The Cambridge Public Health Department has unveiled their new permitting platform for new Cambridge Biosafety permits and renewals. The transition to the online system requires that each currently permitted company enter all the required information in a new record for that company on the Cambridge Public Health Department’s online ViewPoint platform, under Laboratory Biosafety.
For companies that already have a Cambridge Biosafety Permit, information should be entered for an “existing permit”. The first time permit holders use the system they will be required to enter the same information as for a new permit. The contact name for the account doesn’t have to be the Biosafety Officer. During the account set-up process there will be a separate field to enter the BSO’s contact information. Note that the BSO serves the role of point-of-contact for the permit, so consideration should be given as to who should be listed. Companies must list someone who is on staff, rather than a consultant, although consultants can enter all the information to create the record on behalf of permit holders.
Creating a company’s record on the ViewPoint platform is a transitional step that will allow renewals for 2020 to be completed on-line (except for payment). For now, all companies need to do is to create and populate the record for their company. Towards the end of December the Cambridge Public Health Department will notify all permit holders to upload the renewal documents. Online payment in ViewPoint will be enabled over the next few months, but for now payment for 2020 will be by check payable to the Cambridge Public Health Department. All current permits expire on February 29, 2020.
For additional information on the new online permitting system, or for assistance with creating your company’s record and renewing your Cambridge Biosafety permit for 2020, please email [email protected].