Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Kenneth Binder, Sheriff
Subject: Agreements between the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and selected vendors for Pre-Employment Law Enforcement Background Investigation Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the execution of agreements with the following eleven (11) vendors to provide pre-employment law enforcement background investigation services for peace officer candidates in accordance with California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements and Request for Proposal (RFP) completed in March 2026, for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, each in an amount not to exceed the individually negotiated contract maximum, and in a total aggregate amount not to exceed $1,310,000:
A) The Alcantara Security Group, in an amount not to exceed $100,000; and
B) Kashiwahara Investigations, in an amount not to exceed $100,000; and
C) Guardian PSBI, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $130,000; and
D) Steve Blanc, in an amount not to exceed $130,000; and
E) The Gumshoe Group, in an amount not to exceed $130,000; and
F) TruView BSI, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $130,000; and
G) HdL Companies, in an amount not to exceed $130,000; and
H) Lewetzon Investigative Services, in an amount not to exceed $100,000; and
I) Ibarra Investigations, in an amount not to exceed $100,000; and
J) Nevins Professional Investigations, in an amount not to exceed $130,000; and
K) Cooke & Associates, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $130,000.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for conducting comprehensive pre-employment background investigations for peace officer applicants. These investigations ensure compliance with California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) regulations and Government Code Section 1031, and are essential to maintaining the integrity, suitability, professionalism, and public trust of the Sheriff’s Office workforce.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office existing contracts for pre-employment law enforcement background investigation services are approaching expiration. To ensure continuity of services and ensure adequate investigative capacity, the Sheriff’s Office conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 2026-RFP-00368 in March 2026, through the County’s standard public solicitation platform OpenGov, in accordance with established procurement requirements.
DISCUSSION:
A total of fifteen (15) proposals were received. Following evaluation, the eleven (11) top scored vendors were determined to meet qualifications and demonstrate the experience, capacity, and professional standards necessary to provide these specialized services.
The contract amounts for each vendor were determined to reflect each firm’s capacity and anticipated volume of services.
The Sheriff’s Office currently has approximately seventy (70) sworn vacancies.
Awarding multiple agreements ensures sufficient capacity, geographic coverage, scheduling flexibility, and continuity of services. This approach allows the Sheriff’s Office to effectively manage fluctuating hiring demands based on position vacancies while ensuring timely completion of POST-compliant background investigations. Utilizing multiple-qualified vendors also allows the Sheriff’s Office to mitigate service disruptions should a vendor be unavailable.
The County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution and amendment as to form.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Awarding multiple vendors provides fiscal flexibility while ensuring service continuity, operational efficiency, help fill critical positions faster and reduce hiring delays.
Timely background investigations ensure qualified employees can begin serving the community sooner while maintaining high public safety standards.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This agreement is for a three-year term in an amount not to exceed $1,310,000. Funding for this agreement has been included in the Sheriff’s Office FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget.