25-20-009-RFP-Enviro-Consulting-HUD-Funded-Projects.pdf

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - BUSINESS, CONSUMER SERVICES AND HOUSING AGENCY

GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT DIVISION

Business and Contract Services Branch, Contract Services Section 651 Bannon Street, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95811 www.hcd.ca.gov

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SECONDARY (Federal)

Notice to Prospective Proposers 25-20-009 Environmental Consulting Services for HUD-Funded Projects

March 5, 2026

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) invites you to review and respond to this Request for Proposal (RFP), for 25-20-009 Environmental Consulting Services for HUD-Funded Projects.

In submitting your proposal, Proposers agree that they have read, understood, and shall comply with the instructions found herein. Failure to comply with any of the requirements may result in rejection of a Proposer’s proposal. By submitting a response, Proposers agree to the terms and conditions stated in this RFP and that the proposal covers all labor, materials, tools, and equipment necessary to provide services in accordance with the specifications and provisions received for this RFP and any resulting agreement. Proposers are responsible for their own costs of responding to this RFP.

This RFP is published online at the California State Contracts Register (CSCR) Cal eProcure web site at: CaleProcure. To ensure receipt of any addenda that may be issued, and answers to any questions posted, you must register online at Cale Procure/Bidder Register.

Note that all agreements entered into with the State of California will include by reference General Terms and Conditions (GTC 2/2025) and Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 4/2017) that may be viewed and downloaded at the following internet site: Standard Contract Language for Non-IT Services. If you do not have Internet access, a hard copy can be provided by contacting the Contract Analyst listed below

In the opinion of HCD, this RFP is complete. However, if you have questions, or need clarifying information, the contact person for this RFP is:

Jeffrey Sharp HCD Contract Analyst

Jeffrey.Sharp@hcd.ca.gov and ServiceContracts@hcd.ca.gov

(916) 907-3774 and (916) 620-3527 http://www.hcd.ca.gov/ https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/Events-BS3/event-search.aspx https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/bidder-vendor.aspx https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language mailto:Jeffrey.Sharp@hcd.ca.gov mailto:ServiceContracts@hcd.ca.gov

Department of Housing and Community Development Request for Proposal No. 25-20-009

Environmental Consulting Services for HUD-Funded Projects

Table of Contents

Contents Table of Contents Schedule Of Events: *

1. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING THE RFP:

2. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

3. PURPOSE AND TERM

4. PROPOSER’S MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

5. PROPOSAL CONTENT

6. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (Max 250 Points)

7. COST PROPOSAL (Max 130 Points)

8. PROPOSER REFERENCES (Max 50 Points)

9. ORAL INTERVIEWS, IF REQUIRED (Max 100 Points)

10. FEDERAL PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVES PROGRAM

11. RFP SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

12. EVALUATION AND SCORING PROCESS

13. AWARD AND PROTEST

14. TAX DELINQUENCY DISCLAIMER

15. OTHER CRITERIA

16. AGREEMENT EXECUTION AND PERFORMANCE

17. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1: Required Attachment Checklist Attachment 2: Table of Contents Attachment 3: Signed Cover Letter Attachment 4: Resumes Attachment 5: Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet Attachment 6: Mandatory Qualifications Certification and Table Attachment 7: Proposer References Attachment 8: Cost Proposal Attachment 9 – 18: (via links) Attachment 19: Confidentiality Statement Attachment 20: Commercially Useful Function Certification Attachment 21: BYRD Anti-Lobbying Certification Attachment 22: Certification of Federal Good Standing Attachment 23: Executive Order N-6-22 Certification- Russia Sanctions

Environmental Consulting Services for

Attachment 24: Technical Proposal Attachment 25: Contractor Roles Assignment of Staff and Subcontractors

18. PROPOSED CONTRACT WITH SAMPLE EXHIBITS & ATTACHMENTS

Environmental Consulting Services for

Schedule Of Events: * All Proposers are hereby advised of the following schedule and will be expected to adhere to the required dates and times. If HCD finds it necessary to change any of these dates, it shall be accomplished via an addendum to this RFP. Any dates that follow the final date for proposal submission are only approximate and may be adjusted as conditions indicate without addendum to this RFP.

