DATE: December 17, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney
SUBJECT: Agreement with Axon for Evidence Justice Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Under Administrative Policy No. 34 for competitive bids or requests for proposals (AP 34) determine that an exception to the competitive bidding requirement under AP 34 is satisfied and a sole source is warranted due to unusual or extraordinary circumstances, and that the best interests of the County would be served by entering into an agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc., as Axon Enterprise, Inc. is the sole distributor and manufacturer of Axon Justice Premier; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for the purchase of Axon Justice Premier, and justice digital evidence management services including online access, data storage, onsite support, and individual licensing for District Attorney staff effective January 1, 2025, through July 1, 2030, total not to exceed $1,483,200.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will determine that an exception to the competitive bidding process has been satisfied and allow the District Attorney’s Office (DA) to enter into an agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. (Axon) for Axon Justice Premier, a digital evidence management system that is designed to integrate with Axon evidence services. The recommended agreement maximum is not to exceed $1,483,200. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, the DA will not be able to develop a comprehensive digital evidence management system that would be a valuable tool in the investigation and prosecution of criminal cases.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The DA’s request for the Board to determine that an exception to the competitive bidding process required by AP 34 is satisfied due to unusual or extraordinary circumstances, as Axon Enterprise, Inc. is the only vendor that provides Justice Premier, a digital evidence management system that is designed to work seamlessly with body-worn cameras through Evidence.com. District Attorney staff are already currently registered and trained for access in Evidence.com through a previous agreement with Taser International, Inc. Local law enforcement agencies within the County of Fresno including the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department, Clovis Police Department, Sanger Police Department, and Reedley Police Department all use Axon body-worn cameras through Evidence.com to view body worn camera and taser videos, so this evidence management system is critical for ensuring compatibility, streamlined workflows, minimal training, and comprehensive product support. ISD - Purchasing Division concurs with the DA’s request for a determination that these unusual or extraordinary circumstances satisfy an exception to the competitive bidding process required by AP 34.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The total costs of Axon Justice Premier are $1,483,200. Axon delivery schedules provide for the initial set up and onsite support for access in January 2025. However scheduled payments will not begin until July 2025 so there is no fiscal impact to the FY 2024-25 Adopted budget. The first payment of $285,048.55 will be included in the DA’s Org 2860 FY 2025-26 Requested budget. Subsequent payments will increase by approximately 2% annually, total not to exceed $1,483,200 for the recommended agreement term. Appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On August 9, 2016, your Board approved an Agreement with Taser International Inc. for standard licenses for video camera access that was offered at no cost to the County, and which provided AXON body worn cameras to County law enforcement. Taser International Inc. rebranded to Axon Enterprise, Inc. in 2017 to reflect its expanded product offerings that include digital evidence management systems.
Axon Enterprise, Inc., the County’s vendor for Taser platforms, includes warranties, digital data storage and firmware management through Evidence.com. Purchasing Axon Justice Premier would enhance the DA digital evidence management system, integrating seamlessly with Axon body-worn cameras utilized by the Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies within the County of Fresno, such as the Fresno Police Department, Clovis Police Department, Sanger Police Department and Reedley Police Department, all of which already use Evidence.com to view body cameras and taser video evidence.
Axon Justice Premier will significantly enhance staffing efficiencies by automating many tasks, allowing DA staff to focus more on case work and less on administrative tasks. Key features of this product such as auto-transcription, centralized evidence management, efficient discovery workflows, comprehensive audit trails, and automating tagging would significantly reduce the time staff spend on clerical work.
The recommended agreement contains a non-standard indemnification provision, but the DA believes the benefits of entering into the recommended agreement outweigh any associated risks, as a prudent business decision.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #23, August 9, 2016
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Sole Source Acquisition Request Form
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc.
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai