Title
Recorder-Clerk's Office recommending the Board:
1) Waive the formal bid requirements in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4 (4), due to the fact that a competitively bid contract with another public agency is available;
2) Make findings pursuant to Section 3.13.030 (B) of the El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 3.13, Contracting Out, that specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications are involved in the performance of the work;
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to utilize The Interlocal Purchasing System Contract 240101 with US Imaging, Inc. for the acquisition of scanning and imaging services of Official and Vital Records;
4) Approve and authorize the Recorder-Clerk to enter into Purchase Contract 10222 with US Imaging, Inc for scanning and imaging of Official and Vital Records for a total of $602,086.45; and
5) Approve and authorize the Board Chair to sign a budget transfer form for Fiscal Year 2025-26 to transfer funds from Recorder-Clerk Special Revenue Funds for this purchase. (4/5 vote required)
FUNDING: Special Revenue Funds for Social Security Truncation, Modernization and Vital Statistics.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Recorder-Clerk recommends the Board authorize Contract 10222 with US Imaging, Inc. for scanning and imaging services of Official and Vital Records from 1850 to 1981.
This contract is the first step in our efforts to get all our records digitized and incorporated into our recording system, Tyler Eagle Recorder. This will allow ease of access of older records for the public, county departments, local outside agencies, and our staff. The images from this project will be imported into CovenantGuard to continue our efforts to be AB 1466 compliant.
Currently when trying to retrieve a document, where the image is not currently in Eagle Recorder, requires going into another system, Digital Reel. In 2017, the Recorder-Clerk and BMI Imaging Systems, Inc. entered into Contract 359 for access to microfiche records through BMI’s Digital Reel product. This gave us the ability to create pdf or tiff files or print older records more efficiently. We have found that the quality of our older microfilm images are not ideal and portions of the documents are illegible. When images are illegible, we are then required to pull the document from our old books, make a copy of the document, and scan the document into Eagle Recorder which delays the record to be obtained. Under our current contract, we pay $7,700 for this web hosting service with a limited number of user accounts. Ten additional user accounts would cost an additional $1,000 per year.
With this contract, US Imaging will scan our official, vital and microfiche records from 1850 to 1981. US Imaging will use their software, ImageXpert, which utilizes AI enhancements including polarity reversal, dual polarity reversal, marginal notations reversal, despeckle, orient and deskew, and excess border removal to obtain the most legible images. This will allow us to import the cleanest digital images of our records into our records management system and create new microfilm from the improved images to meet the requirements of Government Code 27208.
Therefore, Recorder-Clerk respectfully requests the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached budget transfer, increasing revenue appropriations in the Recorder-Clerk budget by $602,087 for Fiscal Year 2025-26. The Recorder-Clerk designated the use of Social Security Truncation funds at $451,179, Modernization funds at $84,691, and Vital Statistics funds at $66,217.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board of Supervisors could deny the request which would continue to limit access to Official Records for other departments, local agencies, the public and Recorder-Clerk staff. Additional user accounts would need to be purchased for annual use from the current vendor. Denial of this contract will greatly hinder our office efforts for AB 1466 compliance, will require additional equipment to be purchased and staff time to obtain clear images of older records.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurements and Contracts
County Counsel
The Auditor-Controller has been notified in compliance with Board Policy B-12 Fiscal Review Process.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This contract will have no impact on the General Fund. This contract will be funded by Recorder-Clerk Special Revenue funds in FY 25-26 as follows: Social Security Truncation funds at $451,179, Modernization funds at $84,691, and Vital Statistics funds at $66,217 for a total of $602,087.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Obtain the Chair’s signature on the budget transfer form and return the fully executed form to the CAO.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Janelle Horne, Recorder-Clerk
Catrina Christensen, Assistant Recorder-Clerk