Exhibit 1 - Agenda Information SheetCity of Denton
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AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT: Procurement & Compliance
ACM: David Gaines
DATE: December 7, 2021
SUBJECT
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal corporation,
authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Evidence IQ, Inc., for the purchase of Ballistics
IQ, a ballistics image capturing, cataloging, and correlation software for the Police Department, which is
the sole provider of this software, in accordance with Texas Local Government Code 252.022, which
provides that procurement of commodities and services that are available from one source are exempt from
competitive bidding, and if over $50,000 shall be awarded by the governing body; providing for the
expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date (File 7852 – awarded to Evidence IQ, Inc.,
for one (1) year, with the option for four (4) additional one (1) year extensions, in the total five (5) year not-
to-exceed amount of $153,250.00).
INFORMATION/BACKGROUND
The Denton Police Department is tackling the problem of gun violence head-on through; community
outreach, directed enforcement, and now endeavors to include sophisticated technology – Ballistics IQ. The
department requires the ability to capture digital images of ballistic evidence, rapidly triage the ballistic
evidence, and expeditiously match them with shell casings from other violent crimes, thereby establishing
investigative links that may otherwise not have existed. This technology is an important tool for detectives
and investigators who work diligently to get violent criminals off the street. Bringing the technology out of
the lab and into the field allows for immediate actionable intelligence to help interrupt the cycle of violent
crime before it can escalate. While the department has access to The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms,
and Explosives (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), through existing
external partnerships, lab backlogs, and submission limitations delay the results up to several months. In
that lag time, violent offenders may re-offend – oftentimes to a greater degree of severity and violence.
With an in-house Ballistics IQ system, investigators can quickly input evidence at any time of day or night,
generating possible leads in a matter of hours.
Similar to a fingerprint, a gun leaves unique microscopic markings on fired cartridge casings. Even firearms
that are the same make and model and produced on the same manufacturing line will generate different
markings. Shell casings found at all shooting and shots fired incidents are analyzed, as are casings from
guns recovered and test-fired by police. As shell casings are entered into the Ballistics IQ gallery and
matched with other casings, investigators can connect multiple crime scenes – some from different years or
different jurisdictions – knowing that the same gun was used.
Alternatively, the department could acquire the technology to directly access the NIBIN. While this
technology would allow for direct access to the NIBIN system, it comes with greater personnel, quality
City Hall
215 E. McKinney Street
Denton, Texas
www.cityofdenton.com
systems, and technology costs. The current image capture system for NIBIN (by ATF contract) is from
BrassTrax HD3D and costs approximately $300,000.00 and has an annual service contract fee of
approximately $50,000.00. Additionally, as a NIBIN site under the agreement with the ATF, the department
would be required to intake and process the firearms evidence of any other law enforcement agency in
North Texas, implement a quality management system, and attain laboratory accreditation. These
requirements and associated additional workload would necessitate the hiring of a Quality Manager and
NIBIN Technician. This would additionally, create a workload burden on the Evidence Management Unit
as well as the Crime Scene Unit due to the increase in external agency submissions.
Ballistics IQ –through its system of patented technology, software, algorithm, and remote Firearms and
Toolmark Examiners (Virtual Correlation Center) – uniquely allows non-technical users with minimal
training to obtain actionable information in real-time at the scene and access Firearms and Toolmark Experts
remotely with an average 3-hours response time (24 hours contractually) with no change to current
personnel needs. Implementation includes delivery of the Ballistic Camera Box and on-site, train-the-trainer
instruction for up to ten(10) department personnel.
Fiscal Year FY
2021-22
FY
2022-23
FY
2023-24
FY
2024-25
FY
2025-26 Total
Subscription License for 100 Cases 35,000 26,875 26,875 26,875 26,875 142,500
10% contingency 2,688 2,688 2,688 2,686 10,750
Total $35,000 $29,563 $29,563 $29,563 $29,561 $153,250
Section 252.022 of the Local Government Code provides that procurement of sole source commodities and
services are exempt from competitive bidding, if over $50,000, shall be awarded by the governing body.
RECOMMENDATION
Award with a contract to Evidence IQ, Inc., as a sole source supplier, for the purchase of Ballistics IQ, a
ballistics image capturing, cataloging, and correlation software for the Police Department, in a one (1) year,
with the option for four (4) additional one (1) year extensions, in the total five (5) year not-to-exceed amount
of $153,250.
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS
Evidence IQ, Inc.
Lemont, IL
ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF PROJECT
This is an initial one (1) year contract with options to extend the contract for four (4) additional one (1) year
periods, with all terms and conditions remaining the same.
FISCAL INFORMATION
These services will be funded from Technology Funds.
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1: Agenda Information Sheet
Exhibit 2: Ordinance and Contract
Respectfully submitted:
Lori Hewell, 940-349-7100
Purchasing Manager
For information concerning this acquisition, contact: Michael Kessler, 940-349-7877.
Legal point of contact: Marcella Lunn at 940-349-8333.