Translation Service

The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) Technology Services Unit is pursuing a sole source procurement for Axon Translation services from Axon Enterprise, Inc., representing an exception to competitive bidding processes. This procurement is being conducted by the State of Colorado on behalf of Denver County and Denver City jurisdictions. The services procured consist of an automated language translation service designed to process digital video and audio evidence collected by officers in the field, providing instant interpretation and multilingual processing of interactions captured on body-worn cameras. The Axon Translation service operates as a proprietary, built-in feature within the Axon Evidence Digital Video Evidence Management (DVEM) system, accessible exclusively through Axon's PRO License to ensure sensitive Criminal Justice Information remains within a compliant, secure framework. Key objectives include eliminating the need for external human translators or third-party software while maintaining FBI CJIS Security Policies and chain of custody requirements. The contract term runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with a posted date of May 8, 2026, and a due date of May 13, 2026. No specific bidder meetings or site visits are required given the sole source nature of this procurement.

The CSP justifies sole source status based on Axon Enterprise's exclusive development and control of the Axon Evidence DVEM system, which the CSP has utilized since December 2021, with the Axon Translation service operating natively within the closed Axon ecosystem and gated exclusively by Axon's PRO License. The procurement was submitted as Form 24-103-205, C.R.S., and posted on the Vendor Self-Service (VSS) system as NPSS1 RBAA 2026-0203, receiving approval from the Director of Purchasing on April 30, 2026. Pricing was determined to be fair and reasonable through cost analysis and comparison to Axon's standard catalog pricing, NASPO ValuePoint cooperative purchasing agreements, and historical pricing from existing master contracts. The estimated total contract value is $158,400 in services with no goods component, representing the annual cost for this specialized translation capability. Should the sole source request be denied, the alternative method of source selection would require the issuance of a Request for Proposals with third-party vendors meeting FBI CJIS Security Policies and chain of custody requirements.