A report published by Taraaz and the Collaborative Research Center for Resilience.

Research and writing of this report was led by Roya Pakzad (Taraaz) and Cynthia Conti-Cook (CRCR) with valuable support from Kate Stoll, Ph.D. (AAAS EPI Center), Christopher Jordan (National League of Cities), and Joana Marques Melo (AAAS).

Key Considerations When Procuring AI in the Public Sector distills findings from policy documents (such as city AI policies), vendor documents, coalitions like the GovAI Coalition, and interviews with city staff and AI procurement experts into key themes for implementing responsible AI procurement in the U.S. local governments. Each theme includes a brief description, a real-world case study, and a set of key considerations for procuring AI in a manner that protects the public interest and civil rights. The themes explored in this report include:

• Education, Capacity Building, and Knowledge Sharing
• Documenting Third-Party Dependencies
• Navigating Large and Small Vendors
• AI Demos and Pilots
• Master Service Agreements and Add-on AI Features
• Performance-Based Contracts and Co-Ownership
• Public Engagement, City Workforce and Union Inclusion
• Safeguards Against Function Creep and Surveillance
• Responsible Use of Model Contracts

This project was made possible by funding from the Rose Foundation’s Consumer Privacy Rights Fund.