darany associates

What darany associates does

Darany Associates is a privately held, Redlands, California-based professional services firm founded in 1994 by Ted Darany that develops validated employment tests and assessment programs exclusively for U.S. public-sector clients. Its product portfolio centers on standardized entry-level selection tests for public safety roles — the DELPOE (peace officer), DELFE (firefighter), Detention/Corrections Officer, and an audio-administered Public Safety Telecommunicator test — each combining cognitive subtests with a proprietary Biodata component and supported by documented criterion-related validity research demonstrating predictive accuracy and reduced adverse impact. The firm also offers a tiered public safety promotional testing line (Standard, Selected Component, and Completely Customized Exam), fully customized assessment development for management, supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical classifications, and validity research services, generating revenue through one-time test licensing and quote-based professional services engagements under multi-year contracts with government agencies.

The firm operates as a four-person boutique (founder Ted Darany plus associates Jennifer French, Christie Jacques, and Kristine Smith) with deep domain pedigree: multiple team members previously led public sector HR at San Bernardino County, managed test development for the State of Michigan and the U.S. Civil Service Commission, and have served as presidents of IPMAAC, WRIPAC, the Personnel Testing Council of Southern California, and the Great Lakes Assessment Council, with two Stephen E. Bemis Memorial Awards between them. Go-to-market is consultative and direct, relying on long-standing relationships, referrals, and professional association presence rather than broad marketing; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is determined per engagement. Customer concentration is distributed across at least 25 U.S. states and a wide mix of municipal, county, and state agencies, with named users including Las Vegas Metro PD, LAPD, Honolulu PD, Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD, Denver Fire, the State of California, Washington State Patrol, and Montana Highway Patrol.

Name

darany associates

Legal name

Darany Associates

Website

https://daranyassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Darany Associates is a privately held, Redlands, California-based firm founded in 1994 that develops validated employment tests and assessment programs — including the DELPOE, DELFE, and related instruments — exclusively for U.S. public-sector agencies hiring peace officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and telecommunicators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety Selection Testing

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Employment Screening & Aptitude Testing (BPACAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Skills Assessment & Talent/Employability Testing Platforms (EDAFADAM), Psychometric Standards, Test Development & Validation Authorities (EDADAFAG)

Keywords

• Public safety testing
• Employee selection assessments
• Psychometric test development
• Pre-employment assessments
• Law enforcement testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Redlands

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Standard Public Safety Tests: Pre-developed, validated entry-level selection tests for peace officer, firefighter, detention/corrections officer, and telecommunicator positions. Sold to agencies with documentation, administration guides, and scoring services.
2. Public Safety Promotional Testing: Tiered promotional testing services including Standard Exam (fixed 100-question format), Selected Component Exam (customizable), and Completely Customized Exam (fully tailored). Includes examination booklets, administration instructions, answer sheets, and results scoring.
3. Customized Test Development: Partnership-based development of custom assessment products for management, supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical classifications. Services include written tests, evaluations of training and experience, oral examinations, and multi-event oral examinations. Can include on-site administration support.
4. Test Validation Research: Research-based validity studies including content and criterion-related validation conducted in collaboration with public sector organizations. Provides documentation for legal defensibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Darany Associates develops and licenses validated employment selection tests and assessment programs for U.S. public-sector agencies, focused on public safety roles (law enforcement, fire services, detention/corrections, and emergency communications). Offerings include standardized entry-level exams (DELPOE, DELFE, detention officer, telecommunicator), promotional testing tiers, and fully customized test development supported by job analysis, scoring, and validation research services.

Product overview

Darany Associates provides a portfolio of public safety assessment instruments and testing services. The core offerings include standardized entry-level tests (DELPOE for peace officers, DELFE for firefighters, detention/corrections officer tests, and telecommunicator tests) and promotional testing options (Standard Exam, Selected Component Exam, Completely Customized Exam). Customized testing services encompass written tests, evaluations of training and experience, oral examinations, and multi-event oral examinations. The company also publishes Selection Thoughts (PSST), a thought leadership resource on testing philosophy. All products are supported by validity research and are designed for public sector agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DELPOE (Darany Entry Level Peace Officer Exam): The DELPOE is a written test for peace officer candidates, result of rigorous validation research conducted in collaboration with numerous city, county, and state law enforcement organizations. It contains three cognitive subtests as well as a biodata component.
• DELFE (Darany Entry Level Firefighter Exam)

Quantifiable outcome

• Substantial reduction of adverse impact in gender and ethnicity subgroup score data, directly attributable to biodata components
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Western Region Intergovernmental Personnel Assessment Council (WRIPAC)coreOthersProfessional organization focused on assessment practices in public sector HR. Darany Associates team members have held leadership positions including President (Kristine Smith). Ted Darany was a founding member.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• I/O Solutions: I/O Solutions develops and licenses validated entry-level and promotional tests for law enforcement, fire, corrections, and 911 telecommunicator roles, the same core product set and public-sector customer base as Darany Associates. It is one of the most direct competitors in pre-hire and promotional public-safety assessment.
• EB Jacobs: EB Jacobs provides public-safety entry-level and promotional testing for police, fire, EMS, and corrections agencies, with documented validation and adverse-impact work similar to Darany’s DELPOE/DELFE portfolio. Direct competitor in the same U.S. public-safety selection market.
• Ergometrics & Applied Personnel Research: Ergometrics develops validated written entry-level tests for police, fire, corrections, and communications positions, mirroring Darany’s standardized entry-level test line. Comparable in customer type (U.S. public-safety agencies), product (validated written tests), and delivery (paper-based scored centrally).
• CPS HR Solutions (Cooperative Personnel Services): CPS HR Solutions delivers public-sector selection, classification, and assessment services including test development, validation, and administration for state and local government. Overlaps with Darany’s customized test development and validation research practices.

Broad incumbents

• PSI Services LLC: PSI is a large testing and assessment services provider that operates licensing and certification programs including public-safety and licensure exams. It is a broader incumbent in the same outsourced testing services category rather than a public-safety specialty competitor.
• Pearson Assessment & Pearson VUE: Pearson develops and administers large-scale talent assessments and proctored licensure/certification exams, including public-safety and government roles. A broader incumbent whose scale and digital delivery platform exceed Darany’s, but with overlapping end customers in U.S. government testing.
• Prometric: Prometric is a large-scale test development and delivery company that runs licensure and certification programs, including public-safety-adjacent exams, on its own technology platform. Overlaps with Darany’s government assessment delivery, but at a much larger scale and with digital infrastructure Darany lacks.
• Hogan Assessments: Hogan provides personality and competency assessments used in personnel selection, including public-safety hiring contexts. It is a broader incumbent in psychometric assessment rather than a public-safety specialty vendor, but its instruments are sometimes deployed in the same public-sector pipelines Darany serves.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/darany-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about darany associates