Agenda - 03-03-2009 - 4d - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 3, 2009 Action Agenda Item No. 4 -d SUBJECT: Approve Purchase of Additional Licenses and Related Hardware for Existing Electronic Document Management System for Social Services DEPARTMENT: Purchasing Department, Social PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Services & IT ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Jones, 245-2652 Nancy Coston, 245-2800 Todd Jones, 245-2285 PURPOSE: To consider authorizing the purchase of the remainder of the licenses needed for full implementation of Social Services' Electronic Document Management System. BACKGROUND: The Department of Social Services provides crisis assistance and social work services to residents of Orange County. The caseloads in major program areas have increased 60-120% in the last eight years, and have been increasing at a greater rate due to the current economic conditions. During this time relatively few new staff have been added to meet this demand increase. This combination has caused a workload crisis. Most of the agency programs are mandated by the state or federal government and have very specific rules and regulations attached. Meeting these standards requires a substantial amount of paperwork. Social Services agencies generate thousands of paper documents a week that accumulate in massive file rooms requiring extensive amounts of space. At the Orange County Department of Social Services' two locations, two large file rooms are full. Filing cabinets line all major hallways and most staff members have multiple filing cabinets inside their offices. Additionally, older case files are stored in several facilities off site. Storing and accessing these files is extremely difficult and new case files are created daily. Staff within Social Services, Information Technology and the County Manager's Office reached the conclusion that an automation solution was paramount to allow the agency to continue a high level of service under these parameters. In recognition and support of this need, the Board of County Commissioners approved funding for an Electronic Document Management system in the FY2007-08 budget. Social Services worked with the Purchasing Department to plan and release a Request for Proposals beginning in March of 2008. Upon completion of the bidding process, the project was awarded to Northwoods Consulting Partners in June of 2008.