Event: Date: Time

(PST):

RFP Available to Prospective Proposers 03/05/2026 5:00 PM

Deadline to Submit Written Questions 03/10/2026 2:00 PM

Deadline to Post Responses to Written Questions 03/12/2026 2:00 PM Final Date for Proposal Submission2 03/23/2026 2:00 PM

Anticipated Interview Schedule (If needed) 04/09/2026-

04/10/2026 TBD

Anticipated Notice of Intent to Award 04/14/2026

Anticipated Agreement Start Date 06/01/2026

Proposed Contract Term 36-Month Term

1 Proposers must submit proposals identifying the applicable RFP number by the dates specified in the Schedule of Events and as described below in Section 11, RFP Submission Guidelines. Proposals must ONLY be submitted to rfp.ifb@hcd.ca.gov, NOT the email addresses listed on page one (1) of this solicitation. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure they have read request enabled for their submission. If the Proposer does not receive an email response to their RFP submission within three (3) business hours, the Proposer must call the phone numbers listed on page one (1) of this solicitation.

1. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING THE RFP:

Proposers that have questions or require clarifications of the intent and content of this RFP may request clarification only by submitting questions via electronic mail to:

ServiceContracts@hcd.ca.gov and Jeffrey.Sharp@hcd.ca.gov. Do not send questions to rfp.ifb@hcd.ca.gov unless you are confirming receipt of your submission.

mailto:rfp.ifb@hcd.ca.gov

Environmental Consulting Services for

Please reference RFP 25-20-009 Environmental Consulting Services for HUD- Funded Projects in the subject line.

To ensure a response, questions must be received by the date and time specified in the Schedule of Events listed above. Responses to questions received by this date will be posted to the Cal eProcure website, without identifying the source of the query, on or before the date specified in the Schedule of Events listed above.

Please note that no verbal information given will be binding upon the State unless such information is issued in writing as an official addendum.

A. Errors and Omissions

1) If a Proposer discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission or other error in this RFP, it is the Proposer’s responsibility to immediately notify HCD of such error in writing and request clarification or modification of the document. This notification must be submitted pursuant to the procedures described above, Questions and Clarifications Regarding the

RFP.

2) Modifications to the RFP will be made by addenda issued pursuant to the following Section B, Addenda. If a Proposer fails to notify HCD of a known error prior to the final dates of submission, or an error that reasonably should have been known, the Proposer will assume the risk of proposing.

If awarded the contract, the Proposer will not be entitled to additional compensation or time by reason of the error or its later correction.

B. Addenda

HCD may modify any part of the RFP, prior to the date Proposals are due, by issuance of one or more addenda. Addenda will be numbered consecutively and posted to the Cal eProcure website. HCD will not notify potential Proposers of Addenda.

C. Proposer’s Costs

All costs for developing Proposals are entirely the responsibility of the Proposer and will not be chargeable to HCD.

2. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

A. Background

HCD’s Mission is to promote safe, affordable homes and vibrant, inclusive, sustainable communities for all Californians. The Department of Housing and

Environmental Consulting Services for

Community Development values diversity at all levels of the organization and is committed to fostering an environment in which employees and partners from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. We believe the diversity of our employees and our partners bring their unique ideas and perspectives that inspire innovative solutions to further our mission.

In 1965, the California State Legislature created the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to serve as a catalyst in seeking solutions to California’s housing and community development problems through grant management, technical assistance, research, enforcement, and policy development and implementation.

Within HCD, the Division of Federal Financial Assistance (DFFA) administers HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) annual and disaster recovery funding that is delivered within and directly to rural, low-capacity, disaster-impacted, and non-entitlement communities (those that don’t receive funding directly from HUD), as well as non-profits, developers, and tribes across the State to provide homeownership opportunities; create affordable housing and economic development opportunities; address and prevent homelessness; and deliver vital locally-driven planning activities, public services, and public facility and infrastructure projects

The HUD programs DFFA administers include, but are not limited to, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), as well as other annual and special congressional allocations such as Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR).

