Digitization of Paper Transcripts Services

The Vendor is required to provide comprehensive services for the digitization of paper transcripts from the 1960s to the 1990s.
- This initiative aims to modernize record storage, improve accessibility, and ensure permanent preservation of vital documents. 
- The digitization process must produce high-resolution, text-searchable PDF files with clearly indexed metadata, securely stored and returned.
- These transcripts are permanent records that have undergone retention review, making their preservation critical.
- This initiative addresses the fragility of the documents, ensuring they are securely handled and stored throughout the digitization process.
- Transport: All materials must be transported using secure, trackable methods to ensure custody is maintained throughout the chain of possession. Implement documented chain-of-custody procedures at each transfer point; maintain custody logs.
- Handling and Preparation
•    Use handling procedures appropriate for fragile documents to prevent damage during preparation and scanning.
•    Remove fasteners, gently flatten folds, and mend minor tears as needed. Document any items that cannot be prepared without risk and notify agency for direction.
- Imaging & OCR
•    Scanning: High-resolution scanning of documents at a minimum of 300 DPI; use black and white or grayscale as appropriate; apply deskew, despeckle, and contrast correction to ensure legibility; preserve full content without cropping.
•    Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Apply OCR to all digitized pages to produce text-searchable PDFs, and disclose the OCR software and any AI models used, expected accuracy and known limitations (for example, handwriting or degraded originals), whether OCR is performed inline during scanning or post-scan, and the quality control checks used to verify and correct OCR accuracy.
- Indexing and File Deliverables
•    Index files at a minimum by Student Name, Student ID, Date of Birth, Social Security Number when present, and document type when available.
•    Organize deliverables either as one multipage, OCR-enabled PDF per student record or as OCR enabled PDFs at the document level, and include a brief rationale for the proposed structure.
•    Include metadata and a clear file-naming convention to support search by both file name and internal content.
•    When file size requires segmentation, provide multi-part PDFs and maintain clear, logical sequencing across all parts.
- Scanning and image processing
•    Provide equipment specifications and scanning settings (minimum 300 DPI in black and white or grayscale), and describe image enhancement methods (for example, deskew, despeckle, contrast correction).
•    Describe handling procedures for fragile paper documents that preserve page order and prevent damage.