“ePlan Review” cuts permitting time in half and is the first-of-its-kind in Rhode Island.
PROVIDENCE – Mayor David N. Cicilline announced the launch of the City’s new ePlan Review service designed to vastly improve the plan review process by making it faster and more transparent. No longer are developers and residents required to deliver multiple copies of building plans to City Departments. Now, with the click of the mouse, plans may be submitted to the Department of Inspections and Standards online, cutting the approval time for building permits in half.
“This is part of our ongoing effort to create an environment that makes it easier to do business in Providence,” said Mayor Cicilline. “We recognize that a predictable, transparent and efficient permitting process is critical to supporting the needs of businesses and spurring economic development.”
The ePlan Review is a web-based system that enables applicants to electronically submit their building plans directly to the Department of Inspections and Standards, Fire Department and other relevant City departments for a concurrent review. Applicants also have the ability to track the City’s responses to their proposals, in real-time, as the plans work their way through the process.
“The launch of ePlan Review is a milestone for our Department and the City because it represents measurable value for all of our applicants by helping them obtain the necessary permits more quickly,” said Sheila McGauvran, Director of Inspections and Standards.
The City’s new ePlan Review system was designed by Providence-based InQuest Technologies. “Our objective was to help the City of Providence leverage the power of our web-based software platform of rapidly configurable applications for creating the most efficient plan review process possible,” said Michael Colapietro, President and CEO of InQuest Technologies. “As a truly process-intensive organization, the City’s plan review process is exactly what our technology was developed for.”
The Department of Inspections and Standards created the Providence Guide to Permitting earlier this year to provide residents and developers with a clear understanding of the steps necessary to obtain permits for everything from renovating a house to constructing a commercial building.
About InQuest Technologies
InQuest Technologies is a leading software development company that helps organizations automate and streamline their mission-critical processes. The flagship product, IQ: Enterprise™ is an enterprise configurable application platform that is optimized for achieving rapid improvements in efficiencies and cost reductions with “Office-to-Office” or “Field-to-Office” business process automation. InQuest Technologies helps companies, municipalities, and organizations to quickly capture, optimize, and standardize all the core processes around planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of both large and small projects and programs. ConEdison, Gilbane Building Company, and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center-Newport (NUWCDIVNPT) are just a few of the many of the organizations that leverage InQuest’s software products to improve efficiency, streamline communication, and drive profitability.
