RFI_34800-042826_Switch.pdf

STATE OF TENNESSEE

TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

FOR

LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIFIC MESSAGE SWITCH SOFTWARE AND MAINTENANCE AND

SUPPORT OF SOFTWARE

RFI 34800-042826

1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The State of Tennessee, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issues this Request for Information (“RFI”) for the purpose of gaining information regarding law enforcement specific message switch software that allows queries to be made to and returns to be received from various internal and external databases and communicates with law enforcement agencies (“Law Enforcement Message Switch”).

2. BACKGROUND:

The State seeks to gain information about the current state of vendor offerings of Law Enforcement Message Switches. The State currently receives Law Enforcement Message Switch service from an incumbent provider, consisting of licensed software, maintenance and support, transport and hosting. The State is also interested in the possibility of vendor using artificial intelligence (“AI”) to write code and provide software that would be owned by the State for a Law Enforcement Message Switch. If recipient(s) have any information about AI producing code to be used for a Law Enforcement Message Switch, please include that information in response to this RFI. Such AI-generated Law Enforcement Message Switch software may be provided on a new, standalone basis, or may be built from TBI’s legacy Law Enforcement Message Switch software that is owned by TBI. Please include information about possible provision of maintenance and support for any AI-generated, TBI owned Law Enforcement Message Switch software. To provide a modern and secure solution for the future of law enforcement communications, the State seeks information regarding current and potential future offerings of Law Enforcement Message Switches that are capable of the following as organized into various topics:

2.1. Computing Environment

2.1.1. The software must run on Microsoft Windows operating system

2.1.2. The database must be Microsoft SQL Server software to conform to State’s current computing environment

2.1.3. The Law Enforcement Message Switch software must be based on up-to-date programming languages and technology for security reasons

2.1.4. All components of the messaging switch software must be CJIS security Policy compliant— CJIS Security Policy Resource Center — FBI https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/cjis-security-policy-resource-center

2.1.5. Production and Test Environments—TBI sets up and hosts test and production environments on virtual servers using Microsoft Hyper-V-- limits 5 TB for individual disk, multiple disks per server, must support SMB or NFS (network file system) storage. Law Enforcement Message Switch software vendor shall be responsible for configuring, installing, and testing its software with no impact to current production message switch.

2.1.6. Detail what hardware and third-party software (if any) is needed for each environment.

Any third-party software costs/licenses will be borne by Vendor.

2.1.7. Networking should be based on high-speed TCP/IP (ethernet)

2.2. Communication Standards Compliance

2.2.1. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must be NIEM compliant

2.2.2. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must meet all communication standards to communicate with NCIC and support 100 % of all current and future functions of NCIC

2.2.3. Due to time constraints, messaging switch software provider must have an established product that is NCIC compliant

2.2.4. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must meet all communication standards to communicate with NLETS and support all available NLETS transactions and any/new or future NLETS transactions

2.2.5. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must meet all communication standards with law enforcement and be DMPP 2020 compliant with Tennessee specific protocol variations. All current NCIC vendor applications in Tennessee should be tested.

2.2.6. Message Keys/Message Management including current and any future NCIC, NLETS, and TN specific message keys and must be supported by message switch software provider.

2.2.7. Law Enforcement Message Switch software should have the capability of verifying agency operators’ certifications by working with current State contractor that provides the certification system.

2.2.8. Must adhere to and support Tennessee Standard for acceptance and rejection of messages—this is Tennessee specific.

2.2.9. Describe how provider of Law Enforcement Message Switch software would manage communication standard changes that could create issues with RMS and dispatch software vendors across the State

2.2.10. Message Switch Software should have a Secure Web-based Restful API that would allow for modifications easier for us to piggyback on to switch from something internal

2.3. Connections

2.3.1. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must be able to connect to all two hundred and eighty-eight (288) interfaces. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must be able to connect to law enforcement agencies, NCIC, NLETS, and Tennessee files (Must be able to connect to all Tennessee specific files including but not limited to driver license, registrations, computerized criminal history (“CCH”), etc.)

2.3.2 Law Enforcement Message Switch software must include a self-monitoring dashboard that provides changes to agencies and connectivity and produces a real-time alert to both Law Enforcement Message Switch software vendor, State, and agency contacts.

2.3.3 System administrative console (“SAC”) shall include a mechanism to be able to see and monitor the following: certifications, creating new lines and connections, rerouting, line monitor, the ability to visually see traffic on a line, disconnect and restart lines, delete messages, manage message queue, all definitions of lines, addition of information about lines and contact information on all terminal agency coordinators (“TACs”).

2.4. Core Central

2.4.1. Law Enforcement Messaging Switch software may reside on an on-premises TBI server or be provided via a cloud solution.

2.4.2. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must have all functionality as current message switch software.

2.4.3. Law Enforcement Message Switch software must have an uptime of greater than 99 % of time/ 24 hours a day 7 days a week with exception of planned outages

2.4.4. Detail your Law Enforcement Message Switch software’s performance metrics. For instance, the speed and stability of the Law Enforcement Message Switch, the response time (sub second---individual response), how many queries or responses within a particular period of time, how much traffic can the Law Enforcement Message Switch handle and how quickly, how quickly can you clear the queue, with concurrent connections, how many connections can happen at once, and how quickly can the Law Enforcement Message switch be restarted or brought back on-line if it goes down.

