Request for Proposal: Web- Based Application Contact Information: Laura West P.O. Box 795 603 E. 1 st Street Dumas, TX 79029 (806) 935-6401 5/25/2016 Maintaining our way of life through conservation, protection, and preservation of our groundwater resources.
General Information Purpose This request for proposal (RFP) is to contract to design, program and maintain a web- based application to replace the existing database(s) used for permitting, production reporting, compliance, field activities and the meter reimbursement program. This new application would need to create the following: A user interface for agricultural producers to log in online and apply for a new well permit, pay for a permit, enter their yearly production, and alert staff when compliance issues have been fixed. A user interface for in office staff to review permits, production and all compliance matters. The field staff will also need their own user interface to keep up with what tasks they are to do by priority. This would also include a phone or tablet app that could be used in the field. This app would be used to log information they find in the field and automatically update the office database. We will also need a user interface for the meter reimbursement program. This interface would allow producers in the area to apply for meter reimbursement and help keep better track and organization for meters being reimbursed. Who May Respond Any interested party with experience in writing database applications Instructions on Proposal Submission I. Closing Submission Date: Proposals are due by 5:00 on Friday July 1 st, 2016. II. Inquiries: Inquiries concerning this RFP should be directed to Laura West at (806) 935-6401 or lwest@northplainsgcd.org. III. Instructions to Prospective Bidders: A proposal should be addressed as follows: Steve Walthour North Plains GCD PO Box 795 603 East 1 st Street Dumas, TX 79029 Proposals shall include one complete copy of all materials, plus a copy of all materials in a digital format. The bidder s proposal must be submitted in a sealed envelope, clearly marked with the following information: (Name of bidder) Request for Proposal: Web- based Application Sealed Bid 1 P age
It is the responsibility of the bidder to ensure that the proposal is received by the district by the submission deadline. A proposal may be judged nonresponsive and excluded from further consideration if it is not received by the submission deadline. IV. Right to Reject: North Plains Groundwater Conservation District reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFP. V. Notification of Award: It is expected that a contractor will be selected within three weeks of the closing submission date. All bidders submitting proposals in response to the RFP will be informed of the selections after the conclusion of the selection process. Background The Texas State Legislature in 1949 authorized the creation of Groundwater Conservation Districts to perform certain prescribed duties, functions, and hold specific powers as set forth in Article 7880-3c, Texas Civil Statutes. The authorization was later moved to Chapter 52 of the Texas Water Code, then to Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code. A confirmation election was held in 1955 and the vote to create a groundwater conservation district dedicated to protect and conserve groundwater resources north of the Canadian River was affirmed. Sherman County, Hansford County, Ochiltree County, and the area north of the Canadian River in Hartley County, Moore County, and Hutchinson County comprised the original area of the District. In 1973 the people of Lipscomb County voted to annex into the District and in 1993 and 2004 portions of Dallam County were annexed into the District. More Dallam County properties were annexed by landowner petitions from 2004 until July of 2012 when the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ordered the remaining properties in Dallam County to join the North Plains GCD. The main District office is located in the Texas Panhandle in the city of Dumas Texas, Moore County. The Texas Panhandle is arid to sub- arid in climate with few surface water resources and for a large majority of the area the only water supply is from the groundwater resources of the Ogallala aquifer. The Ogallala aquifer contains vast amounts of groundwater, but with little to no recharge and over 8000 active wells within this district alone, it is a finite and dwindling resource. Management of the Ogallala aquifer was and is recognized as a priority and groundwater conservation districts were created by the Texas State Legislature to address groundwater management. The purpose of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District is achieved through rules, education programs, District- provided services, and through the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies. The District issues water well permits, collects groundwater information, performs water quality analyses, provides a number of well system tests and other services. Extensive databases are used to store, retrieve, and analyze the groundwater information for the District in its Groundwater Management Plan. Throughout the history of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, the Directors and staff have been committed to identifying future concerns and finding solutions before they become problems. The North Plains Groundwater Conservation District continues to be aware of regulations of other local, state, and federal agencies 2 P age
which affect groundwater use or groundwater management. The District acts as a liaison between these agencies and the residents of the District. It is the goal of the District to provide the best management of groundwater resources and make every effort to insure that an abundant supply of potable water will be available for many future generations. Scope of Work In the flow charts below you will find the Districts current work flow in all of the major areas of the office from Permitting and Production Reporting to Compliance, Field Activities and the Meter Reimbursement Program. As it stands right now, these different processes do not communicate with each other. We would like to bring in a company that is able to bring all of the areas of District operations together. Our goal is to create a new web based application that will tie in all of the District operations together to work in sync. We would also like to have user web based application for the producers to use in order to apply for a new well permit or enter production. We would also like to have some type of app developed for both the field staff and producers in the area. The app will be directly tied to the District database. 3 P age
