Electronic Firearms Permit Application System

The Vendor is required to provide electronic firearms permit application system automate the submission, payment, processing, and tracking of firearm permit to acquire (“PTA”) and license to acquire (“LTC”) applications submitted by members of the general public.
- The system shall support the complete firearms permitting and licensing lifecycle, including but not limited to application intake, submission of required documentation, electronic payment processing, appointment scheduling, internal review, approval or denial, renewal, modification, and LTC issuance.
- Objectives
•    Implement an end-to-end electronic PTA and LTC system that streamlines application intake, review, approval and denial, issuance, renewal, and long-term license tracking. 
•    Reduce processing times and administrative burden through workflow automation, configurable business rules, and statutory deadline monitoring. 
•    Improve data accuracy, consistency, and auditability by maintaining centralized electronic records with complete application histories and status tracking. 
•    Support high-volume application processing while accommodating staffing constraints through efficient task routing, alerts, and investigative tools. 
•    Enhance applicant experience through intuitive online applications, clear documentation requirements, automated notifications, appointment scheduling, and secure two-way communication. 
•    Ensure compliance with state revised statutes, department policies, and regulatory requirements, including background checks, training verification, affidavit compliance, and fee processing.
•    Enable secure integration with department existing firearms database and case management system (“CRS”), while supporting authorized cross-county information sharing statewide. 
•    Provide real-time visibility into application status, workload metrics, statutory deadlines, and licensing activity to support operational oversight and management reporting. 
•    Strengthen public safety outcomes by improving timeliness, transparency, and reliability of firearms permitting and licensing processes. 
•    Deploy a scalable, resilient software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) platform capable of supporting future legislative changes, policy updates, and increasing applicant demand.
- System requirements
•    Provide the system as a SaaS solution, including embedded electronic payment processing under the contractor’s merchant account. 
•    Host the system in a secure, cloud-based environment accessible twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week, except during approved downtimes such as (but not limited to) scheduled maintenance. 
•    Implement comprehensive security controls, including but not limited to:
o    Firewalls, encryption, off-site access portals, and intrusion prevention measures. 
o    Defense-in-depth network security architecture with continuous monitoring and logging. 
o    Role-based access controls aligned with department -defined job functions. 
o    Mandatory multi-factor authentication (“MFA”). 
o    Detailed audit logging of all system activity.
o    Encryption of all data at rest and in transit.
•    Securely store, back up, and restore all system data. 
•    Provide access to the system through a unique link from the department website and department firearms website to the contractor’s secured website. 
•    Support an unlimited number of concurrent department users and scalable storage capacity.
- System features
1. Application intake and workflow management
•    Provide configurable, web-based PTA and LTC application forms that mirror department -approved paper forms and questionnaires, including, but not limited to, forms identified and any subsequent revisions or modifications. 
•    Support the applicant in the submission of all required documentation, including scanned copies and electronic uploads, which shall be accepted and treated as original records, and provide functionality for the capture, submission, and management of any subsequent required electronic signatures. 
•    Allow automated routing of tasks or processes based on the type of application, its current status, and standards set by department. 
•    Allow authorized department personnel to manually override workflow steps and application criteria as operationally necessary. 
•    Maintain a complete application history, including timestamps, status changes, notes, and user actions.
2. Payment processing
•    Support the processing of credit and debit card payments within the system. 
•    Automatically calculate applicable fees and applicable processing fees based on application type, renewal, or modification. 
•    Generate electronic receipts and maintain payment audit trails linked to individual applications.
•    Support refunds, voids, and payment reconciliation in accordance with department procedures.
3. Scheduling and appointment management
•    Provide online appointment scheduling for PTA and LTC processes, including fingerprinting and in-person appointments when applicable. 
•    Allow department to define appointment availability, capacity limits, blackout dates, and appointment types. 
•    Send automated appointment confirmations, reminders, and cancellation notifications via email and SMS. 
•    Allow authorized department personnel to reschedule or cancel appointments on behalf of applicants.
4. Applicant and department communications
•    Provide automated email and SMS notifications for application submission, deficiencies, status updates, approvals, denials, renewals, and expirations. 
•    Facilitate secure, two-way electronic communication between authorized department personnel and applicants within the system. 
•    Enable users to choose their preferred delivery method and to compose distinct messages for each selected delivery option (e.g., SMS, email, etc.).
•    The system must support spell checking functionality with the message creation functionality. 
•    Maintain a comprehensive record of all communications related to each application, as specified by department.
5. Investigative and review tools
•    Provide authorized department personnel with advanced search and query functionality across applications, applicants, licenses, and firearms records.
•    Support secure searching and cross-referencing of information from external law enforcement databases related to individuals holding concealed carry licenses (“CCW”) in the state, including licensee name, photograph, firearm details (make, model, serial number), and license number, subject to applicable laws, agreements, and access controls. 
•    Allow investigative notes, attachments, and internal comments to be added and retained as part of the application record. 
•    Support flagging, alerts, and task assignments related to investigative or compliance issues.