State of New Jersey Puts Document Imaging on Set-Aside.

Metro Scanning, ACCSES New Jersey/CNA Services, DPP and NJDARM Work with the State of New Jersey to Put Document Imaging on Set-Aside

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Hudson Community Enterprises today announced that the State of New Jersey, working with Metro Scanning and ACCSES New Jersey/CNA, has put document imaging services on the set aside program under New Jersey State Contract.

Hudson Community Enterprises (HCE) is a non-profit enterprise made up of social enterprises and vocational training programs that enable special needs people to become self sufficient. Metro Scanning, an HCE social enterprise, will provide high-volume document imaging services in conjunction with ACCSES New Jersey/Central Non-Profit Agency (CNA), a non-profit company that supports organizations that serve people with special needs through community based programs.

The State of New Jersey, including the Division of Archives and Records Management (DARM) which holds in trust the public records of New Jersey, and the Division of Purchase and Property, cooperated with these social service enterprises to add document imaging services to the set aside program under NJ State Contract #89099, Index T1818. DARM will act as the "gatekeeper" to ensure the appropriateness of public records imaging by HCE, and monitor the quality and security of the services under the new program.

Document imaging services under Contract #89099 Index T1818 includes document preparation, scanning standard and oversized documents; document pick-up, inventory and temporary storage of documents to be scanned; indexing; document reassembly; creation of media for use and/or storage of images of scanned documents; creation of media for or microfilming of images of scanned documents; and other associated services.

Governor Jon Corzine, upon assuming the Office of Governor, reinforced the efforts of the CNA set aside (to which Document Imaging Services has been added) to create more jobs for people with disabilities by issuing a letter encouraging state agencies and cooperative purchasing partners to purchase goods and services offered by CNA Services and its Community Rehabilitation Program partners, like HCE. Last year, Governor Richard J. Codey issued Executive Order # 67 directing all state agencies to work to increase their purchases of annual goods and services through the state's CNA to 3%, a measure that would provide millions of additional dollars in employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities without increasing state spending. By creating a goal of 3%, the state stands to generate up to $60 million in purchases from the program each year by directing their spending to the CNA for goods and services they would have otherwise purchased from different outlets.

State and local government can now contract for document imaging services via the set-aside contract with CNA which makes it unnecessary to go through the complex and time consuming three-bid or RFP process. Additionally all service rates and prices have been approved by the New Jersey Division of Purchase and Property through a fair market price analysis and are competitive with pre-existing GSA schedules. When a governmental agency chooses CNA to provide document imaging services, they are working toward fulfilling the state set-aside goal of 3% which has the potential to employ thousands of people with disabilities. Additionally, all revenues generated by organizations that support people with disabilities go back into those organizations to fund, expand and create vocational services to help more and more people with disabilities.

"The set-aside is a milestone event for our organization and other organizations that help people with special needs," said HCE President Maureen Walliser. "We've worked long and hard with ACCSES NJ, DARM and DPP on this project and are grateful for their non-stop support and commitment without which this would not have happened," she said. "This, in combination with Executive Order 67, can potentially put to work thousands of people with special needs," she said.

"We are dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations that help people with special needs through community programs," said ACCSES NJ President Nils Richardson. "And this set-aside opens the door for employment and training to so many more people," he said. "When we learned that HCE was starting a document imaging company we jumped at the chance to work with them. They have an exceptional history of innovative success and a reputation for pushing the envelope to make inroads into areas that are typically not open to people with special needs," he said. "Our partnership with HCE and Metro Scanning along with the support of Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury and DARM made this landmark event possible."

"The Division of Archives and Records Management is dedicated to providing an effective framework for governmental agencies to manage their records better," said DARM Records Management Chief Albin Wagner. "If we can help put people with disabilities to work at the same time, then it is a win-win for everyone," he said. "As the 'gatekeeper' for document imaging services that are available to government agencies through Metro Scanning and ACCSES NJ/CNA Services, we can determine the appropriateness and quality of their document imaging services and ensure the security of public records while they are in their custody. Now that document imaging is on set-side, government agencies can more quickly and easily put programs into actionC*programs that give them faster, easier and better methods of document management," he said.

About NJDARM

The Division of Archives and Records Management holds in trust the public records of New Jersey: one of the oldest and most vital functions of government. The division has statutory authority to ensure the security, integrity, and efficiency of record-keeping by state and local public agencies, and to preserve the rich documentary heritage of New Jersey and its people. For more information about DARM visit www.njarchives.org or call [phone].

About ACCSES NJ/CNA Services

ACCSES New Jersey is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing leadership and support to members who advocate for and serve persons with disabilities through community based programs located throughout New Jersey. The Association provides a series of activities designed to address the needs and concerns of statewide community rehabilitation program members who directly provide employment and other services to more than 40,000 adults with significant disabilities. For more information about ACCSES New Jersey visit www.cnaservices.org or call [phone].

About Metro Scanning

A member of HCE's social enterprise family, Metro Scanning is a non-profit, document imaging company that provides high-volume document imaging services to companies in the New York tri-state area. Metro Scanning is a social enterprise that provides comprehensive document-imaging certification and employment for special needs people in Hudson County. Document imaging services include document preparation, scanning, indexing, validation, and transfer to electronic media or microfilm. Metro Scanning is located at 780 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, NJ, 07306. For more information, call 866-509-5525, visit our web site at www.metroscanning.com or email us at [e-mail].

About Hudson Community Enterprises

Hudson Community Enterprises (HCE) is a collaborative non-profit organization made up of forward-thinking social enterprises and innovative employment preparation programs that enable people with special needs to become self-sufficient. HCE has been serving Hudson County for nearly 50 years and offers vocational training in a variety of employment areas, vocational rehabilitation and job placement programs. HCE's four social enterprises include Metro Scanning, Metro Shredding, Metro Fulfillment and Metro LitterPatrol. HCE has offices located at 68-70 Tuers Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey, and 780 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, New Jersey. For more information about HCE, please call 201-434-3303, email us at [e-mail], or visit our web site at www.hudsoncommunity.org.