RFP RBAA 2026-0214_Background Check Polygraph Services_CSP (2).pdf

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Request for Proposal (RFP) #: RBAA 2026-0214 Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT

Request for Proposals

RFP RBAA 2026-0214

Background Check Polygraph Services

April 20, 2026

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RFP Summary Sheet

The information found in this summary sheet is for reference purposes only. Vendors or other interested parties are cautioned to review the solicitation, including any later amendments, in its entirety and contact the listed Point of Contact with any questions.

1. Point of Contact- Matt Erskine cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us

2. Important Dates:

A. Publication Date- April 20, 2026

B. Written Inquiries Deadline – May 01, 2026, at 2:00 PM

C. Responses To Vendors’ Written Inquires – May 05, 2026

D. Proposal Submission Deadline - May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM

3. Overview and Goals:

The Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), Colorado State Patrol, is seeking qualified Offerors for assistance with performing pre-employment polygraphs in accordance with industry standards.

4. Qualifications and Requirements:

A. See Exhibit A - Statement of Work

5. Requested Proposal Format- Additional Information found in Section 5

6. Proposal Submission Instructions- page 7, section 5.

A. Responses must be submitted through Colorado VSS. Emailed proposals are not accepted.

B. Ensure all requested attachments are included.

C. Responses received after the submission deadline shall not be opened and shall be rejected as a late response, unless otherwise permitted by the procurement official in accordance with Procurement Rule R-24-103-201-10.

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1. INTRODUCTION

A. General Information

On behalf of the State of Colorado, the Department of Public Safety (CDPS) is issuing this Request for Proposals for Colorado State Patrol (CSP) Polygraph

Services.

B. Background

The Colorado Department of Public Safety, Executive Director’s Office (EDO), is pleased to submit this solicitation for assistance with performing pre-employment polygraphs in accordance with industry standards.

C. Overview and Goals

The Colorado Department of Public Safety is seeking a company experienced in working with law enforcement organizations in providing pre-employment polygraph exams. Please refer to Exhibit A - Statement of Work (SoW) for additional details and requirements.

D. Sole Point of Contact

i. The State’s sole point of contact for this solicitation is Matt Erskine, Deputy

Director of Purchasing and Contracts, who may be reached via email at cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us.

ii. Because phone lines may not be consistently monitored, email is the preferred method of communication. The individual listed above is the sole point of contact for this solicitation. Initiating contact with anyone other than this individual may result in Offeror disqualification.

E. Schedule of Activities

i. This Schedule of Activities is for information and planning purposes only.

Schedules for Activities listed as “Estimated” may be subject to change depending on the needs of the State. All times are considered in Mountain

Time (MT), as adjusted for daylight savings.

iii. The date of publication for this solicitation on Colorado VSS is April 20, 2026.

http://cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT

a. Written inquiries must be submitted to cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us no later than 2:00 PM May 01, 2026.

b. The estimated date for the State’s responses to vendors’ written inquiries to be published on Colorado VSS is May 05, 2026.

c. All proposals must be submitted in the method described below no later than 2:00 PM May 20, 2026.

d. A public opening of the proposals will be held at meet.google.com/ito-kcjs-wqa at 3:00 PM on May 20, 2026.

e. The estimated date for the publication of an Intent to Award on

Colorado VSS is May 26, 2026.

F. Start Date

The desired Contract or Purchase Order start date is July 01, 2026.

G. Anticipated Contract Term

i. The initial term of the awarded Contract is anticipated to begin on July 01, 2026, and end on June 30, 2027. This Contract may be renewed for up to four

(4) years. Additional one-year periods at the sole discretion of the State. The total duration of the Contract, including all options, is not anticipated to exceed five (5) years.

iv. The State may extend the Contract beyond the anticipated term in accordance with the Colorado Procurement Code, and in the event that the

State determines an extension is necessary.

v. The State may, within its sole discretion, choose not to exercise any option or extension term in the Contract for any reason. If the State chooses not to exercise any option or extension term, it may re-procure the goods and/or services in its sole discretion.

2. OFFEROR’S EXPERIENCE AND PERSONNEL

A. Organizational Experience

i. Experience working with law enforcement professionals performing pre-mailto:cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT employment polygraphs.

ii. Examiners will utilize equipment that is properly calibrated and in good working order.

iii. Experience with interview and interrogation techniques and behavioral / linguistic analysis.

iv. Communication skills and accessibility awareness.

v. Ability to work as part of a collaborative team with the CDPS Human

Resources, Executive Director/Deputy Executive Director, and appointing authorities within each CDPS Division.

