SLED Opportunity · CALIFORNIA · COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
AI Summary
San Mateo County Sheriff's Office seeks proposals for pre-employment background investigations of peace officer candidates to ensure compliance with California POST standards. Services start 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 Law Enforcement Background Investigation Services. The selected vendor(s) will be responsible for conducting thorough background investigations for peace officer candidates to ensure they meet all current and necessary California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) qualifications.
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.
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 (Polygraph services): Can we propose polygraph services as an optional service?
A: No. There is a separate RFP for polygraph services. https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/smcgov/projects/240338
Q (Pricing - Travel Expenses): Will the selected provider be able to bill non-local travel (if required by SMCSO), without additional mark-up at the IRS rate?
A: All travel costs are not reimbursable and are included in the cost of service.
Q (Disqualified Applicants/Incomplete Backgrounds): May we propose an hourly rate plus usual and customary expenses for disqualified applicants/incomplete background investigations?
A: Our contracts for this RFP will be flat rate only.
Q (Additional (Optional) Backgrounds): May we propose additional (optional) POST background investigations for lateral, civilian, and executive level services?
A: Not with this RFP. There is a separate RFP for those services. https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/smcgov/projects/239498
Q (Additional/Optional Pricing ): If the SMCSO is amenable to receiving additional or optional pricing beyond the single line-item price, how would we submit it within the platform's proposal format?
A: Our contracts for this RFP will be flat rate only.
Q (Background Numbers): 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: Over the last 3 years, there was approximately 600 files assigned total.
Q (Prior Vendor(s)): Who is the current and previous contractor for background check services, and how much does the agency 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 $1800 per background file for sworn.
Q (Type of Files): What electronic background system does the County use (eSOPH, Guardian, etc.) to distribute the background documents to the investigator? Do you require an in-person interview of the applicant, or can this be completed virtually via Zoom?
A: Guardian Alliance Technologies is currently in use. Yes, in-person interview.
Q (Partial Investigations ): 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: Prior contracts were one flat rate.
Q (Classifications): What classifications will this RFP cover for background investigations?
A: Deputy Sheriff Trainee, Lateral, Bailiff, and any other identified peace officer classifications, Correctional Officer
Q (Investigation Timelines): Is the completion time of 4 weeks per background flexible?
A: If the nature of the background investigation requires an extension beyond four (4) weeks time frame, the vendor shall contact SMCSO via email immediately.
Q (Service vs. Software): Does the County only want a service or if they are accepting bids for a software to support the service?
A: This RFP is for Law Enforcement Background Investigation Services.
Q (Award Date): Could the County please confirm the expected formal award date for this contract, beyond the tentative interview date of April 7, 2026?
A: We currently do not have an exact date.
Q (Budget): What is the County's anticipated budget or budget range for this contract?
A: This RFP has a threshold of over 200k that requires board of supervisors approval.
Q (Pre-Proposal Conference): Could the County please provide the Zoom link, meeting ID, and passcode for the non-mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM? This information does not appear to be included in the RFP document as released.
A: Information has been updated. Thank you.
Q (Annual Escalation): Is annual price escalation permitted under this contract over the three-year term? If so, is there a cap on the percentage of allowable annual increases?
A: The service cost for this RFP will remain the same for the contract term.
Q (Background Reports): Typically, how many pages are a standard completed background report for your agency?
A: The nature of each background is different. We require each background file meets current POST compliance and includes a completed current POST narrative template.
Q (Partial Backgrounds): Is the county willing to pay the full background rate for a partially completed background where the applicant withdraws or is disqualified, or is a flat or hourly rate paid up to a certain number of hours completed on the file?
A: Flat rate only.
Q (Requirement for PI License): Will the requirement for PI License be waived if the assigned applicant is for a Correctional Officer?
A: No. A private investigator license is required.
Q (Improvements): Could the Sheriff's Office share any specific service delivery improvements, platform capabilities, or quality standards it is prioritizing in selecting a new provider for this contract? For example, are there particular turnaround time expectations beyond the four-week maximum, reporting format preferences, or communication protocols that the County would like to see addressed in proposer responses?
