RFQQ 25-10 – Amendment No. 2.pdf

STATE OF WASHINGTON

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE

ELECTIONS DIVISION

RFQQ 25-10

ELECTION RESULTS ARCHIVE STORAGE

AMENDMENT NO. 2

(April 3, 2025)

SUMMARY

This Amendment No. 2 to RFQQ 25-10 compiles all questions submitted by vendors during the Preproposal Conference held on Thursday, March 27, 2025, and provides the official responses from OSOS. These questions and answers are now incorporated into the solicitation as an official addendum.

Q&A FROM THE PREPROPOSAL CONFERENCE

Q1: Can you please confirm that the current public access portal is here? Election Results and Voters' Pamphlets | WA Secretary of State

A1. The current Election Results Archive application can be found on the Secretary of State’s website here: Election Results Search - Elections & Voting - WA Secretary of State

Q2: Does the current solution contain structured and/ or unstructured data?

A2: The current Election Results Archive operates using structured data from a SQL database.

Q3: Do you also have a sense of the size of those databases?

A3: The 1906-2006 results data, that includes only state and federal contests and measures, has a maximum table size of 212,000 rows. The 2006-2019 results data have a maximum table size of 49,247,306 rows. The 2019-2025 results data currently contain a table size of 8,238,587 rows, with more rows being added as elections take place.

Q4: Can you clarify who you think the users of the archive would be and what they would be able to do?

A4: Users of this archive are expected to be voters, campaigns, elected officials, election administrators, media, and academic researchers. We expect them to continue to be able to search for past elections by candidate name, jurisdiction type, office, election, and/or year.

Q5: Does the existing solution simply query the SQL databases to display results and report back? So, the existing solution is effectively just a front-end running queries on a SQL backend.

A5: Yes, that is correct.

Q6: Are you looking for a single solution that can provide an up-to-date portal for the voting information as well as providing the digital assets that Laura mentioned earlier?

A6: No, we do not expect the solution to provide up to date voting information. The Election Results Archive will only provide results after they’ve been certified by the county and state. The https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/data-research/election-results-and-voters-pamphlets https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/data-research/election-results-and-voters-pamphlets https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/results_search.aspx

OSOS currently has access to the state and federal certifications of prior elections and can make those available as digital assets for any proposed solution.

Q7: For the vendor experience requirement, can we utilize similar and applicable solutions? Or do we need to have election results archive experience?

A7: Yes, experience with similar election results solutions.

Q8: Does OSOS currently use Microsoft 365? If so, are you interested in connecting this Archive into your existing M365 environment as a content management solution + public access with appropriate permissions?

A8: Yes, The OSOS currently uses M365.

Q9: Is it fair to say the data that resides in the archive will need to reside there in perpetuity?

A9: Yes, the election results data will be maintained in compliance with the Records Retention Schedule.

Q10: Is there a specific data export strategy for the existing digital assets you mentioned outside of the database files? For example, should they be exported to a repository for uploading?

A10: No, there is no data export strategy. The OSOS will work with the successful bidder to transfer the necessary data and assets securely.

Q11: Do you have a specific timeline within which the new system would need to be populated and then go live from the point of starting migration

A11: No, there is no specific timeline. The OSOS will work with the successful bidder to implement the new system.

Q12: You mentioned converting files from one format to another, is that something you do with another consultancy service outside of this platform?

A12: The OSOS uses internal and existing resources and capabilities to convert files from one format to another.

Q13: Is the election result data considered permanent records? And, if so, is this data subject to legal retention policies (e.g. must be transferred to the State Archives)

A13: Yes, the election results data will be maintained in compliance with the Records Retention Schedule.

Q14: Is there a requirement or wish that the new solution can also provide reporting and web analytics etc.? I.e. who is look at what and how often

A14: The OSOS currently uses Google Analytics to gather web analytics. That can be shared with the successful bidder to provide reporting and web analytics, or an alternative can be provided within the solution.

Q15: What type of internal IT reports are desired from the new Archive system?

A15: The only reporting requirements are related to system performance, monitored using the OSOS-provided tool, DataDog.

Q16: Are you able to speak at all to the funding available for this new solution? I imagine there are maintenance and perhaps some staff time costs for the current system, but have you anticipated an increased annual cost for a more modern solution?

A16: The current state budget includes additional funding that was intended for a modern results reporting solution. We are confident that this funding will remain in the budget.

Q17: How is the archive on the WA SOS website deployed currently? How does authentication work between the website and the backend database?

A17: The current Election Results Archive has remained unchanged for many years and has not been re-deployed recently. The OSOS will work with the successful bidder on any authentication work required for the proposed solution.