Title
[Contract] Professional Services Agreements for Citywide Recruitment Services
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01585
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Pass a Motion authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute Professional Services Agreements with Ralph Andersen & Associates and Tri Star Gov Solutions, LLC to provide Citywide recruitment services for various City departments each for a five-year maximum term and which may collectively not-exceed $750,000.
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Contact
Contact: Jennifer Wilkinson, Administrative Officer, (916) 808-5295, jwilkinson@cityofsacramento.org, Department of Human Resources
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Ralph Andersen & Associates Agreement
3-Tri Star Gov Solutions, LLC Agreement
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: On May 27, 2026, the City launched Request for Proposals (RFP), No. P26081041002, for Citywide Recruitment Services to solicit consulting proposals from experienced firms for the delivery of as-needed citywide, unrepresented, exempt management, and Civil Service, recruitment services for various departments throughout the City of Sacramento.
Key considerations in this sourcing event included the items set out in the table below, as well as:
• Ensure a diverse pool of qualified candidates are well represented in every search conducted for the City;
• Support the City’s continued development and execution of an equitable and diverse strategy in the recruitment of Citywide Staff for the City;
• Ensure the City's hiring practices are equitable and accessible to all people and in support of the City’s Race & Gender Equity Action Plan (RGEAP); and
• Advance the workforce equity goal to “Reflect the City of Sacramento to Better Serve the City of Sacramento”.
Thirty-five (35) responsive proposals were received through this RFP. Each proposal was reviewed by a four-person review panel, which included City staff with expertise in the needs of these services. Proposal rating was based on the evaluation criteria listed in the RFP:
|
Selection Criteria |
Maximum Points |
|
Qualifications and Experience: • Firm experience in public sector recruitment (11 pts) • Project team qualifications (7 pts) • Relevant project examples (7 pts) |
25 |
|
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (DEI) Approach • Demonstrated success attracting diverse candidate pools (8 pts) • Outreach strategies to underrepresented communities (5 pts) • Bias mitigation and equitable practices (4 pts) |
17 |
|
Recruitment Approach and Methodology • Recruitment strategy and sourcing methods (8 pts) • Candidate engagement and experience (4 pts) • Scalability for citywide/multiple recruitments (4 pts) • Quality and clarity of work plan/process (4 pts) |
20 |
|
Data, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement • Use of data to track outcomes and demographics (5 pts) • Ability to evaluate outreach effectiveness (3 pts) • Identification of barriers and process improvements (3 pts) |
11 |
|
Cost Proposal • Competitiveness and reasonableness of pricing (12 pts) • Clarity, completeness, and transparency of cost structure (4 pts) • Value provided relative to proposed services and outcomes (3 pts) |
19 |
|
Services Offered / Value-Added Services • Innovation, added tools, strategic advising, or enhancements |
4 |
|
Technical Compliance and Responsiveness • Completeness, organization, and responsiveness to RFP |
2 |
|
References: • Quality of references and relevance of past work • Demonstrated success, including DEI outcomes |
2 |
|
SUBTOTAL |
100 |
|
LBE 5% Preference |
5 |
|
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS |
105 |
Executive recruitments often involve unique considerations, including the specialized experience and skills required, the anticipated timeline for filling the position, and available funding. To address these considerations while supporting the City’s commitment to diversity and a competitive recruitment process, staff intends to establish professional services contracts with the five highest-scoring firms:
• WBCP, Inc. (92.75/105)
• Ralph Andersen & Associates (90.75/105)
• Tri Star Gov Solutions, LLC (89.50/105)
• Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. (89/105)
• MGT Impact Solutions, LLC (86/105)
The Chief of Police position became vacant in May 2026 and is currently being filled on an interim basis. Given the critical operational importance of the position, staff plans to move forward with the executive search as soon as possible to identify and appoint a permanent Chief of Police.
Accordingly, staff is recommending approval at this time of contracts with the two firms that have completed the contracting process and are ready to begin providing recruitment services. The remaining three firms are still undergoing contract review and will be brought forward for Council consideration once the required contracting process has been completed. This approach will allow the City to immediately initiate the recruitment for Chief of Police while maintaining access to additional qualified recruitment firms for future executive searches.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: Council approval is required to execute agreements for services if the amount to be expended under each such agreement is $250,000 or more. This recommendation is consistent with City Code section 3.56 and in accordance with Procurement Policy Number AP-4101 Section 1.1(b).
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: None.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: None.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: The City of Sacramento anticipates approximately $100,000 annually in executive recruitment services and $50,000 in non-executive recruitment services across City departments. The City’s recruitment needs vary significantly depending on the position, including the level and complexity of the role and required qualifications and experience.
Establishing contracts with multiple qualified firms will provide the City with the flexibility to select the firm best suited to the specific needs of each recruitment. Each of the five highest-scoring firms brings distinct experience, recruitment strategies, geographic reach, fee structures, and approaches to diversity and candidate outreach. Having multiple firms under contract will allow the City to respond more quickly to vacancies, utilize specialized expertise when appropriate, and tailor each recruitment strategy to the position being filled.
This approach will also provide greater ability to address both planned and unanticipated recruitment needs, particularly for critical executive positions where a timely and effective search is essential to maintaining continuity of City operations. Rather than relying on a single firm for all recruitment needs, establishing multiple contracts will provide the City with a broader pool of qualified recruitment partners and the ability to select the most appropriate firm for each assignment.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: The total not-to-exceed amount for all five contracts collectively is $750,000 over five years. Funding for these services is included in the FY2026/27 Approved budget and/or project budgets of the hiring department. Funding in future fiscal years is subject to Council approval.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): LBE Preference was included in the sourcing event.
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