Promotional Examination Development and Administration for Tucson Fire Department

The City of Tucson is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors to develop and administer independent promotional testing processes for two positions within the Tucson Fire Department: Fire Captain and Fire Battalion Chief. Offerors may submit responses for Section I (Fire Captain), Section II (Fire Battalion Chief), or both sections based on their expertise and capacity, with each section evaluated independently for award consideration. The scope of work requires contractors to conduct comprehensive job analyses of essential knowledge, skills, and abilities; develop and administer written examinations, oral board interviews, and assessment center processes; provide candidate feedback reports; recruit and train assessors; provide interactive fire simulation operator services; and ensure all testing accommodates Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) requirements. The promotional testing for Fire Captain must emphasize first-line supervisory competencies as defined in the current job description, while testing for Fire Battalion Chief must reflect managerial competencies outlined in the applicable job description. All deliverables, including test materials and job analysis documentation, become the sole property of the Tucson Fire Department, and the contractor assumes legal responsibility for defending examination products at its own expense. Key dates include a pre-submittal meeting on April 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM via Microsoft Teams, a question submission deadline of April 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM, and proposals due May 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM through the City's online bidding portal. The contract term is one year from award, with the City retaining the option to extend for up to four additional one-year periods at its sole discretion.

Contractors must obtain and maintain specified insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Commercial Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), Worker's Compensation (statutory), and Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions ($1,000,000 per claim/$2,000,000 annual aggregate) throughout the contract term and for two years thereafter. Contractors must register with the City's Business Services Department and obtain a City of Tucson Business License or written determination that one is not required. The procurement is subject to multiple federal compliance requirements including Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, which requires minimum benchmarks of 25 percent labor hours by Section 3 workers and 5 percent by targeted Section 3 workers; Federal Transit Administration (FTA) terms and conditions; Equal Employment Opportunity requirements per Executive Order 11246; debarment and suspension verification; and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) compliance provisions. Pricing must be submitted on the provided price sheet with early payment discounts of 21 calendar days or more deducted during evaluation, and the City is exempt from federal excise taxes but subject to state and local sales and excise taxes. No specific award values or budget ranges are disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, the contract structure includes detailed line items for job analysis, examination development and administration components, assessor training and services, assessment center operations, simulator operator services, feedback reports, and USERRA accommodations. No incumbent contractors or existing technology integration requirements are identified in the available documentation.