TITLE
Title
ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES AND SEAL AUTHORIZED IN CONDUCTING COUNTY BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Mark Payne
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BACKGROUND
Background
The County is implementing an electronic contract management system to allow for electronic signatures and seals. Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 66, Article 11A, Electronic Commerce in Government, local units of government, may use and accept electronic signatures. To initiate this process, local units of government, under N.G. Gen. Stat. 66-58.5, must request and require the use of an electronic signature in order for agency transactions signed electronically to have the same force and effect as if a manual signature had been used. In addition to contracts management, electronic signatures may be implemented in other business transactions such as procurement cards and purchase orders. This resolution and approval is intended to extend to current and future implementations for county operations that may allow for the utilization of electronic signatures and seals.
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RESOLUTION
Resolution
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES AND SEAL IN CONDUCTING COUNTY BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
WHEREAS, Guilford County is in the process of implementing an electronic contracts management system which will involve a centralized system to approve, process, and execute all County contracts; and
WHEREAS, the implementation of this contract management system will allow the utilization of electronic signatures and an electronic version of the official County seal by appropriate Guilford County officials rather than the present workflow process which requires manual signature of documents; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 66 Article 11A, Electronic Commerce in Government, all public agencies, which includes local units of government, may use and accept electronic signatures under the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 66, Article 40; and
WHEREAS, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-58.5, Validity of Electronic Signatures, requires that a public agency request or require the use of electronic signatures in order for agency transactions signed electronically to have the same force and effect as if a manual signature had been used; and
WHEREAS, Guilford County desires to approve and authorize the use and acceptance of electronic signatures in current or future County business transaction, so that the electronic signature process will satisfy the validity requirements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-58.5; this electronic signature approval shall include, but not be limited to, contracts, procurement cards and purchase orders.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that effective immediately the Guilford County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the utilization and acceptance of electronic signatures and an electronic version of the official County seal in County business transactions, including, but not limited to, County contracts; and that the Board hereby FURTHER RESOLVES that this electronic signature use approval shall be limited to those County officials and employees who are entitled by current or future official Board action to manually sign binding legal documents on behalf of Guilford County.
Adopted this the _____ day of January, 2017.
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The Honorable Jeffrey M. Phillips, Chairman
Guilford County Board of Commissioners
ATTEST:
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Robin B. Keller, Clerk to Board
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Adopt resolution authorizing electronic signatures and seal in conducting business transactions to include, and not be limited to contracts, procurement cards and purchase orders.
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