Partnerships FAQ
What is Involved in the Process?
Every potential partner must first go through the initial outreach phase.
This phase involves: providing contact information; speaking with Bonnie Locke, the Director of New Business; and, determining if the partnership is viable.
If Nlets decides the partnership is viable, then the evaluation phase begins.
This phase involves: completing an NDA; developing a SOW; submitting your organization’s financial statements; providing any information requested by Nlets for the sake of due diligence research; and, signing a draft contract.
If the evaluation phase is completed, and the Nlets Executive Director believes the potential partner is ready to go to the next TOC or BOD meeting, then the preparation phase begins.
This phase involves: making arrangements to attend the meeting; submitting a PowerPoint presentation; receiving approval from the BOD; fully executing a contract; and, paying the deposit.
If the preparation phase is completed, then the execution phase begins.
This phase involves: developing a project plan, completing the 10-print fingerprinting process, as well as other security documentation and compliance; ordering and installing necessary software and hardware; programming routers, firewalls, etc.; performing additional programming and/or testing, as needed; and, going live (processing transactions).
This signals the start of the final phase, which is the closing phase.
This phase involves: invoicing and payment; documenting lessons learned; and, completing the final outreach efforts.
What Are the Security Requirements for Establishing a Connection to Nlets?
All strategic partners must pass a full security audit before establishing connectivity with Nlets. This process begins with completing a Pre-Audit Questionnaire (PAQ), and initiating the 10-print process. The PAQ requires that your organization provide an infrastructure overview and network diagram, documentation on security awareness training, and a copy of the current security policy.
Why Can’t Just Any Organization Join?
Strategic partners affiliated with Nlets must endeavor to serve the same mission that Nlets pursues—ultimately, your organization must, in some way, support justice, public safety, or other like-minded law enforcement entities.
Mission Statement
The mission of Nlets is to provide, within a secure environment, an international justice telecommunications capability and information services that will benefit to the highest degree, the safety, the security, and the preservation of human life and the protection of property. Nlets will assist those national and international government agencies and other organizations with similar missions that enforce or aid in enforcing local, state, or international laws or ordinances.
Can we get the information we need via a third party, and not join Nlets as a strategic partner?
Every organization needing to request data via the Nlets network must be a member or strategic partner.
Does it make a difference if we are also a 501(c)(3) like Nlets versus a for-profit company?
No—again, the main requirement for a strategic partnership with Nlets is that your organization supports law enforcement agencies.
What if we have government clients, but none of them are law enforcement?
If your clients are not law enforcement, but you feel your product/service adds some value to the justice or public safety communities, Nlets will still evaluate your potential for partnership.
How much does it cost to join?
Membership
- $5183/month
- Transaction fees, if applicable
Initial Set-up
- Charges will vary
- Firewall; Hardware/software configuration; Implementation; Line installation; On-site security audit; Programming; Router; Testing
How long is the approval process?
The entire process—from outreach to board approval—can take up to or over one year, depending on the potential partner’s willingness and ability to respond.
Upon receiving your inquiry, Nlets will respond within 7-10 days. The initial outreach phase can take up to one month, depending on the potential partner’s willingness and ability to respond.
If it is determined that the potential partner will be put before the membership for approval, the vetting process continues through additional phases: evaluation and preparation for approval. These phases can take anywhere from three months to one year.
Although the approval process can move as fast as both parties are able to, final approval can only occur at a BOD or TOC meeting. These meetings are held twice annually: once in the spring, and once in the fall. If time or agenda space prohibits the potential partner from going to the next meeting, they would have to wait for the following meeting.
Who makes the final decision?
If your organization’s service is similar to that of one of Nlets’ current partners, then the final decision rests solely with the Nlets Board of Directors (BOD).
If your organization’s service is “new” concept, then the decision must first go to the Nlets Technical Operations Committee (TOC), who decides if a pilot and/or any other further action, information, etc. is needed before the organization is sent to the BOD for the final decision.
What do we get out of becoming a partner?
First and foremost, your organization gains the opportunity to work with the U.S. states and territories, Federal agencies, associate and regional agencies, and strategic partners that are already members of Nlets. Furthermore, your organization can join Nlets in realizing their vision.
Vision
Nlets' vision is to continue to be the premier provider of the network, system, and services that will support and encourage a totally standardized, integrated, international justice system. Acting primarily as a network provider and, to the degree required, a data warehouse, Nlets will endeavor to serve every stratum of the justice and public safety communities.
Traffic Enforcement Strategic Partnerships
Organization Types
- Red light cameras
- Speed cameras
- License plate readers
- Toll violation
- Parking violation
How do traffic enforcement organizations connect to Nlets?
Traffic enforcement strategic partners connect to Nlets via a dedicated private MPLS circuit that is secured with AES 256 encryption. These partners communicate with the Nlets message switch via web services using eXtensible Markup Language (XML). Each TEC is assigned an ORI, and the ORI of the law enforcement agency the partner is working on behalf of must be contained in the Nlets control field of every message sent for that agency.
What data can traffic enforcement organizations access?
Traffic enforcement strategic partners can access vehicle registration data via queries over the Nlets network; driver’s license data is currently not available to traffic enforcement strategic partners.
Who accesses traffic enforcement organizations' data?
Only agencies traffic enforcement strategic partners work on behalf of, as well as the background checked and authorized officials from the traffic enforcement company itself are able to access data from traffic enforcement strategic partners. No data from any agency or organization is stored on Nlets—Nlets serves only as the message switch system, not a database.