26-P022R Pre-Employment and Background Check Services

The City of Charleston
Procurement Division
2 George Street, Suite 3600
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
P) 843-724-7312 F) 843-724-7354
www.charleston-sc.gov
Proposal Number: 26-P022R Proposals will be received until: October 15, 2026 @ 12:30pm
Proposal Title: Pre-Employment and Background Check Services
Mailing Date: Sept. 18, 2026 Direct Inquiries to: Robin B. Robinson
Vendor Name: FEIN/SS#:
Vendor Address:
City - State - Zip:
Telephone Number: Fax Number:
Authorized Signature: _____________________________ Title: __________________________
Date: _________________________
I certify that this bid is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a bid
for the same materials, supplies, equipment or services and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I agree to abide by all
conditions of this bid and certify that I am authorized to sign this bid for the bidder. This signed page must be included with bid
submission.
IMPORTANT
1. This solicitation seeks proposals responding to the Scope of Work for Pre-Employment
and Background Check Services. This solicitation does not commit the City of
Charleston to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of
applications submitted, or to procure or contract for the services. The City reserves the
right to accept or reject any, all or any part of any proposal received as a result of this
Solicitation, or to cancel in part or in its entirety this Solicitation if it is in the best interest
of the City to do so. The City shall be the sole judge as to whether proposals submitted
meet all requirements contained in this solicitation.
2. Offeror may mail, or hand-deliver response to the Procurement Division. Do Not Fax in
the proposal response. Please show the solicitation number on the outside of any mailing
package. The City of Charleston assumes no responsibility for unmarked or improperly
marked envelopes. If directing any other correspondence to the Procurement Division
not related to the solicitation, please do not include the solicitation number on the
envelope. If the Bidder chooses not to respond to this solicitation, it is recommended to
return the "No Proposal Response Form" to our office.
3. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFER: Any proposal or offer received after
the Procurement Director or his designee has declared that the time set for opening has
arrived, shall be rejected unless the offer has been delivered to the designated purchasing
office or the governmental bodies' mail room which services that purchasing office prior
to the proposal opening.
4. Questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing to Robin B.
Robinson, no later than 2:00pm on /October 2, 2026 Questions may either be faxed to
843-724-7354 or emailed to Robin B. Robinson, robinsonr@charleston-sc.gov.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION
The City of Charleston is seeking proposals from a single qualified vendor capable of providing
comprehensive pre-employment screening services, including background investigations, drug
testing, physical examinations, and tuberculosis testing for both Department of Transportation
(DOT) and non-DOT positions.
The City currently employs approximately 1,957 employees. During calendar year 2025, the City
processed approximately 285 background screening requests for non-sworn new hires. Actual
annual volumes may vary based on vacancies, employee turnover, volunteer turnover, new
positions, and other workforce factors.
The City seeks a vendor capable of providing accurate, secure, efficient, and timely screening
services to support the City's hiring process. The selected vendor should demonstrate the ability
to streamline recruitment operations, reduce administrative burden, improve compliance, and
provide a user-friendly technology platform with existing integration capabilities with the
Workday Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
PROCUREMENT PROCESS
The RFP (Request for Proposal) is not a bid. In the event the City elects to negotiate a contract
with the successful Vendor, any contract shall contain, at a minimum, the term and conditions (or
substantially the same term and conditions) as hereinafter stated. The City reserves the right, in
its sole discretion, to reject all submissions, reissue a subsequent RFP, terminate, restructure or
amend this procurement process at any time. The final selection and contract negotiation rests
solely with the City.
QUESTIONS
Every effort has been made to insure that all information needed by the Offeror is included
herein; however, questions are allowed and encouraged to clear up any information as described
herein, etc. The City will not accept telephone calls or visits regarding this RFP. All questions
shall be in writing and addressed to: Robin B. Robinson, City of Charleston, Procurement
Division, 2 George Street, Suite 3600, Charleston, South Carolina 29401, or email to:
robinsonr@charleston-sc.gov. Written Questions may also be faxed to: 843-724-7354. All
questions must be received before 2:00pm on October 2, 2026. No interpretation shall be
binding upon the City unless in writing from the City's Corporate Counsel.
