DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Lori Steward, Interim Human Resources Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City wide
SUBJECT:
Entrance Examinations for the San Antonio Police & Fire Departments, and Promotional Examinations for the San Antonio Police Department
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the City Manager or her designee to enter into a contract with Industrial/Organizational Solutions, Inc., for the preparation of validated, written entry-level examinations for the positions of firefighter trainee and police cadet; promotional examinations for the SAPD positions of Detective-Investigator, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain; and the administration of video-recorded assessment centers for the positions of Lieutenant, and Captain. The term of this contract is three (3) years, beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2018, with an option to extend the contract for one (1) additional two (2) year period, subject to and contingent upon funding by City Council, with total compensation not to exceed $921,640.00 for the entire five (5) year period.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 143, known as the Texas Fire Fighters' and Police Officers' Civil Service Law, mandates the use of examinations as part of the hiring process for Fire and Police personnel. The current San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) collective bargaining agreement (CBA) requires that a consultant to the City prepare validated, written promotional examinations for all tested promotional ranks in SAPD, and prepare, administer, and score promotional video-recorded assessment centers for the ranks of Lieutenant, and Captain. The City contracts with professional testing consultants with expertise in developing examinations that comply with professional, state, and federal guidelines related to testing, which include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, Department of Justice, and the City's CBAs.
On February 11, 2015, the Human Resources Department issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in search of qualified organizations with proven experience in the development of valid written entry-level examinations and promotional examinations and one proposal was received on March 16, 2015.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract.
The Goal Setting Committee applied the Small and Minority/ Women-Owned Business Enterprise Prime Contract (SBEDA) Program with ten (10) SBE Prime Contract Program evaluation preference points awarded to a firm if they are certified as MBE located within the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area and ten (10) M/WBE Prime Contract Program evaluation preference points awarded to a firm if they are certified as MBE located within the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. However, none of the respondents were eligible to receive any preference points.
ISSUE:
Execution of this contract will allow the City to retain a testing consultant with expertise in developing entry level and promotional examinations and ensure the City’s ability to continue to administer professionally developed and validated examinations in accordance with the civil service statute (Chapter 143 of the Local Government Code) and the City’s CBAs. Utilizing third-party test preparation provides legally defensible, validated tests.
ALTERNATIVES:
The alternative is to not conduct entry level examinations for the Fire and Police Departments or promotional examinations for the Police Department and, therefore, no new personnel would be hired or promoted until a testing consultant is selected, a contract is awarded, and examinations are completed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds are included in the FY 2015 General Fund Adopted Budget to retain professional testing consultant services. The impact to the FY 2015 budget as a result of this contract will be $66,730.00 for the remaining three (3) months. Future expenditures for this contract are estimated at $91,750.00 for FY 2016, $209,420.00 for FY 2017, and $252,570.00 for FY 2018. Expenditures for the proposed contract are contingent upon City Council appropriations for the annual budgets for FY 2016 and future fiscal years.
RECOMMENDATION:
In order to maintain continuity in the administration of professionally developed entry-level and promotional examinations, staff recommends approval of this ordinance to execute a contract with I/O Solutions, for a three (3) year term, beginning on July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2018.