Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Subject: Authorization of an Agreement with DMT Solutions Global Corporation for the Purchase of a Mail Sorting System
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with DMT Solutions Global Corporation (dba BlueCrest) for the purchase of a mail sorting system and associated maintenance and support services, for a total amount of $1,231,541.31.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division (the “Division”) first deployed the Olympus II Multi-Tier Mail Sorting System in 2007 to serve the Division’s needs in sorting and processing mailed ballots. The Olympus Mail Sorter is reaching the end of its operational life and costly technical issues have caused delays in ballot processing. At the same time, the County has experienced an increase in processing requirements due to rising voter registration and the California Voter’s Choice Act, which requires all registered voters be provided with a mailed ballot. As a result, the Olympus Mail Sorter is no longer sufficient to meet the County’s needs.
DISCUSSION:
On February 21, 2019, the Chief Elections Officer issued a Request for Information regarding mail sorting systems. After an extensive review of the responses received and on-site vendor demonstrations, the Chief Elections Officer determined that the Vantage Mail Sorter was best suited to the Division’s requirements. The Vantage Mail Sorter relies on the same software as the Olympus, which will reduce necessary staff retraining, and it has a number of improvements that will increase efficiency. These improvements include more than twice the amount of ‘pockets’, allowing Vote by Mail envelopes to be sorted more rapidly, and a maximum ballot processing speed of 50,000 ballots per hour, which is double the processing speed of the Olympus model.
The agreement with DMT Solutions Global Corporation (dba BlueCrest) includes the Vantage Mail Sorter and related equipment and both staff training and recurring support services.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.
SHARED VISION 2025:
Approval of this Resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 of a Collaborative Community. Fast, accurate, and transparent election results increase voter confidence.
FISCAL IMPACT:
All costs for this purchase will be paid for from the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections trust fund. The cost of this purchase will not exceed $1,231,541.31.