The emirate will utilize the Accela solution to streamline and make accessible its licensing processes in order to create a friendlier, more efficient business center environment. This is part of the goal of the Abu Dhabi government to facilitate global access, provide advanced services to investors in their country, and to make their country one of the most advanced countries in the world. In conjunction with this project, the government will open a world class "Business Center" to provide premier business services for commercial licensing, trade name registration, and all aspects of doing business with Abu Dhabi.
"It is very important that we take steps to provide one common face for the Government to support businesses in Abu Dhabi throughout their lifecycle, from inception to closure," said Undersecretary Mohammed Omar Abdullah of the Abu Dhabi Department of Planning & Economy. "Accela's strong presence and reputation in the U.S. market demonstrated the level of technology expertise and leadership we were looking for to support our goals. We look forward to working with Accela to internationalize their software and fully realize the benefits of Web-based technology in supporting growth and development."
"This project takes our company to an entirely different level," said Maury Blackman, Accela president and CEO. "We are putting an international framework around our product set so that Accela Automation and our add-on products can be easily localized in various languages. Our successes in North America and branch office in Abu Dhabi provide a springboard for business development throughout the Middle East and beyond."
Through the use of the Accela Automation module, Accela Licensing & Case Management™, Abu Dhabi will have the ability to make commercial licenses and trade name registration easily obtainable and available in four or five languages. The application also supports document management, automated license renewal, and flexibility in creating unlimited types of licenses based on the unique regulations, requirements, and internal procedures that go hand-in-hand with conducting business on an international level. Abu Dhabi's Department of Planning & Economy managed an estimated 70,000 business license transactions in 2007, a forty percent increase over 2006.
Abu Dhabi also selected additional Accela applications that will enhance the functionality of Accela Automation to support inspection and work order management, and provide developers around the world with direct access to apply for and obtain business licenses online:
Accela Citizen Access™ provides real-time, direct access via the Internet to agency licensing activities. Online applications can be configured to allow businesses access to apply and pay for licenses, schedule inspections, check the status of a license or inspection, or print an approved license directly from the Internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Accela Wireless™ is a mobile government software application that enables agency staff to perform their jobs from the field for inspections, work orders, and service requests. The world's only mobile application optimized for Intel Centrino® Mobile Technology, Accela Wireless is compatible with PDAs, laptops, and Tablet PCs running on the Microsoft Pocket PC 2003, Windows Mobile 5, Windows 2000, or Windows XP operating systems.
Accela GIS™ seamlessly integrates with Accela Automation to provide powerful real-time visual analysis to enhance land use, zoning, and infrastructure data. It allows creation of multiple map layers, automated map analysis, parcel and asset inventory management, direct editing of GIS data or files, and auto-distribution of information to mailing lists. It is built on the ArcIMS™ platform by ESRI®.
HP Global Solutions will be working as a subcontractor to Accela in this system integration.
About Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi emirate is the largest of seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates, and with a population of approximately 1.6 million is home to one-third of the total UAE population. Abu Dhabi is the seat of UAE's federal government and serves as the country's capital. Abu Dhabi has about 7.7% of the world's proven oil reserves and hosts the fifth largest natural gas reserve in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.abudhabi.ae/Sites/Portal/Citizen/EN/root.html.
About Accela
Accela provides innovative, Web-based enterprise software solutions that automate licensing, permit, and asset management processes for local, state, and federal government agencies of all sizes. Backed by nearly 30 years of development and implementation in more than 500 agencies worldwide, Accela products and services empower agencies to increase efficiencies, reduce workload, and provide citizens and businesses with more convenient access to government services. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., with branch offices in Visalia, Calif., Salt Lake City, Utah and, most recently, Abu Dhabi, UAE, located at Executive Business Centre #G10, Najda Street Building 168. Accela has also opened an office in Melbourne, Australia to provide a springboard for business development and operations throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. For more information, please visit www.accela.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Deborah Papp Accela, Inc. 925-659-3244 Email Contact Ron Jenkins RBJ Consulting 972-473-3546 Email Contact