23ISD006_RFP_Final_2.16.24.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (SECONDARY METHOD)

Notice to Prospective Proposers RFP No. 23ISD006

February 20, 2024

You are invited to review and respond to this Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 23ISD006, titled, “California Cropland Carbon Monitoring and modeling framework”. In submitting your proposal, you must comply with the instructions found herein.

This RFP is published online in the California State Contracts Register (CSCR) at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx. To ensure receipt of any addenda to this RFP that may be issued, interested parties are encouraged to register online at:

https://caleprocure.ca.gov.

The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) deadline for receipt of proposals is March 12, 2024, no later than 2 p.m. All proposals received late will be rejected. File size cannot exceed 50 Mega Bytes (MB). The naming convention of the proposal must be in the following format: “RFP 23ISD006 California Cropland Carbon Monitoring and modeling framework”.

Proposals must be received on or before the date and time specified herein at email addresses provided below:

EMAIL RFP Proposal to:

Purchasing@arb.ca.gov CC: sakinah.carter@arb.ca.gov CC: wayne.roberson@arb.ca.gov

You are advised that you are responsible for ensuring that your proposal is received by the above listed contact person by the time and date required. Any proposal reaching the contact person after the deadline date and time will be rejected.

In the opinion of CARB, this RFP is complete and without need of explanation. However, if you have questions, notice any discrepancies or inconsistencies, or need any clarifying information, contact the person listed below. All questions must be submitted in accordance with the RFP instructions contained herein and sent via email directly to the below listed contact person and not through the Cal eProcure system.

Contact: Sakinah Carter Email: sakinah.carter@arb.ca.gov

We appreciate your interest in this project and hope to receive a proposal from you if this is within your area of expertise.

California Air Resources Board RFP No. 23ISD006

Table of Contents

SECTION PAGE

I. PURPOSE / BACKGROUND / SCOPE OF WORK 3

A) Purpose 3 B) Background 4 C) Scope of Work 4

II. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (GENERAL) AND INFORMATION 4

A) RFP Key Action Dates 4 B) Questions Regarding RFP Requirements 5 C) General Proposal Requirements 6 D) Submission of Proposals 6 E) Modification and/or Withdrawal of Proposals 7 F) Proposer Responsibilities 7 G) Signature 9 H) Disposition of Proposals 9 I) Socio-Economic and Preference Programs 10

III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (TECHNICAL) 13

A) Technical Proposal Requirements 13

1) Minimum Qualifications 13

2) Title Page 13

3) Cover Letter / Letter of Commitment 14

4) Table of Contents 14

5) Summary 14

6) Minimum Qualifications Response 14

7) Required Attachments 14

8) References 14

9) Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement 15

10) Subcontracts / Subcontractors 15

11) Technical Portion 15

a) Management Plan 15

b) Methodology (Approach to Work) 15

c) Work Plan and Work Schedule 16

d) Personnel / Experience 20

e) Page Headers and Page Numbering 20

B) Cost Proposal Requirements 20

1) Cost Detail 21

2) Page Headers and Page Numbering 21

IV. EVALUATION, SELECTION, AND AWARD 21

A) Administrative Evaluation (Phase 1) 21 B) Technical Evaluation (Phase 2) 21

1) Scoring Criterion Guidelines 22

2) Cost Points 22

3) Proposal Evaluation Form 24 C) Proposal Rejection 26 D) Selection 26 E) Notice of Proposed Award 26 F) Standard Conditions of Service 27 G) Post Award Requirements 28

ATTACHMENTS PAGE

1) Required Attachment Checklist 29

2) Draft Standard Agreement (STD 213) 30

Exhibit A, Scope of Work 31 Exhibit A, Attachment 1 – Technical Proposal 41 Exhibit B, Budget Detail and Payment Provisions 42 Exhibit B, Attachment 1 – Contractor Cost Sheet 43 Exhibit C, General Terms and Conditions (GTC 04/2017) 44 Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions 45 Exhibit E, Additional Provisions 51

Exhibit F, Final Report Format 54

3) Proposer References Form 59

4) Payee Data Record (STD 204) 60

5) Payee Data Record (STD 205) 62

6) Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) 64

7) California Civil Rights Laws Certification 68

8) Darfur Contracting Act Certification 69

9) Bidder Declaration Form 70

10) CA DVBE Bid Incentive Instructions 72

11) Contractor Cost Sheet 75

12) Detailed Response for Minimum Qualifications 77

13) COVID-19 Prevention Contractor Self-Certification 78

14) Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement 79

I. PURPOSE / BACKGROUND / SCOPE OF WORK

A. Purpose

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit competitive proposals from experienced and qualified contractors to develop a remotely sensed data constrained biogeochemical model for landscape scale (statewide) annual carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis, and future projection modeling. Further, the model and data associated with this project must be open sourced to maximize transparency, innovation, and improve governance and future contracting options for the State. This monitoring and modeling framework will estimate carbon stocks and GHG fluxes on every acre of annual and perennial croplands in California, whether or not they are enrolled in any healthy soils or otherwise climate smart agricultural practices. This approach allows California to monitor and project into the future the benefits of climate action, and the consequences of inaction.

