Local governments are converting unstructured data into usable information that enables better decision-making

Governments at all levels face growing volumes of data in an assortment of formats—both physical and digital. And agencies need to be able to access that information at any time, from anywhere, all while making sure that security and privacy are maintained.

Iron Mountain and its OMNIA Partners cooperative contract can help agencies achieve digital transformation of government records. The firm helps cities and counties in their data management, says Mary Ellen Buzzelli, director of state local and education strategy at Iron Mountain Government Solutions. “First, we can provide support across the entire information lifecycle, from when a record or piece of data is developed through its disposition. In addition, we also provide services such as IT asset destruction and analytics capabilities to help agencies generate insights from that data. Through our information management processes and services, agencies reduce costs, mitigate risk, enhance data privacy and security, improve the citizen experience and increase staff productivity.”

Buzzelli says more cities and counties are relying on intelligent data capture (IDC). She says IDC gives local governments the ability to extract value out of their information for better decision- and policymaking. “It also enhances collaboration capabilities for remote and hybrid workforces, improves staff productivity by eliminating repetitive processes and helps simplify compliance and data security.” She adds that unstructured data is everywhere in city-county government agencies and is only increasing with the emergence of “smart cities,” Internet of Things (IoT) devices and intelligent transportation systems. That kind of data can also be found in legacy archives, employee/citizen records, chat logs, legal documents, spreadsheets, HR documentation and many other places in municipal operations.

Through IDC, public agencies can take that unstructured and semi-structured data and convert it to usable information. In local government, the data is often siloed in different agencies, locking away its value. When properly extracted, the data can be converted into valuable information that administrators can use to get a more complete picture of a situation. That extracted data can help government managers make important decisions and develop needed policies.

“Consider the collaboration that could occur if agencies can work together with the data located within these silos,” Buzzelli explains. She says sharing of extracted data between, say, the Department of Aging and city- or county-owned nursing facilities could yield valuable insights. “This is just one example showing how IDC can be used to turn unstructured data into usable information.”

Buzzelli says digitizing bulk physical records can be a potential money-saver for local governments. “Although cities and counties have deployed technology to modernize operations, there are still mounds of physical documentation, from vital citizen archives to legacy government records that could be digitized. The cost to store and access this information by employees is more expensive than what it takes to digitize those records.” She explains that cost-savings are achieved through lower rental and storage expenses, reduced staff time to maintain and locate the records when a request is made, and the costs associated with recovering paper records due to a natural- or man-made disaster. “Digitized files also enable a quicker response time to information requests and provide better, streamlined records access to constituents.”

Buzzelli points out that cooperative purchasing agreements save time for public procurement departments. “In most cases, they eliminate the need for what can often be long Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Offer (RFO) or Invitation to Bid (ITB) cycles. Because the terms and conditions along with the pricing have been established, procurement staff save time and can take advantage of established discounts.”

She adds that cooperative purchasing agreements can significantly reduce administrative overhead costs. “These contracts can lead to lower costs for both the agency and the supplier by limiting the labor costs associated with development, award and negotiations during the RFP/RFQ/ITB/RFO process.”

This flyer has more information on the OMNIA Partners cooperative contract with Iron Mountain. The contract covers data and information management solutions. Iron Mountain Government Solutions (IMGS) is a division of Iron Mountain Inc. The division provides secure, cost-effective information management solutions to government and educational entities across the country.

This blog post shows how government agencies can unlock value from their data.

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].