RFI.pdf

HARRIS COUNTY

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

HARRIS COUNTY PURCHASING

PROJECT NO. 07092026JW

DUE DATE NO LATER THAN: 5:00 p.m. Thursday, July 24, 2026

FROM: Jeremy Woodard EMAIL: jeremy.woodard@harriscountytx.gov

PHONE: 713-274-4401

1. Purpose

1.1. Utilizing a Request for Information (RFI), Harris County Texas is seeking to explore best practices to gather detailed industry input regarding advanced AI-powered camera monitoring and analytics platforms capable of supporting the operational needs of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).

1.2. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). PRICING INFORMATION SHALL BE OMITTED with the exception of Pricing Model information (see Section 5.1, Requested Information). This RFI does not create any representation, either express or implied that Harris County will release an RFP in the future for the purchase of any products or services as a result of this RFI. At this time Harris County is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Harris County will not be liable for any costs incurred by the vendor in preparing a response to this RFI. Vendors submit information at their own risk and expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if one is issued. No preference or special consideration will be given to participants of this RFI.

2. Submittal

2.1. RETURN RFI RESPONSE VIA BONFIRE

Transmittal Letter - The transmittal letter should include:

Company name and address; name, title, email, telephone and fax number of person(s) to be contacted for clarifications or additional information regarding proposal; and

1. A brief statement summarizing the vendor’s understanding of the project and relevant experience.

3. Industry Discussions

3.1. The Office of the Harris County Purchasing Agent will initiate discussions, if needed, with selected vendors.

Discussions may not be initiated by vendors. The intent of such discussions would be to gather further clarification of potential solution capabilities, features, methods of delivery, etc. All presentations and/or meetings that may be required between Harris County and vendors shall be coordinated by the Office of the Harris County Purchasing Agent. Vendors shall not contact any Harris County personnel during the RFI process without the express permission from the Office of the Harris County Purchasing Agent.

3.2. The Office of the Harris County Purchasing Agent may extend written invitation to vendors to provide a demonstration of product features. Vendors shall be prepared to verbally and visually demonstrate the functions and features of the solution presented. Harris County stakeholders, users and technical personnel will be present during presentations. Please ensure appropriate personnel are present or available to answer all questions.

4. Purpose

4.1. The purpose of this RFI is to identify AI-driven video analytics technologies that can:

4.1.1. Improve real-time visibility in inmate housing areas.

4.1.2. Detect threats and behavioral anomalies with high accuracy.

4.1.3. Reduce manual monitoring workload.

4.1.4. Enhance response times through automated alerts.

4.1.5. Integrate seamlessly with the County’s existing Bosch Video Management System

4.1.6. (BVMS).

4.1.7. Support multi-site, large-scale deployments across thousands of camera feeds.

5. Disclaimer

5.1. This RFI is not a Request for Proposal (RFP); therefore, Harris County is not accepting proposals currently.

Harris County may issue an RFP in the future based on or related to the content and responses to this RFI;

however, Harris County may also elect not to issue an RFP. There is no guarantee that an RFP will be issued as a result of this RFI. Responding to this RFI does not provide any advantage or disadvantage to potential applicants if Harris County chooses to issue an RFP regarding the subject matter.

5.2. Any information obtained from this RFI is intended to be used by Harris County on a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy development; this RFI does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or abstracts.

Your response to this notice will be treated as information only. Harris County will review and consider all responses in its formulation of program strategies for the identified materials of interest that are the subject of this request. Harris County will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI.

Respondents are advised that Harris County is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents concerning any information submitted under this RFI. Responses to this RFI do not bind Harris County to any further actions related to this topic.

6. Confidential Business Information

6.1. Any person submitting information that he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via email, postal mail, or hand delivery two well-marked copies: one copy of the document marked “confidential,” including all the information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked “non-confidential” with the information believed to be confidential deleted. Harris County will make its own determination about the confidential status of the information and treat it according to its determination.

7. Requested Information

7.1. Respondents shall provide comprehensive information addressing the following:

7.1.1. Deployment and System Architecture

7.1.1.1. Respondents are requested to describe their technical approach and capabilities regarding:

7.1.1.1.1. Deployment Models: Available cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployment models, including the respective technical requirements, advantages, and limitations of each.

7.1.1.1.2. Scalability: Proven capability to scale architectures to support thousands of simultaneous camera streams across multi-facility environments.

7.1.1.1.3. Hardware & Edge Specifications: Typical hardware and software specifications, including server requirements, edge computing devices, and supported camera models/manufacturers.

7.1.1.1.4. Environmental Factors: How the system handles variable environmental conditions (e.g., lighting variations, extreme camera angles, physical obstructions, and inclement weather for exterior cameras).

7.1.1.1.5. Proof of Concept (POC): Standard processes and requirements for supporting a localized Proof of Concept or pilot deployment.

7.1.2. AI Detection and Analytics Capabilities

7.1.2.1. Respondents are requested to provide detailed information on their platform's capabilities regarding:

7.1.2.1.1. Object Detection: Capabilities and limitations for identifying weapons, contraband, fire/smoke, and unattended items.

