Cloud-Based Community Development Permitting Software

Overview

Business Systems (ERP, CRM & POS)

Port Orchard, Washington, United StatesPosted 3 months agoDeadline: March 18th, 2026

Fit Score

Settle Intelligence

Settle helps teams find, evaluate, and respond to public RFPs. We continuously surface new opportunities, score them against your company strengths, and draft proposal responses so you can focus on the work that wins business.

SUMMARY

Washington county seeks a cloud-based permitting software to replace or upgrade its existing platform, with integration, migration, and AI features.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Replace or upgrade existing permitting system with a modern, cloud-based, configurable solution
Improve flexibility, usability, scalability, and long-term sustainability of the permitting system
Streamline workflows for permit intake, review, inspections, and code enforcement
Support complex, multi-phase, and large development projects
Track project and permit lifecycles
Improve online services for applicants, contractors, and the public
Support WA Senate Bill 5290 timeline and compliance reporting requirements
Enhance reporting, dashboards, and data analytics capabilities
Integrate with County systems including GIS, CRM, financial systems (Workday), document management, and Microsoft platforms
Meet records retention, accessibility, cybersecurity, and public-sector compliance requirements
Review and validate functional and technical requirements
Conduct a fit-gap analysis and provide workflow design recommendations
Develop a detailed implementation plan, project schedule, and risk mitigation strategy
Configure system modules, workflows, and user roles to align with County processes
Migrate historical permit, inspection, and enforcement data
Develop and execute comprehensive test plans including unit, integration, and user acceptance testing
Provide role-based training and train-the-trainer sessions for County staff
Produce documentation including user manuals, configuration guides, and training materials
Support organizational change management for system adoption
Assist County staff with system deployment and go-live activities
Provide post-implementation support and issue resolution
Deliver a sustainability plan detailing maintenance, upgrades, and future enhancements
Provide examples of at least three similar public sector permitting software implementations completed in the last five years
Submit a detailed cost proposal including licensing, implementation, training, data migration, and ongoing maintenance/support
Include optional or future enhancement costs and a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) summary
Ensure accessibility compliance for documents and messaging
Clearly delineate included versus optional modules
Provide scalable licensing for future growth
Offer a transparent pricing model for licensing, hosting, and support
Provide a training environment to test new configurations
Include integrated document management with upload, versioning, and access control
Support parcel tag migration and parent/child parcel connection
Support third-party payment processing
Allow adding Excel spreadsheets into information requests
Display parcel data, zoning, and overlays within the permit record
Connect to Code Publishing service and other jurisdictions/state level departments
Integrate with county mapping systems and state or federal systems
Support location-based permit validation and routing
Connect inspector workload capacity to HR software (Workday)
Automate scheduling of recurring inspections
Allow designation of multiple primary contacts
Establish an inspection hierarchy to prevent premature scheduling of inspections
Allow notes within unrequested inspections for future site visits
Track multiple types of due dates in a permit
Provide an all-in-one permitting service
Offer easily editable auto templates without programming
Support end-dating comments to review cycles
Provide a logic-based application portal using GIS and Survey Questions for complete submissions
Automatically change permit status to 'expired' after the expiration date
Support project level management for non-permit decisions
Provide a public-facing portal for permit applications, status tracking, and communication
Generate templates using system data for repetitive information
Support end-to-end permitting workflows (application, review, approval, issuance, inspection, closure)
Support Risk Check needs with customizable workflows
Clearly handle convenience fees (applicant vs. county-paid)
Efficiently support partial payments, full payments, credit balances, and overpayments
Enforce role-based financial permissions distinct from general user roles
Maintain a complete, immutable audit trail for all refunds, adjustments, reversals, and write-offs
Maintain immutable financial transaction records for audit and public records requests
Provide a configurable fee engine supporting various fee types and conditions
Provide configurable GL account mappings by fee type, department, fund, and permit type
Provide out-of-the-box financial reports (revenue by department, fund, permit type)
Restrict or log backdated payment entries for audit control
Support ad-hoc financial reporting without vendor development
Support cash drawer balancing and end-of-day closeout reporting
Support cross-department revenue allocation for shared projects
Support effective-date based fee schedules and preserve historical fee validity
Support exportable financial reports (Excel, CSV, API)
Support fee adjustments after permit issuance while preserving original fee history and audit integrity
Support fee deferrals
Support full refunds, partial refunds, fee reversals, and write-offs tied directly to the original transaction
Support inter-department chargebacks
Support multi-fund and split accounting transactions
Support multi-location cashier operations with independent balancing
Support multiple payment methods including credit/debit, ACH, check, and cash
Support separation of duties for fee setup, payment receipt, refunds, and adjustments
Support split payments across multiple permits or projects
Track real-time outstanding balances and provide reminders by permit, project, and customer
Implement configurable permit expiration process based on lack of response/refusal to correct errors
Provide built-in contingencies/checks in the final inspection process
Provide an accounts receivable aging dashboard
Provide audit-ready financial reports suitable for external auditors
Provide daily reconciliation reports between permitting, Workday, bank deposits, and payment processors
Provide exception reporting for reconciliation discrepancies
Provide financial dashboards for AR, cash flow, and revenue trends
Provide refund and adjustment reconciliation reports aligned with Workday and payment processor settlements
Support automated workflows (reminders, late notices, escalation rules)
Support automatic refund eligibility determination based on permit status changes
Support bi-directional integration with the County's Workday/financial system
Support configurable refund and adjustment approval workflows
Support end-to-end refund processing entirely within the permitting system
Support fee dependencies and triggers based on workflow steps, inspections, or conditions
Support fee versioning with complete audit history for all changes
Support financial holds that restrict issuances, inspections, or final approvals when balances are overdue
Support hold release workflows with full audit tracking
Support real-time and batch posting options to the Workday/GL
Support refunds to the original payment method (credit card/ACH) or check issuance
Support revenue forecasting and trend analysis based on historical permit data
Track customer credit balances and allow credits to be applied across multiple permits or projects
Provide routing for inspectors to determine the most efficient route between points
Provide real-time information on closed roads, escape routes, etc. in emergencies
Implement dynamic risk score updating and assign risk scores to inspections
Provide inspector location tracking with arrival/departure notifications and feedback on inspection duration
Automate reassigning inspections throughout the day based on availability or vehicle trouble
Allow multiple inspectors on one inspection
Provide closure contingency for parent/child permit connection (e.g., no garage without a house)
Ensure full functionality of the new system on day one
Provide ongoing support including helpdesk, ticketing, and knowledge base
Provide vendor-provided implementation services and timeline
Provide training resources including live, recorded sessions, and documentation
Offer better flexibility of permissions with user-level control
Ensure Kitsap County IS Compliance
Implement role-based security and audit logging
Provide an open API for integration with other county systems
Leverage Machine Learning to assist with workflow and answer basic questions
Enable copying and pasting conditions/inspections without keyboard shortcuts
Provide automated email and SMS notifications for status changes, approvals, and inspections
Provide automated reminders for fees due
Automatically notify interested parties of permit statuses, especially comment periods
Include built-in reporting tools with customizable dashboards
Provide filterable lists in the associations tab
Offer mobile inspection capabilities with offline support
Provide a modern, intuitive user interface for both staff and public users
Allow configurable ability to publish permit information to the public
Provide options to filter permits to department level early in the application process
Provide a public-facing list of previous and open permits on a parcel with links to documents, correspondence, and public hearing information
Include text messaging capabilities
Enable drag and drop functionality for conditions and inspections to order them
Allow adding details (notes) on time spent on a step
Enable opening pages in new tabs
Allow applicants to view inspection notes
Allow applicants to batch scheduled inspections, especially in multi-unit projects
Automate inspector scheduling process based on availability
Automatically notify applicants on the route when inspectors are next on the inspection order
Support batch parcel tagging
Support batch selection assignment of workflow steps
Provide a better way to visualize important items for each permit
Allow capturing permit extension requests separately or more directly
Provide clearer information for the public, including inspection line status during inspection windows
Allow customers to filter their permits by status, process state, and review step
Implement internal messaging or comment threads on permit records
Provide notifications to applicants (cancelled, approved, disapproved, etc.)
Provide real-time metrics for performance tracking (e.g., permit turnaround time, inspection volume)
Provide role-based access and dashboards for staff, supervisors, and administrators
Support SMS Text Communication in addition to email
Ensure ease of use for multiple devices throughout the day
Support dictation of notes while inspecting
Provide a clear path for applicants to choose the correct permit type for their project
Allow customers to view the status of their project
Allow customers to keep track of which revisions are needed to move forward with the project
Allow customers to receive email/portal notifications about status changes
Provide mobile-friendly access to the site
Provide real-time estimated review times
Allow customers to edit information themselves during set times of the process
Accept only documents of specific file type/format (PDF only)
Allow customers to preview applications without having to create an application
Allow customers to withdraw permits themselves
Allow customers to submit refund requests
Allow customers to submit extension/reactivation requests themselves

