RFI 25-04751- Next Generation 911 Call System.pdf

120419

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

FOR

Next-Generation 911 (NG911) Call Handling System

SOLICITATION NO. 25-04751

Issue Date: 9/12/25

Pre-Response Question Deadline: 9/19/25 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time

Email: purchasing.questions@wcaa.us (Reference RFI #25-04751 in all emails)

Response Deadline: 9/30/25 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (Late Bids will not be accepted.)

Submittal Location: www.bidnetdirect.com/mitn/wayne-county-airport-authority Registration and Submittal technical assistance: 1-800-835-4603

Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 7:30 pm (Eastern Time) Free and paid subscription registration options available

Procurement Contact: Darwin Hadley, Assistant Deputy Director Phone: (734) 247-7900, Fax: (734) 955-5648 purchasing.questions@wcaa.us

NOTE: Detroit, Michigan 48242 is the mailing address of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is physically located within the boundaries of the City of Romulus, Michigan.

DESCRIPTION: This Request for Information (RFI) is to gather market insights, understand available technologies, and evaluate integration options regarding a next-generation 911 (NG911) call handling system for our Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the Wayne County Airport Authority (Airport Authority).

The Airport Authority strongly encourages input to assist in developing solution requirements for a future Request for Proposals. Please submit your response to the items listed on the following page(s) by the deadline indicated above. All information submitted in response to this RFI must be submitted electronically through BidNet.

No award will be made as a result of this solicitation.

mailto:purchasing.questions@wcaa.us http://www.bidnetdirect.com/mitn/wayne-county-airport-authority mailto:purchasing.questions@wcaa.us

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Page 2 of 8

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION #25-04751

I. Summary

The Wayne County Airport Authority (Airport Authority), through its Emergency & Support Services and Technology Services Divisions, is interested in obtaining information regarding next-generation 911 (NG911) call handling system for our Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Under this Request for Information (RFI), the Airport Authority is exploring options to implement robust call handling in a cloud-based virtual system, add AI capabilities to triage non-emergency calls, and ensure that caller ID is captured for every incoming call. This system must fully adhere to all applicable National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) standards and meet the State of Michigan and federal regulations, including those stipulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In addition, the Airport Authority is interested in vendor implementation experience, planned product lifecycle and pricing, and support services pricing.

II. Background

The Airport Authority (the Airport) has sole and exclusive operational jurisdiction of the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). DTW serves as the principal commercial service airport for the Detroit metropolitan region, much of Michigan and parts of northern Indiana and Ohio. The Airport is located on approximately 6,224 acres in the City of Romulus, Michigan, about 21 miles west of the City of Detroit’s downtown. The airfield at the Airport contains six air carrier runways, including four parallel runways oriented in the northeast-southwest direction and two parallel runways, oriented east-west. There are two passenger terminal complexes at the Airport – the McNamara Terminal and the Evans Terminal. The McNamara Terminal, which serves Delta Air Lines (Delta), its affiliated regional carriers, and Delta’s other SkyTeam partners, consists of a terminal building with three concourses accommodating 121 aircraft gates and a hotel. The Evans Terminal, which services other carriers not affiliated with Delta, consists of a terminal building and a single concourse with 29 aircraft gates.

The Airport Authority has approximately $350 million in annual revenue, 725-750 employees, and eight

(8) key departments reporting to the CEO. Because the Airport Authority is a quasi-governmental entity, it is entitled to government discounts from various sources, such as those discounts associated with the Government Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Communities-Government Purchasing Alliance, and the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA).

The Airport Response Center (ARC) handles campus-wide 911 emergency calls for service processing and dispatching for all airport police, fire, emergency medical services, maintenance, and security. The ARC monitors and responds to several thousand alarms and notifications generated by the Electronic Security System (ESS) from police, fire, and security system components and functions as the Airport Authority Central Station.

