How Aurora Modernized Its Public Safety Systems with a Next-Generation CAD/RMS
Marketplace.city
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In 2024, the City of Aurora, IL set out to modernize one of its most critical pieces of public safety technology: its Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS). These platforms are the backbone of emergency response and public safety operations—powering dispatch efficiency, cross-agency coordination, and records management for investigations.
Aurora’s legacy system was outdated, time-consuming to maintain, and limited in its ability to meet the city’s evolving needs. Leadership recognized the importance of adopting a cloud-based, SaaS CAD/RMS solution that could reduce administrative overhead, deliver automatic updates, and allow first responders to focus on their mission: keeping the community safe.
A Smarter Approach to CAD/RMS Procurement
Instead of navigating the complex procurement process alone, Aurora partnered with Marketplace.city to evaluate the CAD/RMS technology market and streamline decision-making.
Together, we:
-Mapped the landscape of leading CAD/RMS providers
-Designed a Challenge based procurement focused on outcomes and operational goals rather than rigid technical specifications
-Standardized vendor responses to enable clear, side-by-side comparison
-This approach generated 10 high-quality vendor responses and equipped stakeholders with the insights needed to evaluate solutions efficiently.
From Vendor Demos to Final Selection
Aurora narrowed the field and held live demonstrations with leading vendors. Two paths emerged:
-A unified CAD/RMS solution from a single provider
-Separate CAD and RMS systems integrated together
With Marketplace.city’s support—including customized vendor questions and site visits to peer public safety agencies—Aurora built the confidence to make a data-driven decision.
In August 2025, Aurora’s City Council approved the selection of Mark43 as its unified CAD/RMS platform. This milestone marks a major leap forward in modernizing Aurora’s public safety ecosystem.
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Aurora’s journey demonstrates how governments can leverage outcome-driven procurement to reduce risk, evaluate the market efficiently, and select technology that delivers long-term impact.
