Franwell, a technology company focusing on supply chain tracking, has contracted with the state for more than five years, according to Alsaka’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office director Cynthia Franklin.
The contract was finalized March 7 and lasts until June 30, 2021, Franklin wrote in an email. The total cost of the contract is $105,000.
Franwell’s Metrc system will be used to track Alaska’s commercial marijuana plants. Metrc was designed specifically for Colorado’s marijuana industry; the system has tracked more than 3 million plants, according to the company’s website. Metrc is also being deployed in Oregon’s recreational cannabis industry.
Under Alaska’s marijuana regulations, all commercial grows, retailers, testing facilities and manufacturers must use the tracking system.
Every plant and package of marijuana will be tagged. Each tag has a RFID (radio frequency identification) chip, a barcode and human-readable identification. The plants will be tracked through the stages of growth, as well as the drying and curing process, according to an FAQ on the Alcoholic and Marijuana Control Office’s website.
The system is scheduled to be implemented on May 23, the FAQ says.
Metrc will cost $40 a month for each licensee, plus tag costs of $0.45 each for plant and $0.25 for a package tag, according to the FAQ.
