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DBI outlines Accela restart plan; commissioners warn of pause risk and contract approvals
Summary
DBI and the Department of Technology described a four-month validation phase for the Accela/Exela permit-tracking restart, with Gartner engagement estimated at roughly $400,000; commissioners urged steps to avoid momentum loss and warned the full contract may require Board of Supervisors and Civil Service review.
DBI and the Department of Technology presented a staged restart plan on the Accela/Exela permitting project that they said will produce a firm budget, timeline and contract scope after a four‑month validation phase.
Henry Bartley of the Department of Technology told the Building Inspection Commission that DBI staff completed an extensive January–August requirements-gathering effort and that the current work (task 2) is validating which requirements are already satisfied and which remain to be developed. "We'll have a budget, we'll have a timeline, and we'll have a contract," Bartley said.
Commissioners pressed for clarity about costs, contractor roles and how to avoid a pause that would erode departmental buy‑in. Bartley disclosed that the Gartner engagement for the validation period is "roughly in the ballpark of $400,000." He said Gartner will supply several resources and Accela‑21Tech will analyze what in the live system already meets requirements.
Deputy Director Tares Madison told the commission that if a contract amendment pushes the project above $10,000,000, the city will have to seek Board of Supervisors approval and a Civil Service review. Madison warned that the Civil Service review can require union review periods and said the administrative step could add months. Commissioners asked whether the team could proceed on discrete, fundable work items while administrative approvals are pending; Madison and city counsel representatives said vendors cannot perform work that is not under contract, though staff will investigate leveraging existing contract authorities to keep momentum.
Several commissioners urged DBI and the technology team to pursue expedited Board scheduling and to identify whether any interim tasks can proceed under current contract lines to avoid a harmful pause. "We have run out of patience," one commissioner said, urging a continuous schedule to complete the project.
Next steps: staff will complete the four‑month validation, return to the commission with a recommended contract amount and timeline, and outline which administrative approvals (Board of Supervisors, Civil Service Commission) will be required.