7.1.2.1.2. Behavioral Analysis: Capabilities for detecting active fights, inmate/personnel distress, falls, and anomalous group behaviors.

7.1.2.1.3. Zone Monitoring: Logic used for restricted area incursions and perimeter breach detection.

7.1.2.1.4. Performance Metrics: Standard industry benchmarks for accuracy, precision, recall, and false-positive/negative rates.

7.1.2.1.5. Alert Latency: Average and target processing times from event occurrence to operator alert (e.g., benchmarked against a <5-second threshold for critical events).

7.1.2.1.6. Impact: Case studies or data demonstrating typical reductions in manual monitoring hours and post-incident investigation time.

7.1.3. Integration and Connectivity

7.1.3.1. Respondents are requested to outline their system's interoperability and data ingestion methods:

7.1.3.1.1. VMS Integration: Experience and native compatibility with the Bosch Video

Management System (BVMS).

7.1.3.1.2. API & Interoperability: Available API capabilities, supported data formats, and methods for ensuring interoperability with future county systems.

7.1.3.1.3. Ingestion: Supported video stream types, protocols (e.g., RTSP, ONVIF), and bandwidth optimization techniques.

7.1.3.1.4. Audit Logging: System capabilities for CJIS-compliant audit logging and comprehensive system event tracking.

7.1.4. Security, Privacy, and Compliance

7.1.4.1. Respondents are requested to describe their security architecture and regulatory alignment:

7.1.4.1.1. Data Encryption: Standards utilized for data encryption both in transit and at rest.

7.1.4.1.2. Access Control: Support for role-based access control (RBAC), Multi-Factor

Authentication (MFA), and Zero-Trust architecture principles.

7.1.4.1.3. Lifecycle Management: Vulnerability management, firmware/software patching, and update deployment processes.

7.1.4.1.4. AI Model Security: Measures taken to protect AI models from adversarial robustness threats and model poisoning.

7.1.4.1.5. Privacy Compliance: Alignment with data privacy frameworks, including GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA (if applicable), FERPA, and Texas-specific privacy laws.

7.1.4.1.6. Biometric Data: Protocols for biometric data handling, retention limits, deletion, and data anonymization.

7.1.4.1.7. CJIS Alignment: Frameworks in place to comply with the Texas DPS CJIS Security

Policy (specifically version 5.9.5 and roadmap preparation for version 6.0).

7.1.4.1.8. Certifications: Current or pending third-party attestations (e.g., SOC 2 Type II, ISO

27001, FedRAMP, or CJIS attestation reports).

7.1.5. Industry Benchmarks and Performance Standards

7.1.5.1. Instead of rigid success criteria, respondents are requested to share typical operational benchmarks:

7.1.5.1.1. Performance Expectation: Standard baseline expectations for precision and recall in a correctional or high-security environment.

7.1.5.1.2. System Availability: Typical service level achievements for system uptime (e.g., >99% availability benchmarks).

7.1.5.1.3. Reliability: Meantime Between Failures (MTBF) and standard maintenance overhead windows required by the platform.

7.1.6. Operations, Support, and Training

7.1.6.1. Respondents are requested to describe their standard delivery and support ecosystems:

7.1.6.1.1. Deployment Methodology: Typical project management framework and implementation timelines for large-scale deployments.

7.1.6.1.2. User Interface: Overview of customizable dashboards, reporting tools, and administrative alerting interfaces.

7.1.6.1.3. Enablement: Available training programs and certifications for end-users, system operators, and IT administrators.

7.1.6.1.4. Lifecycle Support: Standard support tiers, escalation matrices, and patch management schedules.

8. Requested Submissions

8.1. To assist Harris County in its market research, respondents are encouraged to provide:

8.1.1. A written response addressing any or all sections of the requested information above.

8.1.2. Existing technical documentation, system architecture diagrams, or data models.

8.1.3. Standard product specification sheets and compliance whitepapers.

8.1.4. (Optional) Redacted or sample SOC 2, ISO, or CJIS documentation.

8.1.5. (Optional) Sample dashboard screenshots, interface recordings, or sandbox demo access information.

9. RFI Purpose and Planning

9.1. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. Harris County intends to use the information gathered from market respondents to refine its internal requirements, evaluate current commercial capabilities, and determine whether to issue a formal, competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) or other solicitation in the future.

10. Response Guidelines

10.1. Format: Responses must be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word(docx) or PDF attachment.

10.2. Page Constraints: It is recommended that submissions be no more than five (5) pages in length, utilizing a 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins.

10.3. File Size: Attachments exceeding 10MB should be compressed to ensure successful email delivery.

10.4. Flexibility: Respondents may choose to answer all or only a subset of the topics listed in Section 1 based on their expertise. Please clearly reference the section numbers corresponding to your answers.

11. Summary

11.1. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the County. Harris County has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed and the release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Harris County property and will not be returned.