The Technology Services (TS) department is a team of approximately 40 individuals responsible for all aspects of technology design, development, implementation, and support for the Airport Authority and is located at the Berry Administration building next to the Evans Terminal. TS is responsible for providing secure, available, and effective technology systems and services to the other Airport Authority divisions and airport Tenants.

NOTE: Airline and TSA services are not the responsibility of the Airport Authority and, therefore, are not in scope for this RFI.

The Airport Authority is asking qualified respondents to provide information under Section VI to be used in developing a formal Request for Proposals for these services.

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Page 3 of 8

III. Objectives

The Airport Authority is committed to the continuous improvement of its emergency response communications. Current challenges with legacy systems and the increasing need for scalability, resilience, and innovative support capabilities drive this initiative.

The Airport Authority objectives are to:

• Modernize our 911 call processing infrastructure.

• Enhance public safety response through state-of-the-art technology.

• Integrate a cloud-based virtual environment for operational flexibility.

• Leverage AI for efficient handling of non-emergency calls to optimize resource allocation.

• Ensure compliance with NENA, APCO, the State of Michigan, and FCC requirements.

• Provide caller ID capabilities on every incoming call to improve situational awareness.

IV. Airport Authority’s Computing Environment

Infrastructure – Endpoint and Compute/Storage Environments:

The Airport Authority provides and supports nearly 1000 PCs and tablets including iPhones, iPads, Android tablets, and Dell laptops, tablets, and workstations. The Standard Desktop consists of Microsoft Windows 10/11 with Microsoft Office 365. The printing environment consists of a mixture of Kyocera multi-function printers, network printers, and personal printers. Print servers are utilized to provide a central point of management and connectivity.

Redundant data centers host several physical and virtual servers as well as Storage Area Network (SAN) and Network-Attached Storage (NAS) systems. The Airport Authority currently utilizes VMWare 8.0, MS Server 2019, and MS SQL Server 2016®. Hardware is predominately Dell®, PureStorage, and Cisco®. System and Network monitoring are accomplished using SolarWinds.

Communications – Network, Radio, Telephony Environments:

The Airport Authority’s Network consists of a private fiber backbone and WAN circuits that connect Airport sites. All sites are within a ten-mile radius of the main campus. Internet access and remote site connectivity are provided via a fiber backbone. Firewalls and specialized security equipment are in place to safeguard systems, access, and data. A disaster recovery site is located at Willow Run Airport approximately fifteen miles (15) miles from the primary Server room site. The Airport Authority currently utilizes Avaya VoIP services consisting of approximately 700 VoIP phone lines running on Call Manager 10 for most of their telephony needs.

Software Applications TS operates several software application systems, including software-as-a-service (SaaS) arrangements such as Office 365, Adobe Cloud, and Oracle Fusion, internally developed applications, and commercial off-the-shelf (CotS) products. These application systems provide financial, human resources, asset management, airfield operations, procurement, parking, public safety, GIS, and revenue management functions, to name a few. Some applications operate on mobile devices.

Specialized applications are installed based upon job function.

NOTE: Only provide information for solutions that will fit into and operate well in the Airport Authority’s computing environment as described above.

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Page 4 of 8

V. Solution Requirements

The proposed solution should meet or exceed the following criteria:

A. Functional Capabilities

1. 911 Call Processing and PSAP Integration:

a. Call Processing: A robust system to receive, process, and route NG911 calls effectively.

Integration with existing PSAP equipment and computer-aided dispatch (CAD).

b. Call Routing & Logging: Intelligent call routing based on caller location, incident type, and historical call data. Automatic logging of calls with comprehensive metadata, including caller ID.

c. Caller ID Functionality: Mandatory capture and display of caller ID for all incoming calls, supporting data verification and location identification.

d. User Interface & Dashboard: An intuitive, operator-friendly interface designed for quick decision-making and efficient call management.

e. Real-time monitoring: Dashboards and analytical tools for performance tracking.

2. Cloud-Based Readiness: Options for a fully cloud-based (or hybrid) system with a robust service level agreement (SLA) to ensure:

a. High Availability.

b. Auto-Scalability.

c. Built-In Security.

d. Disaster Recovery.

e. Unlimited Resources (compute, storage, bandwidth).

3. AI Capabilities:

a. Enhanced Non-Emergency Handling: Streamline the processing of non-emergency calls without compromising the response to urgent situations.

b. Automated Call Handling: Chatbot or virtual assistant support for handling frequently asked questions and routine inquiries.

c. Adaptive Learning: Mechanisms for the AI system to learn from historical call data to continuously improve call classification accuracy.

4. Reporting & Compliance: Detailed, exportable reporting tools to enable:

a. Audits of recordings.

b. Ensure compliance.

c. Support incident follow-ups.

B. Technical Specifications

1. System Architecture:

a. Modular design allowing for phased deployment.

b. Emphasis on virtualization.

c. Built-in redundancy and failover protocols to maintain uninterrupted service.

d. End-to-end encryption of communications for secure data transmission.

e. Options for cloud-based and hybrid designs.

f. Compatibility with existing IT infrastructure.

g. Adherence to modern IT security standards.

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Page 5 of 8

2. Integration Interfaces: Well-documented APIs for connectivity with:

a. Motorola Elite 7500 Consoles

b. NICE Recording.

c. CAD system - Courts Law Enforcement Management Information System (CLEMIS).

d. Geographic Information System (GIS).

C. Standards Compliance

1. NENA Standards: Implementation details addressing NG911 Phase 1 (e.g., call routing, caller location identification) and Phase 2 (e.g., multimedia integration) requirements.

2. APCO Standards: Adherence to APCO operational, training, and communications standards.

3. Transportation Security Administration (TSA): adherence to TSA cybersecurity guidelines.

4. State and Federal Regulations: Compliance with the State of Michigan emergency communication guidelines. Detailed conformance with FCC mandates and other federal directives pertaining to NG911.

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Page 6 of 8

VI. Submittal Information

A. General Submittal Requirements:

1. Response Deadline: The Response is due not later than the date and time listed on the Cover Page of this solicitation. The deadline date may in some instances change during the solicitation issuance period. If any deadline date for submission changes, such change will be issued in a published Addendum to this solicitation PRIOR to the deadline date indicated on the Cover Page of this solicitation.

2. Response Format: Each Response should be prepared simply and economically. Responses shall be in the same order as the requirements listed below to ensure the Airport Authority is able to easily locate the information that is requested.

B. Vendors interested in having their products and services considered for review should provide the following information:

1. Solution Overview:

a. Solution Narrative: A detailed description of the proposed system, covering all aspects of functionality, technical design, hardware specs and benchmarks, software compatibility, integration capabilities, and optional features (cloud deployment, AI modules, caller ID).

b. Compliance Details: Specific details demonstrating how the solution meets NENA, APCO, the State of Michigan, and FCC requirements.

c. Innovative Features: Any additional innovative features or integrations that could enhance system performance or operational efficiency.

d. Can you provide detailed drawings of the call handling system, its primary workflows, and how it integrates with all systems, including CLEMIS and Peninsula Fiber Networks NG911 system?

e. Does your solutions and services comply with Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security policies?

2. Company Overview:

a. Background information, examples of prior projects, engagement with public safety or government agencies on similar projects.

b. Documented experience in deploying 911 call handling systems that meet or exceed the stated standards and regulatory requirements.

c. Technical Expertise: Relevant certifications, expertise in cloud-based deployments, AI integration, and secure communication systems.

3. Emergency Call Handing (ECH) System Functionality:

a. Does your ECH system handle voice calls, texts, images, and video inputs from callers?

b. Does your ECH system offer real-time tracking of caller locations for efficient response?

c. What public safety communication systems are compatible with your ECH system today?

d. How adaptable is your ECH system for future technologies (futureproof)?

e. Does your ECH system integrate with CLEMIS? What is needed to integrate with

CLEMIS?

f. Does your ECH system handle teletype (TTY) and telecom devices for the deaf (TDD)?

