Digitization of Historical Land Records

San Mateo County's Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections (ACRE) department is seeking a contractor to digitize historical land records through a Request for Proposals (RFP No. 2026-RFP-00252). The project requires on-site digitization of land records from 1856 to 1979, encompassing 297 unbound Trust Deed Books, 7,173 typed mechanical and simplex books, and 750 microfilm rolls. Specific digitization requirements include 300 dpi color capture for books and 300 dpi grayscale capture for microfilm, with deliverables comprising raw digital images, enhanced multi-page TIFF files, metadata in ASCII or comma-delimited format, and comprehensive project documentation with staff training. Proposers must have eight years of large-scale historical land records digitization experience, including completion of at least three on-site digitization projects and three comparable public sector projects. The evaluation criteria will assess proposed solutions and work plan (30 points), proposer experience and references (30 points), team qualifications (15 points), fee proposal (25 points), and local preference points (10 points). Key dates include a deadline for questions on January 2, 2026, proposal submissions due January 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM, potential interviews on February 5, 2026, and anticipated contract award on February 18, 2026.

The county has implemented a Local Business Procurement Preference Ordinance that offers five percent preference points for local businesses and local non-profits, with additional three to five percent preferences for small and micro businesses or non-profits. All proposers must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the RFP provides estimated volumes for pricing, including 2.2 million microfilm images, 2 million simplex book pages, 3 million mechanical book pages, and 200,000 unbound book pages. Pricing must be submitted on a firm-fixed price per unit basis with detailed breakdowns by task and media type. The resulting agreement will have a three-year term, and contractors will be required to comply with various county requirements, including maintaining comprehensive insurance coverage, obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and adhering to Living Wage Ordinance and non-discrimination requirements. The contract will follow either the standard template for agreements over or under $200,000, depending on the final proposed pricing.