2.4.5. How many current installations of Law Enforcement Message Switch software do you have?

2.4.6. Describe how you would provide transition, training of State’s Law Enforcement Message Switch software operators and testing of your software.

2.4.7. How much memory is needed for your Law Enforcement Message Switch software?

2.4.8. How does your Law Enforcement Message Switch software handle validations and reporting errors—for example, if an agency has something wrong where they are using an old format or consistently having issues with codes, etc., this would show them from a training standpoint---that there is an issue and how to correct it.

2.4.9. Does your Law Enforcement Message switch software support load balancing, redundancy, or fail over to a secondary server, and if so, please describe?

2.5. Archiving

2.5.1. Messaging Switch software must have a mechanism of archiving all transactions.

Describe your message switch software’s archiving features.

2.5.2. It would be ideal for Messaging Switch software to have a mechanism of searching and retrieving legacy switch archived messages

2.6. Miscellaneous Information

2.6.1. Define responsibilities of the State for Law Enforcement message Switch software including estimated time that State may need to spend on installation, testing, and go-live processes.

2.6.2. No tandem messaging switch software. When new switch goes live, legacy switch will be off

2.6.3. Identify any third-party software that would be needed. State will not enter into any third-party software licenses.

2.6.4. Describe project timeline. Project must be completed within one calendar year.

2.6.5. A requirement for any provider of the Law Enforcement Message Switch software will be that all employees working on the project must have fee fingerprints taken, eligibility form completed, and signed CJIS security addendum, and out of state employees must supply a driver license.

2.6.6. Describe all that would be included under a maintenance and support agreement including any tiers of support that could be offered. In particular, please note whether message key changes are included under maintenance and support or would be considered a change order. If NCIC changes are made, is this included under the maintenance and support agreement?

2.6.7. Maintenance and support must include a helpdesk 24 hours a day and seven days a week, management of all message keys, etc. Maintenance and support must at least include: updates, upgrades, releases, repairs, modifications, new development, patches, or bug fixes. Maintenance and support of the software shall extend for the entire term of any agreement and shall include all current functionality of the software and any changes, modifications, upgrades, enhancements or any new functions or features to the software that may occur over the agreed upon term.

3. COMMUNICATIONS:

3.1. Please submit your response to this RFI to:

Message.SwitchRFI@tbi.tn.gov

3.2. Please feel free to contact TBI with any questions regarding this RFI. The main point of contact will be:

Message.SwitchRFI@tbi.tn.gov

3.3. Please reference RFI # 34800-082026 with all communications to this RFI.

4. RFI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

EVENT

TIME

(Central Time Zone)

DATE

(all dates are State business days)

1. RFI Issued August 24, 2026

2. Questions Submitted by Potential Respondents August 31, 2026

3. Answers Posted to Questions September 14, 2026

4. RFI Response Deadline September 30, 2026

5. GENERAL INFORMATION:

5.1. Please note that responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite for responding to any future solicitations related to this project and a response to this RFI will not create any contract rights. Responses to this RFI will become property of the State.

5.2. The information gathered during this RFI is part of an ongoing procurement. In order to prevent an unfair advantage among potential respondents, the RFI responses will not be available until after the completion of evaluation of any responses, proposals, or bids resulting from a Request for Qualifications, Request for Proposals, Invitation to Bid or other procurement method. In the event that the state chooses not to go further in the procurement process and responses are never evaluated, the responses to the procurement including the responses to the RFI, will be considered confidential by the State.

mailto:Message.SwitchRFI@tbi.tn.gov mailto:Message.SwitchRFI@tbi.tn.gov

5.3. The State will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI.

6. INFORMATIONAL FORMS:

The State is requesting the following information from all interested parties. Please fill out the following forms:

RFI #NUMBER

TECHNICAL INFORMATIONAL FORM

1. RESPONDENT LEGAL ENTITY NAME:

2. RESPONDENT CONTACT PERSON:

Name, Title:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email:

3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING SIMILAR SCOPE OF

SERVICES/PRODUCTS

4. Provide a proposed timeline for the project.

5. Detail what hardware or third-party software would be needed to operate the messaging switch software.

6. Describe how potential vendor for messaging switch would manage communication standard changes that could create issues with RMS across the State

7. Describe your product’s performance metrics.

8. Describe your message switch software’s archiving features

9. Outline all requirement of message switch software and how your product meets or exceeds the expectation.

10. Define responsibilities of the State for messaging switch software including estimated time that State may need to spend on installation, testing, go-live

11. Describe maintenance and support plan.

12. Describe how you would provide transition, training of State’s message switch software operators and testing of product

COST INFORMATIONAL FORM

1. Describe what pricing units you typically utilize for similar services or goods (e.g., per hour, each, etc.: Do not describe with a time and materials approach. Describe as fixed pricing.

2. Describe the typical price range for similar services or goods

3. Describe what services are included in Maintenance and Support and pricing for four years of maintenance and support

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

1. Please provide input on alternative approaches or additional things to consider that might benefit the State: