Abu Dhabi's Groundbreaking Permitting Portal Leads the Way by Accelerating Development While Improving Service
Abu Dhabi Sets Global Benchmark With Deployment of Public Portal That Is Embraced Throughout the Region and by the Fourth Largest U.S. Municipality
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA--(Marketwire - June 2, 2008) - The Municipality of Abu Dhabi (population 1.6 million) is leading municipal innovation worldwide via its GovPartner (www.govpartner.com) CommunityDevelopmentPartner project. The online permitting portal, accessed via the Abu Dhabi municipal website, issues over 1,000 permits per month and is available 24/7 for customers anywhere in the world.
"By implementing an advanced e-Government solution that empowers our building department as well as our customers, we will not only improve internal efficiency and business processes but also provide a level of service that truly meets the needs of the business and residential community," said Dr. Jouan Al Dhaheeri, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities in Abu Dhabi.
GovPartner and its business partner, Bureau Veritas, are now working with other Middle East Region municipalities seeking to deliver similar advanced online permit portals. Over 100 GovPartner implementations have been launched in the U.S. and just this month the City of Houston (population 2.14 million) awarded a contract to implement a similar portal to Abu Dhabi's. Houston is the fourth largest city in the U.S. and issues over 250 permit types, totaling more than 435,000 permits (over $50 million) annually.
Houston Mayor Bill White said, "We want our customers to be able to go online and not have to stand in line. Our implementation of GovPartner's permitting software marks an important step toward establishing a centralized, user-friendly one-stop portal where customers will receive the highest level of service and efficiency."
GovPartner's software is 100% web-based Microsoft .NET technology with the ability to complete the entire permit process online. Abu Dhabi's portal is the first online system to handle the entire construction process via the web -- from new home construction to one of the most modern international airports in the world. The next phase of development is to offer the system in Arabic or English, based on user preference.
"Abu Dhabi achieved what U.S. municipalities have been striving for since the first e-Permits portal was launched with our partner, the City of Sunnyvale, eight years ago," said Mike Daniel President of GovPartner, "This achievement consists of the complete end-to-end permitting process conveniently accessible from the office or home for municipal staff and customers."
