EPA seeks Smart Tools for field inspectors
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Smart Tools will allow inspectors at the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct, document and report their inspections using a mobile device or tablet.
The EPA’s Office of Compliance is looking for some Smart Tools for field data collection, reporting and evidence and data management. An upgrade from the traditional “green book” currently in use, the Smart Tools will allow inspectors at the Environmental Protection Agency to document their inspections using a mobile device or tablet.
According to EPA’s solicitation, it is looking for a mobile field inspection platform to facilitate the transition “from the current, heavily paper-based evidence gathering process to a digitally-based, rapid, mobile electronic process.” Smart Tools is expected to feature enterprise integration, workflow processes, notification and document management, geospatial capabilities, reference library and reporting.
The tool must be Microsoft-compatible and able to run on tablets, laptops and Windows Phones. Inspectors will need the ability download regulatory requirements, identify and link various information sources and upload data into EPA systems. Additionally, EPA said Smart Tools must conform to all EPA and federal security requirements, including use of a FedRAMP-certified cloud service provider using its government-only space.
While Smart Tools must be able to accommodate all current federal environmental compliance monitoring programs, EPA anticipates expanding the platform to its state and local partners who perform the bulk of environment compliance monitoring.
The current plan is to deploy the first phase of Smart Tools for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous waste program by the end of 2015, and then the Clean Water Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Clean Air Act Stationary Source programs in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. After success with these EPA programs, Smart Tools may be deployed for additional federal and state environmental programs, pending capacity and resource availabilities.
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