ORAL STATEMENTS
No oral statement of any person shall modify or otherwise change, or affect the terms, conditions
or specifications stated in the resulting contract. The City of Charleston shall not be legally
bound by any amendment or interpretation that is not in writing.
NON-ENDORSEMENT
If a Proposal is accepted, the successful Offeror shall not issue any news releases or other
statements pertaining to the award or servicing of the agreement that state or imply the City's
endorsement of the successful Offeror's product or services.
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PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
If an Offeror does not desire proprietary information in the Proposal to be disclosed, the Offeror
shall identify all proprietary information in the Proposal. This identification will be done by
individually marking each page with the words "Proprietary Information" or "Confidential" on
which such proprietary information is found. If the Offeror fails to identify proprietary
information, it agrees that by submission of its Proposal that those sections shall be deemed non-
proprietary and made available upon request through the Freedom of Information Act.
UNAUTHORIZED COMMUNICATIONS
Respondents' contact regarding this RFP with employees or officials of the City of Charleston
will result in disqualification from this procurement process. Any oral communications are
considered unofficial and non-binding with regard to this RFP. The only authorized contacts for
this procurement are any designated Procurement staff.
CONTRACTOR SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR PERFORMANCE
Vendor shall be responsible for the performance of the services required by the contract. Vendor
is an independent contractor and does not act as the City's agent or employee.
DISQUALIFICATION OF OFFERORS
Offerors may be disqualified for any of the following reasons:
* Reason to believe collusion exists among the Offerors
* The Offeror is involved in any litigation against the City
* The Offeror is in arrears on any existing contract or has defaulted on a previous
contract with the City
* Lack of financial stability
* Failure to perform under previous or present contracts with the City
* Is currently debarred by the State of South Carolina Procurement Services
SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT
The Offeror certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are
presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily
excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal, state or local agency. Where the
Offeror is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such Offeror shall attach
an explanation to this proposal.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
The City will rank, based upon the evaluation criteria, all responsible and responsive Vendors.
The City will begin negotiations with the top ranked Vendors and will continue with negotiation
down the ranking until a satisfactory contract with the City is finalized, if any. The terms and
conditions of the contract will be no less advantageous than the provisions of this RFP or the
Vendor's proposal. The City reserves the right to make a partial award or to split the award at its
sole discretion.
CONTRACT TERMS
The initial term of the Agreement shall be for one year. The City reserves the right to extend the
Agreement if the City determines the extension is in its best interest; said extension will be on an
annual basis and shall not exceed four (4) additional one (1) year periods.
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VENDOR'S DUTY TO INSPECT & ADVISE AND DECLARE ALL COSTS
Each Vendor shall become fully acquainted with the City's requirements and the scope of
commodities and/or services to be provided. Vendor shall have a duty to request any
information from the City as it deems necessary to prepare the RFP. No change order will be
granted or additional compensation permitted if based upon information the Vendor knew or
should have known as part of the Vendor's duty to become acquainted with the City's
circumstances and requirements.
RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS
Proposals must be submitted to and received by the City no later than the date and time specified
within this RFP. Offerors mailing proposals should allow a sufficient mail delivery period to
insure timely receipt (12:30pm on October 15, 2026) of their proposal by the City. Proposals
received after the scheduled due date and time will not be considered. Proposals must be
completed and delivered in sufficient time to avoid disqualification for lateness due to
difficulties in delivery. The time and date stamp clock in the City Procurement Division is the
official clock for determining whether submittals are submitted on time. The City of Charleston
is not responsible for delays in the delivery of mail by the U.S. Postal Service or private couriers.
It is the responsibility solely of the Offerors to ensure that its proposal reaches the City of
Charleston Procurement Division, by the designated date and time. Proposals received after the
scheduled due date and time will not be considered.
