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Re: storage agreeements with local governments



As a former municipal Records Coordinator, I would just add a few things to
the very good points Peter makes...

At 01:16 PM 02/05/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>Although I don't have an agreement to share be sure to consider including
>the following in the agreement
>
>1. Indemnification from loss ie they indemnify you and will support you if
>sued.
>2. Access although they are government records there must be some sort of
>controls in place concerning access to the records

Most Freedom of Information legislation will not release local government
from its responsibility to provide access to information, even when the
records are not onsite.

>3. Hours of operation - will the records be made available during the same
>hours of operation as the local guvmint? Or will they use your hours of
>operation.

Related to the above...and because of FOI considerations, it is likely that
the municipality will ask for retrievals and provide access to the records
onsite.

>4. Security considerations
>5. Delivery charges - will you deliver or will they come and pick up the
>records

Add to this retrieval and refile costs.

>6. Loss prevention - will you be required to provide greater protection than
>you already do. (see also indemnification)
>7. Insurance - will your organization incur greater insurance costs and if
>so who will pay for it.
>8. Is extra equipment to be acquired to house the material and who will
>provide it. If provided by the local government does it meet your standards

This point can be especially important depending on the Health and Safety
legislation in your jurisdiction.  In Ontario, for example, the
municipality might be responsible for the employees of a contractor in this
regard...so that proper equipment is vital.

>9. How long will the agreement be for.

Another consideration here is any penalties for total removal of records
before the completion of the contract.

>10. will it require extra staffing? If so, who pays for that?
>
>any way those are some ideas off of the top of my head. As to standard
>agreements you might want to contact your local commercial records storage
>facility and see if they will provide you with a blank agreement.
>

Another point...if the facility is being used for textual and electronic
records storage, you will need to make sure that appropriate environmental
conditions are met, with particular attention to the environment for
electronic information holdings.

Cheers!

Mark

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