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g. Does your ECH system automatically generate callbacks or texts for abandoned 911 calls?

h. Does your ECH system analyze call data to identify patterns or repeat callers?

i. Which standard call metrics are captured out of the box by your ECH system?

j. How easily can your ECH system generate custom reports?

k. What future enhancements and capabilities are being added in the next 18 months to your current ECH system?

4. Non-emergency Call Handling (NECH) System Functionality:

a. Does your emergency call handling system currently have AI for non-emergency calls or is non-emergency calls handled via a different system?

b. Does your NECH system use AI for advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) to accurately understand and process caller requests and inquiries?

c. Does your NECH system utilize AI for sentiment analysis to gauge caller emotions and prioritize urgent calls?

d. Does your NECH system utilize AI to proactively reach out to callers with updates and follow-ups?

e. Does your NECH system utilize AI to access and cross-reference public databases for verifying caller details?

f. Does your NECH system utilize AI to process customized workflows based on specific non-emergency call scenarios to optimize resource allocation?

g. Does your NECH system utilize AI to ensure accessibility for non-native speakers through real-time translation?

h. Does your NECH system utilize AI to complete forms for callers?

i. Does your NECH system utilize continuous learning algorithms improve your system’s AI capabilities over time based on historical data and caller interactions?

j. Does your NECH system integrate with CLEMIS? What is needed to integrate with

CLEMIS?

k. Does your NECH system handle teletype (TTY) and telecom devices for the deaf (TDD)?

l. Does your NECH system utilize AI to handle spikes in call volume during major events?

m. Does your NECH system have real-time health monitoring for the AI?

n. What future enhancements and capabilities are being added in the next 18 months to your current NECH system?

5. Security, Operations, and Support

a. How do you ensure 100% communication and data security?

i. Does all data handling and operations comply with local, state, and federal data privacy regulations?

ii. Does the system provide end-to-end encryptions for all communications and data storage to protect sensitive information?

iii. What is your schedule for regular vulnerability assessments and timely patch management?

b. How do you ensure 99.99% uptime and system resiliency?

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Page 8 of 8

i. Does the Respondent provide 24x7x365 support to quickly address system issues or failures?

ii. Does the system have built-in redundancy prevent a single point of failure?

iii. Does the system have automatic failover to maintain uninterrupted service?

iv. Does the system have monitoring and alerting for call-processing?

v. Does the system have real-time health monitoring?

vi. How quickly can you recover from a total service interruption?

c. Does the system have comprehensive logging and audit trails for all call handling activities to ensure transparency and accountability (including AI handling)?

d. What is the retention period for the call logs and recorded calls?

6. Implementation Overview:

a. Timeline and Cost Considerations: Indicative timelines for deployment and any preliminary cost models or funding implications.

b. Support and Maintenance: Capabilities to offer comprehensive support, routine maintenance, and operator training in a 24/7 environment.

c. Case Studies/References: Case studies or references from previous implementations, especially in public safety or critical infrastructure.

d. How do you approach end-user training programs from day one forward to ensure operators effectively utilize both the emergency call handling system and AI tools?

7. General Questions:

a. Can the emergency call handling (ECH) system and the AI-capable, non-emergency call handling (NECH) system be managed under a single contractual agreement?

b. Describe the key data points and specific information the Respondent needs from the

Airport Authority that will allow the Proposer to provide an effective Request for Proposal (RFP) response?

c. How do you incorporate continuous improvement, including prioritization of enhancements based on user feedback and technological advancements?

d. What are the best practices and emerging trends for implementing a new emergency call handling system and a new AI-capable, non-emergency call handling system?

8. Potential Cost:

a. Can you provide a five (5) year TCO budgetary estimate that includes: full system implementation including setup, integrations, data migrations, and training: all ongoing monthly and annual fees including software, hosting, maintenance, and support?

Note: The Airport Authority received nearly 150,000 calls and received nearly 7,000 911 calls in 2024. The Airport Authority has Seven (7) positions for the call system.