Subject:     AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR RECORDS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT - PHASE II

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Adoption of a resolution authorizing the Director of General Services to:

 

a.      amend the agreement with Helen Streck, dba C&H Solutions, to extend the term of the Agreement to June 30, 2002; and

b.            add to the scope of work for Phase III deliverables; and

c.             increase the compensation by an amount not to exceed $56,000, for a total contract price of $200,500.

 

BACKGROUND

 

At the City of San José, official records of Council proceedings are maintained by the City Clerk’s office.  The City’s general administrative records and information have been managed in a decentralized manner with each department determining how its own records should be organized as well as how long and in what format the Records should be kept.  Retention schedules were last addressed in detail by the City Council in the 1970s and the General Services Department was charged with the responsibility for storing inactive records.

 

The proliferation of electronic documents, the need for multiple departments to have access to the same information, and changes in Federal and State legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act led the Department of General Services to convene a multi-department task force in late 1999 to discuss how the City should address its records management needs.   A consultant was hired to interview key personnel and develop a multi-year project that would define policy and outline procedures for paper records, as well as create an inventory of the City’s current computerized records systems and define an enterprise-wide solution for records management encompassing both paper and electronic information.  The team became known as the City Records Advisory Group.

 

In February 2000, the City’s Records’ Advisory Group adopted a Records and Information Management Project Plan which was divided into three (3) phases – a five-month initial phase (99-00), the bulk of the work in FY ‘00-‘01 and a smaller phase to complete the project including a definition of an enterprise solution in FY ‘01-‘02.  C&H Solutions was hired as consultant for Phase I.  Deliverables for Phase I included a citywide retention schedule for common records; individual retention schedules for five (5) departments; training on the use of retention schedules; the creation and execution of the Pack Rat Day – an event that raised awareness about the importance of Records Management and resulted in a one-day addition to the Recycle@Work program of five (5) tons of non-records; a national survey of municipal records programs and subsequent site visits to three (3) exemplary sites; and an inventory of the City of San Jose’s inactive records storage practices.

 

An RFP was then conducted for Phase II.  After a careful consideration of competitors’ capabilities, C&H Solutions was awarded the contract.  Phase II includes the development of retention schedules for ten (10) departments; training on the use of retention schedules; a draft City Policy on Records and Information Management, the creation of a vital records program; and a business analysis of the City’s needs relating to technological solutions such as electronic document management, data warehousing and the use of alternative media storage systems. 

 

Phase III is comprised of retention schedules for the remaining seven (7) departments, an historic records program, recommendations for the ongoing management of the citywide Records Program and a draft of the scope/specifications for a Request for Proposal to acquire an automated records and information management system.

 

ANALYSIS

 

Six (6) draft retention schedules from Phase I and ten (10) draft retention schedules from Phase II have been completed but have not been approved for use due to a backlog of work in the City Attorney’s Office.  Therefore, citywide and department training classes on the use of the retention schedules which were designed to be part of Phases I and II have not been held.  While the issues related to the City’s delay have recently been resolved, it is necessary to extend the consultant’s agreement to enable the delivery of the proposed training classes.   

 

Since the City undertook a competitive process for the majority of the project and the consultant completed the contractual obligations in an exemplary manner, it is the City’s intent to add the following Phase III tasks to this agreement:

§         retention schedules for the remaining seven (7) departments;

§         an historic records policy; and

§         formal recommendations for the ongoing management of the citywide Records Program.

 

The City reserves the right to enter into a separate agreement at a later date with C&H Solutions or another contractor for the final Phase III task - a draft of the scope/specifications for a Request for Proposal to acquire an automated records and information management system. 

 

Council approval of the recommended actions will allow this critical project to move forward creating efficiencies in every City Department and improving the delivery of information to citizens.

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

Not applicable.

 

COORDINATION

 

This project has been coordinated with the City Manager’s Budget Office and the City Attorney’s Office.

 

BUDGET REFERENCE

 

Funding:                    General Fund-001

Budget Document:     2000-01 Adopted Operating Budget, p. 860

Budget Amount:         $250,000

 

 

FRANCIS B. McVEY

Acting Director, General Services Department