Record Management Storage

Descriptions

In 2025, the Shropshire Council Records Management Service requires commercial records storage for around 35,000 boxes of semi-current modern records. These records are currently located in the basement of its former headquarters at Shirehall and must be removed during October 2025, date to be confirmed. This contract is to secure the provision of a storage contract for these records with retrieval and return service and the potential to manage destructions in line with the Shropshire Council file plan and retention policy. Scanning of records for transfer to SharePoint, may be required. In addition, the Records Management Service requires access to a management system allowing for the accurate recording of records movement (detailed below). This storage contract must ensure that Shropshire Council is compliant with records legislation (detailed below) This storage contact must ensure that the records are held in secure, environmentally stable conditions (detailed below). This contract is for an initial period of 5 years. Background The Shropshire Council Records Management Service manages around 50,000 boxes of council records in Shirehall and an out-store in Telford. •Around 50,000 Shropshire Council records are managed by the service •Over 3,000 requests for access are achieved each year •7 secure stores in Shirehall managing around 35,000 records •Telford off-site store holds around 14,000 records scheduled for destruction before 2030. The Shropshire Council Records Management Service Information and Records Management Standards (2021) sets out a framework for the creation, management, preservation, retention, destruction and control of information and records, which supports the activities and business function of Shropshire Council to ensure that information and records sources are retained only for as long as is necessary for legal compliance and administrative need. The Records Management Service ensures that records and information are secure and vital information is protected and compliant with records legislation. Semi-current and closed paper business records are stored in appropriate conditions with the main storage facility at the Shirehall compliant with BS4971:2017 and BS EN 16893:2017 standards. Corporate and public records lifecycle management •Shropshire Council Records Management Service (RMS) is a corporate service supporting effective management of all departmental records in the council •Through its work it enables Shropshire Council to comply with information legislation for a transparent and accountable authority •Service demand is growing in line with the increasing pressure on social care. Since 2016 over 3,500 social care files have been deposited with statutory retention dates up to 75 years and advisory retention dates of up to 150 years •In addition to corporate records, RMS manages records for external bodies including HM Coroner and HM Magistrates. These records are subject to the Public Records Act (1958): when they are 15 years old, the files transfer to Shropshire Archives for permanent preservation Access to information •The Records Management Service delivers around 3,000 requests for access per annum from Shropshire Council staff •The Records Management Service holds uniquely sensitive records and has specific requirements for confidentiality and compliance. •In addition to managing staff access, the service has responded to the Independent Inquiry Telford Child Sexual Exploitation (IITCSE), the inquiry into infected blood and the inquiry into Shrewsbury Hospital maternal and neo-natal fatalities, in addition to regular inquiries from West Mercia Police Legislation governing the Records Management Service: •The Records Management Service strengthens the Shropshire Council to work effectively and with transparency contributing to a more efficient organisation •Supporting compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (2001), Data Protection Act (2018), UK GDPR, and the Environmental Information Regulations (2004) •Ensuring appropriate care of organisational records under the Local Government Act (1962) and Local Government Act (1972) •Delivering ‘proper arrangement with respect to any documents that belong to or are in the custody of the council of any of their officers’ •Supporting society and individuals through the Local Government (Access to Information) Act, 1985 •Enabling partnership working Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 (‘RPSI’) •Implementing digital preservation workflow to SharePoint to capture, appraise and retain digital records for semi-current records enabling speedy access to accurate information •Working in partnership with public record-making bodies to transfer public records from the Records Management Service to Shropshire Archives as Place of Deposit under Public Records Act (1958) •A dedicated, specialist team of information professionals ensuring access to our records supporting transparency and accountability Records management database Shropshire Council Records Management Service currently uses the CALM RM database to manage its records. This existing finding aid and management tool should be integrated to work with the storage contractor’s system to deliver a single, authoritative dataset for every Shropshire Council record. The storage contractor’s database will replicate the functionality of CALM RM which: •Assigns individual levels of security to access content of records and records information •Enables management of records in line with corporate retention schedule •Delivers single, authoritative data for each record In addition, the contractor’s database must : •Be auditable, delivering a means of identifying and reporting attempted breaches •Provide an incident reporting procedure •Enable the monitoring of records use •Be capable of handling large amounts of metadata The database must: •Be contained in a system that is maintained for the length of the contract •Be capable of delivery a usable export of data in common format (csv, xml), available to Shropshire Council at all times, on request Secure, environmentally stable conditions The current storage for Shropshire Council records management meets the standards BS 4971:2017 and BS EN 16893:2017. The storage contract must meet these standards, or have demonstrable ability to reach these standards within a defined timeframe. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Shrewsbury:-Records-management./2Y2TF5PD62 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/2Y2TF5PD62