RFP_23-21_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

RFP 23-21 On-site Scanning and Imaging Services

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. Are the network and security requirements the same for each location? Yes.

Q2. Are there any locations with a special or unique requirement that would require an adjustment from the staff? Access to files and the room provided for equipment may differ between locations, for example some locations have multiple stories with elevators and some do not. There are no other significant variances between locations.

Q3. Are the software requirements from the court? No, however, any software must be able to perform the work specified in Exhibit A – Statement of Work and meet the terms specified in Attachment 2 – General Terms and Conditions – Defined Terms.

Q4. Will there be lunchroom and bathroom access? Yes.

Q5. Will we need tables, chairs, and supplies for each location? The Court will provide tables and chairs, the vendor is to provide their own supplies.

Q6. Will each location have a room to lock or secure documents in while scanning? The rooms will be inside secure Court areas with access only by Court employees who have the security clearance to access file documents.

Q7. How often will new boxes of files be brought to the scanning stations? The workflow will be determined as the work is completed based on the capacity of the vendor and Court Records Center staff.

Q8. Will there be a contact or a project manager for each location? There will be designated contacts at each location for logistical or facility issues related to that location and a project manager who will be off-site.

Q9. How many staff and how many scanners are in use per location at the time of this RFP?

Please submit a public records request to PRR@sb-court.org

Q10. What is the average daily volume per location? The daily volume varies; the weekly volume exceeds 1,000,000 pages.

Q11. Is the project done on-site at each location, or are there off-site locations as well? If so, what are they? Currently, work is completed on-site in San Bernardino and off-site in Southern California.

Q12. Exhibit A: Section 11.4 suggests the drives are being delivered to the court. This sounds like the project is being processed off-site. Please explain. Off-site capability and pricing is required for this RFP. The use of off-site services will be exercised at the Court’s discretion

Q13. Will the court be able to provide a data file of CASE ID for QC and Indexing? Currently, the Court provides an index to the vendor.

Q14. Will the court be amenable to SFTP for file transfer instead of a hard drive? The Court will be open to discussing this with the vendor.

Q15. For the microfilm. Are any of the reels blipped or an identifiable target between cases?

There are identifiable targets between cases.

Q16. Would the court like the files broken out by case or left as one multipage PDF as described in the RFP? The Court would like the option to have files broken out by case, especially for more recent files. The Court will identify the timeframes for both options with the vendor.

Q17. Will we scan masters or duplicate reels? Master reels will be scanned.

Q18. Are there any microfiche to scan? Yes.

Q19. Are there any books to scan? The Court may have bound historic Register of Action books imaged.

Q20. It is 1,000,000 images per week per location or all locations combined? All locations combined.

Q21. Exhibit A: items 14 and 15. Suggests off-site. Can the vendor provide off-site services, and can they provide the cost for those services? Yes, the Court would like the option of using offsite services and would like to know associated pricing.

Q22. Will the court allow documents to travel up to Sacramento, CA, for digitization at our headquarters? Locations within the State of California are allowed.

Q23. Will the court allow the relocation of services to off-site scanning from Sacramento to San Bernardino County for this project? Yes.

Q24. Is the Court open to engaging different vendors for different parts of the project? No.

Q25. Is the Court open to sending the microfilm collection off-site for processing? Yes, as long as the offsite location is located within the State of California.

Q26. Can the Court provide an estimate of the total microfilm roll count for this project? The

Court has approximately 24,000 rolls of microfilm.

Q27. Does the Court have any microfiche for this project? Yes.

Q28. For the paper scanning in the RFP, what is the timeline goal for this work? The Court will have incremental targets over the next three years within a multi-phase project.

Q29. How many total pages are involved in the project? The Court estimates there are approximately 4,000,000 files of various size contained within warehouses and courthouses. Depending upon the type of litigation, Court files can range from approximately 20 pages contained in one volume to hundreds of pages contained within multiple volumes. There are also historic Register of Action books and administrative records that may be scanned in subsequent phases of the project.

