The City of Tampa's Automated Agenda

Workflow System

CASE STUDY:

ISPA, Inc and DocMaestro

ISPA is a Service Disabled Veteran owned and Small Disadvantaged Business headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia

DocMaestro Division is located in Clearwater Products include:

AgendaMaestro UtilityMaestro InfoLinker

City of Tampa

Population over 300,000 Over 4,500 city employees Around 34 departments Hundreds of employees are involved in the

agenda process - Requestors Over 100 employees involved in the agenda

approval process - Approvers Offices in several buildings throughout city Extensive Intranet facilities

System Objectives

Better, faster, cheaper than current process Define a documented process Ability to adapt to changes The ability to collect statistical information on

the agenda process Provide public access to agenda information

Existing Conditions The City of Tampa publishes around 20 different agendas every month. Each agenda can be upwards of 1500 pages with support material The types of agendas published for the City of Tampa include:

Regular Meeting Draft Agenda Regular Meeting Final Agenda Regular Meeting Ordinance Agenda Regular Meeting Resolution Agenda Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Special Meeting Agenda Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Regular Meeting Agenda Evening Agenda

Each agenda can result in additional documents including Minutes and Action Agendas

There are around 200 requests per month to place items on an agenda Each agenda request can require up to 10 approvals before it is

assigned to appear on an agenda

First Step: Gathering Information

The Tampa Request For Proposal Understanding the existing paper process Survey the users and facilities Categorize the users

Requestors Approvers Coordinators

Survey the users

Survey Says…

1 of 8

Forms and Documents Agendas (Compound Documents)

Regular Meetings Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Meetings Actions Agendas Minutes

Agenda Requests Types of agenda requests:

Resolution, Ordinance, Petition (Staff Report/Site Plan), Hearing, Council Ordinance

Data and Support Information Approval Process (Workflow) Policy and Rejection Assignment to an Agenda

Word Form withMacros and

attached support documents

Agenda Request

Approval Process (Workflow)

Documented Process

Routing Slip

Routing Slip page 2

Electronic Signatures

Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of June 2001 - "ESIGN“, FTC & Dept of Commerce“a signature, contract, or other record relating to such transaction may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form”“Signed electronic records shall contain information associated with the signing that clearly indicates the printed name of the signer, the date and time when the signature was executed. The meaning (such as review, approval, responsibility, or authorship) associated with the signature.”http://www.ftc.gov/os/2001/06/esign7.htm

Requestor / Approver Web Site

Agenda Template

Hollywood

DeKalb, GA

Action Agenda

Tampa

Coordinator Workstation

Document Repository

Web based document system Integrates with existing web site Field searchable

Agenda Date Agenda Type

Word searchable Hyperlinked results

System Overview

WebPage

s

WebPage

s

EventManager

SystemManager

AgendaMaestro Server

Documents&

Files

Documents&

Files

AgendaDBMS

AttachmentsAttachments

RequestEmails

RequestEmails

WebBrowserClients

Templates&

Configuration

Templates&

Configuration

CoordinatorClient

Event Emails

Event Emails

System Emails

System Emails

SystemManager

Client

Getting it going

A focal point on both sides is a good idea User Training is Very Important What is surveyed is not always the truth Use a “Support Request” form Policy and Procedures

User Training is Very Important

Training Classes Requestor / Approver Training Coordinator Training ITS Training (ITS support is very important - Thanks Don)

City of Tampa Support – Lelia Blevins User Manuals (Not sure anyone sees them)

System Results - Accomplishments

There are 200 Agenda Requests per month The system sends out 2,000 approval / review

requests per month Over 8 gigabytes of electronic documents have

entered the system since inception Currently, no paper agenda requests nor agendas

are printed to paper by the City Clerk’s office – Paperless Office

All agendas are available to the public Process is better, faster, cheaper

From Press Release of May 12, 2005:

“The goal of the Agenda Automation Project is to achieve greater efficiency in city government, while substantially reducing paper and manpower costs.  The initiative has already greatly reduced voluminous paper agenda books provided to city council members and city staff. The city clerk, in conjunction with the Information Technology Department, worked with a selected vendor DocMaestro, in the development of an electronic workflow for processing agenda items with electronic signatures affixed by the appropriate review departments.”

Press Release 5/12/2005 (Continued):

“During the past two city council meetings, council members and other staff members have been able to access their agenda materials electronically from laptop computers.  This Agenda Automation Project was initiated at the request of the mayor’s administration and as a result of concerns expressed by city council members that access to official documents should be available on-line to the public, news media, and city staff.”

AgendaMaestro and UtilityMaestro Customers

City of Tampa Hillsborough County Marion County City of Sarasota Pinellas County Utilities Hollywood, Florida Broward County DeKalb County, Georgia Fulton County, Georgia Augusta, Georgia Cobb County, Georgia Columbus Consolidated Government, Georgia Schenectady, New York Georgetown County, South Carolina City of Georgetown, South Carolina