Dallas Advances Public Safety Tech Overhaul

Dallas City Council approved a contract on May 13 that moves the city into the next phase of a long-planned overhaul of the software and systems used to route emergency calls, dispatch responders and manage public safety records. The agreement authorizes a two-year cooperative purchasing deal with Federal Engineering, Inc., with one six-month renewal option, for project management and implementation oversight services tied to Dallas’ replacement of its Computer-Aided Dispatch and Records Management systems. The contract is capped at $998,929 and will be funded through the General Fund, subject to annual appropriations. The city described the CAD/RMS replacement as a mission-critical project that supports 911 call taking, dispatch, police, fire, EMS, records management, field operations and court-related enforcement functions. Dallas said the work will touch the police department, Dallas Fire-Rescue, the Dallas Marshals, the Department of Municipal Court and Detention Services, and the city’s Information and Technology Services department. (content.govdelivery.com) ### What exactly did the council approve? The May 13 council action authorized Dallas to use the GSA Advantage cooperative purchasing program to hire Federal Engineering for independent project management and implementation oversight. The agenda language says the work is related to replacing the city’s existing Computer-Aided Dispatch and Records Management systems. The city said the agreement is for two years and includes one six-month renewal option. (content.govdelivery.com) Funding will come from the General Fund and remains subject to annual appropriations, according to the city release. ### What systems are being replaced? Dallas said the replacement centers on CAD and RMS platforms, the core systems used to receive and process emergency incidents, dispatch field units and maintain operational records. (citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com) In a February technology accountability report, the city said the project would replace current CAD and RMS systems with a unified solution supporting the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue and the Dallas Marshal’s Office. (content.govdelivery.com) The city’s May 13 release said the implementation also reaches beyond those departments to 911 call taking, EMS operations, field activity and court-related enforcement functions. That broader scope reflects how the systems connect dispatch, records and downstream public safety workflows across departments. ### What will Federal Engineering do? Federal Engineering will provide independent project management and technical oversight rather than serve as the replacement software vendor, the city said. (content.govdelivery.com) Dallas listed the firm’s duties as milestone tracking, vendor compliance monitoring, oversight of system configuration, review of data migration, coordination of testing and user acceptance, oversight of training, cutover coordination and monitoring of post-go-live issue resolution and stabilization. Chief Daniel Comeaux said in the city release that the agreement provides “independent project oversight” for two major public safety technology transitions. He said modernizing the systems would strengthen the technology used by dispatchers, officers, firefighters, marshals and other public safety staff. ### Why did Dallas pick this firm? Federal Engineering has more than 40 years of experience as an independent consulting firm and has completed more than 3,500 consulting projects nationwide, the city said. (content.govdelivery.com) Dallas said it interviewed three firms and concluded that Federal Engineering offered the best combination of experience, staffing and cost. The procurement was structured through a cooperative purchasing vehicle rather than a standalone city solicitation for this oversight contract. (content.govdelivery.com) Dallas’ Office of Procurement Services says it manages the city’s purchasing of goods and services, while the city release said this agreement was procured through GSA Advantage. ### Where can residents track what happens next? Dallas posts city council agendas, annotated agendas, minutes and audio through the City Secretary’s meeting portal. (content.govdelivery.com) The city says annotated agendas are posted the day after a council meeting, and within one week are updated with links to approved resolutions or ordinances. The next public milestone is the implementation work itself. (content.govdelivery.com) Under the approved agreement, Federal Engineering’s assignment is to oversee the city’s CAD/RMS replacement through testing, training, cutover and post-go-live stabilization, with a contract ceiling of $998,929 and a term of two years plus a possible six-month extension. (dallascityhall.com)