Software Solution and Mobile App for Citizens to Report Illegal Dumping

The County of San Mateo (the “County” or “SMC”) covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula. The region covers 744 mi ² and is home to nearly 800,000 residents and 20 incorporated cities. The County provides for the health and welfare of all people within its borders and serves as the local government for the unincorporated areas. Innovation thrives here in industries including bioscience, computer software, green technology, hospitality, financial management, health care, education, and transportation. The County prides itself on how that prosperity fosters its commitment to protecting and enhancing the health, safety, welfare, and natural resources of the community.

Formed in July 2014 the San Mateo County Sustainability Department (Sustainability) strives to improve the sustainability of the County’s operations and the greater community through work in areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency; resource conservation; alternative transportation; and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Sustainability Department is located a short walk from the Redwood City Caltrain station at 455 County Center, 4th Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063.

San Mateo County is comprised of 20 incorporated cities and towns, as well as dispersed unincorporated areas. The software platform and mobile application to manage public service requests related to illegal dumping, abandoned shopping carts, and graffiti in public spaces or on buildings will serve all unincorporated areas of the County, including: North Fair Oaks (CSA-8), County Franchised Areas (CFA), Broadmoor and unincorporated Colma, and the unincorporated south coast.

• CSA-8, adjacent to the City of Redwood City, is one of the most densely populated unincorporated communities in the county.
• CFA includes all other unincorporated areas on the bayside of the county, excluding CSA-8, including San Mateo Highlands, Emerald Lake Hills, Devonshire, Sequioa Tract, Kensington Square, Burlingame Hills and Harbor/Industrial.
• The Broadmoor and unincorporated Colma areas are located in the northern region of San Mateo County. This area is primarily urban and surrounded by the incorporated cities of Daly City and Colma.
• The unincorporated south coast encompasses the low-density, unincorporated communities stretching from Half Moon Bay to the southern boundary of San Mateo County. This area includes the communities of Pescadero, La Honda, Loma Mar, San Gregorio, and Sky Londa.

The County of San Mateo’s Sustainability Department is seeking a software platform and mobile application to manage public service requests related to illegal dumping, abandoned shopping carts, and graffiti in public spaces or on buildings. The platform will be used by unincorporated county residents to submit service request tickets and County staff to intake, route, and track service requests, as well as to generate reports and monitor performance metrics.

The selected platform must include a mobile application available on both the Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android), allowing community members to easily submit requests, upload photos, and track status updates.

In addition to internal Sustainability Department staff, the illegal dumping and graffiti abatement management program involves multiple partners—including contracted private service providers, solid waste haulers, and other County departments such as Department of Public Works, Environmental Health Division, Department of Planning and Building —who respond to and resolve service requests. Therefore, the platform must support external user access and flexible role-based permissions.

The County receives an average of 50 service requests per month related to illegal dumping, graffiti, and abandoned shopping carts. While the County currently tracks the number of requests, it does not consistently collect data on the volume, weight, or tonnage removed when service requests are resolved. So a key program goal is to improve the County’s ability to quantify materials collected during cleanups. The County seeks a platform that will support a more comprehensive reporting framework—enabling improved measurement of program effectiveness, operational planning, and resource allocation. In addition to core reporting functionality, the platform must provide a simple and intuitive user interface that is easy for community members to navigate and use. The platform must also support accessibility needs, including language access and accommodations for users with visual, motor, or other impairments. The platform shall allow real-time status tracking and notifications so users can monitor the progress of submitted requests. The platform must support closed-loop communication by notifying the individual who submitted a request once abatement or resolution has been completed. In addition to reporting, the platform must also support public education and outreach by providing information on proper disposal options, enforcement processes, and potential consequences.