Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 20, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: MEDICAL CLINIC SERVICES
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to exercise the first two-year option term to the Medical Clinic Services Bench Contract Nos. PS70268000 through PS70268005 (Attachment A) in the amount of $3,182,103, including $797,900, to support the onboarding of police officers and public safety dispatchers within Metro’s Department of Public Safety (DPS), increasing the cumulative contract value from $6,833,016 to $10,015,119 and extend the period of performance from March 1, 2026 through February 29, 2028 to continue to provide medical examination and drug and alcohol testing services for Metro safety-sensitive employees and job candidates.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro conducts medical fitness examinations and drug and alcohol specimen collections/testing for both employees and job candidates in compliance with requirements set forth by multiple regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Continued access to these medical examination services is necessary to maintain compliance with these requirements. Exercising the first option term will ensure uninterrupted delivery of these essential evaluations and testing services. The current five-year base contract is set to expire on February 28, 2026. The first two-year option will extend the contracts through February 28, 2028.
In addition, the recent establishment of the DPS introduces a new category of job candidates and employees, specifically, police officers and public safety dispatchers, who will require comprehensive medical fitness evaluations, including drug and alcohol testing. These evaluations include physical assessments aligned with California POST requirements, as well as routine and random drug and alcohol testing, in accordance with USDOT/FTA regulations and Metro policy. To ensure compliance with these requirements, additional contract authority is needed under Metro’s existing Medical Clinic Services contracts to provide the necessary services for incoming DPS candidates.
Background
BACKGROUND
Under Metro’s Fitness for Duty Policy (HR 29), medical fitness examinations are conducted to ensure that employees and job candidates are fully capable of safely performing the essential job functions of their positions. In addition, under Metro’s Drug and Alcohol-Free Work Environment Policy (HR 46), drug and alcohol testing is administered to all safety-sensitive employees and job candidates in compliance with FTA regulations (49 CFR Part 655). These examinations follow the procedures established under USDOT regulations 49 CFR Part 40, as amended. In 2024, Metro performed approximately 2,100 pre-employment medical examinations and 10,900 drug and alcohol screenings for employees in physically demanding and/or safety-sensitive positions. Additionally, Metro exercises its discretion to conduct incident-based drug and alcohol testing for non-safety-sensitive employees, using the same federally prescribed procedures.
To further reinforce Metro’s commitment to public safety, the Board approved the creation of the DPS on June 27, 2024. The DPS is designed to enhance rider security, reduce emergency response times, and strengthen public confidence in Metro’s expanding transit system. In alignment with POST requirements and Metro’s standards of safety, professionalism, and performance expectations, all candidates for police officer and public safety dispatcher positions are required to successfully complete the comprehensive pre-employment medical fitness evaluations and drug and alcohol testing. The establishment of DPS has created the need for additional authority to support the hiring process of police officers and public safety dispatchers. The original funding for the medical clinic services contracts was awarded in March 2021 and did not include DPS when it was approved.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Starting in 2026, the six clinics on the medical clinic services contracts, Concentra Medical Centers - Los Angeles, Concentra Medical Centers -Commerce, Concentra Medical Centers - Van Nuys, Agile Occupational Medicine - Glendale, Agile Occupational Medicine - Mission Hills, and CareOnSite, Inc., will also provide these services for the recruitment and hiring of the DPS candidates. During the current contract term, the medical clinic services contractors have consistently met or exceeded expectations by promptly resolving any performance issues to ensure high-quality service. This proven performance provides a high level of confidence in their ability to continue delivering critical medical examinations and testing services without interruption. Executing the first two-year option term and increasing the contract authority will ensure a seamless transition to continue providing these services, including DPS candidates.
Department of Public Safety (DPS) - Medical Clinics Support Services
When the existing medical clinic services contracts were awarded, they were scoped based on existing organizational needs and anticipated hiring volumes for Metro’s ongoing operations. At that time, the need to support a large-scale expansion, including the DPS workforce, including police officers and public safety dispatchers, had not yet been identified. Given the scale of the DPS hiring initiative, additional authority is required to cover the increased demand for pre-employment exams and drug and alcohol testing services. As such, Metro is requesting additional authority to the first two-year option term to provide medical exams for DPS recruits. The implementation of the DPS represents a substantial expansion of Metro’s workforce, with an estimated hiring plan of 150 law enforcement personnel per year. This surge in hiring, set to begin in Spring 2026, and over the next several years will significantly increase the demand for Metro’s medical examination and drug and alcohol testing.
