IntelliSee Awarded State of Iowa Contract 2026-BUS-7694 for Gun and Incident Detection Software
For Immediate Release · Coralville, Iowa · September 9, 2026
IntelliSee has been awarded State of Iowa contract 2026-BUS-7694 for Autonomous Gun and Incident Detection and Alerting Software, a statewide master agreement issued by the Iowa Department of Management following competitive RFP-185-2528-2026. Under the agreement, eligible Iowa public entities, including K-12 school districts, public hospitals, community colleges, universities, cities, counties, and state agencies, can purchase IntelliSee's AI-powered risk detection platform directly off the state contract with pre-negotiated terms and contract pricing, and without running a separate competitive bid.
IntelliSee turns the security cameras an organization already owns into a proactive safety layer. The platform identifies brandished weapons, falls, smoke and fire, unauthorized access, loitering, and other risk conditions on existing camera feeds and routes alerts to the right people within seconds. It requires no new cameras, no facial recognition, and no biometric identification.
"Every public entity in Iowa already has cameras, and most of them are recording incidents rather than preventing them," said Scott Keplinger, CEO of IntelliSee. "The State of Iowa ran a rigorous, independent evaluation and selected IntelliSee. That work is now done on behalf of every eligible school, hospital, city, and county in the state. A superintendent or a county board no longer has to spend a year on procurement to put proactive detection on the cameras they already have. They can move straight to protecting people."
What the State of Iowa contract means for Iowa public entities
State of Iowa contract 2026-BUS-7694 lets eligible public entities buy IntelliSee directly, using pre-negotiated terms and pricing, instead of running their own request for proposal. A statewide master agreement is a buying vehicle: the state runs the competitive solicitation once, evaluates the vendors, negotiates the terms, and then makes the resulting contract available to other public purchasers. For a buyer, that typically removes the single longest step in public-sector technology procurement.
The agreement is written for cooperative purchasing. The RFP explicitly allows use by local governmental entities, other states via piggybacking, and nonprofit organizations where permissible under law. Purchase orders issued under the agreement reference the master agreement number, and IntelliSee reports contract usage to the Iowa Department of Management on a quarterly basis.
Why it matters
Procurement is usually the slowest part of a safety project. In Iowa, that step is now complete.
A typical public-sector RFP cycle for security technology runs six to eighteen months. Under contract 2026-BUS-7694, an eligible Iowa entity can request a quote, secure its own internal approval, and issue a purchase order. IntelliSee installs on existing cameras with a small on-network appliance, so deployment measures in weeks rather than fiscal years.
Who can purchase off contract 2026-BUS-7694
Eligible purchasers under the State of Iowa master agreement include public entities across the state. IntelliSee is confirming eligibility for each entity type with the Department of Management contract administrator, and the categories below reflect the RFP's cooperative-purchasing language.
- Public K-12 school districts and Area Education Agencies
- Public hospitals and health systems, including county and critical-access hospitals
- Community colleges and public universities
- Cities and municipalities, including police departments, libraries, and public facilities
- County governments, including courthouses, sheriff's offices, and administrative buildings
- State agencies and state-managed facilities
- Nonprofit organizations and public entities in other states, where piggybacking is permitted under applicable law
Organizations that are unsure whether they qualify can contact IntelliSee with their entity type; the team will confirm the purchasing path.
How IntelliSee was selected
IntelliSee was selected through competitive RFP-185-2528-2026, issued by the Iowa Department of Management for Autonomous Gun and Incident Detection and Alerting Software. Proposals were scored on a 1,000-point framework: 800 technical points across 25 criteria, including core detection capabilities, security and encryption, system administration, customer support, implementation, training, and vendor experience, plus 200 cost points. Vendors were required to meet a minimum technical threshold before cost was evaluated.
The solicitation also required that the selected technology hold a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology, and that the vendor appear on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management's approved list for school security infrastructure software and technology. IntelliSee holds a full DHS SAFETY Act QATT Designation, approved November 24, 2025 and listed on the SAFETY Act designations registry, and is included on the Iowa HSEMD School Security Infrastructure Software and Technology Approved Organizations List.
