TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: On-Site and After-Hours Testing Service
ACTION ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing the General Manager to enter into a six-month extension with Reliable Onsite Testing Services for mobile and after-hours drug and alcohol testing services, from January 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023.
Staff Contact:
Lynette Little, Director of Civil Rights & Compliance
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Safe and Secure Operations
Initiative - Employee Recruitment, Training and Retention
It is the policy of Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District to provide a drug and alcohol free workplace and environment for all employees and patrons. A drug and alcohol free workplace protects the agency’s most valuable resources - its employees, as well as the health and safety of the public.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated value of the current contract from January 1, 2023 through July 31, 2023 is approximately $231,000.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Under the current On-site and After Hours Drug and Alcohol Testing contract 2023-1579, Reliable Onsite Testing Services provides the District with the following services: pre-employment, follow up testing, random testing, reasonable suspicion testing, return to work testing and after accident testing, which includes alcohol screenings and urine specimen collections for AM and PM shifts, weekends and holiday testing needs.
The District’s Alcohol and Substance Abuse Policy, Board Policy 200, requires that all potential new candidates pass a pre-employment alcohol and drug test as a condition of employment.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Transit Administration require existing safety-sensitive employees, and those that transfer to a safety-sensitive position, to submit to random, follow up, reasonable suspicion, after accident and return to work testing as part of the USDOT regulations during AM and PM shifts, weekends and Holidays.
In anticipation of this contract expiring, staff examined the possibility of combining services provided by other contracts but found that no other contracts could cover these essential services. The request for proposals for a permanent contract is in progress; however, staff needs additional time for the procurement process. This necessitates extending the existing contract to cover these vital services.
For all the reasons above, staff proposes to extend the Reliable Onsite Testing Services for six months. If the contract is not extended, the District will be unable to provide required alcohol and drug testing until a new contract is signed.
This extension will help the District to continue to achieve its mission of providing safe and reliable transit services to the communities that we serve.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
An advantage of extending the Drug and Alcohol Testing through the end of July is that this will allow the District to stay in compliance with all applicable federal regulations and Board Policy 200 governing alcohol and drug testing requirements.
Another advantage to extending the contract is it will allow the District ample time to complete the new permanent contract.
There are no identified disadvantages to extending this contract until the procurement process for a new contract can be completed.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
There are no feasible alternatives to the course of action recommended in this report.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Board Policy 200-Alcohol and Substance Abuse Policy
Board Policy 465-Procurment Policy
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Prepared by:
Lynette Little, Director of Civil Rights and Compliance
In Collaboration with:
Michael Silk, Contract Services Manager
Phillip Halley, Acting Drug and Alcohol Program Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Fred Walls, Director of Procurement and Materials
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer
Jill A. Sprague, General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer