The city and county of Denver is seeking artificial intelligence vendors to enhance government operations through a new request for proposals (RFP). The initiative aims to identify qualified AI vendors capable of improving both city operations and the experience of residents, as outlined in a recent announcement.

“Having a curated, responsive, and responsible AI vendor bench allows the city to accelerate the time-to-value for AI projects, reducing procurement time and overhead costs. It also fosters innovation and ensures strategic alignment with the city and mayor’s goals,” stated Suma Nallapati, Denver’s Chief Information Officer.

The RFP focuses on establishing a prequalified pool of vendors who can deliver scalable and secure technology solutions tailored to the city’s needs. Evaluation criteria will include technical capabilities, innovation potential, compliance with security standards, scalability, and cost efficiency.

Vendors interested in this opportunity are required to submit their proposals online by April 15.

Since assuming the CIO position, Nallapati has emphasized a human-centered design approach and technology solutions that positively impact residents. She expressed a strong interest in pursuing generative AI in a responsible manner as a collaborative effort with industry experts.

Denver’s Chief Information Security Officer, Merlin Namuth, mentioned that while AI improves efficiency in security monitoring and threat detection, it also poses risks that necessitate a stringent security approach. Other government organizations have begun exploring AI vendor pools to enhance cooperation with the private sector.

“Local governments need trusted partners who meet their standards,” noted Christopher Jordan, a senior specialist on urban innovation with the National League of Cities. “Vendor pools could help cities adopt powerful tools quickly without compromising on innovation or community values.”

Per recent developments, California officials considered forming a similar vendor pool, ultimately opting to expand technology delivery and development classifications instead, as stated by Bob Andosca, a spokesperson for the California Department of Technology (CDT).

“The outcome is a wider range of IT services through approved channels that align solicitations within categories, making requests for offers (RFOs) more efficient,” Andosca explained.