ESBD_367683_1720708068752_302-24-Document Imaging Services.pdf

Request for Information

DOCUMENT IMAGING SERVICES

Posting Number: 302-24-Document Imaging

CLASS: 920 ITEM: 30

CLASS: 920 ITEM: 38

CLASS: 958 ITEM: 82

Version 1.0

Posting Date: July 11, 2024 Response Deadline: July 25, 2024

2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST)

Office of the Attorney General State of Texas i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION

2 DISCLAIMER

3 PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT

4 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

4.1 Background

4.2 Current Environment

5 GENERAL INFORMATION AND RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

5.1 Point of Contact Information

5.2 Response Submission Instructions

Document Imaging Services, Version 1.0 PAGE 1 OF 3

1 INTRODUCTION

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Child Support Division (CSD) is the state agency responsible for the Texas child support program under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. This includes collecting and disbursing child support payments on behalf of custodial parents and participating in federal programs such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and Foster Care recovery.

The OAG CSD assists parents in obtaining the financial support necessary for the well-being and development of their children. To encourage parental responsibility, the OAG CSD establishes paternity of children, establishes court orders for financial and medical support, and enforces support orders.

The OAG CSD is seeking information from vendors who provide document imaging services to convert incoming case-related paper mail documents into digital images. The OAG requests that information regarding capabilities, tools, technologies, and solutions address the topics included in the Section 5.2 Response Submission Instructions. Information regarding applicable industry standards, best practices, cost structures, or pricing methodologies and any across-the-board, comprehensive, integrated solution that addresses other related issues is welcome.

2 DISCLAIMER

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued on behalf of the OAG CSD. Its intent is to obtain information.

It is not a formal request for a bid, and a response will not result in the development of an award or contract. If the OAG decides to acquire any products or services based on the response to this RFI, the appropriate procurement method will be used. The OAG offers no assurance or guarantee that a submission will result in a solicitation for procurement. Vendors are invited to provide budget information and describe potential services or solutions for planning purposes only.

Expenses incurred in developing, preparing, or submitting any information, documentation, or other materials in response to this RFI and/or by attending meetings directly or indirectly related to this RFI are entirely the responsibility of the vendors and will neither be paid nor reimbursed by the OAG or any agency of the State of Texas. Vendors develop, prepare, or submit any information, documentation, or other materials in response to this RFI at their own risk and expense and should retain submission copies for their records. The OAG takes ownership of all submissions and reserves the right to use any and all ideas presented in any response.

3 PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT

As a state agency, the OAG will strictly adhere to the requirements of (a) Chapter 441, Subchapter L of the Texas Government Code regarding the preservation, management, and retention of state records and

(b) Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code (the “Texas Public Information Act”) regarding the disclosure of public information. As a result, by participating in this RFI process the vendor acknowledges that all submitted information, documentation, and other materials may (a) constitute state records for the purposes of Chapter 441, subchapter L of the Texas Government Code and (b) be subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.

The OAG CSD is without authority to agree that any information submitted will not be subject to disclosure. Disclosure is governed by the Texas Public Information Act (the "Act"), Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. Under the Act, all information held by governmental bodies is open to public disclosure unless it falls within one of the Act's specific exceptions to disclosure. Vendors are advised to consult with their legal counsel concerning disclosure issues resulting from this RFI process and to take precautions to safeguard trade secrets and other proprietary information. The OAG will have no liability to the vendor or any other person or entity for disclosing information in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act.

If it is necessary for a vendor to include proprietary or otherwise confidential information in its response, the vendor must clearly mark all copies of the proprietary or otherwise confidential information, documentation, or materials that are being provided to the OAG with a written notice identifying the specific exception(s) to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act that the vendor claims apply to such information, documentation, or material. Subchapter C of the Texas Public Information Act sets

Document Imaging Services, Version 1.0 PAGE 2 OF 3 forth the Act’s exceptions to the required disclosure of information. Please note that claiming a disclosure exception for provided information does not automatically render such information confidential. Further, merely making a blanket claim that all of the submitted information is protected from disclosure because it contains some proprietary information is not acceptable and shall not render the entire submission confidential. Any information that is not clearly identified as proprietary or confidential shall be deemed to be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Act.

