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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Bryan Handell, Aurora Police Commander, Bureau of Administrative Services
Jacqueline Hobday, Director of Emergency Communications 911
Ram Tyagi, Chief Information Officer
Jeff Anderson, Deputy Chief Information Officer
DATE: July 13, 2026
SUBJECT:
A resolution authorizing the director of purchasing to enter into a three-year agreement and two one-year options with Equature of Southfield, MI for a total of $301,078.90 for a dispatch recording system.
PURPOSE:
The City seeks a partner to provide a modern, highly resilient Public Safety Dispatch Recording and Multimedia Logging System. This critical system will maintain discrete recordings of incident-initiation calls between the public, APD dispatchers, and first responders. Beyond hosting these multimedia files, seamless linkage to Aurora's Records Management System for organization and retrieval will be required from the selected partner.
BACKGROUND:
The City’s existing Dispatch Recording Systems (DRS) are currently at the end of the contract and staff desires to have one DRS solution for all necessary recordings. Currently 911 calls and radio recordings are recorded by separate solutions. This solution will provide one DRS for recordings.
DISCUSSION:
City Staff from APD and IT engaged Marketplace.city to for initial market research and then to conduct the RFP. The process overview is below.
After several meetings to discuss the City’s needs and specific timeline, Marketplace.city drafted the Solicitation <https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/marketplace-city/projects/238911> for vendors to complete to be included in the reporting and selection process.
-- The solicitation was publicly posted on 3/2/26 and closed 3/23/26.
-- Five responses were completed by the deadline
-- 3/25 -Vendor Response Data was reviewed
-- Axon did not advance due to prohibitive cost.
-- Demonstrations occurred between April 6 - 16
-- Demonstrations conducted with Equature, Exacom, Word Systems Incorporated / WSI (NICE Inform), and Nelson (Eventide)
-- 4/20 After demonstrations, the team identified Equature & WSI as finalists. Equature for their all-inclusive pricing, simpler User Interface, and direct-vendor model, and incumbent WSI to continue to evaluate the improved version of the NICE Inform system.
-- Finalists were sent final clarifying questions to confirm remaining items on User Interface, system resiliency, and pricing.
-- 5/1 - the project team submitted final scoring by department for a recommended partnership.
Equature was selected as the clear winner. Equature will deliver a 132-channel solution at $191,078.90 over three years, more than 60% below WSI’s $487,500 for an equivalent system. Optional Years 4-5 are pre-priced at $55,000/year, giving the City long-term budget certainty without a 5-year obligation.
Yearly pricing is shown in the table below.
|
Year 1 |
Implementation & Maintenance |
$91,078.90 |
|
Year 2 |
Maintenance |
$50,000 |
|
Year 3 |
Maintenance |
$50,000 |
|
Year 4 (Option) |
Maintenance |
$55,000 |
|
Year 5 (Option) |
Maintenance |
$55,000 |
|
Total |
|
$301,078.90 |
This purchase is eligible for use of Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) funds. A budget transfer will be submitted to ensure funds are available in account 211-1280-419.64-10 for this purchase.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Multiple dispatch entities currently operate independent and aging recording platforms, resulting in inconsistent retention practices, increased maintenance costs, and operational inefficiencies. A unified digital recording solution will ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards, improve the capture and preservation of critical communications, and strengthen interagency coordination.
Adopting a consolidated digital recording system is a strategic investment that improves operational efficiency, compliance, and public safety outcomes. The resolution advances modernization efforts while reducing long-term costs and risks associated with legacy recording systems.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Request the proposed resolution be approved.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the director of purchasing to enter into a three-year agreement and two one-year options with Equature of Southfield, MI for a total of $301,078.90 for a dispatch recording system.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the current digital recording systems are at end of contract and involve multiple products; and
WHEREAS, the City desires a consolidated solution for all required recordings; and
WHEREAS, a competitive bidding process was completed that involved Police staff, and Information Technology staff; and
WHEREAS, a budget transfer will be submitted to ensure funds are available in account 211-1280-419.64-10 for this purchase.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the Director of Purchasing is hereby authorized to issue purchase orders for services described in this resolution and as more fully set forth in the contract attached hereto.