Late Proposal documents will not be accepted under any circumstances.
PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
To assure similarity in proposal presentation and allow the Selection Committee to easily
compare competing proposals, Offerors shall include, in the order described, the material
indicated below. It is not the intent of the City of Charleston to constrain Offerors with regard to
content, but to assure that the specific requirements set for in this RFP are addressed in a uniform
manner amenable to Evaluation and Selection Committee review. Offerors may include
additional information sections or appendices if desired, to present additional pertinent
information. Offerors should submit information in a concise and responsive manner for every
requirement. Non-responsive or incomplete submittals or inability to meet City requirements set
forth may lead to disqualification of the Offeror's submittal.
Only information presented in the Proposal will be used to evaluate the submittals.
Responses shall be completed in accordance with the requirements in the RFP. Statements
made by an Offeror shall be without ambiguity, and with adequate elaboration, where
necessary, for clear understanding.
Specific Requirements
Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the City may properly evaluate
the Offeror's capabilities to provide the required services. Offerors are required to submit the
following items as a complete proposal:
Complete response to RFP, signed, completed and submitted as required with a
detailed outline and description of proposal, including a list of standard limitations and
exclusions.
A narrative summary of all the deviations from the specifications. The detailed explanation
and description of price quotation deviations should be submitted.
The submission of the Price Quotations.
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Sealed package marked on the outside with the Offeror's name, address, and the solicitation
number.
All submittal forms.
PROPOSAL FORMAT
Proposals are to be prepared in a manner design to provide the Selection Committee with a
straightforward presentation of the capability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP.
All documentation submitted with the proposal shall be in a single volume. Documentation must
be on 8 12 x 11 pages.
Include the following items:
o RFP Cover Page listing title of project, RFP number, date of submittal, and name of company
o List of lead contact(s) for the City
o List of Qualifications and References: Provide at least four references for comparable
services, including municipal or other public-sector experience. References should represent
current or recently completed contracts whenever possible. References are provided with
accurate and up-to-date contact information. *Reference form is provided.
o Acknowledgement of any issued Addenda
o Proposal must be signed by an official authorized by the vendor's company to contractually
bind the vendor.
RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION
To assure similarity in proposal presentation and allow the evaluation team to easily compare
competing proposals, Offerors shall include, in the order described, the material indicated below.
It is not the intent of the City to constrain Offerors with regard to content, but to assure that the
specific requirements set forth in this RFP are addressed in a uniform manner amenable to
Evaluation and Selection Committee review. Offerors may include additional sections or
appendices if desired, to present additional pertinent information. Offerors should submit
information in a concise and responsive manner for every requirement and every question. Non-
responsive or incomplete answers to information requests and/or City requirements may lead to
disqualification of the Offeror's submittal.
REQUIRED FORMS AND SIGNATURE PAGES
Offerors shall include as an appendix, all ancillary forms required in this Request for Proposal
(RFP). Required forms include, but are not limited to the following:
* RFP Cover Page
* Certificate of Familiarity
* Any Addenda
COMPLETION OF REPONSES
Only information presented in the Proposal will be used to evaluate the services that best fits the
needs of the City.
Responses shall be completed in accordance with the requirements of this RFP. Statements
made by an Offeror shall be without ambiguity, and with adequate elaboration, where necessary,
for clear understanding.
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QUANTITY AND IDENTIFICATION OF PROPOSALS SUBMITTED
Each vendor must submit the following:
o One (1) original un-bound, single-sided Proposal labeled as "ORIGINAL"
o Four (4) bound, double-sided Proposals
o One (1) electronic copy on a flash drive. Please have submittal on flash drive divided
into two documents: 1) the proposal; and 2) the cost.
o The Vendor must mark on the envelope or box containing the proposal the follow
information: "26-P022R Pre-Employment and Background Check Services"
o Note the RFP identification number on the outside of the envelope or box
o All Proposals, including original, copies and the flash drive, shall be submitted together
in one envelope or box
o Proposals must be submitted by mail or hand delivered to City of Charleston,
Procurement Division, 2 George Street, Suite 3600, Charleston, SC 29401, ATTN: #26-
P022R.