HUD fulfills its National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.)

(NEPA) obligation through its own implementing regulations pursuant to 24 Code of Federal Regulations Part 58 (Environmental Review Procedures for Entities Assuming HUD Environmental Responsibilities) (Part 58), which delegates environmental review responsibilities to local governments or other Responsible Entities (REs). As a State recipient of HUD funds, HCD may either:

1) Act as a grant recipient directly funding or undertaking a project and thereby assume the role of Responsible Entity (RE); or

2) Exercise HUD’s responsibilities with respect to approval of a unit of general local government’s (grantee) environmental certification, under which the grantee is the RE. When a State distributes funds to a grantee, the State must provide appropriate procedures by which the grantees will evidence their assumption of environmental responsibilities. As a steward of public funds, HCD accepts responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the local environmental review process as it pertains to HUD and HCD projects.

Environmental Consulting Services for

B. Condition of Award

The awarded Contractor will not be authorized to commence performance of services or delivery of goods described in this Agreement prior to the Effective Date and execution of the contract. Any delivery of goods or performance of services by the awarded Contractor that is commenced prior to the Effective Date will be considered gratuitous on the part of the Contractor with no cost or obligation on the part of HCD.

C. No Guarantee of Quantities

The scope and quantities referenced in this RFP are estimated to be the amount needed based on current information available to HCD. HCD is not obligated to contract for or to accept more than the actual requirements needed during the period of this Agreement, as determined by actual needs and availability of appropriated funds. HCD reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities and make adjustments between individual task budgets, as appropriate, at the prices stated in the Agreement resulting from this RFP.

D. Definitions

This list is not exhaustive. Definitions will be incorporated as Exhibit A, Attachment 2 or attachment to the executed Agreement, as applicable.

24 CFR Part 51 (Part 51) – 24 Code of Federal Regulations part 51 contains HUD's environmental standards, criteria and guidelines.

24 CFR Part 58 (Part 58) – 24 Code of Federal Regulations part 58 contains HUD's instructions and guidance for conducting environmental reviews and obtaining approval of a Request for Release of Funds.

Agreement/Contract - A negotiated and legally binding agreement between the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the awarded Contractor.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

Contractor – Denotes the Proposer that is awarded an agreement as a result of this procurement and will have full responsibility and liability for its subcontractors and the completion of all deliverables.

Department of General Services (DGS) – The State of California's procurement authority.

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HCD Contract Manager – The authorized representative of HCD responsible for administering this Agreement and overseeing Contractor performance on behalf of HCD. The Contract Manager can delegate roles to a designee(s). This definition is inclusive of the Contract Manager’s designee(s).

Key Personnel - Personnel considered to be essential to the work being performed under this Agreement. Key Personnel include, but are not limited to, all personnel who will exercise a major administrative role or major policy or consultant role, including those of the subcontractor to the contractor. Key Personnel is defined to indicate which staff need to meet minimum requirements.

Key Personnel may serve in more than one role.

Other Direct Costs (ODC) - Unless otherwise mentioned, includes costs such as phone equipment and service, program related media needs, postage, copying, printing, supplies, computer peripherals, and software, licensing, or other fees.

Primary Point of Contact (POC) - Contractor’s principal point of contact for HCD. On behalf of the Contractor, the POC oversees implementation of the program, including, but not limited to, all day-to-day activities, contracting, subcontracting, staffing, billing, and quality control.

Proposal - A response to a solicitation for proposals (e.g., RFP).

Proposer - Denotes any entity that submits a Proposal responding to a solicitation for proposals prior to award. Proposer is inclusive of subcontractors.

Scope of Work (SOW) - Unless context provides otherwise, Scope of Work refers to the Scope of Work of the proposed Agreement (Section 18 of this RFP, Exhibit A).

Shall, Must, or Will - Denotes mandatory language; a requirement that must be met without alteration.