Q30. Is the Court open to off-site scanning of the paper records? Yes, as long as it occurs within the State of California.

Q31. Which security attestations is the Court requiring for the sensitive nature of the project records? (e.g. CJIS-listed vendor for criminal records, SOC 2 Type II audited, etc.)

Historically, the Court has not required such attestations as background checks are performed on all on-site employees.

Q32. The Statement of Work Item # 12 Performance states up to 1,000,000 pages per week.

What is the total volume of pages to be prepped and scanned over the 3 year term? If you are not able to provide exact please provide estimated. The Court estimates there are approximately 4,000,000 court files stored in warehouses and courthouses, approximately 24,000 microfilm reels, and microfiche films. Each court file varies in size, from approximately 20 pages contained in one volume to hundreds of pages contained in multiple volumes. There are also historic Register of Action books and administrative records that may be scanned in subsequent phases of the project.

Q33. Regarding the pricing model for this bid response, would the County be open to considering an hourly labor rate and hourly rental equipment rate instead of a per-image cost? No.

Q34. Please confirm actual page volumes Per Week and Per Month and indicate if there are any anticipated peak times estimated page volumes would be increased. The vendor must be capable of prepping and imaging up to 1,000,000 pages per week. The Court makes every effort to keep the workflow consistent, but there may be variances during some phases of the project.

Q35. Please confirm the total anticipated page volume for the duration of the project. There are an estimated 4,000,000 court case files to be imaged, which are located at warehouses and courthouses. Each file may contain between 20 pages, contained in one volume, to hundreds of pages, contained in multiple volumes. There are also historic Register of Action books and administrative records that may be scanned in subsequent phases of the project.

Q36. Is scanning anticipated to be completed at all 8 locations simultaneously or do you anticipate going from one location to the next? Scanning will not occur in all 8 locations simultaneously and may not occur at some locations. The list includes all but the Court’s most remote locations as possible locations.

Q37. Are you open to having the entire project delivered offsite? Yes, as long as the off-site facility is located within the State of California.

Q38. What is the established box pickup and return time window for off-site scanning services? The Court will coordinate with the vendor to establish these times.

Q39. For offsite projects, will the court accept Secure FTP delivery of image and index data rather than Hard Drives? The Court is open to discussing this further with the vendor.

Q40. Is the required scanning for incoming new records, historical records, or a combination of both? The scope of the scanning will focus on historical records through recent and current years. If new, incoming records will be added in a future phase of the project, the court will coordinate with the vendor.

Q41. Please describe the condition and age of historical records. Paper Court records pre-date 1900 and their condition is consistent with their age. Microfiche records are dated from 1972, and Microfilm records are dated from 1978. Historical Register of Action books are dated from 1897, with pages that are generally in good condition.

Q42. Please provide photos that represent how the files are currently organized and stored.

Photos not available. The Court will pull, prepare, and palletize records for the vendor.

Q43. Please provide photos of representative file folders (open file folders showing page unitization, staples, divider tabs, etc.). Photos not available. Some files are in cardboard file folders with top prongs, and some are papers that are stapled or clipped together and may be tri-folded.

Q44. Please indicate the maximum size of the pages that will be scanned. (For example, will any page sizes be larger than 11” x 17”?) Most court file documents do not exceed legal size; however, there are a few cases with attachments to documents that may exceed 11”X17”.

Q45. Can the binding be removed or cut for bound records in order to facilitate the scanning process? The Court will provide specific direction at each phase of the project if bound records are included.

Q46. Please provide pictures of each scanning work area and describe the infrastructure and security of the scanning rooms/facilities. Photos not available. The Court will provide adequate space and internet access, along with appropriate security.

Q47. Please provide a diagram of your scanning area, including measurements. Diagram not available.

Q48. Will wired internet be made available? Yes.

Q49. Will you provide a locked/secured workspace? If so, who will have access to the locked facility during non-business hours? Yes. Custodial staff will have access, and Sheriff

Deputies may access any court space in an emergency. Court staff who have the security clearance to view files may access the work space in the usual course of business.

