To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: Contract with Guardian Alliance Technologies Inc. for background investigations software
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent to execute on behalf of the Probation Department, a contract with Guardian Alliance Technologies, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $9,938 for the purchase of background investigations software for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This contract will be 100% funded by the General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
The Probation Department is making the move to bring Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training background investigations for prospective sworn employees in-house, creating a unit dedicated to completing these background investigations. The purpose of this is twofold: 1) to expedite the hiring process by not relying on outside contracting agencies to complete these background investigations and 2) for compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as codified in 15 U.S.C. Section 1681 et seq., and the California Investigative Consumers Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA), as codified in California Civil Code Sections 1786.10-1786.40. Using contracted services of an “investigative consumer reporting agency” (ICRA) to conduct investigations and prepare an “investigative consumer report” (which includes a background investigation report prepared for employment purposes on a law enforcement applicant) as opposed to conducting such investigations and preparing reports in-house without using an ICRA may result in compliance with FCRA and ICRAA to provide a copy of the report to the applicant.
In moving such investigations in-house, the Department researched two background investigation software solutions which assist in expediting background investigations, including reference checks, social media checks, and credit report checks, which are inclusive within the software. Guardian Alliance was selected due to the ease of use of the software as well as a lower pricing model for the same features as a competitor. Guardian Alliance includes a “pre-screening” section wherein an applicant can submit a personal history statement and preliminary decisions regarding background screening can be made at no cost to the Department/County. Incorporating elements of pre-screening process as well as automated checks will increase the efficiency of background investigations, minimizing time and monies spent and increasing the hiring speed for qualified applicants.
This contract includes limitation of liability.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the Probation Department will be unable to effectively complete background checks in a timely manner, thereby impacting recruitment and operations.