For a detailed description of the work to be performed, please refer to Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement. The work of this contract is expected to require twenty-eight

(28) months; no work shall begin until all required signatures and approvals are obtained and the CARB Contract Manager provides direction.

The total budget for the entire contract is $1,500,000.00. Proposals exceeding this amount may be deemed non-responsive and ineligible for award.

Provided the Contractor has performed satisfactorily during the term of the contract, CARB reserves the right to amend the Agreement for time only.

B. Background

The monitoring and modeling framework will measure multiple metrics through remote sensing data, which may include but is not limited to, tillage, irrigation, nutrient management, and crop types. These data products would be sufficiently sensitive to be able to quantify the impact of changes in management and climate across the state.

However, this data will not need the precision currently required for farm scale assessments. New remote sensing data products will have to be developed specifically for this project and will be inputs into a simplified biogeochemical (BGC) model that would estimate the carbon and GHGs across all California croplands, through the past, present and future. Many metrics in croplands are extremely difficult, if not impossible to accurately measure currently on a statewide scale over time, such as soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrous oxide (N2O). It is the hope of this RFP, that combining remote sensing data with a biogeochemical model, that change in SOC and GHGs can be estimated with a higher level of accuracy. The absolute value of SOC is important, however, the change through time is of even greater importance as we estimate the contribution of these lands to carbon neutrality.

C. Scope of Work

Consistency in data from year to year is required to quantify change through time, which is a core function of the State’s monitoring efforts. Many data products face consistency challenges over time – they change their algorithms, data sources, and/or spatial and thematic resolution; they are not reliably released at regular intervals; or they lack funding for long-term repetition – making inter-annual comparisons nearly impossible. Further, spatial consistency is necessary to ensure that analyses are performed the same way across the entire state. For this reason, data used within this project must be consistent through time and have a reasonable expectation of longevity into the future. Further, the data used within this project must be consistent spatially. If sub-state level data is utilized, this must be made consistent across the state in some way. This project serves a statewide monitoring and modeling program, and so only being able to perform this work on anything other than the entire state’s croplands is not expectable.

For a detailed description of the work to be performed, please refer to Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement.

II. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (GENERAL) AND INFORMATION

This section contains instructions for the submission of your proposal. It is the responsibility of the proposer to carefully read and follow all proposal requirements within this RFP.

Compliance with the RFP instructions is mandatory for your proposal to be considered for award. Failure to comply with the RFP instructions may cause your proposal to be deemed non-compliant and non-responsive, thus ineligible for award.

A. RFP Key Action Dates

Below is the tentative time schedule for this RFP. CARB reserves the right to modify the RFP and/or change dates and times at its sole discretion, prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals, by the issuance of an addendum that will be posted on the California State Contracts Register (CSCR) at: https://caleprocure.ca.gov.

1. CARB reserves the right to modify or cancel in whole or any part of this solicitation.

2. Clarifications to the solicitation will only be provided in the form of a written addendum to all Proposers.

RFP Key Actions Dates Time RFP available to prospective Proposers 02/20/24 N/A Written Questions Submittal Deadline 02/27/24 3:00 p.m.

Question and Answers Addendum Posted 03/1/24 NA Final Date for Proposal Submission/Receipt by CARB

03/12/24 2:00 p.m.

Complete Evaluation of Proposals 03/13/24- 03/22/24

N/A

Posting of Intent to Award Notice(s) (Notice is posted for five [5] business days) 03/25/24 N/A

Agreement sent to successful Proposer 04/03/24 N/A Signed Agreement returned to CARB for counter-signature

04/15/24 N/A

Agreement Approved and Executed – work begins

05/20/24 N/A

RFP Key Action Dates listed above are estimates only, and subject to change at CARB’s sole discretion. No work shall begin until all required approvals and signatures, including the Department of General Services (DGS) Office of Legal Services, if applicable, are obtained.

B. Questions Regarding RFP Requirements

All questions or concerns related to the RFP requirements must be directed electronically to:

Administrative Services Division Acquisitions Branch Contact: Sakinah Carter Email: sakinah.carter@arb.ca.gov

Questions must be received by the date and time specified under Section II, A. Key Action Dates. Answers to all questions submitted will be in the form of an addendum posted to the DGS California State Contracts Register (CSCR) website https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx by the date and time specified under Section II, A. Key Action Dates. Please note that no verbal information given will be binding upon the State unless such information is issued in writing as an official addendum to all parties/participants. All questions must be submitted referencing the RFP number in the subject line, directly to the above listed contact person and not through the Cal eProcure system.

C. General Proposal Requirements

1. Proposals should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the Proposer’s ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. The proposal must be complete and accurate. Omissions, inaccuracies or misstatements will be sufficient cause for rejection of a proposal.

2. Proposals must be submitted for the performance of all services described herein.

Any deviation from the work specifications (Section Ill, Proposal Requirements, and Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement) may cause a proposal to be rejected.

D. Submission of Proposals

1. Proposals must be submitted no later than the date and time indicated in Section II, A.

Key Action Dates and must be addressed as follows in Item 2.

Proposals received after this date and time will not be considered and will be rejected.

2. Delivery Instructions

Responses to this RFP shall be submitted to CARB at the following email addresses provided below in Section 2.b. in PDF format, cannot exceed 50 Mega Bytes (MB) and include:

a. One (1) copy containing the Technical Proposal and all other required elements along with the Cost Proposal.

b. Submit to the following email addresses and reference the RFP number in the subject line.

Purchasing@arb.ca.gov CC: sakinah.carter@arb.ca.gov

3. Each proposal will be reviewed to determine if it meets the proposal requirements contained in Section lV, Proposal Requirements (Technical). Failure to meet the requirements for the RFP may be cause for rejection of the proposal.

4. A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The State may reject any or all proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. The State’s waiver of immaterial defect shall in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the Proposer from full compliance with all requirements if the Proposer is awarded the Agreement.

5. CARB may modify the RFP up to the specified time of the date fixed listed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum to all parties who received a proposal package. Any addendum(s) will be issued through the Cal eProcure system.

6. The State reserves the right to reject all proposals.

7. More than one (1) proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association under the same or different name will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that any Proposer has submitted more than one proposal for the work contemplated herein will cause the rejection of all proposals submitted by that Proposer. If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among the Proposers, none of the participants in such collusion will be considered in this or future procurements.

E. Modification and/or Withdrawal of Proposals

1. A Proposer may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawing its original proposal and resubmitting a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline.

The Proposer modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

2. A Proposer may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to CARB signed by the Proposer or an agent authorized in accordance with Section II, G., titled “Signature”. A Proposer may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline. Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to proposal submission deadline.

F. Proposer Responsibilities

1. Proposers should carefully examine the entire RFP, with special attention to the tasks and deliverables found in Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement.

Proposers shall investigate obstacles that might be encountered. No additions or increases to the agreement amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of the requirements.

2. Before submitting a response to this RFP, the Proposer should review their response, correct all errors, and confirm compliance with the RFP requirements. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to complete and submit all required attachments as listed on Attachment 1.

3. Costs incurred for developing proposals and in anticipation of award of the Agreement are entirely the responsibility of the Proposer and shall not be charged to

CARB.

4. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to promptly notify CARB’s contract analyst identified in the solicitation, in writing, by e-mail, if the Proposer believes that the solicitation is unfairly restrictive, contains errors or discrepancies, or is otherwise unclear. Notification must be done immediately upon receipt of the solicitation in order that the matter may be fully considered, and appropriate action taken by CARB prior to the closing time set to receive solicitation responses. Such notification must be submitted no later than the question-and-answer period referenced in Section II, A. Key Action Dates. All such correspondence received after the question-and-answer deadline will not be considered.

5. Proposer is responsible to review, read, understand, and comply in full with the

State’s General Terms and Conditions along with the Contractor’s Certification Clauses (CCC) as listed at: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-

Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract- Language.

6. Each proposal must constitute an irrevocable offer for a period of at least 180 working days after proposal submission.

7. The Proposer must provide evidence to show that members of the team possess the specific qualifications, competence, experience, resources, and business integrity necessary to carry out the work under the contract as expected. Examples of evidence include, but are not limited to: résumés, letters of reference, and project summaries that highlight the team’s specific experience. Proposers must complete Attachment 3, Proposer References Form.

8. The Proposer must own and operate a legitimate business. If required by law, the

Proposer must be registered and in good standing with the California Secretary of State. All businesses that are required to be registered with the California Secretary of State must be registered prior to date of Agreement award. Evidence of registration shall be submitted with the proposal.

9. In the event that any license(s) and/or permit(s) expire at any time during the term of this agreement, Proposer agrees to provide CARB with a copy of the renewed license(s) and/or permit(s) within thirty (30) days following the expiration date. In the event the Proposer fails to keep in effect at all times all required license(s) and permit(s), the State may, in addition to any other remedies it may have, terminate this Agreement upon occurrence of such event.

10. It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this state to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the Business and Professions Code.

11. The Proposer must complete and submit to CARB, the Payee Data Record (STD

204), Attachment 4, to determine if the selected proposer is subject to state income tax withholding, pursuant to California Revenue and Taxation Code, Section 18662.

This form can be found on the Internet at http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fm c/pdf/std204.pdf. No payment shall be made unless a completed STD 204 and/or Payee Data Record Supplemental STD 205 (if applicable) Attachment 5, has been returned to CARB. This form can be found on the Internet at https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std205.pdf

12. The Proposer must sign and submit to CARB, page one (1) of the Contractor

Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017), Attachment 6, or the form can be obtained via the Internet at: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of- Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language.