A: Please refer to RFP scope of work for our expectations.
Q (Annual Volume of Checks): Could the County please provide the anticipated annual volume of peace officer background investigations expected under this contract? Specifically, we would appreciate knowing the average number of investigations initiated per year over the past two to three years, broken down by candidate type if possible (e.g., new recruits, lateral transfers, reserve officers). This information is critical for accurate staffing, resource allocation, and unit price development.
A: Over the last 3 years, there was approximately 600 files assigned total.
Q (Current Pricing): Could the County share the current contract rate or price range being paid for peace officer background investigation services under the existing agreement?
A: Currently we have several active contracts, and current rate is $1800 per background file for sworn.
Q (Service Delivery Challenges and Priorities): Without asking the County to comment on any specific vendor relationship, could the Sheriff's Office identify any service delivery challenges or operational gaps it has experienced with background investigation services in recent years that proposers should be aware of and specifically address in their proposals? This could include areas such as turnaround consistency, report quality, investigator availability, communication responsiveness, or POST compliance documentation. Understanding these priorities will help proposers tailor their work plans and innovations sections more meaningfully.
A: The RFP scope of work has been curated to list our current expectations.
Q (File Reviews): If file reviews at other agencies are needed to be reviewed are those expenses (travel time, agency review time, parking, mileage etc) billable in addition to the flat rate for the background?
A: No. All travel costs are included in the cost of service.
Q (Guardian): My understanding is the county uses Guardian for all background files. If the selected company is not familiar with or hasn't used Guardian, will training be offered on this platform?
A: Yes, we provide training and will assist our background investigators on any questions they have.
Q (Polygraph): At what point in the background process does the county administer a polygraph exam? Is the background investigator required to be present for the polygraph?
A: SMCSO handles the polygraph referral during the background process. No, the background investigator is not required to be present for the polygraph.
Q (Initial Assignment): 1. When the initial assignment is made to the background investigator, will the applicant have completed all questionnaires and uploaded all required documents to Guardian? Or is the file assigned to the investigator before the applicant completes all required tasks? 2. When does the 4-week completion timeline begin? Before or after the applicant has completed all required tasks?
A: The applicant is responsible for uploading the required documents by a due date assigned by SMCSO. The 4 week completion timeline begins when the file is assigned to the background investigator.
Q (Guardian Alliance Portal): This product is not POST compliance with tabs named incorrectly and out of sequence. We have work arounds within our system. Will it be mandated we are assigned cases from your portal, or will we be able to work within our Guardian portal to maintain insight and supervision of our investigators, which is not possible within your portal.
A: All background investigation vendors are required to use the digital platform contracted with SMCSO.
Q (Number of Contractors): How many contractors will be selected? If more than one, will the background files be evenly distributed between them?
A: Multiple contracts. Background files will be distributed based on background investigator availability.
Q (No subject): The RFP says the following: 4.1.3. Are you able to conduct (IN-PERSON) interviews, neighborhood checks, reference checks, and all other areas of the peace officer background investigation in accordance to California POST Regulations? * CA POST Regulations now allow for and consider virtual interviews an “in person” interview (CA POST Background Manual, Background Step 4; Pg. 4-6). Is that acceptable to San Mateo County SO?
A: The most current POST Background Manual states "Ideally interviews should be face-to-face" and at this time, SMCSO requires in-person interviews.
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? C. If we are required to use this platform how is it going to be integrated into the process? Will San Mateo be using it to obtain some information for the vendor, or is the vendor going to be expected to use it and get the information?
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.
Q (No subject): The RFP says the following which is specific and a “personal question”. If a vendor is licensed to operate in the state of California and utilizes CA POST Trained and Licensed Investigators, could we answer “yes” to this question. 4.1.2. Are you a California Licensed Background Investigator? * ☐ Yes ☐ No
A: There was an addendum to the required question related to your question.
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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