In the event that the OAG receives a request under the Texas Public Information Act for a copy of any information, documentation, or other material for which an exception to required disclosure under the Act is claimed, the OAG will undertake its best efforts to provide the vendor with notice of the request for release of provided information and afford the vendor the opportunity to brief the facts that bring the information under the applicable exceptions of the Act. The vendor will submit the brief to the Open Records Division of the OAG. The Open Records Division is the division within the OAG that governmental bodies (including divisions of the OAG) seeking to withhold information under the Public Information Act must apply to for a decision on whether the information is excepted from disclosure. It is not possible to obtain a decision prior to a request for public disclosure being made since the Open Records Division does not render advisory opinions.

The OAG shall not have the obligation or duty to advocate the confidentiality of the vendor’s material to the Open Records Division of the OAG or to any other person or entity. It is the vendor’s sole obligation to advocate the confidential or proprietary nature of any information it provides in its response, and the vendor acknowledges that the Open Records Division of the OAG may determine that all or part of any claimed confidential or proprietary information should be disclosed.

As provided for in the Texas Public Information Act, upon request from a member of the Legislature when needed for legislative purposes, the OAG may release the vendor’s entire response, including alleged confidential or proprietary information.

Additionally, so that the OAG may contact the vendor concerning any public information requests it receives for the vendor’s response, the vendor will provide contact information to the OAG, including a phone number and email address for the named individual responsible for responding to such inquiries.

For more information on the Public Information Act’s processes and procedures, refer to Chapter 552, Texas Government Code.

4 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

4.1 Background

To minimize the volume of scanning by the CSD field offices, the OAG contracts with a document imaging vendor to convert incoming case-related paper mail documents into digital images. The existing vendor picks up paper mail from the CSD’s Mail Operations Center in Austin, Texas, and transports it to the vendor’s location for digital conversion. This process involves preparing, sorting, capturing digital images, and assigning unique identifiers and filenames, which are then transferred to the CSD via an electronic interface. After digitization, documents are properly destroyed or, if identified as an exception, returned to the Mail Operations Center.

4.2 Current Environment

The approximate volume of CSD paper mail converted into digital images for State Fiscal Year 2023 was 2,524,937 pages. CSD paper mail is picked up and digitized daily during normal business days and hours. Currently, the CSD utilizes a Secure File Transmission Protocol for file transmissions.

5 GENERAL INFORMATION AND RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

5.1 Point of Contact Information

The Sole Point of Contact for this RFI is:

Selma Moreno, CTCD, CTCM Procurement and Contract Operations Division

(512) 936-0629 selma.moreno@oag.texas.gov https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm mailto:selma.moreno@oag.texas.gov

Document Imaging Services, Version 1.0 PAGE 3 OF 3

Vendors should not contact other OAG personnel concerning this RFI except as permitted by the Sole Point of Contact.

5.2 Response Submission Instructions

The RFI response deadline is July 25, 2024, 2:00 p.m. CST.

Please organize your response around the questions below. Also, please elaborate as needed and describe any other things the OAG should consider regarding document imaging:

1. Company Information

a. Provide a brief introduction of your company.

b. Include the company’s full legal name, years in business, company size, address of headquarters, contact information, and point of contact.

c. Include the areas served in Texas.

d. Include if you are currently contracted with the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR).

2. Digital Imaging Process

a. Provide a summary of current industry standards, trends, and innovative solutions for document imaging services and other document management services.

b. Describe your processes and methods for handling document preparation, scanning, imaging, and indexing.

c. Describe your experience converting high-volume paper documents into digital images.

d. Include the types of services you offer in addition to document imaging services.

e. Include innovations your company offers that may improve CSD business processes.

3. Technical Approach

a. Describe your technical approach, including equipment used, quality assurance, validation, and scalability of services.

b. Describe how you can integrate with other systems or transfer digital files to customers.

4. Security and Compliance

a. Explain your data security measures and compliance with industry standards or regulations relevant to document handling, storage, and privacy.

b. Include relevant certifications (TXRAMP, FedRAMP, etc.)

c. Describe your processes and methods for complying with audits and tracking documents throughout the entire process.

5. Pricing Structure

a. Provide a pricing structure for your services.

6. Other items the OAG should consider.

We look forward to your response to our RFI. Thank you in advance for your time and effort.