SLED Opportunity · CALIFORNIA · COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
AI Summary
San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office seeks proposals for pre-employment background investigation services for non-sworn professional staff, with a target start date of July 1, 2026.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, Professional Standards Bureau is seeking proposals from qualified vendor(s) to provide comprehensive Pre-Employment Background Investigation Services. The selected vendor(s) will be responsible for conducting thorough background investigations to determine suitability for professional staff candidates (ie. non-sworn personnel).
The target start date for the proposed services is July 1, 2026 subject to negotiation of a final agreement.
Founded in 1856, the mission of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to protecting lives and property and is committed to providing the highest level of professional law enforcement and correctional services.
The Sheriff’s Office has over 800 personnel who provide various law enforcement services across multiple divisions.
Please use the See What Changed link to view all the changes made by this addendum.
Please use the See What Changed link to view all the changes made by this addendum.
Where price is not the sole evaluation factor for a solicitation (e.g., in the case of a "best-value" solicitation), five percent (5%) of the total evaluation points awardable will be added to the proposal score for each Local Business or Local Non-Profit score for evaluation purposes. In the event of a tie between a Local Business or Local Non-Profit and another bidder, the Local Business or Non-Profit shall be awarded the Contract, assuming agreement on other contract terms.
An additional three percent (3%) preference shall be given to a Local Business or Local Non-profit (for a total of eight percent (8%) of total points awardable) if the proposer is a Small Business or Small Non-Profit, or an additional 5 percent preference (for a total of ten percent (10%) of total points awardable) if the proposer is a Micro Business or Micro Non-Profit.
As Defined by Chapter 2.89.020 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, a “Local Business” means any for-profit business which has its principal place of business, or is headquartered, in San Mateo County. If this designation applies to the proposer, a self-attestation form must be completed and provided with this response.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload. If this designation is not applicable, please leave blank.
As Defined by Chapter 2.89.020 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code:
“Small Business” means any business which holds a Small Business Certification awarded by the California Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS).
“Micro Business” means any Small Business certified by the OSDS which is automatically designated by the OSDS as a Micro Business due to gross annual receipts falling below the OSDS-designated dollar amount.
If the above designations apply, please provide the OSDS provided Certification ID.
If this designation is not applicable, please leave blank.
Submit a letter of introduction and executive summary of the proposal. The letter must contain:
Submission of the letter will constitute a representation by proposer that it is willing and able to perform the commitments contained in the proposal and has not violated the terms of this RFP.
Describe how the proposer meets the minimum qualifications as set forth in Minimum Qualifications of this RFP.
Submission of the Minimum Qualifications checklist is not a substitute for providing a detailed written response.
This section should correlate to the Scope of Work . Proposer should give a short summary describing how it will perform the relevant work
Describe your proposed approach to tasks/milestones
Reference any notable innovations or improvements that you expect to provide (with respect to, for example, efficiency, technology, sustainability)
Attach information regarding background and qualifications, including the following:
Provide a chart identifying:
Provide a brief description of the experience and qualifications of the project team members, including short resumes if desired.
Written assurance that the key individuals listed and identified will be performing the work and will not be substituted or reassigned without the County’s prior approval
Provide Three (3) references for each of the following, including the name, address, and telephone number of recent clients (preferably other public agencies):
The Fee Proposal should be submitted as a separate PDF file from the Technical Proposals detailed in Required Documents.
The County reserves the right to accept other than the lowest priced offer and to reject any proposals that are not responsive to this request.
Update below if needed.
Is there an extension to this agreement?
Modify the extension information below, if needed
How many references are required by the vendor? (Number)
In rare circumstances where there is an expectation that proposers will need to submit trade secrets or other confidential information in order to respond to an RFP.
Q (Number of Anticipated Backgrounds): How many backgrounds per year are anticipated under this contract? How many backgrounds for were completed in 2025 for classifications associated with the RFP?
A: Approximately 188 background files were conducted in 2025 for professional staff non-sworn.
Q (Cost Proposal): Will the county accept a cost proposal on an hourly basis vs. lump sum per background?
A: No. The County is only interested in a flat fee per background investigation.
Q (No subject): Who is the current or previous contractor(s) for background check services, and how much does the agency currently pay per background check? What is the range of cost per background for previous vendors?
A: Currently we have several active contracts, and current rate is $600 per background file for professional staff non-sworn.
Q (Background System): What electronic background system does the County use (eSOPH, Guardian, etc.) to distribute the background documents to the investigator?
A: Guardian Alliance Technologies is currently in use.
Q (Early Background DQ): How does the Department handle investigations wherein the applicant is disqualified or withdraws prior to completion of the investigation? What costs have been approved in prior contracts?