Should, Can, or May - Denotes desirable, non-mandatory language.

Subcontractor - Subcontractor to the Proposer that is awarded the contract as a result of this solicitation.

Tiered Environmental Reviews - Under Part 58, responsible entities can streamline their environmental reviews to avoid repeating the same environmental assessment for program planning or projects with the same or similar activities within a defined geographical area and timeframe.

Environmental Consulting Services for

Unit of General Local Government (UGLG) - Any city, county, town, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – The federal department that distributes funds to communities to support their efforts to provide decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities for low and moderate-income individuals and households.

3. PURPOSE AND TERM

A. Purpose

HCD is seeking proposals from qualified environmental consulting firms with proven experience and expertise in preparing environmental documents and providing technical assistance to ensure compliance with Part 58, the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code § 21000 et seq.) (CEQA), and other applicable environmental requirements.

To effectively meet the needs of HCD and its requirements under Part 58 and other related environmental regulations, it is expected that the Contractor will be able to review and prepare (or assist with preparing) reports and administrative records that are adequate and legally defensible, maintain a current and thorough understanding of most up-to-date guidance of Part 58 and CEQA and other associated regulations and laws, understand the construction process, and understand and articulate the requirements for each unique project and a range of federal funding sources.

The Contractor shall understand HCD’s unique role with various federal funding sources, depending on the applicant, and ensure compliance with the latest guidance from HCD, HUD, and CEQA; work under tight timelines or on short notice in a cost-effective manner; and assist in communicating with applicable agencies, partners, stakeholders, and the public.

In addition to ensuring HCD’s actions are compliant with environmental laws, regulations, best practices, and guidance, the Contractor will have the responsibility to help ensure that the principles, practices, and administrative records are carried out and implemented in accordance with the laws and regulations, as well as HCD’s policies and procedures. Failure to meet compliance requirements may result in project and funding delays, loss of existing or future funding, repayment of funds, and poor optics for HCD.

B. Agreement Term:

06/01/2026 or Upon approval by the Department of General Services (DGS), whichever is later, through May 31, 2029. Any permitted amendment(s) would continue the services outlined in the original Scope of Work, as

Environmental Consulting Services for described in Section 18 of this RFP, Exhibit A ("Scope of Work") at the same terms and rates.

C. Scope of Work

Please refer to the Scope of Work of the proposed Agreement (Section 18 of this RFP, Exhibit A).

4. PROPOSER’S MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

A. In General

Proposals must describe the Proposer’s qualifications and expertise in the format outlined in the RFP. A proposal will not be considered complete unless it contains all of the items described below. Proposers are not to alter or modify the forms other than by providing the required information; please note, adding your firm’s logo or letterhead to the form is not considered a modification or alteration of the form. Failure to provide adequate evidence, documentation, forms, or any required information may cause the Proposal to be rejected.

All listed staff must have the minimum required years of experience documented through resumes and other relevant supporting documentation, such as past contracts or finalized work products for performance of work with agencies other than HCD, evidencing the experience specified below in Section 4.B. Technical Proposal Mandatory Required Qualifications, resumes may be used to help evaluate the technical proposal and ensure the minimum requirements of staff listed are met.

The Proposer must demonstrate and meet the following Mandatory qualifications and requirements. Failure to provide adequate evidence and/or documentation will cause the proposal to be rejected. The mandatory qualifications and requirements of this section, (“In General”) and relevant supporting documentation provided will be scored on a pass/fail basis. All documentation that is scored on a pass/fail basis may be used for further evaluation. Proposals that are determined, in the sole discretion of HCD, to fail any mandatory qualifications or requirements will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be further evaluated.

1) Utilizing Section 17, Attachment 6, “Mandatory Qualifications

Certification,” Proposer must certify that they are a corporation, partnership, or other entity lawfully authorized and qualified to do business in the State of California.

2) Utilizing Section 17, Attachment 6, “Mandatory Qualifications Certification,” Proposer and each subcontractor must certify that they are and will continue to meet all terms and conditions for operating a business

Environmental Consulting Services for in the city, county, or city and county in which the business is headquartered.

