In a request for information (RFI) released Nov. 8, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) is seeking responses from technology vendors capable of assisting it in the “Modernization of the Environmental Notice and Document System (MENDS)” initiative. According to its website, OPR “studies future research and planning needs, fosters goal-driven collaboration, and delivers guidance to state partners and local communities.” It centers its focus on “land use and community development, climate risk and resilience, and high road economic development.” Among the takeaways:
- OPR’s State Clearinghouse (SCH) Unit mandates state and local agencies follow administrative regulations around the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and all must electronically submit CEQA documents via CEQA Submit, a “backend application for editing, submitting, and publishing” various CEQA documents, according to the RFI. Once these are received, SCH staff review and publish them on CEQAnet, which is publicly assessable and searchable. Members of the public can use the CEQAnet portal to request and access CEQA documents, and the office also provides information on “Notices of Exemption, Notices of Preparation, Notices of Determination, and Notices of Completion” there.
- The RFI seeks information on replacing the existing “CEQA Submit and CEQAnet application with a modern user interface” that can improve the end user experience by “streamlining workflows, reducing workload, making the application more intuitive to use, and increasing performance/responsiveness.” Future objectives for the “revamped” user interface include “GIS mapping features, electronic payments, and interfacing with external systems.” Responses to the RFI may be used to create a scope of work for a possible future solicitation to replace the existing CEQA app. The RFI, OPR said, will help it “identify potential service vendors” with a solution that meets SCH’s business needs. This could be commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or modified-off-the-shelf (MOTS) software or a custom solution.
- System requirements include being able to deploy CEQA Submit in a Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) moderate cloud environment; use RESTful APIs; “filter, sort, and paginate” data using parameters; let users self-register; use secure socket layer (SSL) certificate when communicating with APIs; and authenticate via two-factor authentication. Data must be searchable by ID, project number, name or description; document name or description; paginate data; or via Google search.
- For companies proposing COTS or MOTS solutions, OPR is interested to learn what gaps may exist within the proposed product; risks and issues seen on other implementations and how they were handled; details on “custom modification development processes”; and a description of the solution “in creating, implementing and customizing workflows.” For companies proposing a custom solution, OPR would like to know about the proposed technology development stack including programming language, architecture, design patterns and best practices. For all respondents, OPR is interested to learn about their solution’s installation requirements and its proposed compliance with state security requirements and with accessibility requirements for state government websites.
- A precise value for any potential project isn’t stated. Officials will hold a web conference on the RFI from 10 a.m.-12 pm. Dec. 1. Questions for clarification are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 13. Responses to the RFI are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 16. The RFI, OPR reminds respondents, is “non-binding” and doesn’t commit it to make any contract award. OPR also won’t pay for “information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI.”
