REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 23, 2025
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with NEC Corporation of America for Maintenance of the CAL-ID Automated Fingerprint Identification System
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 7 to Contract No.18-874, with NEC Corporation of America for proprietary hardware maintenance and software support of the CAL-ID Automated Fingerprint Identification System, increasing the total contract amount by $381,924, from $2,530,800 to $2,912,724, and extending the term for one year, for a total contract term of October 20, 2018, through October 19, 2026.
(Presenter: Carolina Mendoza, Chief Deputy Director, 387-0640)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The increased cost for hardware and software maintenance services in the amount of $381,924 is funded by the regional CAL-ID fund, which is maintained by both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties’ revenues from court fines, Department of Motor Vehicles fees, and per capita assessments paid by member agencies. Sufficient appropriation is included in the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s (Department) 2025-26 regional CAL-ID operating fund (7080008836).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In 1985, the California Department of Justice (CAL-DOJ) created a statewide fingerprint identification network known as CAL-ID, divided into eight regions, each using a computer system known as the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to allow access to the state’s fingerprint database and to provide fingerprint identification services to law enforcement agencies within each of those regions. In the same year, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties joined to form and operate one of those regions, which is governed along with member cities, through the Remote Access Network (RAN) Board, pursuant to Penal Code section 11112.4.
The San Bernardino and Riverside CAL-ID AFIS is used to organize, store, analyze, and transmit fingerprint data to and from servers within other CAL-ID network participating agencies. For this network, CAL-DOJ wanted consistency throughout the state to provide all the regions’ AFIS with reciprocal connectivity and communications to the state CAL-ID database.
Since the inception of the regional network, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties have used NEC Corporation of America (NEC) for all AFIS equipment, software, and maintenance needs, ensuring interoperability and integration. By utilizing NEC’s AFIS, the regional network can better identify individuals by utilizing the established Memoranda of Understanding between the Department and participating law enforcement agencies for searching fingerprints stored in other law enforcement databases, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Western Identification Network, which is comprised of the nine western states.
San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, along with member cities, jointly operate the CAL-ID AFIS. Using AFIS technology, fingerprints are captured electronically and are stored in the archive system. The Board of Supervisors (Board) has approved contracts with NEC for proprietary hardware maintenance and software support since 2005.
On December 4, 2018 (Item No. 67), the Board approved Contract No. 18-874 (Contract) with NEC proprietary hardware maintenance and software support for the AFIS for the period of October 20, 2018, through October 19, 2019, in the amount of $360,000.
Subsequently, the Board has approved six amendments to the Contract. All amendments have been to extend the term and increase the Contract’s funding. The most recent amendment, Amendment No. 6 to the Contract, was approved on October 22, 2024 (Item No. 55) and increased the total contract amount to $2,530,800, and extended the term through October 19, 2025.
The proposed Amendment No. 7 is recommended, including the non-standard term, as it will allow for the continuation of hardware maintenance and software support to AFIS through October 19, 2026. The Contract provides for termination at any time upon ninety (90) days’ written notice.
PROCUREMENT
Upon approval of Amendment No. 7, the Contract’s term will be eight years, from October 20, 2018, through October 19, 2026. The County standard contract term is five years, including any extensions. However, extending the Contract’s term beyond five years is in the best interest of the County due to NEC’s proprietary rights of the AFIS system, the beneficial nature of the AFIS system to the safety of County residents, and the mutually beneficial long contractual history between the County and NEC.
NEC’s AFIS is an existing system that is proprietary in nature, which precludes any other vendor from providing the required system maintenance and system support. The Purchasing Department concurs that a non-competitive justification of proprietary rights exists with NEC’s AFIS system.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 29, 2025; Purchasing (Alberto Cazares, Lead Buyer, 387-3376) on August 28, 2025; Risk Management (Gregory Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst, 396-9008) on August 28, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on September 8, 2025.