Agency details Digital Plan Room upload steps and sheet-versioning requirements

An agency staff member explained the three-step process applicants must use to submit construction plans and supporting documents through the agency's Digital Plan Room, including how files are uploaded, validated and versioned.

The instructions matter because the Plan Room validates files on upload and extracts sheet numbers to create a single versioned plan set; errors in file format, signatures or sheet numbering can block review and require applicants to resubmit corrected files.

In Step 1, applicants add files to the review package either by clicking the browse button to locate files or by dragging and dropping them into the upload area. After files are added, applicants must select a document type for each file and then click the "Upload and validate" button. The system validates files during upload and returns immediate feedback if there are problems. The staff member listed common validation errors as files that are corrupted, encrypted, password protected, or files whose digital signatures on signed and sealed documents have issues. To correct a rejected file, remove it from the review package using the trash-can icon, fix or replace the file, and upload the corrected version.

The staff member said some submissions include a requirements checklist. Items shown in the red "required" section must be included in the review package; additional items labeled "recommended" or "informational" indicate further documentation that may be needed now or later.

Step 2, described as "Sheet Versioning," confirms that the Plan Room has correctly identified sheet numbers across all uploaded plan files and consolidated them into one plan set. The system attempts to identify sheet numbers first from a PDF table of contents (bookmarks), then from page labels and text on the sheet, and finally by using image-recognition on scanned sheets to locate title blocks and extract sheet numbers. The staff member recommended including a table of contents in each plan file and noted the preferred format: the sheet number followed by a space and, optionally, a sheet title.

Before proceeding from the sheet-versioning step, two requirements must be met: every sheet must have a sheet number assigned, and all sheet numbers must be unique. The Plan Room provides tools to help applicants review extracted sheet data: thumbnails of the title block and full sheet, the file name from which each sheet was extracted, and a filter to show only sheets with errors. Applicants can manually correct sheet numbers at this step and can use a rotate button to fix sheets that are not in the correct orientation. If widespread extraction errors occur, the staff member advised returning to Step 1 to replace plan files or add a table of contents.

Step 3 is the final review. Applicants may add a description for the review package, check the package for completeness, and use edit buttons to correct missing files or other issues. When the review package is complete, clicking "Finish" updates the application to indicate that plans and supporting documentation have been submitted.

The presentation was instructional; no formal actions, motions or votes were recorded during the segment. The staff member did not specify the agency name beyond referring to "the agency" or provide dates for when these procedures changed.