3) Utilizing Section 17, Attachment 6, “Mandatory Qualifications

Certification,” Proposer and each subcontractor must certify that there is no conflict of interest between existing client relationships and the ability to vigorously and fully represent HCD and that they have reviewed the Conflict of Interest provisions included in Section 28 (“Conflict of Interest Clause”) of Exhibit D of the proposed Agreement (Section 18 of this RFP, Exhibit D, Section 28).

4) Utilizing Section 17, Attachment 6, “Mandatory Qualifications

Certification,” Proposer must certify its ability to adequately staff and scale personnel levels to maintain agreed upon service levels at startup and throughout the term of the Agreement, which may include a varying volume of work in varying locations across the State.

5) Utilizing Section 17, Attachment 25, “Contractor Roles Assignment of Staff and Subcontractors,” Proposer must list all current Key Personnel, including any subcontractors’ Key Personnel, who will be performing services under the Agreement and their roles and provide an organizational chart with clearly defined levels of authority and oversight.

Key Personnel must be skilled, experienced professional and/or technical personnel who meet or exceed the qualifications described below in Section 4.B, Technical Proposal Mandatory Required Qualifications and Experience.

6) Utilizing Section 17, Attachment 4, “Resumes,” provide resumes for Key

Personnel of Proposer’s firm and any subcontractors, including, but not limited to, the Primary Point of Contact (POC), and technical or resource area leads who will be assigned to the Work.

7) Proposer must submit all items listed in Section 5, “Proposal Content.”

B. Technical Proposal Mandatory Required Qualifications and Experience

1) Proposer must have at least five (5) years of experience with full preparation, quality control, and project management of Part 58 EAs (Environmental Assessments), Categorically Excluded Subject To 58.5 (CEST) reviews consistent with 24 CFR 58.5 and 24 CFR 58.6, and similar documents on behalf of government entities that are in compliance with 24 CFR Part 58, CEQA, and related regulations.

I. This experience must include the full preparation, quality control, and project management of at least three (3) EAs for new affordable

Environmental Consulting Services for housing construction projects that met the requirements of 24 CFR Part 58 and were funded through HUD.

2) Proposer must have experience preparing at least one (1) environmental compliance report that meets the requirements of 24 CFR Part 93.301(f) for a Housing Trust Fund (HTF) project.

3) Proposer must have experience preparing at least one (1) Part 58 EA for a

HOME multi-family housing project. This may count towards the requirements of number 1 above.

4) Proposer must have experience preparing at least one (1) Part 58 EA for a

Tribal housing project though the Indian Housing Block Grant program (25 U.S.C. § 4111 et seq.) or other Tribal program subject to Part 58. This may count towards the requirements of paragraph (1) of this Section 4.B.

5) Proposer must have experience preparing at least one (1) CEQA document.

6) Proposer must have experience with tribal consultation and cultural sensitivities, policies, laws, and the unique requirements of implementing Tribal housing projects in California.

7) Key Personnel, including those working on special studies, must have at least two (2) years of experience, must possess education and experience commensurate with the particular area or task they are working on, and must have the appropriate registration, license, or certification for work they will perform under the proposed Agreement, as required by law.

8) Key Personnel that are authorized to sign environmental documents on behalf of the Contractor must have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in an environmental-related field which may include, but is not limited to, environmental sciences or studies, planning, or engineering.

9) Primary POC must have demonstrated experience leading environmental professionals and staff, preparing and reviewing environmental documents in compliance with 24 CFR part 58, and providing quality assurance and control.

10) Key Personnel providing technical assistance, capacity building, subject matter expertise, or training must have at least two (2) years of experience providing similar tasks relevant to the Scope of Work.

11) Proposer must possess the necessary resources to deploy sufficient and qualified personnel and manage multiple projects with short turnaround times.

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12) Proposer must take complete responsibility for the performance of its staff and subcontractors and for making payments of any and all charges resulting from the Agreement.

