.
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
While wet signatures are a time-honored way to authenticate documents, the need to manually sign paper documents impacts efficiency. In an effort to streamline document routing within the organization, the City began subscribing to DocuSign, Inc. (DocuSign) in 2014 on a limited basis. Initially, the platform was limited to contract routing purposes only. However, since its inception, the processing of documents through DocuSign has broadly expanded across all City departments.
Nearly 10,000 documents were routed in 2022 alone, a massive increase from the 1,200 routed a few years earlier in 2019. While the COVID-19 pandemic was chiefly responsible for the City's increased usage of DocuSign, staff has continued to recognize the efficiencies the platform creates in general. Moreover, the use of DocuSign has become an industry norm in quickly and
securely authorizing contracts and agreements of all varieties.
While there are other alternative platforms for the electronic processing of documents, DocuSign remains the most recognizable, trusted, and reliable solution. Additionally, for the purposes of maintaining the continuity of existing processes, as well as the competitive pricing offered, a single source procurement for DocuSign was authorized by Purchasing in 2014.
Furthermore, DocuSign adheres to all existing governing regulations regarding electronic signatures and is a California Secretary of State "Approved Digital Signature Certification Authority," DocuSign also integrates seamlessly with the City’s existing document repository, Laserfiche, providing an additional layer of efficiency for records storage and retention purposes.
With the City's ongoing need to expeditiously process and execute agreements and other important documents across the organization, staff recommends authorizing an expenditure increase with DocuSign for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23, for a not to exceed subscription amount of $67,700. Per the City's Purchasing Policy, the City Manager's expenditure authority is capped at $50,000, resulting in the need for City Council to authorize any expenditures in excess of this threshold. The additional $17,700 will allow staff to use DocuSign for the remainder of the Fiscal Year. Finally, as a part of this item, staff also requests the authorization of three optional renewals beginning in FY 2023-24, not to exceed $70,000 per fiscal year.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other actions as determined by Council
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient budget is available in Technology & Contract Services via the following accounts:
ARPA-Contract Services: 2282306-516101; ARPA Technology Services: 2282200-516101; and Technology Services: 1002200-516101.