San Bernardino header
File #: 8692   
Type: Consent Status: Passed
File created: 9/1/2023 Department: Human Resources
On agenda: 9/12/2023 Final action: 9/12/2023
Subject: Contract with Krout & Schneider, Inc. dba SmartHire for Pre-Employment Background and Reference Check Services
Attachments: 1. CON-HR-09-12-23-SmartHire Contract, 2. Item #24 Executed BAI, 3. 23-1009 Executed Contract

REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

AND RECORD OF ACTION

 

                                          September 12, 2023

 

FROM

DIANE RUNDLES, Assistant Executive Officer, Human Resources Department

         

SUBJECT                      

Title                     

Contract with Krout & Schneider, Inc. dba SmartHire for Pre-Employment Background and Reference Check Services

End

 

RECOMMENDATION(S)

Recommendation

Approve Contract with Krout & Schneider, Inc. dba SmartHire to provide pre-employment background and reference check services on a fee-for-service basis, not-to-exceed a total of $1,750,000 for the period of September 12, 2023 through September 11, 2028.

(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-5570)

Body

 

COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Improve County Government Operations.

Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT

Approval of the recommendation will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total cost will not exceed $1,750,000 for the period of September 12, 2023 through September 11, 2028. The Human Resources Department (Department) will monitor the total aggregate amount on an ongoing basis throughout the contract term. This is a countywide fee-for-service contract and costs will be paid by the departments that utilize the services.

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Department is responsible for the competitive selection of vendors to conduct background and reference checks. County Policy 07-18 states that pre-employment and pre-appointment reference as well as background checks shall be conducted on potential new hires (including contract employees) and specific promotional candidates prior to hire. The County currently has an average of 3,700 new employees per year and promotes an average of 2,800 current employees per year.

 

Approval of the recommendation allows for a countywide contract with Krout & Schneider, Inc. dba SmartHire (SmartHire) to conduct pre-employment background and reference checks to allow for prudent hiring decisions based on comprehensive job-related information, for the period of September 12, 2023 through September 11, 2028.

 

PROCUREMENT

On June 23, 2023, the Department issued Request for Proposal (RFP) No. HRD123-HR-5017 for pre-employment background check services on the County Electronic Procurement Network (ePro). Email notifications were sent to 136 vendors. Proposals were received from Exquisite Financial Services & Investigations, Global Investigative Services, Inc., SmartHire, and Securecheck360, LLC. Of the four vendors, only two vendors met the minimum requirements of the RFP. The two vendors who met the minimum requirements of the RFP were SmartHire and Securecheck360, LLC. The Department conducted a comparative analysis of the two vendors and their ability to meet the needs of the County. Both vendors were invited to participate in the interview process. Unfortunately, after multiple attempts, the Department was unable to contact SecureCheck360, LLC. The Department recommends the Board of Supervisors award a contract to SmartHire. The Purchasing Department approves of this procurement based on the competitive solicitation described above.

 

REVIEW BY OTHERS

This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 24, 2023; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Buyer III, 386-8046) on August 18, 2023; Finance (Abigail Grant, Administrative Analyst, 387-4603) on August 25, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on August 27, 2023.