Consulting Services - Building Permit Approval Process Review and Enhancements

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Project Summary

The City is a prime destination for residents and businesses, with continued growth in development applications, particularly in 2019, where the City experienced a record year with over $2.2 billion of construction value generated through the permitting process.  This growth has placed additional pressure on the City in its capabilities as regulator and facilitator of development, and for staff to review and approve applications.

City staff and industry have also noticed an increase in the number and the depth of reviews undertaken through the permitting process.  This may be due, but not limited, to an increase in complexity of regulations and codes, decrease in quality of submissions related to these new requirements or staff deviating from the Planning & Development Department’s core mandate.  Each issue further impacts the approval process with possible impacts to City’s liability. 

In response to these challenges, and focusing on Certified Professional projects, Tenant Improvement projects and the Plan Review process, the City is seeking professional assistance to:

• Perform a Plan Review Core Service audit:  Provide role clarity to its core mandate regarding the plan approval process.
• Develop an audit-based approach to the permit approval process: Seek to leverage professional reliance and performance-based reviews for added efficiencies.

This project seeks to leverage learnings and best practices to ensure the efficient delivery of the permitting issuance process, while monitoring for compliance with the Building Code, Bylaws and regulations.  It seeks to provide clarity of roles and a balanced approach to the work, focusing City resources on key elements in the permitting process with added efficiencies, seeking to increase reliance on industry professionals, as partners in compliance, and reducing oversight for low-risk work or from those with demonstrated high performance.

This work will assist the Planning & Development Department in meeting its operational goals, improving service to clients, reducing permitting times, focusing on life safety concerns, and establishing sustainable service levels while mitigating key risks.

Information Meeting 

An information meeting will be hosted by the City Representative to discuss the City’s requirements under this RFP (the “Information Meeting”).  While attendance is at the discretion of Proponents, Proponents who do not attend will be deemed to have attended the Information Meeting and to have received all of the information given at the Information Meeting.  At the time of issuance of this RFP a meeting has been scheduled as follows:

When:             July 16, 2021

Where:            Video/Phone Conference – Microsoft Teams Meeting

Time:              10:00 a.m. (PST)

**Proponents interested in participating in this Information Meeting should email their requests to purchasing@surrey.ca 

ADDENDA

If the City determines that an amendment is required to this RFP, the City Representative will issue a written addendum by posting it on the BC Bid Website at www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca and the City Website at www.surrey.ca (collectively, the “Websites”), and upon posting, any addenda will form part of this RFP.  It is the responsibility of Proponents to check the Websites for addenda.  The only way this RFP may be added to, or amended in any way, is by a formal written addendum.  No other communication, whether written or oral, from any person will affect or modify the terms of this RFP or may be relied upon by any Proponent.  By delivery of a Proposal the Proponent is deemed to have received, accepted and understood the entire RFP, including any and all addenda.

All inquiries related to this RFP should be directed in writing to the contact person named above.