DATE: April 28, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Margaret Mims, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with Lexipol, LLC.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstances for Law Enforcement Policy Manual and Daily Training bulletin subscription services used by the Sheriff’s Office; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Retroactive Agreement with Lexipol, LLC., for subscription services effective April 1, 2020, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $249,680.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions will allow for the continuation of comprehensive law enforcement policy manual and daily training bulletin subscription services for the Sheriff’s Office. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should you Board not approve the recommended actions, the Sheriff’s Office would revert back to utilizing administrative personnel to update the policy manual. Daily training bulletins would not be available.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The Sheriff’s Office requests your Board waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 under unusual or extraordinary circumstances exception as Lexipol, LLC (Lexipol) is uniquely qualified to provide a comprehensive law enforcement policy manual and daily training bulletin subscription services. The County has contracted with Lexipol since March of 2015. Lexipol is the leading provider of risk management resources for public safety organizations, establishing a unique set of risk management tools by integrating agency-specific, customized policy manuals with daily training bulletin services accessed through web browser to provide clear communication and concise policy guidance to department staff members. Lexipol provides the Sheriff’s Office a unique capability of establishing and maintaining department specific policies that reflect up-to-date, applicable industry standards and best practices customized for California. The subscription then continues to identify potential policy updates as statues, case law and regulations change. Department policies are then reinforced to staff by daily scenario-based training bulletins. The Internal Services Department Purchasing Division concurs with the Department’s request to waive the competitive bidding process.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended Agreement was finalized on April 16, 2020, and is retroactive to April 1, 2020 due to a delay in negotiations and approval of the agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Adopted FY 2019-20 Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator Org 3111. Ongoing costs for the remaining term of the recommended Agreement will be included in subsequent budget requests. Currently there are no outstanding invoices.
DISCUSSION:
The Sheriff’s Office has a need for a comprehensive policy manual that reflects up-to-date content specific to Federal and to California law, and applicable industry standards and best practices that can be customized to meet the needs of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The Office does not have a dedicated staff or the resources to translate statutes, case law and emerging trends into usable, defensible policy in patrol, investigations, traffic, property, custody or personnel.
The Lexipol program is unique in several ways, and there is no other system that offers the following integration in one package.
Policy Manual Development
Lexipol has created a master policy content which can then be customized by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The Office is prompted through interactive online software to develop Policy Manuals standardized with regulatory requirements yet customized to the Sheriff’s Office unique mission, philosophy and resource availability. Each version of the manual is retrievable from the Lexipol system. This is a resource in defense litigation or personnel matters that call for authenticated copies of policy or training records years after an incident.
Daily Training Bulletins
The training components consists of Daily Training Bulletins, which give the Sheriff’s Office the ability to train and test employees on its policies and procedures. The bulletins consist of a brief scenario illustrating realistic circumstances officers typically encounter. Each scenario is linked to a policy, which puts the policy in an operational context and helps sworn personnel understand why the policy exists and how it applies to their daily tasks. The bulletin includes a brief test, which the officer must pass to be credited with the training. The bulletins can be customized as areas are identified that require additional training. This training component allows for the Sheriff’s Office to track its training by officer, topic or policy, and is archived electronically and can be produced immediately or retrieved years later.
Approval of the recommended actions will execute an agreement with Lexipol for the continuation of comprehensive law enforcement policy manual and daily training bulletin subscription services for the Sheriff’s Office.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #24, March 24, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Lexipol, LLC.
CAO ANALYST:
Yussel Zalapa