Q50. Please describe your envisioned project plan that ensures continuous work is available for staff at any given time they are onsite. The Court has adopted a three-year plan to reduce records and the amount of storage space used for storing records. Simultaneously, the Court will be implementing a digital transformation project in the Operations division, which will include the quality assessment and imaging of all files currently stored at all courthouses countywide. Administrative records may be included in a future project phase.

Q51. Please provide estimated quantities of rolled film cartridges? Approximately 24,000 rolls.

Q52. How many rolls are 100 ft. and how many are 215 ft? All rolls are 100 feet.

Q53. Are there duplex images on the rolls? If so, how many contain duplex images? Most rolls contain duplex images.

Q54. Please provide the approved budget range for this project. Budget information is not available at this time.

Q55. Given that there is an existing provider for the services requested on this RFP, please help us understand the following:

a) What is the reason you are releasing an RFP vs. continuing with your existing provider? Expiration of the current contract.

b) What would prompt you to change to a new provider? Expiration of the current contract.

c) What specific improvements are you looking for with a new provider? See

Exhibit A – Statement of Work – Off-site operations.

Q56. Have you worked with any vendors to help prepare this RFP? No.

Q57. If so, please identify the vendor by company name. N/A Q58. What were the previous years’ volume of total images? Approximately 15,000,000 images; however, the Court has implemented a project to expand and increase the scanning of records.

Q59. How much physical space is currently reserved for this project? The Court will ensure that sufficient space is designated for the vendor at each location.

Q60. Can Microfilm be imaged offsite? Yes, as long as it occurs within the State of California.

Q61. Is there a minimum amount of images a week? The contractor must be capable of prepping and imaging up to 1,000,000 pages per week.

Q62. Are weekly image volumes likely to vary by more than 200,000 images? This is not likely but it is unknown at this time as the current project will involve scanning files at courthouses of various sizes.

Q63. What is the anticipated start date of this project? The contract start date is July 1, 2024.

Q64. Are ARPA Funds involved in this project? No, ARPA funds are not involved in this project.

Q65. Was this work ever previously contracted? If so, who was the previous vendor, and will the County provide a copy of that contract? Please submit a public records request to PRR@sb-court.org.

Q66. Are there any historical files in these collections? Most historical files have been converted to microfiche or microfilm; however, there are bound historical Register of

Actions books and certain historic cases that may include various types of paper of various ages.

Q67. Do any of the files listed in the inventory contain documents that were ever tri-folded?

Yes.

Q68. For Exhibit C: Cost Worksheet, will the County accept price points to distinguish between services required for microforms, such as 16mm, 35mm, and microfiche? See Exhibit C – Cost Worksheet – Other Service Charges.

Q69. Does the County have a records management system? Does this system have any required formatting for digital images? The Court has more than one records management system. Please refer to the RFP for formatting requirements.

Q70. Are there any restrictions on permitting offshore access to the County’s data? San Bernardino Superior Court does not permit offshore access for records projects. All off-site locations and access points for this project must be located within the State of California.

Q71. Will the awarded vendor be responsible for packing boxes for pickup and return? The court will prepare and palletize the boxes for the vendor; if any records will be returned to the court, they will be identified and the vendor will be responsible for packing, preparing and loading the boxes for return.

Q72. What level of de-prep is required (replacement of fasteners such as staples, binding mechanisms, or clips)? The majority of imaged files will be destroyed after a quality assurance review by the Court and will not require de-prep; however, some items will need to be returned in their original condition. The court will identify these items to the vendor.

Q73. If there is information on the front of the file folder, does the County want this information captured? No, but if there is information inside the front cover of the file folder, either on the folder itself, or stapled to the folder, that information will need to be captured.

Q74. While records are offsite, is the County willing to pay for any costs associated with ongoing ad hoc records requests? See Exhibit C – Cost Worksheet – Other Service Charges.

