ShotSpotter / SoundThinking Contract Process Details (City Of Boston -- Public Records Access Officer)

The below was forwarded to me for processing. I ask that you please
consider filing all of your public records requests on the City's online
portal. This portal may be used for all City departments, including the
Police Department.

The link, located on the home page of Boston.Gov, is found below:

https://bostonma.govqa.us/WEBAPP/_rs/(S(pwgy1kfre2evykakw3nlpalu))/supporthome.aspx

It is in your best interest as you will receive an immediate
acknowledgment and request reference number. Should you continue to file
requests via email there may be a delay until a department such as the
Police Department would receive and review the request.

Affably yours,

Jean E. Shirley
Executive Assistant to the Director
of Public Records
City of Boston
One City Hall Plaza
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 635-4023

Dear Alex Marthews, Thank you for your interest in public records of City of Boston. Your request has been received and is being processed. Your request was received in this office on 10/2/2023 5:24:09 AM and given the reference number R003575-100223 for tracking purposes. To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

Documents, emails and text messages relating to the expiration of the current Boston municipal contract with ShotSpotter, discussions of the bidding process for its renewal; anything referring to "Phase I" and "Phase II" of the ShotSpotter coverage area; and anything referring to other expansions of the services or types of services provided by SoundThinking.

In Exhibit B of the current Service Level Agreement, page 114, ShotSpotter (now rebranded as "SoundThinking") commits to detect at least "90% of unsuppressed, outdoor gunfire incidents, using standard, commercially available rounds above .25 caliber [...] Each Service Level measurement shall be determined quarterly, the results of which will be reviewed during the periodic account review meetings with Customer." We specifically request any records relating to these quarterly determinations or periodic account review meetings, and any information relating to adherence or non adherence to the contracted Service Levels, and any information as to how "gunfire incident" is defined.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, and is not made for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Alex Marthews You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Public Records Center. Director of Public Records
Records Access Officer
City of Boston

Track the issue status and respond at: https://bostonma.govqa.us/WEBAPP//_rs/RequestEdit.aspx?rid=26712

--- Please respond above this line ---

Alex
What is your time frame for the email search?

--- Please respond above this line ---
10/02/2023 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of October 02, 2023, Reference # R003575-100223 Dear Alex Marthews: The City of Boston (City) has received your request for public records.  This response applies only to records that exist and are in the custody of the City. See A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, p. 32, n.115.  It is expected that a custodian of records must use her superior knowledge of her records with respect to responses to public records requests.  950 CMR 32.04(5).  Specifically, you stated:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

Documents, emails and text messages relating to the expiration of the current Boston municipal contract with ShotSpotter, discussions of the bidding process for its renewal; anything referring to "Phase I" and "Phase II" of the ShotSpotter coverage area; and anything referring to other expansions of the services or types of services provided by SoundThinking.

In Exhibit B of the current Service Level Agreement, page 114, ShotSpotter (now rebranded as "SoundThinking") commits to detect at least "90% of unsuppressed, outdoor gunfire incidents, using standard, commercially available rounds above .25 caliber [...] Each Service Level measurement shall be determined quarterly, the results of which will be reviewed during the periodic account review meetings with Customer." We specifically request any records relating to these quarterly determinations or periodic account review meetings, and any information relating to adherence or non adherence to the contracted Service Levels, and any information as to how "gunfire incident" is defined.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, and is not made for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Alex Marthews
It appears that this request is a duplicate of your previously submitted request, reference number B003003-092523.  As a result, we are closing this request, and you will receive any responsive records that exist under that reference number. (Details.aspx?id=26596&nosid=na&fromsearch=1&view=2&idx=1&prevRequestId=26712&nextRequestId=12249&totrecs=4&customername=Alex%20Marthews&other=&caller=%2fWEBAPP%2fZAdmin%2fServiceRequests%2fSearch.aspx%3f%26pg%3d0%26sort%3dcreate_date%26dir%3dDESC%26restore%3d1%26customername%3dAlex+Marthews%26other%3d%26view%3d2%26showSingleResult%3d1) Affably yours, Jean E. Shirley Executive Assistant to the Director of Public Records City of Boston One City Hall Plaza Boston, MA  02210