13) Proposer must not have had an early termination of a contract similar in scope to this RFP due to breach of contract or lack of performance in the last five (5) years.

C. Insurance Requirements- Not required to be submitted with Proposal

The awarded Contractor will not commence performance under the Agreement until the Proposer has provided HCD with a certificate of insurance stating that there is liability insurance presently in effect for the Proposer with a Combined Single Limit (CSL) of not less than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence. The Proposer will provide written notice to HCD within five (5) business days of any cancellation, non-renewal, or material change that affects the required insurance coverage. The certificate of insurance must include the following provision: “The State of California, HCD, and their officers, agents, employees, and servants are included as additional insureds, but only with respect to work performed for HCD under this Agreement.”

5. PROPOSAL CONTENT

Proposals must describe the Proposer’s qualifications and expertise in the format outlined in the RFP. A proposal will not be considered complete unless it contains all of the items described below.

A. Attachment 2: Table of Contents

Properly identify each proposal requirement and the contents therein. Number the pages for all documents.

B. Attachment 3: Cover Letter of Interest

Provide a Cover Letter of Interest, which will be considered an integral part of the

Proposal and must be signed by an individual who is authorized to bind the Proposer contractually. The cover letter must state the individual is so authorized and must identify the title or position that the individual holds in the Proposer’s firm. An unsigned cover letter will cause the Proposal to be rejected. The letter must contain all of the following:

1) A statement to the effect that the Proposal is a firm and irrevocable offer good through the effective date of the resulting contract.

Environmental Consulting Services for

2) A statement expressing the Proposer’s willingness to perform the services as described in this RFP.

3) A statement expressing the Proposer’s availability of staff and other required resources for performing all services and providing all deliverables as described in this RFP.

4) The principal place of business and the contact person, title, telephone, and email address of a single person for possible contact during this RFP review process.

5) A statement expressing that the Proposer will continue to meet all terms and conditions for operating a business in the city, county, or city and county in which the business is headquartered.

6) By signing the cover letter of interest and Proposal, the Proposer certifies that the signatory is authorized to bind the Proposer/Standard Agreement, if awarded.

C. Required Attachments

A complete proposal or proposal package must also include all items identified in Section 17, Attachment 1, Required Attachment Checklist below.

D. Attachment 24: Technical Proposal Proposers must provide all requested information as outlined below in Section 6, Technical Proposal, of this RFP.

6. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (Max 250 Points)

In addition to meeting the Mandatory Qualifications and Requirements in Section 4, the Proposer, Key Personnel, and any subcontractors, will be scored on what is documented in their technical proposal response, as well as through resumes of Key Personnel who will be performing the work, and other relevant supporting documentation.

Please organize your response according to the outline below. The total maximum points for each category are provided in parentheses and will be scored on a points-earned basis as described in Section 12, “Evaluation and Scoring Process.”

A. Qualifications and Experience of Organization, Key Personnel, Subcontractors (Max 150 points)

The responses must indicate that the Proposer has a clear understanding of the scope of the work to be performed and explain how the Proposer and its Key Personnel and/or subcontractor(s) meet the requirements:

Environmental Consulting Services for

1) Provide a detailed description of each of three (3) relevant examples of projects during the last five (5) years working with government entities on projects similar in size, scope, and function to that of this RFP. The description must include the governmental entity, type of project, level of review, and Key Personnel. For one of the examples provided, provide one 24 CFR Part 58 Environmental Assessment level of review as an attachment. The EA will be evaluated using current HUD guidance on properly documenting compliance with each part, as part of the scoring.

(Max 40 points).

2) For each project described pursuant to question one (1), indicate the relevant work experience and proper skills, expertise, or licenses or certificates used to effectively meet the requirements of the scope of work of the project. (Max 30 points).

3) Describe your proposed Key Personnel’s experience and qualifications in conducting special studies and with assisting with regulatory agency consultations. (Max 30 points).

4) Describe your Key Personnel’s experience in implementing technical assistance, capacity building, subject matter expertise, and training engagements similar in nature to that of this RFP. (Max 30 points).

