eServices Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is eCA?#

The Electronic Services Portal Client Access program, or eCA, is an online system that allows the facility users and licensed professionals to submit the HCAI construction project applications. eCA enables users to register for accounts, manage their user accounts, create project applications, submit project applications, pay application fees, and track the application.

eCA is accessible to all public users via the internet at https://esp.oshpd.ca.gov/CitizenAccess/. To perform the core functions, users may access the system anonymously. For expanded functions, users must apply and obtain a user account. Once a project application is submitted to HCAI, the information regarding construction project is available to the public via eCA.

3. How do I register for a public user account?#

To submit project applications in eCA, users must register for an eCA online account. After HCAI activates the registered user account, the user can utilize the full functionalities of the system. User registration is the first step in performing all tasks in eCA. For detailed instructions on creating a registered user account, see Section 2.2.1 of the eCA Public User Guide.

5. What are the requirements for passwords?#

Passwords must be 8 – 21 characters; passwords are case-sensitive.

7. I forgot my User ID or password – what should I do?#

If you forget your User ID, you can use the email address you entered when creating your account as your User ID. After logging in successfully, navigate to the account management page where your User ID will show.

If you forget your password, see the detailed instructions for resetting your password in Section 2.2.2 of the eCA Public User Guide.

9. What is a “Facility PIN”? Do I need a PIN?#

State law identifies the Hospital Governing Board or Authority as the entity responsible for submitting construction documents to HCAI for review and approval. However, construction documents are prepared by licensed design professionals and delivered to HCAI on behalf of the Hospital Governing Board or Authority.

The Facility Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a security measure that controls the submission of applications to ensure the agent authorized by the Hospital Governing Board or Authority is the only person who can approve the application and obligate the facility to pay all associated fees.

A Facility PIN is required in order to complete any application submitted using eCA. The Facility PIN is issued to the Legal Owner Designee identified by the Hospital Governing Board or Authority, and he or she may share the PIN with anyone they choose. If the Legal Owner Designee shares the Facility PIN, that person is an Authorized Agent of the Facility.

11. How does the Legal Owner Designee share their authority?#

To share authority with an authorized agent, the Legal Owner Designee must delegate their authority to another person. Any public user can delegate his or her eCA data and operations to another public user. The delegate can then create or submit project applications on behalf of the delegator to the Legal Owner Designee and/or HCAI.

Delegation is managed in the public user’s Account Management section. The intended delegate receives an email notification from eCA when he or she is added as a delegate by another public user. The intended delegate must login to their public user account and accept the delegation in the Account Management section before the delegation can take effect.

1. Do I still have to complete the paper application form(s) and send them to the HCAI office?#

No. eClient Access allows you to complete the application online and receive your project number instantaneously. The only piece of paper needed by HCAI to accompany the construction documents is a copy of the Project Summary sheet.

3. How do I search for professionals? How do I add multiple professionals to a record?#

While creating an Application for New Project, all Architect(s) or Engineer(s) in responsible charge of the work and all Architect(s) and Engineer(s) with delegated responsibility for preparation of the construction documents must be listed on the application. For detailed instructions on searching for licensed professionals as well as adding multiple professionals to the application, see Section 6.3 of the eCA Public User Guide.

5. I searched for a Licensed Professional and received results “No Records Found”. I know the license number is valid. How do I proceed?#

When searching for a Licensed Professional, eCA searches the HCAI database. Look up the Licensed Professional using only the letter and number (e.g. C99999), without dashes or preceding zeros. If no search results are found, the Licensed Professional is not currently in the database. To have a Licensed Professional added to the HCAI database, click the email link in the instructions at the top of the page or email eserv@hcai.ca.gov; include in the email message the information required to complete each field.

7. What are the different Contact types?#

Facility Contacts are copied on project correspondence and are the addressee for Project Final Costs. There are five contact types to choose from:

• Administrator: individual responsible for the day to day operational running of the health care institution.
• Applicant: The governing board of a healthcare facility or other healthcare facility governing authority, as described in Health & Safety Code Section 129760.
• Authorized Agent: The governing board or authority may authorize anyone to be known as the “Agent for Legal Applicant” for an Application for New Project and as “Owner” on the Application for Building Permit and Applications for Post Approval Documents; this individual may sign and approve all construction documents in the full capacity as the Legal Owner.
• Billing: Each facility has a default billing address where all accounting correspondence will be mailed. If this particular project needs accounting correspondence mailed to a different address, enter the recipient and address under the “Billing” contact type.
• Facility Representative: Any other person not listed as one of the Contact types above who needs to receive project correspondence may be listed on the project as a Facility Representative.

9. What is Auto-fill? How is this feature used?#

“Auto-fill” is a feature in eCA that will automatically populate various fields on the page with your User Account information, such as name, address, telephone numbers, etc. To use “Auto-fill” (when the feature is available), click the box next to “Auto-fill with” – your information will immediately populate the various fields on the page with your personal information from your Public User account. You may also click the down arrow in the dropdown box next to “Auto-fill with” to select other pre-populated options.

11. When I enter the Facility PIN, it is not being accepted. What should I do?#

The 6-digit Facility PIN is issued to the Owner; this is NOT the 5-digit Facility ID number. If you do not know the Facility PIN, you MUST click the “Save pending submittal” button on the Security page. Do not click “Continue Application” without a valid PIN. If you entered an invalid PIN (or no PIN) and you received an error message, you have lost all of the information you entered and will need to restart the application. If you entered an incorrect Facility PIN but you have a temporary application number (e.g. 13TMP-00014), email eserv@hcai.ca.gov; include in your email message the TMP identification number so HCAI can reset this project application.

13. When the application was completed, I did not print the Project Summary – can I still send construction documents to the HCAI office? How can I reprint the Project Summary?#

The project summary is required to be submitted to the Office (or to the Field Staff) with the construction documents to identify that the application was created in eCA. The project summary is always available for viewing or printing by:

• searching for and/or selecting the project,
• clicking on the project number to open the Record Detail view and
• selecting the Project Application Summary from the reports link at the top of your screen;
• you can also scroll down the page to the “Print/View Summary” button.

Click the link or the button to view and print the project summary sheet and include it with the construction documents when mailing them to the Office or presenting them to the Field Staff.

1. How do I pay the Project Application fee?#

The $250 project application fee may be paid using any of the following three methods on the Application Fee Payment Option page:

You may pay the application fee online using a credit card at the time the application is being created in eCA using a credit card by selecting “Pay Fees”.
You may select “Pay Later” if you do not have the credit card for payment but someone else does. The person with the credit card must log in and pay the application fee within 10 days from the date the application is created or the fee will be invoiced directly to the Facility.
You may select “Invoice Me” and an invoice will be immediately mailed to the Facility.

3. Can I pay all invoices using my credit card or only those records created using eClient Access?#

All project application fees can be paid using a credit card at any time, whether the record was created using eCA or not.

5. Is there any way to find more detail (i.e. the invoice number) in eCA? It would help greatly with avoiding duplicate payments¨#

On the Record Details screen, expand the “Fees” section. It displays the Invoice Number.

7. What if I selected “Pay Later” and it is past ten days from when the application was created?#

The person with the credit card must log in and pay the application fee within 10 days from the day the application was completed or the fee will be invoiced directly to the Facility; however, a registered user with delegation rights can “Pay Fees” at any time.

You may call HCAI Accounting at (916) 440-8331 to determine if the invoice has been processed.