Notice of Intent Emergency Contract Higgin.docx
DOCX document 74 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Intent of Notice Emergency contract
- Solicitation number
- BD-23-1014-1014C-1014L-85295
- Issued by
- Massachusetts
About this file
The document is a Notice of Intent by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) in Massachusetts, which maintains the Massachusetts Instant Record Check System (MIRCS) for firearms licensing. MIRCS is utilized to print firearms license cards, with an annual volume fluctuating between 85,000-115,000 cards. The DCJIS is requesting a procurement exemption to order supplies to print firearms licenses through their sole vendor, Higgins, while they work on renewing their state contract. This is necessary as Higgins has been the vendor for over 23 years, providing the custom license cards, laminate, print ribbons, and specialized card printers that are integrated with the MIRCS system. Without the ability to purchase these supplies through Higgins, the DCJIS would be unable to meet the statutory 40-day timeframe for issuing firearms licenses.
The document does not provide details on pricing terms, set asides, or funding sources. It focuses on the critical nature of the MIRCS system and the necessity of continuing to work with Higgins as the sole vendor for the required supplies and equipment to print the firearms licenses within the statutory timeframe.
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Text version
Notice of Intent
By statute, the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) maintains the Massachusetts Instant Record Check System (MIRCS), the electronic firearms licensing system utilized by all 351 cities and town in the Commonwealth to process firearms licenses. MIRCS is utilized by the DCJIS Firearms Records Bureau (FRB) to print firearms license cards, which are mailed to licensing authorities for issuance. The volume of licenses printed annually is high, and fluctuates from approximately 85,000-115,000 cards printed annually. Further, there is a statutory timeframe of 40 days from date of application by which licenses must be issued. Below, please see a table of the approximate number of cards printed yearly for the last five years.
| YEAR |
| Approximate Number of Licenses Printed |
| 2022 |
| 85,000 |
| 2021 |
| 100,000 |
| 2020 |
| 113,000 |
| 2019 |
| 110,000 |
| 2018 |
| 104,000 |
The MIRCS system was deployed in 2006 and was the first biometric-based firearms licensing system in the nation. Part of process of creating the MIRCS application involved creating the actual firearms license graphics and formats, as well as integrating the printing of the licenses through MIRCS using specialized card printers. At that time, the vendor Higgins was selected from the state contract as part of the bid process for this integration. The cards that are used for the license cards are custom cards and manufactured specifically for the Massachusetts firearms license template, which have been ordered through Higgins for over 23 years. Further, the cards and additional supplies (laminate and print ribbon) required to print the licenses are also ordered through Higgins, our sole vendor. Lastly, the specialized card printers are also ordered and maintained through Higgins, as the supplies integrate seamlessly with the printers.
Should the DCJIS be unable to purchase supplies through Higgins, we would not be able to print firearms licenses as statutorily required. Also, any delay in ordering the supplies will result in the DCJIS being unable to meet the statutory time frame in which licenses need to be issued.
For these reasons, the DCJIS is requesting a procurement exemption to order supplies to print firearms license through Higgins while they work on renewing their state contract.
Questions or comments on this notice can be sent to: Anne Wong Anne.Wong@mass.gov image1.png
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .