Finance and Management Committee
October 27, 2026
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Elizabeth Lake FROM: Mary Hao
Interim City Administrator Director of Human
Resources Management
SUBJECT: Executive Recruitment Agreement
Amendment
DATE: October 15, 2026
City Administrator Approval Elizabeth Lake (Oct 15, 2026 17:29:38 PDT)Date: Oct 15, 2026
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Amend The Professional Services Agreements With (1) Ralph Andersen & Associates To Extend The Agreement Term Through August 31, 2027, And Increase The Not-To-Exceed Amount By Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00), From Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) To Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00); (2) The Hawkins Company To Extend The Agreement Term Through August 31, 2027, And Increase The Not-To-Exceed Amount By One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00), From Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) To Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00); And (3) Cooperative Personnel Services, D.B.A. CPS HR Consulting To Extend The Agreement Term Through August 31, 2027; And (B) Waiving The Competitive Request For Proposal/Qualifications (RFP/Q) And The Local/Small Local Business Enterprise Program Requirement
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Oakland Human Resources Management (HRM) Department administers professional services agreements with executive recruitment firms to support the recruitment of executive, senior-level, and highly specialized positions for the City of Oakland. HRM is preparing to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) by the end of calendar year 2026 to establish new contracts for executive recruitment services.
To maintain access to executive recruitment services while HRM prepares and conducts the RFP process, staff recommends amending the agreements with Ralph Andersen & Associates, The Hawkins Company, and Cooperative Personnel Services, d.b.a. CPS HR Consulting, to extend their terms through August 31, 2027. The proposed amendments would increase the not-toexceed amount for Ralph Andersen & Associates by $200,000.00, from $250,000.00 to $450,000.00, and increase the not-to-exceed amount for The Hawkins Company by $100,000.00, from $250,000.00 to $350,000.00. The agreement with CPS HR Consulting would be extended without additional funding.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Executive Recruitment Agreement Amendment
Date: October 10, 2026 Page 2
Finance and Management Committee
October 27, 2026
These amendments would allow the City to continue using specialized executive recruitment services for critical leadership positions while HRM establishes new contracts through a competitive solicitation process.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On June 3, 2022, the City concluded an RFP process for executive recruitment services. The City subsequently entered into professional services agreements with five firms: Ralph Andersen & Associates; The Hawkins Company; Cooperative Personnel Services, d.b.a. CPS HR Consulting; Baker Tilly Advisory Group Parent, LP; and The Byers Group CA, Inc. Each agreement initially authorized expenditures of up to $250,000.00, with agreements executed between October 2022 and January 2023.
On March 13, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 90667 C.M.S., authorizing amendments to the agreements with Ralph Andersen & Associates, The Hawkins Company, and CPS HR Consulting to extend their terms.
The current agreement terms, funding levels, and remaining balances for the three firms are as follows:
Ralph Andersen & Associates: The agreement runs from January 3, 2023, through January 2, 2027, with approximately $14,000.00 remaining under the current $250,000.00 authorization.
The Hawkins Company: The agreement expired on October 2, 2026, with approximately $218,000.00 remaining under the current $250,000.00 authorization.
Cooperative Personnel Services, d.b.a. CPS HR Consulting: The agreement runs from January 3, 2023, through January 2, 2027, with approximately $80,000.00 remaining under the current $250,000.00 authorization.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Executive recruitment firms provide specialized services to identify and recruit qualified candidates for executive, senior-level, and highly specialized City positions. These services support the City's ability to conduct targeted recruitment efforts and attract candidates with the experience and qualifications needed for critical leadership roles.
Although HRM holds these contracts, they are for citywide use; that is, any City department may use the executive recruitment firms to fill its executive and senior-level vacancies. Recruitment services are requested and paid for by the department filling the position, using that departments own budget.
HRM is preparing to issue an RFP by the end of calendar year 2026 to establish new contracts for executive recruitment services. Extending the three agreements through August 31, 2027, Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Executive Recruitment Agreement Amendment
Date: October 10, 2026 Page 3
Finance and Management Committee
October 27, 2026
would provide continuity of access to these services while the City completes the solicitation process.
The proposed amendments are as follows:
1. Ralph Andersen & Associates: Extend the agreement through August 31, 2027, and increase the not-to-exceed amount by $200,000.00, from $250,000.00 to $450,000.00.
Ralph Andersen & Associates is currently supporting the Constitutional Policing Administrator recruitment and is expected to assist with the City Administrator recruitment.
Additional contract authority would support these anticipated recruitment needs.