13. The Proposer must sign and submit to CARB, the California Civil Rights Laws

Certification, Attachment 7.

14. The Proposer must sign and submit to CARB, the Darfur Contracting Act Certification, Attachment 8.

15. The Proposer must sign and submit to CARB, the Bidder Declaration Form, Attachment 9.

16. The Proposer must complete and submit to CARB, the Contractor Cost Sheet, Attachment 11. Failure to fully complete and return this attachment with your proposal will cause your bid to be rejected and deemed non-responsive.

17. The Proposer must complete and submit to CARB, the Detailed Response for Minimum Qualifications, Attachment 12. Failure to fully complete and return this attachment with your proposal will cause your bid to be rejected and deemed non-responsive.

18. As part of CARB’s ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of its employees, CARB is requesting all vendors / Contractors who perform work in person or on site to provide certification that the vendor’s / Contractor’s employees and subcontractors have provided documentation to the vendor / Contractor that the employees are either fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (as defined by the CDC), or have obtained a negative COVID-19 test result within seventy-two (72) hours of in-person or on-site work. The vendor / Contractor does not need to provide the documentation of employees’ or subcontractors’ vaccination status or negative test result to CARB. If no employees or subcontractors of the vendor / Contractor will interact with any CARB employees or perform work on site, CARB requests the vendor / Contractor certify to this effect.

Additionally, all Contractors who perform services under a contract with CARB are expected to, at their own expense, comply with all applicable health and safety laws and regulations. This includes, but is not limited to, all laws, regulations, and public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Proposer must sign and submit to CARB, the COVID-19 Prevention Contractor Self-Certification, Attachment 13.

19. The Proposer must sign and submit to CARB, the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement, Attachment 14. The Proposer shall require each of its employees or officers who will be involved in the performance of this Agreement to agree to the terms and the terms of the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement.

G. Signature

1. All documents requiring signatures contained in the original proposal package must have original or electronic signatures.

2. Only an individual who is authorized to bind the proposing firm contractually shall sign the required Cover Letter for the proposal. The signature must indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned proposal may be rejected.

H. Disposition of Proposals

Upon proposal opening, all documents submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the State of California and will be regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250 et seq.) and subject to review by the public. The State cannot prevent the disclosure of public documents.

I. Socio-Economic and Preference Programs

1. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Incentive – Optional This solicitation does not require a minimum amount of DVBE participation.

However, you are strongly encouraged to either become certified, if eligible, or to subcontract a portion of the work to a certified DVBE. If a prime proposer is a certified DVBE or commits to subcontracting with DVBE(s), the proposal may be eligible to receive a proposal preference provided that the DVBE provides a commercially useful function as defined in California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 1896.61(l). For evaluation purposes only, the State shall apply an incentive to proposals that propose California certified DVBE participation as identified on Attachment 10, titled California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Bid Incentive Instructions and confirmed by the State. Proposers claiming the DVBE incentive must complete and return the Disabled Veteran Business Declarations form found at: http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/pd_843.pdf

The incentive amount varies in conjunction with the percentage of DVBE participation offered. The minimum requirement is 1% with a maximum of 5% DVBE participation and the incentive will be equal to the participation offered as defined below:

Confirmed DVBE Participation of:

DVBE

Incentive:

1% to 1.99% inclusive 1% 2% to 2.99% inclusive 2% 3% to 3.99% inclusive 3% 4% to 4.99% inclusive 4%

5% or Over 5%

2. Small Business (SB) or Microbusiness (MB) Preference – Optional

If Proposer is claiming the 5% certified SB or MB preference or is committing to subcontract 25% or more of their net proposal price to one or more certified SB or MB (Non-small business preference [NSB]), list firm names on Attachment 9 (GSPD-05-105 Bidder Declaration) and attach a copy of the certification. Additional References: http://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/.

Questions regarding the certification approval process or the SB program should be directed to the Department of General Services, Procurement Division at (800) 559- 5529 or (916) 375-4940. For the 24-Hour Recording & Mail Request call (916) 322- 5060.

SB, MB or NSB proposers using the SB preference shall be granted a preference consisting of 5% of the highest responsible proposal’s total score.

3. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) – Optional

a. Government Code (GC) Section 4530 (TACPA) provides that California based companies shall be granted a 5% preference whenever a state agency prepares a solicitation for services in excess of $100,000. The preference(s) shall apply if the worksite is not fixed by the government agency and the proposer can demonstrate and certify, under the penalty of perjury, that at least 90% of the total labor hours required to perform the services shall be performed at an identified worksite located in a distressed area (TACPA). TACPA preferences will only be applied if this procurement results in more than one responsive proposal receiving a passing narrative proposal score.

b. Additional work force preferences ranging from 1% to 4% can be earned by eligible proposers that agree to hire 5% to 20% of persons with a high risk of unemployment or those living in a targeted employment area or that are enterprise zone eligible to perform a specified percentage of the contract work.

c. The granting of TACPA preference cannot displace an award to a certified small business.

d. Proposers seeking TACPA preference must submit a completed STD 830 - Target Area Contract Preference Act Request with their Proposal.

