Contract Renewal Management System for Community Based Organizations

About the Program

Category: Financial Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

Each year the Contracts Unit of the Social Services Agency (SSA) renews over 200 contracts with Community Based Organizations (CBO) for social welfare and health services to Alameda County residents. The previous contract renewal process was paper based. Contracts were drafted and printed multiple times during the review process. Once the final contract was approved, five printed copies would be mailed to vendors for signature. Vendors were responsible for mailing back the signed contract. Working together with SSA, Auditor-Controller Agency, County Administrator’s Office, and County Counsel, the new system developed by the Information Technology Department (ITD) allows SSA staff to electronically manage the entire contract renewal process. Key data from previous contracts can be cloned into new contracts, reducing manual data entry. The system provides an electronic approval process to track all approval stages, then submits contracts for electronic signature using the County’s eSignature technology (DocuSign). When signed and completed, the system automatically uploads the signed documents into the County’s Agenda Management System and Auditor’s financial Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (PeopleSoft Financials). The system also provides detailed reports of the current stage of each contract and the person whose signature or approval is next in line of the workflow.