The town is considering a new records management system that could cost $70,000 as well as a $14,500 study to first determine which system best suits its needs.
On Jan. 27, Michael O’Shea explained to council he has helped over 80 other municipalities develop a request for proposals (RFP) for record and document management systems.
O’Shea, president of The Information Professionals, of Barrie, said it is important for Erin to pick a system that reflects what the town wants to do.
“If you don’t identify your requirements early on, negotiations get very protracted and costs escalate,” he said. He proposes a $14,500 consulting fee to help the township choose the best system by:
– determining the needs of the town;
– including those needs in an RFP document;
– developing a scoring matrix for the proposals received;
– evaluating the written proposals; and
– selecting the product and vendor that best meets the needs of the town, within budgetary constraints.
O’Shea said records management systems can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000, and he thinks Erin’s will fall between $50,000 and $70,000. Generally, upgrades run between 15 to 18% of the total cost and can be included in a service agreement, he added.
He suggested the study, which would take about a month to do, should be completed one year, and the system be acquired the following year.
O’Shea concluded the goal is not necessarily to develop a paperless system, just one that is more efficient for the town.
“There are huge advantages to going electronic, but it’s very expensive and it doesn’t always make sense,” he said.
Mayor Rod Finnie thanked O’Shea for the presentation and said council will consider his proposal in 2009 budget deliberations.
