Vegetation Management (VM) Consultant

Scope of Work

The Vegetation Management (VM) organization seeks professional services to design, develop, and implement a Vegetation Management Database (VMD) utilizing Microsoft SQL Server. The VMD will serve as the central repository for historical vegetation management data, reference data, and approved operational data sources. It will provide a secure, scalable, and maintainable platform that supports:

• Data integration and management
• Reporting and dashboards
• Operational analytics
• Predictive analytics
• Forecast modeling
• Performance scorecards
• Decision support capabilities

The solution shall support secure maintenance of approved datasets by designated non-technical business users while preserving data integrity, security, and auditability.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

Data Management

• Load historical data and reference data into VMD
• Design and implement database structures, relationships, keys, and supporting components
• Establish repeatable data loading and maintenance processes

Data Integration

• Implement secure methods to access approved external data sources
• Minimize data duplication whenever possible
• Support reporting and analytics using both VMD and approved external sources

User Enablement

• Provide secure low-code or no-code solutions for designated business users to maintain approved datasets
• Implement role-based security and auditing controls

Reporting and Analytics

• Develop dashboards, scorecards, reports, visualizations, and analytical solutions
• Support predictive analytics and forecast modeling
• Enable operational planning and performance management

Knowledge Transfer

• Deliver technical documentation
• Conduct training sessions
• Transfer knowledge to designated client personnel

Discovery and Requirements Analysis

• Review existing source systems, spreadsheets, databases, reports, and documentation
• Conduct stakeholder interviews and requirements workshops
• Audit data quality and business rules
• Identify reporting, analytics, and forecasting requirements
• Produce a source system inventory and current-state assessment
• Recommend implementation and integration approaches

Data Architecture and Database Design

• Design the target SQL Server architecture
• Develop logical and physical data models
• Define tables, relationships, joins, keys, indexes, and constraints
• Establish metadata standards and naming conventions
• Design raw, staging, curated, reference, and reporting layers as appropriate

Data Loading and Integration

• Load historical VM data and reference data into VMD

Reporting, Dashboards, Analytics, and Forecasting

• Develop reporting and analytical solutions supporting the enhancement requests
• May include dashboard development, executive scorecards, KPI reporting, data visualizations, forecasting models, predictive analytics, Python-based analytical workflows, query optimization, and performance tuning

Testing, Documentation, and Training

• Develop and execute test plans
• Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Produce technical and operational documentation
• Conduct training and knowledge transfer sessions

Project Management and Implementation Support

• Coordinate with VM staff and designated client personnel
• Provide status reporting
• Support implementation and stabilization activities
• Provide post-implementation support as requested

Mandatory Requirements

• Minimum ten (10) years of experience performing comparable services
• Demonstrated expertise in SQL Server database design and development
• Experience with data integration, reporting, analytics, and forecasting solutions
• Experience supporting utility, vegetation management, asset management, or similar operational environments preferred

Technical Requirements

• All documentation shall be delivered electronically in editable formats
• Design documents shall include table of contents, indexes, and revision history
• Detailed Design Documents (DDD) shall be maintained throughout the project lifecycle
• Development work shall conform to SMUD data architecture standards, naming conventions, and data modeling practices
• Contractor personnel shall coordinate with client IT and GIS staff regarding standards, integration approaches, and technical requirements