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std830.pdf.

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0525.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0526.pdf

e. The applicable preference request form must include the following:

i. All appropriate certifications. (TACPA). The proposing firm’s name and the name of all suppliers and subcontractors that will work with the proposer to fulfill the terms of the contract along with the addresses of each of the worksite(s) and estimated labor hours;

ii. County census tract number and block group number;

iii. Proposer’s original signature; and

iv. A checkbox marked to identify the additional 1% to 4% preference sought for hiring persons with a high risk of unemployment.

f. TACPA preference cannot be granted if:

i. The lowest proposed cost does not equal or exceed $100,000 for the entire term;

ii. The work site or any part thereof is fixed or preset by the State;

iii. The services involve construction or a public works project; or

iv. A proposer who has claimed a TACPA preference and is awarded the contract will be obligated to perform in accordance with the preference(s) requested, provided the preference was granted in obtaining the contract.

g. Firms receiving preference must:

i. Report their labor hours to the State and reference the state contract on which the award is based for the specific reporting requirements.

h. Proposers wishing to learn more about TACPA requirements, designated work site(s) or enterprise zones in California should contact the appropriate office of the Department of General Services at (916) 375-4940. DGS will attempt to determine TACPA eligibility within two working days.

4. Preference and Incentive Application – Optional

a. DVBE Incentive Points are factored by multiplying a Proposer’s DVBE participation commitment percentage (%) by the total possible points that could be awarded (see Table 1 below). This amount is then added to the Proposer’s total points. In the Table 2 sample below, Proposer B received a 60-point incentive (.05% commitment x 1200 total points available), which was added to its total points resulting in its proposal ranking as first in line for award. Proposer C’s 2% commitment resulted in its receiving 24 incentive points and making its proposal rank as second in line for award.

b. Preference is calculated by multiplying 5% of the highest scoring NSB proposer, and adding those points to SB proposers and NSBs subcontracting 25% or more to a SB. In the Table 2 sample below, the calculation is based on Proposer B’s 1155 points x .05 resulting in 57.75 additional points added to the certified SBs (A and C).

c. Under the High Score Method, it is possible to displace a high point certified SB with the application of the DVBE Incentive.

TABLE 1: HIGH SCORE METHOD SAMPLE

Available points example using sliding scale:

Administrative: 200 points Technical: 400 points

Cost: 600 points Total: 1200 points

Possible Maximum 60 points DVBE incentive calculated as follows:

Confirmed DVBE Participation Possible Points Calculation:

1% - 1.99% inclusive 1% X 1200 = 12 2% - 2.99% inclusive 2% X 1200 = 24 3% - 3.99% inclusive 3% X 1200 = 36 4% - 4.99% inclusive 4% X 1200 = 48

5% and Higher 5% X 1200 = 60

TABLE 2: HIGH SCORE METHOD SAMPLE RESULTS

Proposer A B C Responsive/Responsible Yes Yes Yes

Total Points 1050 1155 1125 Eligible Preference SB None SB

SB Preference Points Applied

57.75 0 57.75

Subtotal 1107.75 1155 1182.75 Rank 3 2 1

Confirmed DVBE Participation

No (0%) Yes (5%) Yes (2%)

Incentive Points Applied None 60 24 Adjusted Points 1107.75 1215 1206.75

New Rank 3 1 2

III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (TECHNICAL)

A. Technical Proposal Requirements

The proposal must contain the following components, information and documents outlined below. Each requirement’s location must be listed in the Proposal’s Table of Contents. Also see Section II, D. Submission of Proposal, for general submittal details.

1. Minimum Qualifications

The Proposer must provide a detailed response, outlining information as to how the Proposer meets each of the minimum qualifications listed below. The Proposer must provide their detailed response on Attachment 12, Detailed Response for Minimum Qualifications. Proposals that do not meet the minimum qualifications will be determined non-responsive and ineligible for award.

a. Proven knowledge and experience in remote sensing of ecosystem change and state;

b. Proven knowledge and experience in process-based ecosystem modeling towards estimation of carbon stocks and greenhouse gas fluxes;

c. Proven knowledge and experience in cropland projects, their management, and California’s healthy soils program or the United States Department of Agriculture’s Climate Smart Agricultural practices;

d. Proven knowledge and experience working with statewide scale or larger temporal and spatial data and models;

e. Proven knowledge and experience in future projection modeling incorporating global climate model data to estimate changes in ecosystem function and state;

f. Proven experience developing tools, models, data pipelines, or products for practical applications for clients other than the developers themselves;

g. Proven experience working across disciplines and within large teams; and

h. Proven experience in incorporating equity and environmental justice into science and/or policy development.

