Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: Director of Support Services, Community Services Group

SUBJECT: A New Plan for a Development Tracking System

RECOMMENDATIONS

GENERAL MANAGER COMMENTS

and addressing. Recent advances in internet technology and corresponding enhancements in vendor developed software packages now allow access via the internet to many existing internal and external software applications. The approach being advocated by CSG is to integrate information and processes from a number of existing software applications on the user desktop, by use of internet technologies. Some of our systems will be enhanced and additional modules will be developed or purchased to provide the full range of functionality necessary to manage our development approval and tracking processes. By building on our existing technology, and incrementally upgrading our capabilities, CSG should be able to significantly reduce the costs, time-lines, and inherent risks associated with implementation of totally new technology.

COUNCIL POLICY

There is no applicable Council Policy.

PURPOSE

The Community Services Group is seeking Council's endorsement of an incremental systems implementation approach that integrates existing applications, and adds functionality by either enhancing our current applications or implementing new software to provide all the functions needed to effectively and efficiently aid in managing the Development process. In order to achieve this result, Council is requested to approve the reclassification of three existing positions in CSG's Information Technology Group, at no incremental cost to the City.

BACKGROUND

In July, 1998, Council approved $5.9 million to implement a new Development and Building Review process in CSG. Financing of $4.45 million for this project was to come from a loan from the Capital Financing Fund, to cover the costs of Development Tracking Applications, to be repaid by a 10% increase in development and permit fees, beginning not before 2000 and only once significant improvements could be demonstrated to our user community. To date, none of the approved 10% fee increase has been implemented

CSG funding was combined with funding from Engineering Services and from the corporate Information Technology Department to implement operational software in a GIS (Geographical Information System) environment. This project became known as MAP, based on the name of the proposed packaged software solution, the Municipal Applications Partnership.

The project was divided into a number of phases for implementation. The key deliverable of Phase I was VanMap, which was delivered internally to staff in September 1999 and to the public in May of last year. (See the accompanying report entitled "The MAP Project".)

DISCUSSION

I) A New Development Tracking System

For the reasons outlined in the companion Council report, entitled The MAP Project, the City has decided not to continue with implementation of AutoDesk's MAP software. The departments most affected by this decision (Corporate Services, Community Services Group and Engineering Services) are each reviewing their best course of action to achieve their departmental goals while at the same time ensuring common standards that will allow us to share key information across City departments.

The Community Services Group strategy for going forward involves using internet technology to link all our existing systems, to upgrade our existing systems where it makes sense, and to buy or build system components to complete the core functionality needed to support the operational activities of our department. Priority will be given to the processes and functionality that are required to support the development application, review, approval, permitting and inspection processes.

Staff using our system will have internet`screens' that are tailored to common generic work functions. The user will not need to know where specific data is stored or what `systems' are being accessed to deliver functionality to their screen. For example, financial information may reside in License+ (Community Services Group's Licensing system), PRISM (our Permit Tracking System) or SAP (City's Financial System).

To achieve these goals, we need to do the following;

· develop standards and responsibilities for information management and sharing
· Make all our systems accessible via the internet.
· Upgrade some systems to improve functionality and/or reporting capabilities
· Identify gaps in the existing systems where new functionality must be built or bought.

· Develop integrated, internet screens that parallel our job functions.

A visual representation of `Community Services Group - Web Services'

The diagram above shows how data will be accessed and/or manipulated by both discrete operational systems (for expert users) and by more generic access from functional screens based on standard internet technologies. Systems accessed that are mainly internal to CSG are shown clustered around the centre of the diagram. Some of the systems accessed are beyond the direct control of CSG, including: systems of other departments; City Corporate systems; or systems beyond the City (e.g. Banks). The systems beyond CSG's control are shown around the outside edges of the diagram.

