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Home My WebLink About0406.095"" l m ". "" TO: ATTL'ITION: FROM: ~ · ' .. -" ." -.' -. --:-: -...... . @ City of Palo Alto City Manager's Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL POLlCY AND SERVICES COMMI1TEE CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: Plauaing and CommuDity Ellruoomeat AGENDA DATE: September 21.1995 CMR!406:9S SUBJECT: Request for Proposal ror Permitl.formation Tracking System (ClP US96) RIDUEST Council review and staff autllori7.ation 10 issue a Request fu< Proposal fu< an automated Permit Information Trac\ing System. POUCV IMPLICATIONS Use of an automated permit !laCking system will bell' 10 improve customer service and is an integral pari of!he City's permit streamlining eflbrt. Sucb. system will enI1anco !be City's efficiency in processing applications, permits and other activities related to new devdopmenl, monitoring compliance with project re'luirements or conditions of approval and mitigation measures, a.'ld improve interdepartmental coordination. EXECIITM SUMMARY iN 1993, The need fu< an improved perm.'t tracking system was identified by an Intetdepartmental Cooperation Subcommittee of the City staff s Cu,-tomer Service Committee. This subcommittee identified IOOCe Lian 50 different types ofpermit procedures truu require interdepartmental approval and coordination. The Hughes Heiss organizaliooal review a.'ld members of !he publ~ bave also identified !he need fu< an improved permit Incking system. Moo:e recently. !he City sIlL')". Project Review Committee and !he Permit Streamlining Committee that is woddng with staff have identified the need. Most of !be Page 1 or • .... -------, --.--",---"""",:"~~--':,:--":' . .,.~ '.".-..;--::---':" ""~. .. ~ . o City's permit procedure. rely 00 I!lan'JaI transmittal of project informatioo and verification of proj.,'Ct compliance with standard conditions '" other req urrements. These procedures could be significantly improved through use of an automated permit tracking system. A centralized information system, which can be acce.oed by all im'oIved departments, will re.fu<:e delay in issuing permits and confusion due 10 missed or late communications. ACC>Jrale, up-to-date information .bout the pennit or permit status can be provided quickly, upon request, at the point of customer COIl!ac!. A new Customer Service Project, 10 implement an automated Permit Infurmation Tracking System, was approved as port of the 1994-95 and 1995-96 Capital Improvement Programs. Ultimately, the system is 10 be used 10 tracl< and monitor aD types of permits and acti,ities related 10 permits, such as awlicatious, licenses, ins!,--ctious, utility service modificatious, complaints and code enforcement. The initial system would monitor the complete development process from initial planning entitlement requests, through 6na1 bu1l<fmg requests, including oogoing conditions of approval knowing occupancy. functions a"d enhancements, such as monitoring Dlllity ser>ice requests and additional reporting capabmties, wl1l be added 10 the system as City resources and priorities allow. The new system must convert ~ata from the current Bml<fmg Inspection Penni! System (BIPS) and interact with !he City', Fi. ... 1nspection System (fIS) ,Geographic L'llOnnaticn System (GIS), Utilities Customer Information System (CIS) and Interactive fund Accounting System (IFAS). The contract lOr purchase of the system is 10 include: • software purchase, license and warranty, • iustQm modifications necessary 10 achieve City requirements, • lraining and documentation, • in..<taIIation and implementation, • future system .jXlates. The specifications lOr the permit tracking system contained in !be RFP were devek>ped throogb the work of an interdepartmental woding committee made up of representatives !rom P!JInning. Building. Public Wods, Fire, UtiIi1ks Engineering. Operations, Information and Data Systems, and Information Technology Senices. Many members ()f!be Permit Tracking Committee are also participating ,.ith !be City'. Permit Streamrming Committee, pI'O'iding important integration between these two effOrts. In preparing the specifications, the =mmittee members reviewed sample RfPs from other jurisdictious, viewed demonstrations from five diffi:rent vendors (Sierra Products, Opendala Systems, Tidemark, Systems Inc. and Hansen) and made two field trips 10 local user sites (San Mateo County - Tidemark, and Los Gatos -Sima Products). A series ofteJepbone inteniews 10 these and additional nselS were also made (Benicia -Tidemark; Fremont, Newark, Gtlroy -Sierra). Page 2 of ( .