2. Title Page

The purpose of this page is to provide information needed by CARB administrative staff. It must contain the following items:

a. The title of the proposal, which must be the same as the title of the RFP;

b. The number of the RFP, 23ISD006; and

c. The date of proposal.

3. Cover Letter / Letter of Commitment

The cover letter must not be more than two (2) pages, in Arial size 11-point font or similar, and must include the following paragraph and the signature of the representative authorized to make the proposal on behalf of the firm:

“The enclosed proposal is submitted in response to the above referenced Request for Proposal 23ISD006, including any addenda. Through submission of this proposal, we agree to all of the terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal and agree that any inconsistent provisions in our proposal may result in a lower score, up to and including disqualification. We have carefully read and examined the Request for Proposal and have conducted such other investigations as were prudent and reasonable in preparing the proposal. We agree to be bound by statements and representations in our proposal.”

The cover letter must be provided on the company’s letterhead and include the following information and statements:

a. The name and address of your company [NOTE: You may use a Post Office box, but please provide your company's street address];

b. The name, title, and signature of a company official authorized to bind the proposal; and

c. Name, email and/or phone number for the Proposer’s contact for CARB inquiries related to the proposal.

4. Table of Contents

5. Summary

The abstract shall be no longer than one (1) page. Include a brief description of the proposed project briefly summarizing the main point of the various sections of the proposal, including the features and benefits of the proposal.

6. Minimum Qualifications Response

Provide a response, outlining detailed information demonstrating how the Proposer meets each of the minimum qualifications listed in Section III, A. Submit applicable documentation on Attachment 12, Detailed Response for Minimum Qualifications.

7. Required Attachments

The Technical Proposal must include all of the completed attachments listed in Attachment 1, Required Attachment checklist.

8. References

Each proposer must provide at least three (3) references detailing previous experience related to the goals and objectives outlined in the RFP.

References must be provided using Attachment 3, Proposer References Form.

Submission of this attachment is mandatory. Failure to fully complete and return this attachment with your proposal may cause your proposal to be rejected and deemed non-responsive. Attachment 3 may be copied for additional references.

9. Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement

Proposer and each member of Proposer’s technical staff proposed to work on this project must sign and submit Attachment 14, Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement with your proposal.

10. Subcontracts/Subcontractors

If subcontractors are to be used, the Proposer must include in the Technical Proposal a description of each person or firm and the work to be done by each subcontractor. Please use Attachment 9, Bidder Declaration Form (GSPD 05-105), to list all subcontractors used for this project. All subcontracts must be approved by CARB, and no work shall be subcontracted without the prior written approval of the State. The cost of the subcontract work is to be itemized in the Cost Proposal as described below in the section entitled Cost Proposal Requirements, and not in the Technical Proposal.

11. Technical Portion

The Proposer shall demonstrate their understanding of the questions, or needs, that CARB is seeking to have addressed. The technical approach and work plan are considered the heart of the proposal and will receive a high level of scrutiny. This part of the proposal will be evaluated to ensure all tasks and deliverables, listed in the Scope of Work, are included and responsive. The technical portion of the Proposal must include a written response to all scoring elements listed in the sample Proposal Evaluation form, Section IV, B.3, and must include the following:

a. Management Plan

The Proposer shall provide a project management plan including the management structure and project organization. The Proposer shall designate, by name, the Contract Manager to be employed. The selected Proposer shall not cause the substitution of the Contract Manager without prior written approval of the State. Proposers should include methods to measure project progress against the project management plan to maintain project schedule.

b. Methodology (Approach to Work)

The Proposer shall describe their methodology and approach to the work, identify specific techniques and methodologies that will be used and specific administrative and operational management expertise that will be employed in order to accomplish the tasks listed in this RFP under Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement. The Proposer shall indicate how skills developed in previous related work will be applied to the work described in this RFP.

The Proposer shall demonstrate their knowledge in the subject of the RFP and lay the groundwork for the actual work to be performed for this project. The

Proposer shall provide a detailed description of the overall approach and methodologies utilized to accomplish the tasks listed in Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement, Exhibit A.

c. Work Plan and Work Schedule

The Proposer shall develop a Work Plan and Work Schedule that allows all tasks to be completed within the timeframes outlined in the Scope of Work. The Work Plan and Work Schedule shall identify each major task, necessary subtasks, and milestones by which progress can be measured and payments made. The Work Plan shall specify the estimated hours to accomplish each task and the Work Schedule shall provide the responsible party for performing the task, and anticipated dates of completion.

The Work Plan and Work Schedule must reflect the total project timeline of 28 months.

The Work Plan shall indicate how the supervision and oversight will be conducted for ensuring that the project will remain on schedule and that the distribution of workload is appropriate.

See Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement, for details on the tasks required.

