To: Board of Supervisors
From: David O. Livingston, Sheriff-Coroner
Report Title: Permitium, LLC
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Sheriff-Coroner, or designee, to execute a contract with Permitium, LLC in an amount not to exceed $15,120 to provide a hosted software system for concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit applicants, for the period March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2029.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this request will result in up to $15,120 in contractual service expenditures over a 3-year period and will be funded 100% by the General Fund. The actual fiscal impact may be offset depending on the monthly number of CCW applicants, in which the monthly cost of the service will be partially or fully collected.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff (CCCSO) seeks to extend and modify a contract with Permitium, LLC to provide a hosted software system for concealed carry weapon (CCW) applicants to apply for CCW permit. Permitium's software system services provide improvement in the CCW application process by offering an online application and payment service for Contra Costa County residents.
A June 2022 United States Supreme Court decision, New York State Rifle and Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen, effectively eliminated the “good cause” determinant by issuing authorities for CCW permits. Accordingly, the number of CCW applicants drastically increased. To date, the CCCSO has received several thousand applications for CCW permits.
Permitium LLC offers an online software, “Permit Director”, which incorporates applications, background check tracking, payment processing and issuance of CCW permits. The use of Permitium’s product will continue to allow the CCCSO to use an online, largely, automated solution.
Permitium is proposing to charge an applicant $6 per permit (an increase of $1 from the current contract fees) plus two credit card processing fees of $.30 plus 3.3% of the total transaction per permit; this will be approximately $11.58 for a new standard permit and $ 10.82 for a renewal standard permit. The charges will be part of the current fees of $160 for a new or “initial” standard permit and $137 for the renewal of a standard permit.
Permitium LLC requires a minimum of 70 permit application submittals monthly for use of its service. If 70 permit applications are not submitted, Permitium will charge the CCCSO $6 for each submittal less than the required minimum number. This means if no submittals occurred in a month, the CCCSO would be required to pay Permitium LLC the maximum of $420. If no submittals occurred over a one-year period, the CCCSO would be required to pay Permitium LLC the maximum of $5,040 for that year. If no submittals occurred for the duration of the agreement, three years, the CCCSO would be required to pay Permitium LLC a total of $15,120. Staff believe that given the current number of permit holders, ongoing renewals, pending applications, and continual stream of new applicants, the likelihood of the minimum number of applications not being reached is low.
The terms and conditions include a limitation of liability and mutual indemnification language.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Board does not approve, the Office of the Sheriff will be unable to acquire a resource that improves services to Contra Costa County residents.