5) Describe how Proposer and its Key Personnel and/or subcontractor(s) possess the experience and qualifications assisting with tribal consultations and implementing tribal engagements and preparing tribal monitoring plans.

(Max 20 points).

B. Work Plan/Schedule/Approach and Methodology (Max 100 points)

1) Proposer shall provide a general work plan/schedule and approach and methodology for each of the five (5) tasks identified in Sections 5.F and 5.G of the Scope of Work (“Contractor Tasks” and “Delivery of Services”).

The Work Plan/Schedule and Approach and Methodology should demonstrate the Proposer’s understanding of the requested services, be consistent with all requirements of the Scope of Work, outline the steps for documenting compliance with Part 58 and other applicable requirements, and identify each major task, necessary subtask, deliverables, and/or specific milestones (Max 30 points).

2) Considering the example project below, the Proposer shall provide:

Environmental Consulting Services for

I. A sample work plan and schedule outlining the steps for completing a typical NEPA Environmental Assessment that is compliant with Part 58 and any other related regulations.

II. An approach and methodology for providing the required work plan/schedule and services and for identifying and completing the tasks necessary to comply with the requirements described within the Scope of Work.

The Work Plan/Schedule and Approach and Methodology should outline the steps for documenting compliance with Part 58 and other applicable requirements, and identify each major task, necessary subtask, deliverables, and/or specific milestones.

HCD acknowledges that every project is different and that the environmental review process is subject to possible delays or constraints.

However, this question allows HCD to evaluate fairly each firm’s understanding on how to implement Part 58.

Example Project

HCD is providing $1,000,000 of HUD HOME funds and $1,000,000 in State Homekey funds to a developer for acquisition, rehabilitation, and conversion of a motel into permanent supportive housing. Special Conditions:

1. A corner of the property is in a special flood hazard area, 100-year floodplain. The project is located in a community that is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program

(NFIP).

2. The property is an infill property in a primarily residential area with most of the adjacent housing having been built between 1945-1950.

3. The project is on a major thoroughfare.

4. Assume no other special conditions or issues and that no other additional special studies or technical investigations will be needed (or they will have been provided as reference).

5. If the applicant is a non-profit developer what is HCD’s role?

How does it change if the applicant is a unit of local government? (see RFP Background section above).

Environmental Consulting Services for

(Max 25 points).

3) Proposer shall provide their approach and methodology for starting up operations, for minimizing risk and maintaining compliance, managing subcontractors, client and tribal communication, communication between the POC and HCD Contract Manager, coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and other entities, project management, ensuring completion of critical tasks and exemplary customer service, project and file management, record retention, and implementing a quality assurance process (Max 15 points).

4) Proposer shall provide their mechanisms for delivering services and approach for managing operations to provide efficiency and effectiveness and optimizing the use of personnel and other resources/tools/databases (Max 15 points).

5) Proposer shall provide an approach and methodology for helping HCD and its grantees and subrecipients adapt to changing environmental regulations (Max 15 points).

Note: Responses to this section are used for evaluation purposes only. However, at HCD’s discretion, some or all of the Proposer’s response may be incorporated (and modified) into the Agreement, as applicable.

7. COST PROPOSAL (Max 130 Points)

A. Complete the Section 17, Attachment 8, Cost Proposal worksheet, which will consist of the required tasks of this Agreement, as a guide to prepare a proposal for completing the services within the Scope of Work to allow for completion within the Agreement term.

B. The cost proposal will be scored as set forth in Section 12 below.

C. All labor categories, classifications, tasks and staff including Key Personnel and non-Key Personnel must be included in the Proposal and are subject to written approval by HCD.

D. The awarded Proposer from this RFP will be paid the actual billable rates proposed for all services based on the costs set forth in the Standard Agreement with HCD as proposed under this RFP.

E. This is a competitive solicitation and HCD encourages all Proposers to submit their best and final cost proposal with all applicable documentation.

