Vendor comparison: what to ask before you sign

Questions that cut through the demo

Ask what you pay per scan after the included bundle, what happens on rejects, and which states and agencies the software actually submits to. Ask how long onboarding took for a shop your size, in writing.

Ask whether hardware is certified Appendix F, whether you can buy the scanner they recommend today, and whether last-generation units still work. Ask for uptime language you can understand—not a slide that says “enterprise grade.”

Fees, coverage, and exit

Request a sample invoice with state, FBI, and vendor line items separated. Confirm you can export your records if you leave. Confirm you are not locked to a single device SKU you cannot replace.

If the vendor cannot show FDLE and FBI paths clearly, or cannot explain TCN status versus FBI results, keep shopping. Brochures are cheap. Channel mistakes are not.