All vendor proposals were submitted by the June 24, 2026 deadline. Kalamazoo County is now in the process of evaluating proposals and selecting the next contract. No public timeline has been announced for this phase. CCJT is monitoring Board of Commissioners meeting agendas and will share updates here when anything relevant to this contract is scheduled.
A Better
Contract
Is Possible.
Kalamazoo County is currently selecting the next jail phone and video services contract. When finalized, this agreement will shape what families in our community pay to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones for the next five years. We believe the next contract can be a meaningful improvement, and this site explains what we are asking for and why.
Five Requests
For the New Contract
As Kalamazoo County evaluates vendor proposals and prepares to select the next agreement, there is still time for community input to shape what goes into the final contract. The five asks below are what CCJT is bringing to the table. Each one addresses something specific in the way the current system is structured that we think the next one should handle differently.
Full Transparency on All Contract Terms
We are requesting that the County establish a publicly accessible and regularly updated transparency process for jail telecommunications agreements, including annual publication of contract terms, call rates, fee schedules, and any revenue or commission payments the County receives.
Balance Notification at Release
We are requesting that the County establish a formal balance notification and recovery procedure at release, so that individuals leaving jail are either assisted in recovering remaining account funds or provided a clear written explanation of any applicable forfeiture policy before they leave.
End Site Commissions and Signing Bonuses
Federal rules effective April 6, 2026 prohibit site commissions on new inmate communications contracts. We are asking the county to reflect this prohibition explicitly in the new contract language, and to also decline any upfront signing incentive tied to the awarding of the agreement.
Require Rates at or Below $0.10 Per Minute
We are requesting that the County include a defined per-minute rate ceiling of $0.10 or below within the RFP itself. Removing commissions alone does not guarantee lower rates; a written pricing cap in the procurement requirements is how cost reductions are built into the contract.
Prohibit Ancillary Fees
Federal rules effective April 6, 2026 prohibit ancillary fees on new inmate communications contracts. We are asking the county to write these prohibitions explicitly into the contract as enforceable local terms, so that deposit fees, transaction fees, and live operator surcharges cannot continue in practice regardless of how federal enforcement evolves.
Share a Story or Get Involved
If you have personal experience with the jail telecommunications system, or would like to support community awareness and engagement around this issue, Campaign for Criminal Justice Transparency welcomes your involvement. There is no formal commitment required to participate, and any information or experiences shared will be kept confidential unless permission is given to share them otherwise.