DATE: February 19, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Police Department
TITLE: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PIERSIDE INVESTIGATIONS FOR EMPLOYEE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve a three-year Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Pierside Investigations to provide background investigations, reports and polygraph services, through March 31, 2028, in the amount not to exceed $125,000 for the remainder of FY 2024-25, $234,000 in FY 2025-26, $245,000 in FY 2026-27, and $187,000 from July 1, 2027 through March 31, 2028; appropriate $70,000 and $79,000 in future years from General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance; and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Oceanside Police Department (OPD) currently has a number of vacancies throughout the organization. As of February 5, 2025, those vacancies include the following positions: Police Officer (12); Police Records Technician (7); Police Media Relations Manager (1); Latent Print Examiner (1); Public Safety Dispatcher (5); Police Cadet (1); Community Services Officer (2); Forensic Specialist (2). Currently, there are 11 Police Officer Recruits attending the Police Academy, 8 Police Officer Recruits joining the March Police Academy, and 12 Police Officers in Training. In addition to these vacancies, it is anticipated that there will be additional Police Officer vacancies by December 31, 2025, due to retirements and promotions.
On March 22, 2023, the Police Department entered into a PSA with Pierside Investigations for background investigations, reports and polygraph services. Due to the high volume of background investigations, the PSA was amended on April 24, 2024 to increase the contract amount. The total of this contract had a limit not to exceed $165,000 per year. With current and anticipated vacancies in various positions throughout the Police Department, there is a need to increase the available funding for background investigation services. The increase is due to the number of background investigations required to fill vacancies and increased volume due to recruitment efforts. Pierside Investigations possesses the capacity to increase the number of background investigations to meet the current and anticipated needs of the Police Department.
The Police Department obtained additional quotes from two other companies that offer the same service and determined Pierside Investigations as providing the best value.
FISCAL IMPACT
|
Description |
Account |
FY 2024-25 Amount |
|
Additional Funding Source: General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance |
101.3100.0001 |
$70,000 |
|
To: Police Support Operations Budget |
500515101.5305 |
$70,000 |
|
PSA with Pierside |
OPD Support Operations 500515101.5305 |
$125,000 |
To cover the funding gap, staff requests to use reserves in the amount of $70,000 from the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance account 101.3100.0001 which has a current available balance of $5.8M, and appropriate to OPD Support Operations account 500515101.5305. This new agreement will be effective March 2025, for a period of three years, ending March 31, 2028. Therefore, funding is being requested through March 31, 2028.
Staff is requesting an ongoing increase to the General Fund until part of FY 2027-28. With the approval of this Agreement, future years’ budgets will be increased as follows:
|
Contract Timeframe |
Amount per Year |
Additional Budget Appropriation |
Account Number |
|
March 2025 - June 30, 2025 |
$125,000 |
$70,000 |
500515101.5305 |
|
July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026 |
$234,000 |
$69,000 |
500517101.5305 |
|
July 1, 2026- June 30, 2027 |
$245,000 |
$10,000 |
500517101.5305 |
|
July 1, 2027 - March 31, 2028 |
$184,000 |
$0 |
500517101.5305 |
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Police and Fire Commission will be advised of this item during its next regular meeting on March 20, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Gricel Beltran-Taj, Principal Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Taurino Valdovinos, Chief of Police
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Background Investigation Pricing
3. Request for Offer Pricing Letter
4. XPD Proposal
5. Pierside PSA