As the City implements new systems, or upgrades existing systems either by purchasingsoftware packages or by use of home-grown software, we need to ensure that the ability to access data from internet screens is incorporated. Our experience working with the MAP application has taught us that some aspects of our existing systems perform very well and should be retained (e.g. Document imaging). In other areas, our existing software needs improvement and/or replacement (e.g. Permit system reporting), and in some areas we have no software to address our operational needs or future direction (e.g. Electronic Plan Submission).

Our implementation strategy is to divide the improvements and new systems requirements into a number of smaller projects that can be addressed independently within the web accessibility framework described above. These projects can then be prioritised and scheduled based on costs, benefits, risk and availability of user and technical resources. Attached in Appendix A is a list of currently identified systems projects and brief descriptions.

Once our separate systems are accessible via the internet, CSG can develop new screens to access data from a single system, or multiple systems, to address specific work functions. Last year, working with the corporate Information Technology Department, we developed such an application to process license renewal payments over the internet. Already 10% of all renewals are being processed in this manner, greatly improving the speed of collection and satisfaction of our customers. This approach is being expanded to additional License types and we are investigating allowing our customers to apply online (i.e. via the web) for business licenses. This process should lend itself to other types of applications such as trade permits or simple sign permits, where the permitting process is largely documentary/administrative.

Although our new applications use internet technologies, access is initially restricted to specific users on the City's internal Intranet. Specific security protocols must be developed for each application before access is extended to the internet at large.

While we may need to return to Council for funding for some of these projects, many projects can be implemented with existing resources. Upgrades to Licensing and Document Imaging systems are already underway. Planning for key concepts such as a Customer database and group permits into projects will begin later in the year, with expected delivery in 2003.

II) Organisational and Staff Changes to Support the New System.

Classification changes to three of our existing staff complement in CSG's Information Technology group will significantly enhance our ability to implement and enhance software applications using our own staff. By doing this technical work in house, CSG will save in the areas of purchased software, contract programming, temporary help and overtime. In addition, a reorganisation of our Information Technology group will allow us to better manage our resources. Increases in salary costs will be offset by budget reductions in non-salary areas of the CSG Information Technology budget.

This report seeks Council approval to create the following positions in CSG's Information Technology group:

Funding for these changes is from our existing Business System Administrator, Clerk III and Network Support Specialist II positions. Additional costs associated with these changes will be offset by reductions in CSG's non-salary Information Technology Budgets. There will be no net change in Community Services Group's operating budget.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

No funding for further systems development is requested in this report. CSG will use existing resources to take the post MAP strategy forward, returning to Council for specific funding approvals as appropriate.

The proposal to reclassify three staff positions will have no net impact on the operating budget. This is summarized as follows:

Microcomputer Support Specialist
Clerk III

Paygrade 21, Step 3
Paygrade 21, Step 3

$ 45,948
39,027

$ 6,921

Professional
Business Systems Administrator

Band 8, Step 3
Paygrade 28, Step 3

$ 64,137
61,526

$ 2,611

Domino Technical Specialist
Network Support Specialist

estimated

$ 61,526
54,221

$ 7,305

Benefits

@ 19%

  

3,197

Net Additional Cost

    

$20,024

The additional resources should reduce reliance on purchased software, contract services overtime and temporary help. CSG will cover the additional 2002 expenses within our existing operating budget. Additional salary costs of $20,000 annually will be offset by a reduction in our 2003 operating budget for computer supplies and services.

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CONCLUSION

The report discusses an incremental approach to creating support systems for CSG in general, with specific support for the activities associated with development applications review, decision making, permitting and inspections. Our approach relies heavily on the use of internet technologies to deliver screens to users and customers to support common business functions and inquiries.

The report also recommends a reorganisation of CSG's Information Technology group and reclassification of three existing positions at no increased cost to the City.

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Appendix A

CSG - Web Services, Systems Projects

VANMAP

VANMAP was developed by the MAP team, sponsored and funded by CSG, Engineering and Corporate I/T. It allows storage and access of information based on geographical coordinates and provides presentation of information as overlays on a City map. Maintenance and upgrade of VANMAP is now the responsibility of Corporate I/T with input from stakeholders.

DOMINO (Document Imaging) Upgrade

Upgrades to the most recent release of the vendor's software are currently underway. The new release includes Internet access to stored documents. A significant part of the DOMINO project will be to classify existing Community Services records and to determine the most appropriate storage medium(s).

License+ (Licensing System) Upgrade

License+ currently allows web access and update to data via the vendors' "toolbox" software product. Web payments for Licenses were implemented using this technology. We are currently implementing the most recent release of the application software in order to remain under vendor support.

PRISM (Permitting System) Technical Architecture

PRISM runs on the City's mainframe computer, using older operating system (VM) technology and a non-relational database (FOCUS). For disaster recovery and operating efficiency reasons, the City is investigating replicating PRISM data and programs on an Intel based server with a relational database where the current mainframe environment can be simulated. Corporate I/T has demonstrated that PRISM can be accessed via the Internet using "Freeware", but conversion of the FOCUS data base to a relational database is needed to support better reporting.

PRISM Reporting

The existing mainframe reporting tool (FOCUS) is cumbersome but useable by technical staff. If the PRISM database is converted to a relational database, users could write their own reports using standard reporting packages. Requests for PRISM reports need to be further investigated to ensure that the system contains all the necessary data and linkages to produce desired outputs.

Approval Tracking

The ability at the project initiation phase to identify all necessary approvals, notify review groups, estimate review time and follow up on delays, as well as to report back to users on status of approvals is only nominally addressed in PRISM. Either a new system or upgrades to PRISM are required.

Concept of Project

While involved staff often understand the scope and status of a project, our existing systems do not easily link the permits, approvals and documents associated with the same project. Either a new system or upgrades to PRISM are required.

Concept of Customer

There is no provision in our systems to associate data that relates to a single developer or trades company. For example, we cannot identify alarm systems or building sprinklers installed by the same company. Some companies have requested the ability to advance the City funds and to draw down these amounts to automatically pay for each new permit. PRISM, a new system, or possibly SAP can be used to maintain a customer database and track customer information.

Workflow Management and Tracking

Our Building By-law Reviewers (Processing Centre - Building) currently track projects and work assignments on an ACCESS Database. This system could be integrated using the Internet and possibly be expanded for use by other review groups.

There are software products that integrate with the City's Calendar, EMAIL, and task tracking (MS/OUTLOOK) to improve workflow management and task tracking.

Other Applications Support Systems

Subdivision and Rezoning groups have independent systems to assist in their work processes. Conversion of their ACCESS database would allow integration via the web.

Electronic Plans

A pilot study was recently completed to determine if development plans could be submitted and reviewed electronically. While this is clearly possible, industry and government standards around the use of symbology (colour, thickness of lines, etc.) are still unclear. Further investigation needs to be conducted, around standards and the acceptance by City of the necessary operational changes to our current processes.

Mobile Computing

Use of portable computing devices by inspectors is being reviewed. When all CSG systems are accessible via the web, portable devices will be of more value. The slow speed of transmission is an issue.

SAP

Web access to SAP would allow us to integrate Financial and operational data on web screens. SAP upgrades are the responsibility of the SAP team in Corporate Service with input from key stakeholders.

Web Applications

The goal is to allow applications for permits/permissions and licenses to be made by customers via the web. Simple requests could be processed in real time with more complicated requests that require checking (i.e. tradesmen must have a business license) and/or approvals forwarded to staff for further actions, with the results returned to applicants via Email.

Property information

The City is developing a cross-reference system to link information stored by Street address, BCAA (BC Assessment Authority) Number and Property ID. Corporate Services is responsible for implementing the overall strategy. CSG is responsible for creation and maintenance of City Street Addresses.

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