Beyond DPS hiring, Metro must maintain uninterrupted access to medical fitness examinations and federally mandated drug and alcohol testing for all safety-sensitive employees and job candidates. As Metro continues expanding transit services across Los Angeles County, annual hiring volumes are projected to increase, creating ongoing demand for these services. By exercising the first two-year option term now, Metro reduces the risk of service disruption, procurement delays, or coverage gaps that could result from vendor changes such as mergers, acquisitions, or temporary clinic closures.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The medical services contracts provide the capability for Metro to meet state and federal requirements for fitness for duty examinations, including POST-required physicals that support DPS as well as FTA mandated drug and alcohol testing under the USDOT, ensuring improved safety for employees, patrons and the public.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for the medical services contracts is allocated to multiple departments including the Chief People Office in cost center 2311, Well-Being Services, under project 100001, General Overhead and in the Department of Public Safety, cost center 2617, under project 380008. In FY26, funding in the amount of $662,776 is included in cost center 2311 and $133,600 in cost center 2617 for medical clinic services. Since this is a multi-year contract, the cost center manager in the Chief People Office in coordination with the Department of Public Safety will be responsible for budgeting medical clinic services costs in the Chief People Office cabinet for future years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds for this contract is General Overhead and Operating funds, comprised of Federal, State and local funds. These funds are eligible for bus and rail operating costs.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
This contract supports the delivery of safe and equitable transit service by ensuring that all employees and job candidates in safety-sensitive positions are assessed through fair, consistent, and job-related medical fitness examinations and drug and alcohol testing. These practices uphold both safety and equity by applying uniform standards that protect the well-being of Metro employees and customers, promote a workplace free from discrimination, and ensure equal opportunity for all qualified individuals to perform their duties safely and effectively.
At the time of solicitation, the Diversity & Economic Opportunity Department did not establish a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal for this procurement due to the lack of subcontracting opportunities.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled _Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit. * Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. While this item does not directly encourage taking transit, sharing a ride, or using active transportation, it is a vital part of Metro operations, as it provides support services ensuring that employees and job candidates are fully capable of safely performing the essential job functions of their positions. Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets were designed to build on the success of existing investments, and this item aligns with those objectives.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports Strategic Plan Goal #5: To provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy guidance within the Metro Organization; Initiative 5.6: As Metro will foster and maintain a strong safety culture for all. By approving this recommendation Metro will be able to ensure the safety of the public in addition to Metro’s patrons and employees.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve the recommendation to increase contract authority and exercise the first two-year option term of the medical services contracts. However, this is not recommended because Metro does not have specialized staff that can perform these examinations, nor does Metro have the facility and equipment that meet regulatory and certification standards. Failure to comply with POST requirements would render Metro’s police officers under the DPS, legally uncertified, thereby prohibiting them from exercising essential law enforcement powers such as making arrests and carrying firearms as required under state law. Furthermore, failure to remain compliant with mandatory requirements from the FTA, USDOT, DMV, and Cal/OSHA, may compromise Metro’s funding.
If the Board does not approve increasing contract authority in support of the DPS, Metro would lack the budgetary means required to support recruitment efforts and ensure uninterrupted access to essential medical fitness examinations and federally mandated drug and alcohol testing for various safety-sensitive job classifications, including DPS candidates.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will exercise the first two-year option term to the Medical Clinic Services Bench Contract to support the onboarding of police officers and public safety dispatchers within Metro’s Department of Public Safety (DPS), and extend the period of performance from March 1, 2026 through February 29, 2028 to continue to provide medical examination and drug and alcohol testing services for Metro safety-sensitive employees and job candidates.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Medical Clinic Services Contractors
Attachment B - Procurement Summary
Attachment C - Contract Modification/Change Order Log
Attachment D - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Shinina Butler, Deputy Executive Officer, Human Resources, (213) 465-5947
Nancy Saravia, Deputy Executive Officer, Administration, (213) 922-1217
Mary Ahumada, Director, Human Resources, (213) 922-7172
Marisa King, Principal Human Resources Analyst, (213) 922-2734
Carolina Coppolo, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213) 922-4471
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Dawn Jackson-Perkins, Chief People Officer, (213) 418-3166
William Scott, Chief of Police & Emergency Management,
(213) 922-5448