A work plan schedule format is provided below:

Task 1 Deliverable title Deliverable Description Due Date

1.1 Draft conceptual

framework

Provide a draft report describing the overall concept that will result in the California Cropland Monitoring and modeling framework. Include flow diagrams, data needs, scientific justification, and specifics for newly created data.

2 months after start date

1.2 Final conceptual

framework

Provide a final report describing the overall concept that will result in the California Cropland Monitoring and modeling framework. Include flow diagrams, data needs, scientific justification, and specifics for newly created data. This report will be responsive to CARB feedback from Task 1.1 and be sufficient as justification for the approach taken for the remainder of the project.

3 months after start date

Task 2 Deliverable title Deliverable Description Due Date

2.1 Draft modeling

framework

Provide a draft report describing the modeling processing workflow, including the inputs, processes, and outputs. This draft report should go into detail as to how calculations will be performed, the language in which the model will be written, any temporal and spatial considerations that will be included, and the spatial temporal resolution that will be used. A method for testing accuracy shall also be proposed for both inventory and future projection uses.

5 months after start date

2.2 Final modeling

framework

Provide a final report describing the modeling project. This report will be responsive to CARB feedback from Task 2.1 and be sufficient as justification for the approach taken for the remainder of the project.

6 months

2.3 Task 2 Progress

Report 1

Provide a report or presentation demonstrating the progress creating this model to this point. The Contractor will work with CARB staff to identify the appropriate amount of information.

12 months after start date

2.4 Task 2 Progress

Report 2

Provide a report or presentation demonstrating the progress creating this model to this point. The Contractor will work with CARB staff to identify the appropriate amount of information.

16 months after start date

2.5 Task 2 Progress

Report 3

Provide a report or presentation demonstrating the progress creating this model to this point. The Contractor will work with CARB staff to identify the appropriate amount of information.

20 months after start date

2.6 Inventory

demonstration and tutorial

The Contractor will demonstrate the use of this model for inventory purposes. This includes estimating the past and current carbon stocks and GHG statewide and on a county level. General accuracy assessments shall be included. The Contractor will provide a tutorial for running and manipulating the codes, workflows, and modeling pipelines to ensure that State staff will have the ability to replicate the deliverables given that State staff have the skills to perform big data compute tasks. The Contractor will ensure that all workflows compile, run, and execute tasks correctly and will work with State staff to adjust the computer codes to ensure that workflows can be reproduced using the computational resources available to State staff.

23 months after start date

2.7 Future projection

modeling demonstration and hand-off

The Contractor will demonstrate the use of this model for future projection modeling on the scenarios outlined in this task, and how alternative scenarios can be generated in the future by CARB staff. The code shall be in a clean and understandable form with documentation and comments. All scripts needed to compile and run the process chain will also be provided. The Contractor will ensure that CARB staff can run the model for both inventory and future projection purposes. The scripts needed to develop alternative management scenarios will also be provided.

27 months

Task 3 Deliverable title Deliverable Description Due Date

3.1 Draft monitoring

framework

Provide a draft report describing the modeling process, including the inputs, processes, and outputs. This draft report should go into detail as to how calculations will be performed, spatial and temporal resolution, the sensors and any other data that will be used, and the validation procedure that is proposed.

7 months after start date

3.2 Final monitoring

framework

Provide a final report describing the modeling project. This report will be responsive to CARB feedback from Task 3.1 and be sufficient as justification for the approach taken for the remainder of the project.

8 months after start date

3.3 Task 3 Progress

Report 1

Provide a report or presentation demonstrating the progress creating this model to this point. The Contractor will work with CARB staff to identify the appropriate amount of information.

12 months after start date

3.4 Task 3 Progress

Report 2

Provide a report or presentation demonstrating the progress creating this model to this point. The Contractor will work with CARB staff to identify the appropriate amount of information.

16 months

3.5 Task 3 Progress

Report 3

Provide a report or presentation demonstrating the progress creating this model to this point. The Contractor will work with CARB staff to identify the appropriate amount of information.

20 months after start date

3.6 Final product

demonstration, tutorial, and data hand-off

The Contractor will demonstrate the final products for as long a time period that is possible along with an accuracy assessment. All data developed through this project and everything in the required form needed to run the model from Task 1 will be provided to CARB with appropriate meta-data.

The Contractor will provide a tutorial for running and manipulating the codes, workflows, and processing workflows that generated this data to ensure that State staff will have the ability to replicate the deliverables given that State staff have the skills to perform big data compute tasks. The Contractor will ensure that all workflows compile, run, and execute tasks correctly and will work with State staff to adjust the computer codes to ensure that workflows can be reproduced using the computational resources available to State staff.

24 months after start date

3.7 Final Report and

code hand-off

The Contractor will provide a final report of the final products that include the process that produced these products, a scientific basis for the approached used, an accuracy assessment, and any insight that are revealed from this data itself. The code shall be in a clean and understandable form with documentation and comments. All scripts needed to compile and run the process chain will also be provided. The Contractor will ensure that CARB staff can run the process to produce this data into the future updated through time.

