3600-081 Environmental Review and Permitting Project (ERPP)

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) proposes to update the statewide online permitting systems, Environmental Permit Information Management System (EPIMS) and Scientific Collecting Permit Portal (SCPP). The scope will also include improving operational efficiency in management of environmental permits by supporting other critical Environmental Review processes including online application and tracking of California Endangered Species Act (CESA) Take Permits whose tracking platform known as Project Tracking is no longer supported. The goal of this project is to create one system that can incorporate these systems.

Project Details

IPOR Reporting Period	Overall IPOR Rating
03/01/2026 - 03/31/2026	Red

Independent Project Oversight Dashboard

Key Questions

Is the project on track to satisfy the customer's business objectives?Uncertain

Is the project on track to achieve the objectives in the approved timeframe?No

Is the project on track to achieve the objectives within the approved budget?Uncertain

Project Overall Health

Comments

Red

• In March 2026, the Project is executing the October 2025 strategy to deliver the project with some agreed modifications. • The project remains paused until the vendor can deliver acceptable documentation related to Permit #1 Incidental Take Permits (ITP) and a realistic path forward. • DFW and the Independent Validation and Verification (IV&V) contractor has provided the vendor with feedback and suggested some strategies to help with forward progress. • The vendor will facilitate in-person JAD sessions for three full days in mid-April in order to make enough progress to lift the pause and develop a revised schedule. • Once a realistic revised schedule is identified, the DFW will work to gain DFW executive approval, per the Project’s governance process and complete a Special Project Report (SPR) to submit to the CDT.

Focus Area/Rating	Comments
Governance Green	• A Governance Structure has been agreed to and documented in the project planning process.
Time Management Red	• The Project has an acceptable Schedule Management Plan. • IPO has observed the Project falling behind in completing deliverables related to Permit #1, with discovery activities for Permit #2 and #3 on hold until Permit #1 ITP is complete. • An updated project schedule is being prepared by the vendor. • The Project is now in the fifteenth month of execution and has not updated the schedule based on discovery session findings.
Cost & Contract Management Green	• The Project has an acceptable Cost Management Plan and Contract Management Plan. • IPO has witnessed the Project executing and adhering to the Cost and Contract Management Plans. • IPO has witnessed the DFW notifying the vendor of project delays, providing timely feedback on deliverables and requesting suggestions to get the project back on track.
Scope Management Yellow	• The Project has an acceptable Scope Management Plan. • IPO will monitor the Project’s execution and adherence to the plan as the Project progresses. • The October 2025 strategy to deliver the Project is being revised based on poor project performance. • The revised strategy should be analyzed using the approved Change Control Process for any impact to project scope.
Resources Yellow	• The Project is working to obtain an additional program resource to assist with Organization Change Management (OCM) responsibilities. As of April 2026, the Project Sponsor has been provided with a list of responsibilities for the OCM Ambassador. • Considering the lack of deliverable quality, the vendors staff may not have the required skillset to deliver the project.
Quality Red	• IV&V is providing a monthly report and attending project meetings. • IPO has witnessed IV&V providing analysis and recommendations in the team meetings and monthly reports. • The Project Management Plan contains a subsidiary Quality Management Plan that adequately describes the quality expectations of the Project. • IPO has witnessed vendor deliverables content and quality not meeting expectations.
Risk And Issues Green	• The Project has an acceptable Risk Management Plan. • The Project is using a Risk Issue Decision log for tracking and the topics are discussed in the Bi-Weekly Status meetings and the ESC.
Transition Readiness Green	• The Project has requested an additional program resource to act as an ERP Ambassador and support OCM communications.
Conditions For Approval Yellow	• A Special Project Report (SPR) is required pursuant to the State Administrative Manual section 4945.
Corrective Action Green	• There are no corrective action plans in place.

20250626 Release-16