Civil Grand Jury report - Superior Court of California

City and County of San Francisco2012-2013 Civil Grand Juryb. New TechnologyIn 2010, DBI and the Planning Department issued a request for proposal (RFP) for asingle software solution that would replace the aging DBI Permit Tracking System andupgrade the management and automation of the permitting and planning processes. TheDBI and the Planning Department evaluated the companies that responded to the RFP.The Accela system, used by over 150 municipalities, was selected.The Jury observed a demonstration of the Accela system and was impressed with itscapabilities. The Jury has concerns, however, about DBI’s implementation of Accela.These concerns are:• Many of the current DBI operating procedures lack specific due dates or follow updates. If current business processes are not changed to include due dates, Accela willnot be able to monitor overdue tasks.• To compensate for the lack of detailed up-to-date operating procedures, DBIinformation technology staff and Accela consultants will need the full-time support ofcurrent DBI employees who are the “subject matter experts”(SMEs) on the operationswithin DBI. These employees will play a critical role in system acceptance testingprior to Accela going live. Making these SMEs available while there are many vacantstaff positions in DBI and in the current building environment will be an operationalchallenge.• By selecting Accela, DBI has acquired hardware and software that appears capable ofsupporting the system objectives outlined in the BPR study. The Jury learned that theobjective of the initial installation of Accela is to replicate current DBI operationalprocesses. Achieving the Accela goals enumerated below will require substantialadditional DBI management and technology resources to methodically review andrevise existing DBI operating procedures.c. Goals for the Accela Permit and Project Tracking SystemThe Accela implementation project’s objectives are straight out of the BPR study:Business objectives:• create consistent business practices throughout the City• improve City business processes• enhance the functionality of the Department• increase reporting capabilities• provide enhanced online access• provide mobile devices for field inspection personnelThe Accela system features that would enable achievement of these objectives are:Building a Better Future at the Department of Building Inspection25