96-21917 RESO
RESOLUTION NO.
96-21917
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ISSUE A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND
VALIDATION OF ASSESSMENT CENTERS FOR THE
CLASSIFICATIONS OF FIRE LIEUTENANT AND FIRE
CAPTAIN.
Whereas, the International Association of Firefighters
bargaining unit contract requires that if there are vacancies to be
filled, the City's Human Resources Department shall give the
appropriate tests within no more than six (6) months after the City
Manager's approval; and
Whereas, the City and the International Association of
Firefighters are in agreement that Assessment Centers will be used
as part of the selection processes; and
Whereas, the performance of test validation will help to
protect the City against litigation under Federal law, especially
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Federal Uniform
Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures; and
Whereas, the cost for this project will be charged to the Fire
Department Professional Services Account.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and
City Commission hereby authorize the City Manager to issue a
Request for Proposals for the development and validation of
Assessment Centers for the classifications of Fire Lieutenant and
Fire Captain.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this
20th
day of
March
, 1996.
R.~~ P4A-~
City Clerk, Robert Parcher
F RM APPROVFD
BY~~~
Date :5.... f c:-:-.~_
Attest:
JGP:DRM:TCA:AJG:mar
f:humarovm/commis.res/firelt&c.a96
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA 33139
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO. ~
TO:
Mayor Seymour Gelber and
Memben of the City Commission
DATE:
March 20, 1996
FROM:
Jose Garcia_pedrosa~
City Manager
REQUEST FOR THORIZA TION TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
(RFP) FOR ASS SSMENT CENTER DEVELOPMENT AND VAUDA TION FOR
THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF FIRE LIEUTENANT AND FIRE CAPTAIN.
SUBJECT:
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Mayor and the City Commission authorize the City Manager to issue
the attached Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development and validation of Assessment
Centers for the classifications of Fire Lieutenant and Fire Captain.
BACKGROUND:
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) contract requires that if there are vacancies
to be filled, the City's Human Resources Department shall give the appropriate tests within no more
than six (6) months after the City Manager's approval. The IAFF and the City agreed during the
most recent contract negotiations that Assessment Centers will be used as part of the examination
battery for the upcoming Fire Lieutenant and Fire Captain promotional processes. These
promotional processes will also include Written Tests. The previous examinations consisted of a
Written Test followed by an Oral Test.
On July 28, 1992, the City of Miami Beach entered into a Consent Decree with the United States
Department of Justice (DOJ), in part, because the DOJ alleged that practices used by the City did
not meet criteria set forth in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Uniform Guidelines on
Employee Selection Procedures.
ANALYSIS:
Utilizing validated Assessment Centers as part of the promotional processes for Fire Lieutenant
and Fire Captain will help ensure that the City promotes the most qualified individual(s). In
addition, Assessment Centers tend to have less adverse impact on minorities than Written Tests
AGENDA ITEM
C'.... 'I b
3-2.D- '1k
DATE
March 20, 1996
Page Two
ANALYSIS (Continued):
and, therefore, will enhance the City's ability to achieve diversity in the promotional ranks. This
point is of particular importance as the City has been reporting various statistics (at every rank) to
the DOJ every six (6) months since the Consent Decree went into effect in 1992. The DOJ has put
the City "on notice" that they are looking at our promotional ranks in the Police and Fire
Departments.
During the month of January, 1996, the City successfully utilized validated Assessment Centers
for Sergeant of Police and Lieutenant of Police. This will not only help identify the best candidates
for promotion, but will also help defend the promotional processes if they are ever challenged.
The total cost for the Assessment Centers for Sergeant and Lieutenant of Police was $124,900.
It is expected that the cost for the Fire Department Assessment Centers would be less than
$124,900 because of the lower number of candidates that would be involved in the Fire Lieutenant
and Captain promotional processes. In any event, the cost of the Assessment Centers will be
charged to Fire Department's Professional Services Account.
CONCLUSION:
The City and the International Association of Fire Fighters have a.greed to use validated
Assessment Centers as part of the promotional processes for Fire Lieutenant and Fire Captain.
Utilization of validated Assessment Centers will help the City promote the most qualified candidates
while reducing the risk of litigation and of negatively impacting diversity. Therefore, it is
recommended that the Mayor and City Commission authorize the City Manager to issue a Request
for Proposals for the development and validation of Assessment Centers for the classifications of
Fire L~~~~nant and Fire Captain.
JGP:~:TCA:AJG:aYd
F:HUMNSAlLlCOMMEMOIFIRCL962.SAN
FILE REFERENCE NO.58-95196