2. The Hawkins Company: Extend the agreement through August 31, 2027, and increase the not-to-exceed amount by $100,000.00, from $250,000.00 to $350,000.00. The Hawkins Company is currently assisting with the Head Start Director and Budget Administrator recruitments and has been retained to assist with the Director of Human Services recruitment. Additional contract authority would support these anticipated recruitment needs.
3. Cooperative Personnel Services, d.b.a. CPS HR Consulting: Extend the agreement through August 31, 2027, with no increase to the $250,000.00 not-to-exceed amount. The agreement has approximately $80,000.00 remaining, and the proposed amendment would provide additional time to use the existing contract authority.
The recommended action would preserve the City's ability to engage executive recruitment services for critical vacancies while HRM completes the competitive solicitation process.
Alternatively, the City Council could decline to approve the amendments, which could limit the City's ability to use these firms for upcoming executive recruitment needs under the existing agreements.
WAIVER RATIONALE
A waiver of the competitive RFP/Q process and the L/SLBE Program requirements is necessary to amend these agreements. All three firms were selected through a competitive RFP completed in June 2022, and the amendments do not change the scope of services. The amendments extend the agreements, and add contract authority for two firms, while HRM issues a new RFP by the end of calendar year 2026. The waivers would keep these services in place for active and upcoming executive recruitments. The new RFP will follow the full competitive process and the L/SLBE Program requirements.
RELATED PLANNING EFFORTS
This agenda item is a routine administrative matter and does not directly relate to a specific City of Oakland strategic planning effort.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Executive Recruitment Agreement Amendment
Date: October 10, 2026 Page 4
Finance and Management Committee
October 27, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed amendments would increase the not-to-exceed amount for Ralph Andersen & Associates by $200,000.00, from $250,000.00 to $450,000.00, and for The Hawkins Company by $100,000.00, from $250,000.00 to $350,000.00. The term of the agreement with CPS HR Consulting would be extended without an increase to its $250,000.00 not-to-exceed amount.
The amendments would authorize a combined additional $300,000.00 in contract capacity for Ralph Andersen & Associates and The Hawkins Company. Actual expenditures would depend on the recruitment services requested and performed. Recruitment costs are funded by the departments requesting the services, subject to available appropriations. The not-to-exceed amounts are total contract capacity, and each department charges its recruitment costs against that capacity as it uses the services, using that departments own funding string.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
There are no public outreach opportunities associated with this report beyond publication of the agenda on the Citys website.
COORDINATION
Development of this report was coordinated with internal staff in the Human Resources Management Department, Finance Department, and Office of the City Attorney.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Ralph Andersen & Associates, The Hawkins Company, and Cooperative Personnel Services, d.b.a. CPS HR Consulting, have provided executive recruitment services to support the Citys recruitment of executive and specialized positions. Ralph Andersen & Associates is currently assisting with the Constitutional Policing Administrator recruitment and is expected to assist with the City Administrator recruitment. The Hawkins Company is currently assisting with the Head Start Program Director and Budget Administrator recruitments and has been retained to begin the Human Services Director recruitment.
HRM will review documented information regarding completed and current recruitment assignments, services provided, and contract utilization to evaluate vendor performance and support the requested extensions and additional contract authority. During the extension period, HRM will continue to monitor recruitment assignments, review invoices against services rendered, and track expenditures and remaining contract balances to ensure appropriate use of contract resources. HRM will also conduct a competitive RFP process to establish new contracts for executive recruitment services.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Executive Recruitment Agreement Amendment
Date: October 10, 2026 Page 5
Finance and Management Committee
October 27, 2026
RACE AND EQUITY
Executive recruitment firms conduct targeted outreach to identify qualified candidates from a broad range of professional backgrounds and networks. Access to specialized recruitment services can help the City reach candidates who might not otherwise apply through traditional recruitment processes. These services support the City's efforts to promote equitable access to employment opportunities and recruit qualified leaders who reflect the community the City serves.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Amend The Professional Services Agreements With (1) Ralph Andersen & Associates To Extend The Agreement Term Through August 31, 2027, And Increase The Not-To-Exceed Amount By Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00), From Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) To Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00); (2) The Hawkins Company To Extend The Agreement Term Through August 31, 2027, And Increase The Not-ToExceed Amount By One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00), From Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) To Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00); And (3) Cooperative Personnel Services, D.B.A. CPS HR Consulting To Extend The Agreement Term Through August 31, 2027; And
(B) Waiving The Competitive Request For Proposal/Qualifications (RFP/Q) And The Local/Small Local Business Enterprise Program Requirement
For questions regarding this report, please contact MARY HAO, DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
Respectfully submitted,
MARY HAO
Director, Human Resources Management
Department
Prepared by:
Amber Lytle, Human Resources Manager
Reviewed by:
Lara Williams, Administrative Services Manager
Personnel Administration