IntelliSee is headquartered in Coralville, Iowa, and has previously received Innovation Acceleration funding from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
Contract quick facts
| Contract number | 2026-BUS-7694 (State of Iowa Master Agreement) |
|---|---|
| Contract title | Gun and Incident Detection Software |
| Issuing agency | Iowa Department of Management |
| Solicitation | RFP-185-2528-2026, Autonomous Gun and Incident Detection and Alerting Software |
| Awarded vendor | Malum Inc. d/b/a IntelliSee, Coralville, Iowa |
| Term | Initial five-year term beginning April 1, 2026, with renewal options through March 31, 2036 |
| Eligible purchasers | All state agencies and other governmental entities; cooperative purchasing by local governmental entities, other states, and nonprofits where permissible under law |
| Payment terms | Net 60; FOB destination, freight prepaid |
| Public listing | Iowa DAS Bidding Opportunities: Contract 2026-BUS-7694 |
| IntelliSee contract contact | Jen Bendorf, (608) 732-3140, or the IntelliSee contact form |
How to purchase IntelliSee off the State of Iowa contract
Purchasing off contract 2026-BUS-7694 takes four steps: confirm eligibility, request a quote, secure internal approval, and issue a purchase order that references the master agreement number.
- Confirm eligibility. Tell IntelliSee your entity type. The team confirms you can purchase directly off the contract and, where relevant, which grant programs may fund the project.
- Request a quote and coverage assessment. IntelliSee reviews your existing camera views, lighting, and alert-routing needs and provides contract pricing. Quotes reference contract 2026-BUS-7694.
- Secure internal approval. The state contract removes the competitive-bid requirement, not your board, council, or capital-committee approval. IntelliSee provides a one-page briefing document for that step.
- Issue a purchase order. Reference the master agreement number on the PO. IntelliSee deploys a small on-network appliance, connects to existing ONVIF or RTSP cameras, and configures alert routing to your team.
Pairing the contract with grant funding
The State of Iowa contract removes the procurement step; grant funding can remove the budget step. Programs that commonly fund camera-based detection for public entities include the COPS School Violence Prevention Program, the DHS/FEMA Homeland Security Grant Program and Nonprofit Security Grant Program, Byrne JAG, and the USDA Community Facilities program for rural facilities. Because a funded purchase under contract 2026-BUS-7694 does not require its own solicitation, the path from grant award to installed system is materially shorter. IntelliSee's grant funding resource and NSGP guide outline current programs and deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Iowa school district or hospital still need to run an RFP to buy IntelliSee?
No. State of Iowa contract 2026-BUS-7694 was awarded through a competitive RFP run by the Iowa Department of Management. Eligible public entities purchase directly off the master agreement using its pre-negotiated terms and pricing. Internal approvals such as a board or council vote still apply.
Does IntelliSee require new cameras?
No. IntelliSee runs on existing ONVIF and RTSP security cameras. A small appliance is installed on the network and connected to the camera feeds; no camera replacement is required.
Does the platform use facial recognition?
No. IntelliSee detects objects, behaviors, and visible risk conditions such as a brandished weapon, a person down, or smoke. It does not identify individuals by face and does not collect biometric identifiers or personally identifiable information as part of detection.
What is the term of the contract?
The agreement carries an initial five-year term beginning April 1, 2026, with renewal options through March 31, 2036, as described in RFP-185-2528-2026. Entities may purchase at any point during the active term.
Can entities outside Iowa use this contract?
The RFP allows piggybacking by other states and use by nonprofit organizations where permissible under applicable law. Out-of-state entities should confirm cooperative-purchasing authority with their own procurement office; IntelliSee can assist with that review.
About IntelliSee
IntelliSee is an award-winning AI-powered risk detection platform that transforms an organization's existing security cameras into proactive tools for safety and prevention. Headquartered in Coralville, Iowa, IntelliSee holds full DHS SAFETY Act QATT Designation for its firearm detection analytics and is recognized by NSCA, InfoComm, and Security Today. The platform delivers real-time detection of risks ranging from slip-and-fall hazards to brandished weapons and smoke and fire, protecting lives, reputations, and resources without requiring costly infrastructure upgrades. Learn more at intellisee.com.
Media contact: Austin Drake, Director of Marketing, [email protected]. Contract inquiries: intellisee.com/contact or (866) 222-6350.
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