TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JUNE 17, 2021
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement for Contract 21-RFP-03 Pre-Employment Psychological Assessments for Police Officer Candidates with the Center of Police Psychological Services in an amount not to exceed $60,000.00, Account 101-25000-612260, Requisition 1554662
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with the Center of Police Psychological Services to perform pre-employment psychological assessments for candidates participating in the selection process for the District Police Officer classification for the period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024. The selected vendor will administer pre- and post-offer psychological assessments to candidates for the Police Officer classification as part of the pre-employment selection process. The pre-offer assessments are offered in a group setting to candidates placed in Category A on the eligible list (typically between 50 - 100 candidates). This screening instrument is used to assess if candidates possess the skills and attributes necessary to perform the job of Police Officer at the District. The post-offer psychological assessments are conducted on an individual basis with candidates conditionally appointed to a vacant Police Officer position. This assessment is a more thorough evaluation of the psychological fitness-for-duty of an individual candidate selected for a Police Officer position at the District.
On February 17, 2021, Request for Proposal 21-RFP-03 Pre-Employment Psychological Assessments for Police Officer Candidates was publicly advertised. Two hundred seventy-eight (278) firms were notified and nine (9) requested proposal documents. On March 12, 2021, the District received three (3) responsive proposals from the following vendors: Center of Police Psychological Services; MHW PsychLaw Services, Inc.; and Stephen A. Laser Associates.
The proposals were evaluated by staff from Human Resources, General Administration and the Procurement and Materials Management departments. The criteria for these evaluations were outlined in Request for Proposal 21-RFP-03 and included: understanding of the services to be provided; approach to the work; professional qualifications and specialized experience of the vendor and the assigned personnel; financial stability; compliance with insurance and licensure requirements; and cost.
Following the preliminary evaluation of proposals, excluding cost, all three proposers were deemed to be finalists and were invited to interviews conducted April 21 - 22, 2021. On April 30, 2021, a solicitation was sent to the finalists requesting an unqualified “best and final” offer. The “best and final” offers were returned to the Director of Procurement and Materials Management on May 7, 2021.
Based on the evaluation of proposals, finalist interviews and pricing, the Human Resources Department recommends the Center of Police Psychological Services as the selected vendor. The Center of Police Psychological Services received the highest technical score among the proposers. The mission of the firm is narrowly focused on providing state-of-the-art forensic risk management psychological evaluations for law enforcement and other safety-sensitive organizations. It is a Chicago-based firm whose clients include the Evanston Police Department, River Forest Fire and Police Department, Schaumburg Fire and Police Commission, Tinley Park Police Department, Southern Illinois University Department of Public Safety, Chicago Police Department and the Illinois State Police. The lead psychologist and owner of the firm is on the Executive Board of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) Psychological Services Section and is a member of the IACP Diversity Coordinating Panel/Diversity Task Force. The additional key personnel assigned to the District contract are highly credentialed clinical psychologists with significant experience conducting forensic and pre-employment evaluations specific to law enforcement and public safety personnel.
The proposed pre-screening evaluation and post-offer psychological assessment provide a robust evaluation of a candidate’s suitability for the Police Officer classification. The pre-offer screening utilizes a personal history questionnaire, psychological inventory, and individual interview conducted by a licensed clinical psychologist. Some of the measures evaluated include tolerance, responsibility, integrity, empathy, and self-control. The tolerance construct is particularly important in identifying evidence of potential bias and intolerance. This scale can help identify candidates that are judgmental and not accepting of other’s beliefs. These can then be probed further in the individual interview to identify any biases that might interfere with the ability to perform the job. These instruments are recognized nationally as legally defensible, scientifically validated measures for use in pre-employment psychological suitability screenings. They help identify any concerns based on the candidate’s background or personality characteristics that could impair the ability to perform the role of Police Officer. These instruments are constructed and administered in compliance with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and all other relevant regulations.
The post-offer psychological assessment consists of a psychological history questionnaire, two more thorough personality inventories, and a clinical interview conducted by a licensed clinical psychologist. This strategy focuses on the candidate’s emotional stability as recommended by the IACP Psychological Services Section Guidelines. These instruments are designed to help rule out job-relevant psychopathology, mental conditions and personality traits that could interfere with successful performance of the Police Officer role. The combination of these validated personality tests and the in-depth interview provide a complete picture of a candidate’s psychological suitability for the Police Officer classification.
The Diversity Section reviewed the request for proposal and concluded that Appendix A and Appendix V would not be applicable since the estimated total expenditures are below $100,000.00. Therefore, Affirmative Action Appendix A nor Appendix V were included in the request for proposal document.
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with the Center of Police Psychological Services in the amount of $60,000.00. The estimated expenditures are $5,000.00 in 2021, $45,000.00 in 2022, $5,000.00 in 2023 and $5,000.00 in 2024. Funds are available in Account 101-25000-612260 for 2021. Funds for the 2022 through 2024 expenditures are contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for those years.
Recommended, Beverly K. Sanders, Director of Human Resources
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Barbara J. McGowan, Chairman Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for June 17, 2021