The California Government Operations Agency’s (GovOps) Office of Digital Innovation (ODI), created as one of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s earliest proposals upon taking office last year, is seeking “an individual or organization … to assist in the recruitment and hiring of professional digital service experts,” it said in a request for proposal (RFP) issued Thursday. Among the takeaways:
- Officially established July 1, 2019, with the approval of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 state budget, ODI’s staff is made up of “a mix of full-time, permanent staff and a variety of contractors, special consultants and interagency agreements” plus state partners. ODI expects to recruit for “a minimum of five positions per quarter over the next 12 months” and needs outside assistance in meeting that goal: “The state hiring process is lengthy and as we pivot to hiring permanent full-time employees, ODI has an immediate need for recruitment services until such time as a permanent recruitment team is hired.”
- The successful contractor’s duties would include identifying and evaluating candidates and creating a pipeline for them, as well as screening their history and qualifications “against requirements of open roles,” according to the RFP. Using job duty statements, the contractor selected will be expected to increase the quality of the hiring pool; improve ODI’s time-to-hire; help candidates through the hiring process; and create “processes, procedures and artifacts that help ensure diverse and qualified candidates are hired.” These could include “interview guides, evaluation rubrics and content for outreach and marketing campaigns.”
- The contractor selected must be based in California, have a “basic understanding of government hiring processes”; exhibit a “strategic approach to recruiting both active and passive candidates”; show “understanding and execution of sourcing principles”; and have recent success “attracting and placing digital service experts at scale.” According to the RFP, “experts” is defined to include “mid- to senior-level software engineers, data engineers, product managers, user researchers, interaction designers, service designers and content strategists/writers.” The contractor must have at least five years’ experience managing recruitment and hiring programs for those positions.
- Per the cost proposal worksheet, the contractor chosen “will be contracted for a total amount based on hourly fees not to exceed $200,000 total.” ODI’s funding comes mainly from the state’s General Fund at the direction of Newsom and the Legislature. The contract term is for 12 months beginning Feb. 1, the proposed award date, with the contractor working “independently under the general direction of ODI staff.” ODI may extend the contract on a prorated basis if the project needs more work beyond the initial 12 months. “The extension shall be by mutual agreement between the Contractor and the State,” per the RFP. Questions are due by 5 p.m. Thursday; answers will be posted online by 5 p.m. Dec. 21. Responses are due by 5 p.m. Jan. 11. Committee review of proposals will take place Jan. 13, with candidate interviews scheduled Jan. 15. A notice of intent to award is expected Jan. 18.