27 months

Task 4 Deliverable title Deliverable Description Due Date

4.1 Weekly meetings CARB reserves the right to request weekly one (1) hour catchup meetings. This could be reduced in frequency at CARB staff’s discretion.

Weekly

4.2 Scientific

conferences and professional meetings

CARB encourages the Contractor to present this work at conferences and other professional meetings. For any presentation that includes the work funded by this project, the Contractor will notify CARB of where the presentation will occur. CARB shall be given a copy of the presentation at least two (2) weeks before the presentation for internal review. The Contractor will address any comments/considerations given by CARB staff. CARB will be credited as a funding source in the presentation.

Ongoing

4.3 Scientific

publications

CARB encourages the Contractor to publish this work. For any publication that includes the work funded by this project, the Contractor will notify CARB that the paper is being developed.

CARB shall be given a copy of the publication at least three

(3) weeks before intended submittal date. The Contractor will address any comments/considerations given by CARB staff before submission. CARB will be credited as a funding source in the publication.

Ongoing

4.4 Draft Final Report Provide a final report describing the entire project. This report shall build off and include existing reports and a propagated uncertainty values for the carbon stocks and GHG fluxes that include the aggregated uncertainty through the entire process pipeline. The final results and uncertainty will include all components of the entire monitoring and modeling framework.

This report will also include an assessment of how and why carbon stocks and GHG fluxes have changed through time throughout the entire time period that could be assessed (past, present, and future), and any scientific inferences that can be drawn from this project. Also include recommendations for any further enhancements that could occur with additional funding.

1.5 month before end of contract

4.5 Final Report This will be the final report form of Task 4.4. This final report will be responsive to CARB staff comments from the draft. This report will also be ADA compliant sufficient for public consumption on State websites.

0.5 month before end of contract

d. Personnel / Experience

For this criterion, reviewers will rate the Proposer’s experience in conducting similar or related work described in the Scope of Work, and how skills developed in previous related work will be applied to this project as outlined in Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement. The Proposer shall indicate how previous experience will be applied to the development of this project.

The Proposer shall list technical staff (specify staff name) who will be working on the project. Include their titles, qualifications, a summary of similar work or studies performed, a resume for each technical staff person, a statement indicating how many hours each professional will be assigned to the Agreement and what tasks each professional will perform. The selected Proposer shall not cause key members of the project team to be substituted without prior written approval of the State.

The Proposer shall demonstrate experience and breadth of knowledge in modeling and remote sensing on cropland projects and/or carbon stocks and GHG fluxes as described in Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement.

The Proposer demonstrates prior experience and abilities to remote sensing on landscape scales using satellite-based information, modeling of carbon stock and GHG change in response to climate management, and cropland projects and their management.

e. Page Headers and Page Numbering

All pages of the Technical Proposal, including cover pages, Table of Contents, references and resumes, and the Bidder Declaration Form GSPD-05-105 (Attachment 9) shall have the following header and page numbering format in the upper right-hand corner:

Technical Proposal

Exhibit A, Attachment 1 Page ## of ##

B. Cost Proposal Requirements

The cost breakdown (Cost Proposal) shall be included in the Technical Proposal. Cost Proposals shall include the following required information: Budget, and Preference Program Documents (See Section lI, I. Socio-Economic and Preference Programs) and at a minimum, all information listed in Cost Detail (below). Proposers must use the Attachment 11, Contractor Cost Sheet.

All costs must be provided for each task and deliverable. The proposed costs should be broken down into the outline in the Work Plan and Work Schedule for the purpose of this cost proposal submittal.

CARB’s budget for the proposed contract is limited to $1,500,000.00. Any cost proposals exceeding this amount will be disqualified and ineligible for award. Proposers shall submit a cost proposal for all tasks described in Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement.

1. Cost Detail

a. Itemized Tasks – Using Attachment 11, Contractor Cost Sheet, provide firm-fixed costs for specific tasks listed in Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement.

For all tasks, the Proposer must include all items such as labor, personnel, subcontractors, travel, meetings, materials, reports, and tax, if applicable, as necessary to perform and complete the tasks on the Contractor Cost Sheet, Attachment 11.

b. Subcontracts / Subcontractors – If subcontractors are to be used, the Proposer must include in the Technical Proposal, a description of each person or firm and the work to be done by each subcontractor. Additionally, all subcontractors proposed to be used for this project must be identified on Attachment 9, Bidder Declaration Form.

2. Page Headers and Page Numbering

All pages of the Cost Proposal; the Bidder Declaration Form GSPD-05-105 (Attachment 9); and, if applicable, any forms pertaining to socio-economic preferences (SB, MB, or DVBE), shall have the following header and page numbering format in the upper right-hand corner:

Cost Proposal

Exhibit B, Attachment 1 Page # of ##

IV. EVALUATION, SELECTION, AND AWARD

A. Administrative Evaluation (Phase 1)

CARB will…