B. Organizational Personnel

i. Bachelor's degree in criminal justice or related field or a substitution of a combination of experience in law enforcement and/or professional experience performing polygraph exams.

ii. Examiners must have graduated from an education program recognized by the American Polygraph Association or the American Association of Police

Polygraphists.

iii. Completion of continuing education requirements as set forth by the

American Polygraph Association.

3. REQUIREMENTS

A. Accessibility Requirements

i. All work performed as a result of this solicitation must comply with all applicable provisions of §§24-85-101, et seq., C.R.S., and the Accessibility

Standards for Individuals with a Disability, as established by the Office Of

Information Technology pursuant to Section §24-85-103 (2.5), C.R.S. and 3) all

State of Colorado technology standards related to technology accessibility and with Level AA of the most current version of the Web Content

Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), incorporated in the State of Colorado technology standards.

ii. See Exhibit D – Vendor Accessibility Requirements

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT

B. Insurance Requirements

The awarded Offeror will be required to submit a certificate(s) of insurance evidencing insurance coverage for, at minimum, the types and amounts of insurance as required by the Insurance provision in the Contract or Purchase Order

Terms and Conditions, included in this solicitation as an attachment, prior to execution of the Contract or Purchase Order.

C. Mandatory Requirements

i. See Exhibit A - Statement of Work

4. Scope of Work

A. Scope of Work and Deliverables

This Scope of Work describes the deliverables sought through this RFP and the scope of what the awarded Offeror will be expected to offer through the contract resulting from this RFP. The Scope of Work is intended to provide interested

Offeror’s with sufficient basic information to submit a proposal. It is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential data.

i. See Exhibit A - Statement of Work

5. REQUESTED PROPOSAL FORMAT

Proposals should cover the following areas, with an emphasis on how these areas relate to the evaluation criteria listed in this Request for Proposals.

A. Demonstrated Experience and Capabilities

i. Offeror’s Response - Offeror shall describe how the Offeror’s experience and capabilities make it the ideal candidate to perform the work.

a. Please list all exam locations where the exams will be performed.

b. Are you able to travel statewide to conduct polygraph exams outside of the regular exam locations? Please provide details.

c. Please provide a summary of your organization and services to demonstrate how you will be able to meet the requirements of the scope

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT of work, including but not limited to credentials of the examiners, quality assurance practices, customers served, etc.

d. List agencies you currently support or have supported including any law enforcement agencies. If you have not worked with CDPS in the past, please list any point of contacts at the agencies you supported to conduct reference checks.

e. How many polygraphs can your company commit to completing per week and per month for CDPS?

B. Offeror’s Response - Offeror shall indicate key personnel who will be assigned to the project and describe their experience. Reference above for this solicitation regarding the desired organizational personnel.

C. Accessibility Requirements

Offeror’s Response - Offeror shall describe how their proposed solution will meet or exceed the accessibility requirements detailed in this solicitation.

D. Mandatory Requirements

Offeror’s Response - Offeror shall describe how their proposed solution will meet or exceed the mandatory requirements detailed in this solicitation.

E. Technical/Business Proposal

Offeror’s Response - Offeror shall describe how they will accomplish the Scope of

Work detailed in this solicitation.

F. Cost Proposal

The price proposal included and labeled as Exhibit B – Pricing Sheet shall only include information pertaining to the breakdown of pricing. Price proposals shall not be marked confidential.

6. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

A. Evaluation Process

A comprehensive, thorough, complete and impartial evaluation of each proposal received will be conducted in accordance with §24-103-203(7), C.R.S, which

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT states, “The award shall be made to the responsible Offeror whose proposal is determined in writing to be the most advantageous to the state, taking into consideration the price and evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposal.”

B. Evaluation Committee

i. An Evaluation Committee will be established utilizing measures to ensure the integrity of the evaluation process. These measures include the following:

a. Selecting committee members who do not have a conflict of interest regarding this solicitation.

b. Facilitating an independent review of proposals.

c. Requiring the evaluation of the proposals to be based strictly on the content of the proposals.

d. Ensuring the fair and impartial treatment of all Offerors.

vi. The objective of the Evaluation Committee is to conduct reviews of the proposals that have been submitted, to hold frank and detailed discussions among themselves, and to recommend an Offeror for award.

C. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

i. The State will evaluate proposals to determine if each Offeror meets all mandatory qualification requirements; provided, however, that the State has the authority to waive non-material mandatory requirements in certain circumstances. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-103-301-03. The mandatory qualification requirements are scored on a Met/Not Met basis and only those proposals found to meet all mandatory requirements, other than non-material mandatory requirements waived by the State, can be considered for a

Contract resulting from this solicitation.

vii. Proposals will be evaluated by the Evaluation Committee using the evaluation criteria listed below. The evaluators will consider whether the Scope of Work requirements in the solicitation have been addressed, and they will review the capabilities of the Offeror, as well as the quality of the approach

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT proposed, the price, and any other aspect determined relevant to the evaluation criteria.

viii. The evaluation criteria to be used in evaluating the proposals are as follows

(and are listed in no particular order):

a) Qualified examiners utilizing valid and professionally accepted instruments.

b) Well written, comprehensive reports within published Service Level

Agreements (SLAs).

c) Capacity to complete large numbers of polygraphs (30-50 per month).

d) Demonstrated quality of service supporting CDPS or other public and/or law enforcement employers.

e) Ability to travel statewide (strongly preferred).

