The Paper Alternative Small Town Solution
Executive Summary
By replacing paper real-property records, including over 225,000 small format documents and nearly 20,000 large format blueprints/plans/maps with digital images and computer-output microfilm, Paper Alternative Solutions met this small town’s minimum bid requirement.
In addition, Paper Alternative enhanced their proposal by offering the cost-effective ImageSilo® EDMs. This winning strategy has brought the town searchable digital records and cost saving benefits,
Challenges
Documents had to be picked up, processed and returned during government business hours. Scanning was done in a secure scanning facility to protect property owners’ privacy.
Extensive document preparation was required prior to scanning. This included, but was not limited to, removing staples and paperclips, unfolding and orienting records in a consistent direction. All files were reviewed for compliance with the scanning equipment prior to scanning and checked for quality control post scanning.
In addition to scanning each document, the digital image also was written to a microfilm archive writer: drawings and maps on 35mm microfilm; office documents on 16mm microfilm. The town required one original and one duplicate of each film.
The Benefit of Optional EDMS
When the team from Paper Alternative Solutions responded to the RFQ, they realized that best practices for digital files called for a secure Electronic Document Management System, but that was not called out in the RFQ. Because PAS is committed to providing complete solutions and the highest level of customer satisfaction and support to their clients, they added ImageSilo EDMS as an option.
PAS was able to show the advantages of this EDMS, and to provide examples and references from other local government agencies who currently use it.
“Paper Alternative has extensive experience working with local government agencies to ensure that the document conversion process is accurate and that the conversion to EDMS is smooth.”
Results, Return on Investment and Future Plans
Because ImageSilo is an industry leading platform that is free from licensing costs, annual maintenance, and per seat costs; does not require any IT infrastructure or staffing the town not only awarded the bid to Paper Alternative Solutions, but also is considering it for other departments within their jurisdiction.
By streamlining processes with ImageSilo and enabling secure online access by property owners to their real-property records, the town is able to provide better customer service, deliver building permits more quickly, and make better use of their tax-payers dollars.
