To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #23-907 with SarMark Enterprises, Inc. (dba Berkeley Search Consultants)
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract #23-907 with SarMark Enterprises, Inc. (dba Berkeley Search Consultants), in an amount not to exceed $300,000, to provide executive recruitment services for the Contra Costa Health Services Department (Contra Costa Health) for the period of August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Contract will result in annual contractual service expenditures of up to $300,000 and will be funded 100% by Hospital Enterprise Fund I revenues.
BACKGROUND:
Contra Costa Health has identified an ongoing need for specialized executive recruitment services to address leadership vacancies within its organization. Consistent with Administrative Bulletin 600.3, the County initiated a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) in March 2026 to solicit qualified vendors capable of providing targeted recruitment, candidate sourcing, and screening services for executive-level positions. This process was designed to ensure that the County could access a pool of experienced firms with demonstrated expertise in public sector executive searches and a proven ability to attract diverse and highly qualified candidates for critical leadership roles.
Following the RFP process, SarMark Enterprises, Inc. (dba Berkeley Search Consultants), was selected based on its qualifications, experience, and capacity to deliver comprehensive executive recruitment services on an as-needed basis. The firm’s scope of work includes collaborating with County stakeholders to define recruitment needs, developing and executing outreach campaigns, screening applicants, and supporting the County throughout the interview and selection process.
This Contract is entered into under and subject to California Government Code §31000, which permits counties to contract for special services, including professional, technical, and specialized services, when such services are not available among existing County staff. The Health Services Department’s Personnel Unit has reviewed and approved this Contract to ensure no conflicts with labor relations and will monitor to ensure all requirements are met.
Approval of this new Contract #23-907 will allow the Contractor to provide executive recruitment services through July 31, 2027.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the recommended Contract is not approved, Contra Costa Health will lack access to specialized executive recruitment services necessary to address critical leadership vacancies, resulting in diminished capacity to fill key positions in a timely and effective manner and potential disruption to departmental operations.