May 5, 2026
Police Department
DATE: May 5, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Tim Simmons, Chief of Police
Subject:
Contract with T Jung Investigations and Steve Blanc
Investigations for Pre-Employment Background
Investigators
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed total three-year not-to-exceed cost of $90,000 for each of the two contracts (a combined not-to- exceed total of $180,000) is included within the approved fiscal year 2025-2026 Police Department budget and will be budgeted accordingly in subsequent fiscal years
(Account String: 01191021-400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Police Department is requesting City Council to
contract with T Jung Investigations and Steve Blanc
Investigations to conduct pre-employment background
investigations for sworn and non-sworn Police
Department applicants over a three-year term.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE contracts with T Jung Investigations and,
separately, Steve Blanc Investigations, to provide
background investigations for Police Department
applicants on an as-needed basis, in an amount not to
exceed $90,000 per vendor over a three-year contract
term of April 15, 2026, to April 15, 2029, with two one- year extension options – Police Department (Chief Tim
Simmons 510-621-1802).
AGENDA
REPORT
May 5, 2026
DISCUSSION:
Background investigations are required by the State of California Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) for all sworn police personnel and communications dispatchers, including police cadets, police rangers, records specialists, and jailers. Additionally, due to the close working relationship with sworn and non-sworn employees, the City of Richmond requires non-sworn staff applicants to also pass the pre-employment background investigation before working at the Police Department. The background investigation assures compliance with all applicable minimum standards for appointment, and screens out applicants who, based on their history or other relevant information, are found unsuitable for the position.
In the past, the Richmond Police Department has conducted its own background investigations; however, in-house background investigations are not only costly (due to union-required overtime pay), but continuing to do so will also keep the already short- staffed sworn officers in the office.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was posted on BidsOnline for three weeks in October 2025, during which 951 vendors were automatically notified (Attachments 1 and 2). Five responsive proposals were received. A three-member evaluation panel from the Police Department’s Administration Bureau reviewed and scored the proposals based on the following criteria: experience (up to 50 points), scope of work (up to 30 points), and cost (up to 20 points). Of the five proposals, two met the minimum qualifications and achieved the highest evaluation scores. T Jung Investigations received 100 points, and Steve Blanc Investigations received 90 points (Attachment 3).
Police Department staff recommend that City Council approve three-year contracts with T Jung Investigations and Steve Blanc Investigations for background investigations on an as-needed basis (Attachments 4 and 5).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Request for Proposals
Attachment 2 – BidsOnline Summary Report
Attachment 3 – Rating Matrix
Attachment 4 – Standard Contract with T Jung Investigations Attachment 5 – Standard Contract with Steve Blanc Investigations