No more than one proposal may be submitted by any Vendor.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS
An Evaluation and Selection Committee will be established to evaluate the Proposals and select a
proposal which represents the best value to the City. The Evaluation and Selection Committee
will be comprised of City personnel and any other persons as designated by the City. This
Committee will determine the responsiveness and acceptability of each proposal. The
Evaluation and Selection Committee may request additional information from Offerors.
The City will conduct a comprehensive, fair and impartial evaluation of all Proposals received in
response to this RFP. Each Proposal received will first be analyzed to determine overall
responsiveness and completeness to this RFP. Each Proposal will then be evaluated based on
each of the criteria as outlined in Proposal Evaluation Criteria Factors, and after which identified
as either reasonably qualified or unqualified. A Proposal may be declared unqualified if it
clearly fails to demonstrate, in any of the listed areas, a standard that the City believes necessary
to meet the requirements set forth in this RFP.
Following their review of all submitted Proposals, the Selection Committee may select a shortlist
of the highest ranked reasonably-qualified Offerors. Shortlisted Offerors will be invited to
present their Proposal to the Evaluation and Selection Committee.
After the proposals are evaluated, the City will determine whether formal presentations and
interviews are necessary, and if so, which vendors may be invited to make a formal presentation
and/or sit for a panel interview. The City may choose not to require formal presentations or
interviews. The City may choose to contact officials from other jurisdictions regarding the
vendor, their prior work experience and their ability to successfully complete the scope of
services. The City may request clarification or additional information from a specific vendor in
order to assist in the City's evaluation of a proposal. Finally, the City may require changes in the
scope of services as deemed necessary by the City, before execution of the contract.
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PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA FACTORS
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following factors. The City reserves the right to
consider any other information deemed relevant to the evaluation process.
Criteria Factors
Facility Locations and Hours of Operation
* Proximity to City facilities and employees
* Number of available service locations
* Hours of operation - to include weekend hours and testing availability past 5:00pm
* Availability of appointments
* Online appointment capability
* Ability to accommodate urgent or time-sensitive requests
Experience and Past Performance
The vendor's experience providing similar services to both public and private sector
organizations, including:
* Municipal government experience
* Public-sector client references
* Private-sector client references
* Years in business
* Demonstrated history of successful service delivery
Health Screenings: Qualifications of Physicians and Staff
The qualifications, certifications, experience, and expertise of personnel who will provide
services under the contract include:
* Board certifications
* Occupational medicine experience
* Medical Review Officer (MRO) credentials
* Clinical staff qualifications
* Availability of backup personnel
Background / Health Screening:
* Turnaround-Time - Vendor should provide requested information within forty-eight
(48) hours as the standard practice. When the City specifies a three business day
deadline, the Vendor must meet that deadline. In all other cases, the Vendor must
respond no later than five (5) business days after receiving the request, unless the City
approves an extension due to extenuating circumstances.
* If additional investigative services are requested, the vendor shall provide estimated
turnaround times and associated costs before work is initiated.
* Online Support/Customer Service - Customer Service staff should be courteous and
capable of answering questions. Vendor should have online support that is able to
help the City during the data entry period.
* Minimum Experience - Vendor must have been in business for a minimum of three
(3) years providing background screening services on a nationwide basis, public
sector experience preferred.
* Professional Membership - Vendor must provide details regarding membership in
professional organizations, such as the Professional Background Screening
Association (PBSA) and provide details as to the benefit of these organizations.
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* Past Performance/Experience - Provide at least four references for comparable
services, including municipal or other public-sector experience. References should
represent current or recently completed contracts whenever possible. References are
provided with accurate and up-to-date contact information. *Reference form is
provided.
