Denver committee reviews $44.6 million guided permitting intake contract with Comply AI (SivCheck)

Denver City Council’s Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee on Feb. 17 heard a briefing on a proposed guided intake and plan-review platform intended to speed permitting and reduce resubmissions.

The tool, presented by Robert Peek of the Denver Permitting Office, is designed as a digital validation engine that gives applicants automated prechecks and a quality score before filing with the city. “The purpose of today's meeting is to provide information on a guided intake and plan review tool, to help our customers get through our permitting process,” Peek said. He told the committee the city issued an RFP in 2025 and selected Comply AI, which does business as SivCheck, and that the vendors and staff are prepared to start a kickoff in April if the council approves.

City staff said the contract covers three modules over five years with a total contract price of about $44,600,000. Anna Weber of Technology Services outlined the funding plan and told the committee: “So the total cost of the contract that will be for you is, roughly $44,600,000.0.” Weber said the Denver Permitting Office and Technology Services have identified $1,050,000 to cover the first module for five years through a mix of grant and initial capital funding, and that ongoing costs would likely roll into the general fund if the program continues.

Why it matters: permitting delays and inconsistent intake requirements create time and cost burdens for homeowners, small businesses and designers. Peek noted Denver receives roughly 1,000 permit applications a month and argued even small per-application savings scale across volume. He said the tool would not replace human review but would reduce the rounds of resubmittal and handoffs. “We have a goal of 80% of applications getting accepted upon the first round,” Peek said, noting the current first-round acceptance rate in Denver is about 38%.

Committee members focused on implementation details and access. Council members asked whether paper plans still are accepted and how the city will support residents who lack digital access; staff replied that Denver now requires electronic submissions through its e-permit portal but offers in-person assistance and appointments to help customers complete filings. Members also asked about timing for modules 2 and 3; staff said future modules depend on demonstrable success and permanent funding.

Procedure and next steps: the item was brought to the committee as an action item and several members moved and seconded to advance the contract, but procedural confusion over who could formally move the item was evident and the committee did not record a final roll-call vote. The chair said the contract will be taken up on the full council floor next week for final consideration. The permitting office said, if approved, the kickoff would be in April with customer-facing delivery in Q3.

Implementation details staff committed to provide include a clear roadmap for single-family and duplex checklists, periodic progress reports to council and KPIs measuring cycle time, resubmissions and first-review acceptance rates. Staff also said the tool meets the city’s security and data-governance requirements and that human oversight will remain in place.

The committee adjourned without a formal committee-level vote; the item is expected to be considered by the full City Council in the coming week.