Permitting + Compliance Support
Scope Tip
Clearly define which permits, approvals, and compliance requirements apply and who is responsible for each step. Identify responsibilities for preparing documentation, coordinating with agencies, submitting applications, paying fees, and carrying permit conditions forward into design and construction.
Scope Item Definition
Identify permitting, environmental review, land manager approval, and other compliance requirements and develop or assemble the documentation needed to support those processes.
Permitting documentation should build from and integrate information developed through other project scope items rather than unnecessarily recreating planning and design work.
When / Where It Applies
Permitting and compliance documentation is needed when a trail project requires permits, environmental review, land manager approval, consultation, or other regulatory or administrative review.
The information required for these processes is often developed through other project scope items. Corridor planning may establish the project location, field design may provide the detailed alignment, and construction documents may provide specifications, drawings, quantities, resource protection measures, and other information required for review.
Whenever possible, permitting and approval requirements should be identified early in the planning and design process. This allows information and documentation developed through other scope items to also support permitting and approvals, reducing duplication and ensuring that required information is available when needed.
For more information: Review the Permitting & Approvals section of PTBA’s Trail Project Life Cycle resource for additional guidance on permitting considerations and how permitting fits within the overall trail development process.
Scope Considerations
Depending on the project, the scope should consider and clearly define:
Applicable requirements: Identify known or anticipated permits, environmental reviews, land manager approvals, consultations, or other compliance requirements.
Documentation requirements: Identify the information and documentation required for each applicable review or approval and where that information will be produced within the overall project scope.
Integration with planning and design: Incorporate permitting requirements into other planning and design deliverables where practical to avoid duplicate work.
Additional permitting documentation: Identify any applications, forms, narratives, exhibits, maps, resource information, or other materials needed specifically for permitting or approval that are not otherwise included in project deliverables.
Roles and responsibilities: Define responsibility for preparing, assembling, reviewing, signing, and submitting required materials.
Agency and land manager coordination: Define responsibility for meetings, communication, submittals, and follow-up with reviewing entities.
Additional studies or information: Identify any studies, surveys, consultations, or specialized information required beyond the other project scope items and who will provide them.
Review and revisions: Define responsibility for responding to comments and revising or resubmitting documentation.
Permit and approval conditions: Define how conditions, mitigation measures, timing restrictions, or other requirements resulting from the review process will be documented and incorporated into subsequent project work.
Schedule: Account for anticipated review periods, sequencing, and dependencies.
Owner-Provided Information
The owner should provide the following, if available and applicable:
Land ownership, jurisdiction, and management information.
Known permitting, environmental review, consultation, and approval requirements.
Applicable land and resource management plans, policies, and agency requirements.
Previous permits, approvals, environmental reviews, consultations, or agency decisions related to the project or site.
Existing natural and cultural resource information and previous studies.
Planning, design, mapping, and construction documentation developed through other project scope items.
Property boundaries, easements, rights-of-way, and other relevant land information.
Known funding requirements that affect permitting or compliance.
Relevant agency, land manager, and partner contacts.
Requirements for applications, signatures, fees, and official submittals.
Deliverables
Depending on the scope, deliverables may include:
Summary or matrix of applicable permitting and compliance requirements.
Documentation requirements and recommended review/approval sequence.
Completed applications, forms, narratives, exhibits, or other permit-specific materials.
Compiled permit or approval packages incorporating documentation developed through other project scope items.
Documentation of agency or land manager coordination.
Responses to review comments and revised materials.
Summary of permit and approval status, conditions, and outstanding requirements.
Documentation of conditions or requirements that must be carried forward into design or construction.
Pricing & Payment Considerations
The solicitation should clearly define the anticipated level of effort and pricing considerations, including:
Known or anticipated permits, reviews, consultations, and approvals.
Amount of required documentation already being developed through other project scope items.
Additional permit-specific documentation required.
Number of agencies, jurisdictions, land managers, or reviewing entities involved.
Meetings and agency coordination requirements.
Number of anticipated submittal and revision cycles.
Additional studies, surveys, consultations, or specialized services required.
Mobilization and travel requirements, if applicable.
Responsibility for application fees, notices, studies, or other direct costs.
How additional work resulting from agency comments or newly identified requirements will be addressed.
Pricing may be structured as a lump sum for clearly defined documentation or time and materials with a not-to-exceed amount when the extent of agency coordination and revisions cannot be fully anticipated.
Common Scope & Contracting Issues
Treating permitting documentation as a separate set of work rather than integrating permitting requirements into planning and design deliverables.
Identifying permitting requirements too late to efficiently incorporate them into project planning, design, and construction documents.
Recreating maps, plans, specifications, or other information that could serve both permitting and project implementation needs.
Not clearly identifying what additional permit- or approval-specific documentation is required beyond other project deliverables.
Not distinguishing between preparing permitting documentation and responsibility for submitting applications or managing the approval process.
Not clearly assigning responsibility for applications, signatures, fees, additional studies, consultations, and agency coordination.
Not accounting for agency review periods, comments, revisions, or requests for additional information.
Not carrying permit conditions, mitigation measures, or other approval requirements forward into design and construction.