D. Single proposal

If only one bid or proposal is received in response to a solicitation, an award may be made to the single bidder or offeror if the procurement official finds that the price submitted is fair and reasonable and that other prospective bidders or offerors had reasonable opportunity to respond. Reference Procurement Rule R-

24-103-201-02(d).

E. Award

i. A Notice of Intent to Award will be published on Colorado VSS.

ix. The award determination is ultimately a business decision that will reflect an integrated assessment of the relative merits of the proposals received, using the factors set forth in this solicitation. The State intends to award

Contract(s) to the Offeror(s) whose proposal(s), conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to the State, price and other factors considered.

x. The State reserves the right to award multiple offerors if it is determined to be in the best interest of the State.

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services

Exhibit A - Statement of Work

1. Background

The Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), Executive Director’s Office (EDO), is pleased to submit this solicitation for assistance with performing pre-employment polygraphs in accordance with industry standards.

2. Requirements

A. Performance

a. The vendor will provide personnel to provide pre-employment polygraphs. The scope of work will include:

i. Polygraphs shall be scheduled with the CDPS applicant within two business days after CDPS Human Resources (HR) requests scheduling.

Unless approved by CDPS HR, polygraph examinations should be held and completed within 10 days of the request for scheduling.

ii. CDPS HR will work with the vendor on extension of deadline for scheduling and completion should a large volume of candidates (more than 50 candidates) to up to 4-5 weeks.

iii. Polygraph written report and subsequent analysis and determination of the polygraph exam results, and related audio/video tapes for each polygraph that is performed must be available to CDPS Human Resources within three (3) business days of the performance of the polygraph exam.

iv. Polygraph services shall be available within the Denver Metro service area, with the preferred vendor having ability to provide services in most of the following locations: Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Grand

Junction or travel outside of the Denver Metro area to outlying regions upon request.

v. The vendor will use a testing format, and question battery, that is approved by the Department.

vi. All completed polygraph examinations shall undergo a quality control check by another experienced examiner. The name and date reviewed

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT shall be noted in the printed report prior to sending to CDPS Human

Resources.

vii. Provide testimony or phone consultation to HRS or the Attorney General’s

Office as needed for appeals.

3. Project Assumptions

The following assumptions clarify the scope of this project:

a. Information gained through pre-employment polygraphs is confidential in nature.

Polygraph reports, and audio/video recordings will be submitted to the Human

Resources point of contact, upon request, and will not be otherwise shared without prior approval of the Executive Director or Deputy Executive Director of the CDPS.

b. The successful vendor is expected to submit monthly invoices with the names of the individuals that had a polygraph performed, and the associated Division within CDPS.

4. Designation and Qualification/Experience/Education of Required Personnel

To perform this job successfully, individuals must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The mandatory requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

a. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or related field or a substitution of a combination of professional experience in law enforcement and/or professional experience performing polygraph exams.

b. Examiners must have graduated from an education program recognized by the American Polygraph Association or the American Association of Police

Polygraphists.

c. Completion of continuing education requirements as set forth by the

American Polygraph Association.

d. Experience working with law enforcement professionals performing pre-employment polygraphs.

e. Examiners will utilize equipment that is properly calibrated and in good working order.

f. Experience with interview and interrogation techniques and behavioral / linguistic analysis.

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Project Title: Background Check Polygraph Services Date Due: May 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM MT

g. Strong communication skills and accessibility awareness.

h. Ability to work as part of a collaborative team with the CDPS Human

Resources, Executive Director/Deputy Executive Director, and appointing authorities within each CDPS Division.

5. Work Location and Environment

Polygraphs will be performed at the physical location of the vendor.

Should a vendor travel statewide to accommodate an exam, the polygraph vendor will secure a testing site.

6. Billing

Monthly billing is preferred and invoices are to be sent to: cdps_hr@state.co.us.

7. Vendor Selection

Staff from the Department of Public Safety will select the best response based upon the criteria established for the qualifications, experience, education, and price. Only qualified individuals will be considered. Interviews may be conducted and references may be checked.

The Department intends to issue a purchase order for this project, and the terms and conditions of a state of Colorado purchase order will apply.

mailto:cdps_hr@state.co.us