Permitting New Well Start a new applica0on for a well Applicant fills out well request form with the following: Applicant informa0on Landowner informa0on Legal descrip0on Create new well number (Generated by the current database) Payment Pay any fees for a well permit Sign documents PermiEng Review Conducted by PermiEng User Review informa0on to verified the proposed loca0on can meet district's rules Print out permit for signature Site Inspec0on Field staff collects required informa0on Submit to permieng PermiEng Review Conducted by PermiEng User Review informa0on to verified the proposed loca0on can meet district's rules Permit Approval Approves permit (2 signature requirement) Create compliance map (1 year to fix) Sends applicant and driller permit, map, requirements and meter program info. Well Comple0on Well owner is required to no0fy the District before pumping the well to provide meter informa0on. Owner is also required to submit drillers logs and pump reports. ATer 150 days, an email is sent to well applicant that permit has expired and a reminder of compliance issues to be fixed If no compliance issues are found, a post drill inspec0on is scheduled. Post Drill Informa0on Received Permit user manually enters updated GPS's and flowmeter informa0on Update field calendar if compliance issues are found. Final Well Approval Process is conducted by permieng user If well meets District rules, it is sent to the board for approval If does not meet District rules, it is sent to compliance 4 P age
Production Groundwater Produc0on Units for User Groudwater Produc0on Units (GPU) are created for each producer. Either by pooling one or more sec0ons together or crea0ng single unit sec0ons. Each GPU has a specific number that is auto generated by the current database. Each GPU contains wells and meter methods to report produc0on. Produc0on Repor0ng Every year produc0on reports are either mailed or emailed to the producers of each GPU. The produc0on reports are then either mailed back or emailed back to the District. Each produc0on report is inventoried thru a third party site called Barcloud. Once received by the District Barcloud is able to alert the producer via email that the report has been received. (If no email on file a copy is mailed to the producer). Produc0on Review Each produc0on report is then checked manually by office staff. Each report must be signed by the producer and have necessary suppor0ng documenta0on. Once the produc0on reports are checked for mathma0cal errors, they are manually entered into the District database. Once entered, they are then scanned into the District scanning program. Final Report As each report is entered, a preliminary conserva0on reserve le]er is sent to the producer that turned in the produc0on report. Late reports and GPU's that are over produced are sent to compliance. All GPU's that are located in the Dallam county priority groundwater management area (PGMA) are invoiced for total water used. 5 P age
Compliance Compliance review Conducted by Compliance User Review any issues with wells or complaints filed by the public SeEng up the issue Generate la]ers, emails or other contact methods set due date (about 30 days) Field Inspec0on Conducted ater the due date Field staff collect required informa0on Submit informa0on to compliance Compliance Review If the issue is solve, the process ends If the issue is not solve, the process can either start over or go to the board for a solu0on Field Activities Selec0on of Assignment Assignment will be listed by priority Field staff is able to select the task and allow other field staff know who chosen the assignment Assignments include: pre- drill, post- drill, flow test, compliance issues, meter readings, meter program and water quality tests. Assignment Review Outline the assignment's tasks Include any now loca0ons and a map of those loca0ons Review any history on the task (past comments or inspec0ons) Print off GPU form, look for compliance issues on the GPU. Print off post drill or pre drill forms Data Collec0on Direc0ons to site Informa0on about the site, i.e. GPS loca0on, well informa0on, distance between wells Fill out GPU forms, measure distance from property lines and other wells. Photos of wells or compliance issues. Submit Informa0on Review informa0on before submieng No0fy the person who requested the assignment of its complica0on 6 P age
Meter Reimbursement Program Start a New Applica0on Local producers can receive half of their money back when they purchase flow meters. Each producer will need to fill out an applica0on that they can pick up from the office or print off online. Once meters are purchased, the producer needs to furnish the District with meter receipts. Data Collec0on Once meters have been installed by the producer, the field staff must go out and do the meter inspec0on Field staff inspects for meter serial numbers and GPS's of the meters. Payment to Par0cipants Once applica0on and field inspec0on has been completed, a purchase order is generated and given to the book keeper so that a reimbursment check can be sent to the par0cipant. Repor0ng Every year the par0cipants are required to report the meter readings and crop acres to the District. The District must send a quarterly report to the TWDB to request reimbursement from the State. An annual report is also send to the TWDB Potential users Public User (Non- Drillers) Driller Users Office Staff Compliance Produc0on PermiEng Field Technician View GPUs own by the user View GPUs listed as an agent Any Compliance Issues related to GPUs Apply for well permits Enter produc0on for GPUs (meters only) View any permits a]ached to the user View all permits View all GPUs View all produc0on View all compliance issues View work assignments for field staff Assign work Any other informa0on requested by GM View all compliance issues Request inspec0ons of wells Set deadlines View GPUs produc0on Create GPUs Review submi]ed produc0on View incomplete produc0on reports Review submi]ed permit requests Request pre and post drill inspec0ons Review completed inspec0ons View status of permits Submit compliance issues to compliance View current assignments (listed by priority) Select assignment(s) Submit work 7 P age