A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER, WAIVING BY 5/7TH VOTE, THE FORMAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-367(E) OF THE CITY CODE, FINDING SUCH WAIVER TO BE IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT(S) WITH AXON ENTERPRISE, INC. FOR THE PURCHASE OF OFFICER SAFETY PLAN SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ADDITIONAL A LA CARTE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING BODY-WORN CAMERAS, CONDUCTED ELECTRICAL WEAPONS, A VIDEO EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION PLATFORM, INTERVIEW ROOM HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, AND RELATED EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES; AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT(S) WITH AXON ENTERPRISE, INC., UPON CONCLUSION OF SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS, IN THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT APPROPRIATED ANNUALLY FOR THESE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THROUGH THE CITY'S BUDGET PROCESS.

Beginning in April, 2014, the Miami Beach Police Department began a pilot program to evaluate the deployment and use of body-worn cameras (BWC) (see Resolution 2014-28746). Initially, the pilot program involved gradual deployment of BWC as policy and procedures were developed and training was conducted. Several other City Departments, including Code Compliance, Parking, Building, and Fire, also began to deploy BWC at the same time. Testing and evaluation of products and vendors done at the time resulted in the selection of Taser International to provide body camera products and services. They were uniquely positioned to provide a capable, reliable, and scalable camera solution as well as cloud-based storage and redaction system. In addition, Evidence.com video storage eliminated the need to expand in-house enterprise data storage, at a significant cost savings to the City. A one-year phased agreement with four (4) one-year renewals was executed. This contract and all renewals have now run to conclusion and will expire on 9/28/2019.

In 2017, Taser International was rebranded and is now called Axon Enterprise, Inc., (“Axon”). Their business model has since evolved from basically selling devices to a service-oriented model where they offer comprehensive subscription plans, called Officer Safety Plans, which include BWCs, conducted electrical weapons, docks, replacement cartridges, interview room recording hardware and software, the Evidence.com cloud data storage and distribution platform, artificial intelligence video redaction tools, on-line and virtual reality training, compliance and auditing tools, automatic hardware upgrades, and a comprehensive warranty and return policy. In addition, they offer products and services a la carte for departments that do not need full plans. Furthermore, the conducted electrical weapon (CEW) offered by Axon is the industry standard in that sphere, along with the City’s long- standing use of the product over the course of approximately eighteen years (18) years of service. 

The most important technological development in the BWC field has been the evolution of the Evidence.com digital evidence management platform. This platform, which started as relatively basic cloud storage, has become a highly-developed ecosystem for uploading, categorizing, sharing, and managing the vast amounts of data generated by the Police Department’s now full deployment of cameras. Evidence.com has been continually upgraded and enhanced with innovative tools that allow integrated redaction, categorizing, and automatic purging of records pursuant to records retention guidelines. Thanks to adoption by the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office, we are also able to directly share video and other evidence with prosecutors from within the platform, eliminating the need to download large amounts of data to physical media. This level of platform sophistication is unique to Axon and unprecedented in the marketplace.

Market research has revealed that there is no single vendor able to provide the integration available in the Axon ecosystem. Although there are products in the market that are able to perform individual tasks as described in the previous paragraphs, it would take great resources, time, effort and coordination to make all of them work together in a seamless manner. Changing from our current provider would require all new equipment to be purchased and significant administrative, infrastructure, and training resources to be expended in each of the five (5) City Departments utilizing Axon products.

Representatives from each involved Department have determined that it would not be cost effective or operationally beneficial to consider other vendors at this time. Further, it would be in the interest of the City to standardize the purchase of Officer Safety Plan subscriptions including: BWCs, conducted electrical weapons, a video evidence management and distribution platform, interview room hardware and software, related equipment and services, and a la carte equipment and services as needed citywide. The Departments are requesting that the City Manager be authorized to negotiate an agreement(s) with Axon to serve the public safety and video evidence collection and distribution needs of the City, as well as maximize any cost savings available through the standardization process.

In consideration of the above, I recommend, pursuant to Section 2-391 of the City Code (which allows materials, supplies, equipment, and certain contractual services to be standardized), standardizing the City’s BWC, conducted electrical weapon, and video evidence management platform to a single and consistent vendor, Axon Enterprise, Inc., in order to streamline and simplify equipment acquisition, maintenance, training, repairs, and compatibility and to provide a single video evidence management platform, thereby reducing operational costs while achieving the City’s overall public safety objectives. Further, I recommend negotiating directly with Axon Enterprise, Inc., to arrive at terms, conditions, and pricing that is in the best interest of the City.

Based on the foregoing, I recommend that the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, approve the Resolution waiving, by 5/7^th vote, the formal competitive bidding requirements, in accordance with Section 2-367 of the City Code, finding such waiver to be in the City’s best interest, and authorizing the City Manager and City Attorney to negotiate an agreement(s) for purchase of Officer Safety Plan subscriptions and a la carte products and services including: BWCs, conducted electrical weapons, a video evidence management and distribution platform, interview room hardware and software, and related equipment and services from Axon Enterprise, Inc., for the purpose of standardizing the Axon Enterprise, Inc. solution; and further authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement(s), upon successful negotiations, in the not to exceed amount approved for these products and services through the City’s budgeting process annually.