Q75. Does this inventory contain any negative Photostats (a past photocopying method that produced white text on a black background)? If so, will the County require reversal of polarity to produce a completely positive image (black text on a white background)? The Court does not believe negative Photostats are present in the inventory.

Q76. Can the County please provide more information on the microfilm services required? Is there an estimated volume with services required? What is the percentage of 16mm versus 35mm film? Is there any microfiche that requires digitization? Is the film collection silver originals, duplicates (silver or diazo), or mixed? Is the film in boxes or cartridges? The Court has mixed 16mm film in boxes; all microfilm and microfiche images will need to be digitized.

Q77. The RFP states that “Offsite services by Contractor may be needed”. Will it be the contractor or Courts to determine if services will be performed offsite? Can the complete projected be performed offsite as long as it is within the State of California? The Court will determine if off-site services will be used, and if so, they must be located within the State of California.

Q78. What services may be performed offsite? The court is open to all proposals for off-site work and will coordinate with the vendor to determine the best approach to meet project targets.

Q79. How long is the Court’s criminal background check process? The Court makes every effort to complete background checks quickly; however, part of the process depends upon the Department of Justice response time.

Q80. How many boxes/documents are in a typical “rush” job? The number may vary upon need and newly enacted legislation.

Q81. What is the largest sheet size that would require imaging? File documents typically do not exceed legal size, but there could be Register of Action books or the occasional document that are ledger size, 11”x17”. Occasionally, attachments to pleadings may exceed 11”X17” but this is not common.

Q82. Can the bound paper transcripts be unbound prior to scanning? Transcripts, yes; however, bound books, such as historic Register of Action books, will be subject to specific instructions from the Court.

Q83. Once the file is scanned and the image provided, what will be the length of time for the Court to deem the image to being approved? The Court quality assurance process is typically completed within the week after the court receives the completed files from the vendor; however, this time may vary depending upon workload at any given time.

Q84. What is the Court’s record repository? The Court uses internal repositories to upload files received by the vendor.

Q85. The Court is requesting the metadata file to include (a) File Name, (b) Case number, however in section 7.12 the request is to name the file with the Case Number, Case Type, and Scan Date. In Sec 9.2 wouldn’t the (a) File Name already consist of the Case number? Are you looking to have the Case number isolated as well? Yes. The Court will coordinate with the vendor to establish and confirm naming conventions.

Q86. What is the quantity of Microfilm reels that need to be imaged? Approximately 24,000.

Q87. Will the hard drive media be returned to the same location that the on-site work was performed or to another central location to be processed? The hard drive will be returned to a central location, the Court Record Center located in San Bernardino.

Q88. Will it be the Court or the Contractor who will be uploading into the secure portal?

Currently, the Court uploads the files; however the Court will coordinate with the vendor to establish efficient processes using current technologies.

Q89. As the pages are to be scanned and named at document level, out of the 1 million pages per week, what would be the number documents that would need to be imaged? All documents will need to be imaged. The Court will identify which files can be scanned and named at the case level and which need to be scanned and named at the document level.

Q90. Does the 1 million pages include the volume for the microfilm? No.

Q91. Can you define the storage timeframe? The timeframe will depend upon completion of a secondary validation by the court, which is impacted by the workload at any given time.

Currently, the Court’s secondary validation is usually completed within the week after receiving the completed file from the vendor.

Q92. Is it expected to have the request satisfied on the weekend? During certain phases of this project, the Court may approach the vendor to discuss this possibility.

Q93. Who is the current vendor that is providing these services for the courts today? Is that being done onsite or offsite currently? Please submit a public records request to PRR@sb-court.org.

Q94. Can you provide samples of the documents that would be part of the engagement? We are unable to provide samples. The documents will be court case file documents, administrative records, historic records, and microfilm/microfiche records. Sizes will vary, but will only occasionally exceed 11”X17”.

Q95. Will the County consider an extension of the RFP due date to May 31st? The court is unable to consider an extension for this RFP.

Q96. Can we go onsite and look at the documents that are part of the scope of this engagement? The court is unable to accommodate this request for this RFP.