Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michelle Kuka, Human Resources Director
Subject: Agreement with Governmentjobs.com dba NEOGOV to Provide Applicant Tracking and Related Employment Recruitment Management Solutions
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) A waiver of the Request for Proposals (RFP) process; and
B) A three-year subscription agreement with Governmentjobs.com, Inc. dba NEOGOV to provide applicant tracking and related employment recruitment management solutions for the term of September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2029, in an amount not to exceed $394,493.92.
body
BACKGROUND:
Since 2001, the County has used NEOGOV as its applicant tracking and recruitment management system to support recruitment and hiring activities across County departments. The system serves as the County’s primary platform for posting employment opportunities (on the GovernmentJobs.com website), accepting and reviewing applications, managing candidate communications, administering selection processes, establishing eligible lists, and maintaining recruitment records.
NEOGOV is a leading, best-in-class recruitment technology provider designed specifically and exclusively for public sector organizations. Its platform is widely used by state and local government agencies nationwide and is configured to support the unique requirements of civil service and merit-based hiring systems. The software is used by more than 20 California counties, including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Sonoma, Monterey, Napa, and Ventura counties.
After more than two decades of use, the NEOGOV system has become integral to the County’s recruitment operations, providing the functionality, consistency, and recordkeeping capabilities necessary to administer a high volume of recruitments in a fair, transparent, and efficient manner. There are no known alternative vendors that offer similar capabilities.
The County’s initial agreement with NEOGOV was executed in 2001, with subsequent subscription renewals authorized via annual order forms. The current one-year subscription expires on August 31, 2026.
DISCUSSION:
To formalize the current service agreement, ensure continuity and security of this critical system, and to abide by the County’s new procurement and contracting standards as outlined in Administrative Memorandum B-1, this resolution is presented to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.
Waiver of RFP Process
The Human Resources Department is requesting the Board’s approval for a waiver to the RFP process, utilizing instead a Sourcewell cooperative agreement (MASTER AGREEMENT #030425-PDMS) accompanied by a County-specific order form. Sourcewell is a service cooperative created by the Minnesota legislature as a local unit of government; its cooperative pricing agreements are available to public entities nationwide. Sourcewell recently conducted a competitive RFP for these services in January 2025.
Per Administrative Memorandum B-1, waivers of competitive requirements may be granted when in the County’s best interest. Utilizing the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing agreement is in the County’s best interest in this case because it provides access to competitively established pricing, discounts, and contract terms while avoiding the significant time, cost, and operational disruption associated with conducting a separate request for proposals and potentially transitioning to a new applicant tracking system. NEOGOV is already integrated into the County’s recruitment processes and contains extensive historical applicant and recruitment data. Continuing with the existing system preserves business continuity, avoids implementation and data-migration costs, and allows the County to maintain essential recruitment services without interruption.
Agreement Terms
The not-to-exceed cost is $394,493.92 for a three-year contract term and includes the following subscriptions and solutions:
• Insight Subscription - This is the main applicant tracking, job posting and candidate engagement platform used by County recruiters. Subscription includes the Online Hiring Center, which is used by departments to track and engage with candidates.
• CritiCall Subscription - Computer-based testing platform used for Public Safety Dispatch recruitment and candidate evaluation. Use of CritiCall has significantly reduced recruitment timelines for hard-to-fill Dispatcher positions.
• Biddle Test Genius Subscription - Computer-based testing platform used for all other positions in the County. Test Genius has been instrumental to ensuring a pleasant candidate experience by providing a more convenient, accessible, and efficient way to complete assessments.
• Integrations to employee HR Information System (HRIS) - These integrations allow the seamless incorporation of information between NEOGOV and the County’s HRIS, Workday.
• Candidate Text Messaging Subscription - Used for timely delivery of updates to candidates.
Overall, the proposed agreement would allow the County to continue leveraging NEOGOV’s applicant tracking system to support efficient recruitment processes, provide a consistent and user-friendly candidate experience, and advance the County’s broader talent acquisition strategies.
Waiver of County standard agreement terms: As these services are being purchased through the Sourcewell cooperative agreement, the County must rely on those terms. Consequently, the Human Resources Department is also requesting a waiver of the County’s standard equal benefits/non-discrimination, living wage, employee jury service provisions. NEOGOV is a southern-California-based company and required to comply with all applicable California laws.
County Procurement has approved the Sourcewell cooperative agreement.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the Resolution and Agreement as to form.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measurement Factor |
FY 2026-2027 Target |
|
System Availability |
99% |
|
Average time required to establish eligible lists and complete the HR portion of the recruitment process. |
5 weeks for internal recruitment 12 weeks for external recruitment |
|
Percentage of system support requests resolved within agreed-upon service levels. |
98% |
|
Applicant satisfaction with the application process, measured through surveys or feedback tools. |
90% |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The agreement will support the County’s ability to recruit and engage qualified candidates more efficiently, expand outreach to broader applicant pools, and provide timely and consistent communication throughout the hiring process. By strengthening the County’s recruitment infrastructure, the system will help reduce vacancies, improve access to County employment opportunities, and support the timely delivery of essential public services to the community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The not-to-exceed cost for a three-year contract is $394,493.92.