A: Our current contract agreement is once you are assigned the file, you will be paid the full rate. Any changes to this agreement will be finalized during negotiation of the contract.
Q (Background Classifications): What classifications will this RFP cover for background investigations?
A: This RFP is for all professional staff non-sworn classifications. We currently have 2 (two) separate RFPs open for background investigative services. (non-sworn and sworn)
Q (Private Eyes Inc.): What is the anticipated volume of candidates that will need a background check per month & year?
A: Approximately 188 background files were conducted in 2025 for non-sworn.
Q (Due Date/Time): Is the stated Due Date/Time (12 am) correct?
A: Yes, that is correct.
Q (Background Timelines): Is the completion time of 4 weeks per background flexible?
A: If the nature of the investigation requires an extension beyond the four (4) week time frame, the vendor shall email SMCSO immediately.
Q (Fingerprinting): Would us as the vendor be required to handle all aspects of fingerprinting services?
A: SMCSO obtains livescan results for vendor to review and provide narrative.
Q (Style of Background): 1. Are these POST style backgrounds that include a home visit and neighborhood check? 2. Is a POST format used for the investigative reports? 3. Typically, how long are the background reports and what categories are covered in the narrative?
A: The background investigation is documented in a digital platform utilizing POST background investigation tabs. The length of background report will depend on the nature of the background investigation. For any additional investigation requirements, please refer to RFP scope of work.
Q (Confidentiality/Propreitary Information Instructions): I am applying for RFP in title - do you have a confidentiality statement or instructions on how to redact proprietary/trade secret information?
A: Please do not include any proprietary/trade secret information as all of our solicitations and contracts are subject to the Public Records Act.
Q (Budget): Does the County have an estimated budget or not-to-exceed amount established for this contract?
A: This RFP has a threshold of over 200k that requires board of supervisors approval.
Q (Turnaround Time): The RFP specifies a four (4) week turnaround target for complete background investigations but does not provide turnaround time expectations for individual check components (e.g., criminal history, education verification, employment verification, reference checks). Could the County provide preferred turnaround timeframes by check type, if applicable?
A: If the nature of the investigation requires an extension beyond the four (4) week time frame, the vendor shall email SMCSO immediately.
Q (Candidate Interviews): The RFP states that the vendor must conduct candidate interviews either in person or virtually. Does SMCSO have a preference between in-person and virtual interviews, or will this be determined on a case-by-case basis at SMCSO's discretion?
A: Background investigator's discretion.
Q (Incumbent Vendor): Could the County disclose the name of the current background investigation services provider, if one is in place?
A: We currently have multiple vendors providing background investigation services.
Q (Annual Escalation): Does the County's standard contract template permit annual price escalation over the three (3) year term? If so, is there a cap on the percentage increase permitted per year (e.g., CPI-based or a fixed percentage)?
A: The service cost for this RFP will remain the same for the contract term.
Q (Polygraph): The Scope of Work references polygraph coordination for HIDTA/NCRIC candidates. Could the County clarify approximately what percentage of total annual investigations are expected to require polygraph coordination, and whether the vendor is expected to perform the polygraph examination itself or solely coordinate scheduling with a third-party examiner?
A: Currently, less than 10 per year. SMCSO handles coordinating polygraph with contracted polygraph examiner.
Q (PI License): Why is a PI License required for non-sworn investigations? Will an in-progress license be accepted?
A: The current expectations for all vendor requirements are reflected in the minimum requirements section for this RFP.
Q (Prior Law Enforcement Experience): Does the County require in person file reviews for classifications covered by this RFP for applicants that have prior LE experience?
A: If a candidate has prior LE experience warranting a file review, vendor shall contact SMCSO.
Q (Sam.gov): When I attempted to register on Sam.gov, it recommended obtaining a UEI only, not to register as I'm not trying to get a contract directly from the federal government. When to register: "An entity registration allows your organization the opportunity to receive a contract or assistance directly from the federal government, not from another contractor or awardee. You need to register your entity in SAM.gov when you want to bid on federal contracts as a prime contractor or seek federal assistance as a prime awardee. " Is obtaining the UEI only sufficient?
A: Yes, UEI is sufficient.
Q (No subject): The RFP says that San Mateo County SO will use a digital platform of their choosing and send documents and information to the vendor via that platform. A. If the vendor does not have that platform available, will San Mateo County SO purchase the access for the vendor to use? B. Would San Mateo County SO consider using the vendor's proprietary process as opposed to a commercial digital platform?
A: A. SMCSO will provide the vendor with login credentials to the digital background investigation platform. B. All vendors will be required to conduct the investigation and its materials utilizing the digital based platform contracted by SMCSO. C. The vendor shall utilize the platform for documenting and storing the investigation narrative/materials. The platform will be assessable by SMCSO, the applicant, and the vendor.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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