Technology and Record Management Capabilities
The vendor's demonstrated ability to effectively manage:
* Electronic records
* Secure data transmission
* Billing and invoicing
* Reporting and analytics
* Workday HRIS integration capabilities
The quality, flexibility, and accessibility of reporting tools, including:
* Online access to results
* Standard and customized reports
* Export capabilities
* Audit and tracking functionality
* Timeliness of reporting
Cost Proposal
The competitiveness and completeness of the vendor's pricing proposal, including:
* Itemized pricing for all services
* Administrative fees
* Pass-through costs
* Optional services
* Overall value to the City
It is the Offeror's responsibility to effectively communicate their qualifications, services, and
products to the City by thoroughly responding to each requirement contained in this RFP.
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Pre-Employment Screening Services:
Background Investigations, Drug Testing, Physical Examinations, & Tuberculosis Testing
Introduction
The City of Charleston is seeking proposals from a single qualified vendor capable of providing
comprehensive pre-employment screening services, including background investigations, drug
testing, physical examinations, and tuberculosis testing for both Department of Transportation
(DOT) and non-DOT positions.
The City currently employs approximately 1,957 employees. During calendar year 2025, the City
processed approximately 285 background screening requests for non-sworn new hires. Actual
annual volumes may vary based on vacancies, employee turnover, volunteer turnover, new
positions, and other workforce factors.
The City seeks a vendor capable of providing accurate, secure, efficient, and timely screening
services to support the City's hiring process. The selected vendor should demonstrate the ability
to streamline recruitment operations, reduce administrative burden, improve compliance, and
provide a user-friendly technology platform with existing integration capabilities with the
Workday Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
SECTION I
Background Investigation Services
Scope of Services
Vendors must provide comprehensive background investigation services that meet or exceed the
requirements outlined below. Each background investigation shall include a detailed report
summarizing all findings and identifying any issues relevant to the City's hiring standards. The
City conducts background investigations for candidates applying for various positions.
Background screenings may include verification of any or all of the following:
1. Credit Report
a. Credit history review, when applicable to the position.
2. Social Security Number Trace and Address Verification
a. Verification of Social Security Number (SSN).
b. Identification of name variations, including maiden, married, divorced, and prior
names.
c. Identification of associated current and former addresses.
d. Date of birth verification.
e. Searches shall include up to five (5) associated names in applicable states of
residence.
3. Criminal and Civil Records Search
a. Searches shall include records from entire history when available.
4. Federal Criminal Records Search
a. Searches shall include records from entire history when available.
b. Conducted through applicable Federal District Courts.
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Includes federal offenses such as, but not limited to:
* Bank robbery
* Embezzlement
* Tax evasion
* Mail fraud
* Interstate criminal offenses
5. Civil Suits and Judgments
a. Federal, state, and county-level civil litigation searches based on current and prior
residences, when requested.
6. National Sex Offender Registry Search
a. Search of applicable national and state sex offender databases.
7. Statewide Criminal Records Search
a. Search of statewide criminal databases, court systems, state law enforcement
agencies, or administrative offices of the courts.
b. Includes felony and misdemeanor records.
c. Searches shall include current and prior residences and up to five (5) associated
names.
8. County Criminal Records Search
a. County-level felony and misdemeanor arrest and conviction records.
b. Searches shall include current and prior residences and up to five (5) associated
names.
9. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Check
a. SLED criminal history review, when applicable.
10. Motor Vehicle Records (MVR)
a. Driver license verification and driving history for all states in which the applicant
has held a license during the previous ten (10) years.
11. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Search
a. Review of applicable terrorism and sanctions databases.
12. Education Verification
a. Verification of degrees, diplomas, certifications, licenses, and other educational
credentials.
13. Employment Verification
a. Verification of last 4 employers, including their current employer with candidate
written approval
14. DOT Pre-Employment Screening
a. DOT Clearinghouse
b. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and DOT-required
background checks and verifications.
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