-.... , I" -.. ' : ,-. ~ '. , The most immediate need for automated permit tracking exists for the PI.mung and lnspectirnal Services Divisions. The Planning Division bandles approximately 1,000 pennits and applications for projects/permits annually and has responsibility for roocdinating all =18 and reviews by the City', internal Project Review <Mnmittee. The Buikfmg lnspe<:tion Services Division handles approximately 6,000 permits annually. Phasing of iD:plementatioo either by department or system features will be consXlered 00 • priority basis ;Cit is IOund necessary, with tbe initial implementation 10 occur in tbe Plor.ning and Builamg Inspectioo Divisions .. The selectioo procedure will consist of .rlStributioo of the RFP to nine permit \raCking vendo<s (KJV A, TIdeman, Systems, Inc., Opendata Systems, Hansen, Sima, Regis, Black Bear Systems, HID). The top four, with tbe systems that incorporate the greatest number of requim:I features, will be imited 10 an intervie.-/demoostrntion. Each of the vendors will be asked \0 pe:rbm some samJ'le beochmarl< tests for permit trac1cing and pennit isSUBl1Ce, in addition 10 demon,,--trating other system fea.'Ur<s. The finalist will be subject 10 reference cbe<:ks and may be asked 10 pe:rbm • Ioogee, more detailed demonstration prior 10 initiation of cootract nq;otiatioos and Council approval of tbe fffial contract. The City has also participated in !he Smart Valley's "Smart Permitting" Project The Smart Valley efb"1 is a publicfprivate effort to impr()\'e !he economic poSition of Silicon ValIey and the !tine Bay Area counties. 11K: Smart Permitting effort is 10 establish I standard for penni! !racking and evenruaIl)l a/Iow for permitslpIan approvals to be applied for and approved via electronic media, such as !he Internet The RFP staff de\oeloped is consistent with tbe mojor elements of the "Smart Permitting Standards" prepared by the Smart Permitting Ccmmittee, although Palo Aha's RFP has moo: ~us on basic permit !rac1cing activities/functional needs. FISCAl, IMPACT Initial cost of the system is estimated at S90,OOO for fiscal year 1995-96, plus annual maintenance costs estimated at betw= $6,500 and S J 0,000 beginning in fiscal year 1996-97 and contif;umg 00 a yearly basis. 11K: inJIiol $90,000 cost is al'Iocated in the IOIIowJng ways: • $70,000 allocated as part of 1994-1995 CIP for software purchase, including a minimum of 50 user Iog-ons, imp I.mentation assistance, and training to bring department. and activities oo-line. • $20, ()()() allocated as part of 1995-96 eIP fur additional implementation assistance, and training 10 bring additional departments and activities online (lDCludes first year software maintenance). , , . ' '.<» ... ~" .~~ ~ :-:""' ~ • , "!: •.. ~ Source 0( funding -General Fund willi tota\ SI()'oOO reimbu=menl from the Eleclr'.e Fund in boll> fucaI yean; 1994·95 and 1995·96. Pari n.6. (page 25) and ParI HI, raMe 2 (mstructions pages II .. '1<1 12) of the RFP seek specific <XJSt estimates fix implementing a system meeting the requirements established in !be RFP. The RFP responses will be nsed 10 de1ermine wbether I new ClP a"d additional funds will be needed 10 fully irnpleme!l.l the desired system fix aD departments. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSF.SSMfJ'(r Pw-cIJase of compuIfr software is not a project under CEQA (Section 15378); therefore, no . enviromnenlal assessment is required. AlTACHMEr,..rs Request for Proposal fix Permit InfOllIll!!ioo Tracking System (Council Members and Permit Tracking and Permit Streamfuiing Com.Tjttees onl)) PREPARED BY, Sarah Cbe!ley, Senior Planner DEPAR1MENTHFADRE~W: tWwa<Lf ./~ ~ . KENNETH R. SCHREIBER> Direc!oc 0( Planning and Communily EnviconmeDl CITY MANAGER APPROVAL; i$ollMtlM j}\'9- . BERNARDM. STROJN Assistant City Manager CC; Permit Tracking Committee Permit Streamfuiing Committee ..... '