BGS Public Improvement Project Request Now Electronic

by Lesley McCaw, InforME

The Bureau of General Services (BGS) and InforME are pleased to announce that the Public Improvement Project Request Form is now a web-based application. This form replaces the BGS Form 21. The user-friendly service, located at http://www.maine.gov/online/pip , is designed to allow applicants to quickly and easily submit Public Improvement Project requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In light of the new service, agencies will now be required to submit "PIP" requests through the online system instead of using paper applications.

The new online service will generate substantial time and costs savings for the agency and its' staff by eliminating manual data entry and cutting down on processing time. Applicants will be required to submit the same information they were providing on the paper forms, just in a more convenient format and with automated workflow as a request moves through the system. An automatic email will be sent to the applicant's department director requesting authorization and applicants will have the ability to log in to check the status of a request or provide more information if requested by BGS; which are just a couple of the conveniences provided by the online system.

The system also provides administrative functions for BGS to review submitted requests, change the status (approve, deny, etc.) and ask for additional information from an applicant, as well as the ability to search and view past requests.

It is the intent of the Bureau of General Services to continue to offer new online services in the future. For more information regarding the Bureau of General Services, please visit http://www.maine.gov/bgs .