Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Technology Modernization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Francisco DBI outlines multi‑phase technology overhaul, seeks monthly oversight from commission
Summary
The Building Inspection Commission heard a presentation on DBI’s multi‑year plan to modernize its permit tracking and plan‑review systems, including an RFP for PTS/forms this summer (contract expected to take 8–9 months) and a broader initiative to evaluate business processes and vendor accountability.
Interim Director Patrick O'Riordan told the San Francisco Building Inspection Commission that DBI is initiating both near‑term upgrades and a longer‑term technology replatforming to improve permit intake, plan review and inspections. "The RFP will be issued soon, and the goal is to have the contract in place this summer. We anticipate that that will take 8 to 9 months," he said.
City Chief Administrative Information Officer Linda Jarrell described the effort as a "digital journey" built on three pillars: digital enablement, business‑process optimization and digital transformation. "The digital journey is really around digital technology enablement," Jarrell said, and urged use of prior project artifacts (Gartner process mapping and previous DBI project work) to avoid repeating earlier mistakes.
DBI described near‑term steps that include PTS interface and forms upgrades, expanded online permit types (reroofing already online; kitchen and bathroom model permits expected next quarter), electronic plan review (EPR) enhancements, mobile inspection data and online payments. The department said it will engage a consultant to map business processes and coordinate with the Department of Technology and Digital Services for procurement and vendor oversight.
Commissioners asked for a clear reporting cadence and a succinct "North Star" of goals. Several urged a scoping document that lays out measurable targets, staging and organizational responsibilities. Interim Director O'Riordan and staff committed to recurring status reports to the commission that would track schedule, budget and scope as the procurement and pilot work proceed.
Public commenter Jerry Drattler urged the commission to review lessons learned from prior failed upgrades and to set formal BIC oversight to reduce the risk of another unsuccessful implementation.
The commission did not take a formal vote on the technology procurement at the meeting; staff said next steps would include issuing the RFP and returning with a proposed scope, timeline and oversight plan for the commission’s review.