BUDGET

Estimate

$1,000,000 – $3,000,000

TIMELINE

Issuance of Request for Proposal: January 28th, 2026

Written Questions Due: February 13th, 2026 @ 12:00 PM

Addendum Issued: March 6th, 2026

Proposal Due Date: March 18th, 2026 @ 2:00 PM

Demonstrations: Scheduled as needed

RFP Release and Bidding: Q1 2026

Vendor Demos and Evaluation: Q2 2026

Vendor Selection and Contract Negotiation: Q3 2026

Implementation Kickoff: Q4 2026

QUESTION DEADLINE

February 13th, 2026

Issuing Agency

Kitsap County

Organization overview and procurement intelligence available on paid plans.

See Issuer Research

DESCRIPTION

Washington County is seeking a qualified vendor to provide a cloud-based community development permitting software solution. The selected software will replace or upgrade the county’s existing permitting platform, offering enhanced support for permitting, inspections, code enforcement, development projects, and planning workflows. The solution must include robust reporting capabilities, public self-service options, and comprehensive integration with other county systems such as GIS, CRM, financial systems, document management, and Microsoft platforms.

The vendor will be responsible for providing the software, implementation services, data migration, training, and comprehensive post-go-live support. The solution must be configurable to meet the county’s unique needs and ensure compliance with records retention, accessibility, cybersecurity, and other public-sector requirements. Additionally, the new system must improve flexibility, usability, scalability, and overall long-term sustainability. The vendor will also be expected to assist county staff with system deployment and go-live activities, and to describe the use of embedded AI features as well as integration options with external AI applications or permit processing tools.

Integration with key county platforms is essential, including GIS, SharePoint, Parcel Systems, CRM Kitsap1, plan review editing systems, Microsoft Power Platform, and financial and document review systems. Solutions must address both software configuration and data migration to ensure a smooth transition from the existing system.

Source attribution

This Settle analysis is based on the issuing organization’s public RFP listing.