Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Do you work with WDFW?

A letter to WSDA from WDFW

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is responsible for the management and protection of Washington State’s fish and wildlife resources. The Habitat Program protects the habitat necessary to support fish and wildlife and issues Hydraulic Project Approvals (HPAs) for construction projects or other work in, or near, state waters (Chapter 77.55 RCW). RCW 77.55.351 requires WDFW to make HPA applications accessible to local governments, affected tribes, and other interested parties. WDFW sees an immediate need to update the aging HPA software and database, as well as an opportunity to accomplish other important objectives.

I am reaching out to provide an introduction and an update to our HPA Online Permitting System Replacement Project. It is also important to note that WDFW is not changing or expanding its authority nor its operations. This project provides the agency with an opportunity to examine gaps in the existing system and processes and develop solutions that address those gaps with improved user experience and accessibility.

The project’s objectives are to replace the current Aquatic Protection Permitting System (APPS) with modern infrastructure that enables WDFW to:

  • Continue to meet the legal requirements of Chapters 77.55 RCW and 220-660 WAC.
  • Improve HPA Online Permitting System functionality.
  • Implement defined business processes for providing HPAs.
  • Provide a streamlined user experience for administrators and the public.

 

While we anticipate many benefits from this replacement project, I wanted to cover a few specific users and anticipated benefits with the new system:

  • Applicants using the new system will enjoy improved mobile device accessibility to provide the greatest flexibility for applying for HPAs and an enhanced dashboard experience allowing greater customization to track updates or needs for their applications.
  • Reviewers using the system can expect an improved search function with more options and more searchable project data​ and GIS and mapping integration and support for additional spatial environmental data.
  • WDFW Compliance Inspectors will be able to use the new system for their workflows for both permitted and unpermitted work.
  • WDFW Habitat Biologists using the system will have fully integrated permit creation from a template library and other permit provisioning improvements as well as closer alignment of the HPA Application and the JARPA form.

The HPA Online Permitting System Replacement Project will result in changes that impact WDFW staff, as well as individuals and groups outside of WDFW, who utilize the permitting system. This includes state and federal agencies, tribes, and local governments who use the system as both applicants and project reviewers. Many of those impacted groups have already been involved in contributing to the HPA Online Permitting System Replacement Project. These groups have participated by voicing their views about what key aspects of the current permitting system (APPS) they would like retained and they have also provided feedback about how they would like to see the new system evolve. I want to take a moment here to thank you if you have participated in these early outreach efforts.

Our next step in the project is to select a system from one of a series of system vendors. After a process of requirements validation with system users, these vendors have been identified as having solutions likely to meet our needs. We will be meeting with the potential vendors in August. During this meeting each vendor will have the opportunity to demonstrate their system to our project’s Evaluation Team who will evaluate each system based on a standard set of criteria developed from the requirements validation process. Once a system is selected, the next step will be to solicit a system integrator: a 3rd party whose task it is to work with our selected system and configure it to meet the requirements we’ve identified. This system integrator will again be selected using a set of selection criteria by the project’s Evaluation Team. We hope to have the system selection completed in the next 2 months and contracting underway for a system integrator by the end of the year.

Throughout the progress of this project more information will be shared, and we are estimating completion of the project some time in 2025.

If you have questions about the project, please reach out!

 

 In summary: The HPA Online Permitting System Replacement Project will result in changes that impact WDFW staff, as well as individuals and groups outside of WDFW, who utilize the permitting system.

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