Environmental Consulting Services for HUD-Funded Projects

8. PROPOSER REFERENCES (Max 50 Points)

Proposer must submit applicable references using the form in Section 17, Attachment 7 (“Proposer References”): Proposer must provide three (3) references for customers for whom the Proposer has provided services of the same nature and type as those outlined in this solicitation and consistent with the Scope of Work. Each reference will use Attachment 7 to provide Customer Satisfaction Ratings in five categories, adding up to 50 points. The three overall totals will be averaged. At HCD’s discretion, points may be confirmed with references. The Proposer is responsible for ensuring that the Proposer’s Reference document is timely completed by each Reference and submitted with the Proposal. Proposers shall not complete Customer Satisfaction Ratings on behalf of any reference.

9. ORAL INTERVIEWS, IF REQUIRED (Max 100 Points)

A. HCD, at its sole discretion, may require Proposers to participate in an interview which may also require an oral presentation of how they propose to meet the objectives of this RFP. It is HCD’s discretion to choose how many Proposers to interview based on the highest scoring Proposals.

10. FEDERAL PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVES PROGRAM

A. Disadvantaged Business, Including Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Outreach

1) California and the federal government are committed to equal opportunity for contracting. All disadvantaged businesses such as small business, MBE, WBE, disabled veteran businesses are encouraged to respond to this RFP.

2) As outlined in 2 CFR 200.321, non-federal entities must take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that minority businesses, women’s businesses, and labor surplus firms are used when possible. To meet this requirement, Proposers who are a WBE or MBE are encouraged to respond or be a part of a team, which responds to the RFP.

11. RFP SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

A. Proposals must 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.

B. All Proposals must be submitted electronically via rfp.ifb@hcd.ca.gov to HCD by the date and time shown in the Schedule of Events table on the fourth page of

Environmental Consulting Services for this RFP. Proposals received after the final submission date and time will not be considered.

C. Proposal submission inbox rfp.ifb@hcd.ca.gov is only for submitting bids. All inquiries must be submitted to ServiceContracts@hcd.ca.gov and Jeffrey.Sharp@hcd.ca.gov.

D. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure their proposal is successfully delivered via email by the deadline. HCD is not responsible for any technical delays, file size rejections, or transmission errors on the Proposer’s end.

E. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to use a clear naming convention for all documents.

F. Please note, although HCD has the discretion to withhold information from Public Records Act (“PRA”) disclosure in certain circumstances, by submitting Proposal materials to the Department, Proposer is consenting to PRA disclosure of any or all information contained in such materials (even if Proposer considers them confidential) at HCD’s sole discretion.

G. All documents contained in the Proposal package must be signed by an individual who is authorized to bind the Proposer. The signature must indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the Proposal. An unsigned Proposal may be rejected.

H. If the Proposal is made under a fictitious name or business title, the actual legal name of Proposer must be provided.

I. All proposals are required to include the documents identified as required in Section 17, Attachment 1 of this RFP (“Required Attachment Checklist”).

Proposals not including the proper “required attachments” will be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive proposal is one that does not meet the basic proposal requirements. Proposals deemed non-responsive will be rejected.

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

K. 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 date. Proposal modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

mailto:rfp.ifb@hcd.ca.gov

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L. A Proposer may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to ServiceContracts@hcd.ca.gov and Jeffrey.Sharp@hcd.ca.gov signed by the Proposer or an authorized agent. A Proposer may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline.

M. HCD may modify this RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of Proposals by the issuance of an addendum in the same manner as the original RFP was released. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that the Proposal submission meets all requirements.

N. Proposers are cautioned not to rely on HCD during the evaluation to discover and report to the Proposer any defects and errors in the submitted documents.

Proposers, before submitting their documents, should carefully proof them for errors and adherence to the RFP requirements.

O. More than one (1) Proposal from an individual, Proposer, partnership, corporation, or association under the same or different names will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that any Proposer has submitted more than one (1) Proposal for the work contemplated herein will cause the rejection of all proposals submitted by that Proposer.

P. HCD does not accept alternate agreement language from a prospective contractor. A Proposal with such language will be considered a counter proposal and will be rejected. The State’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC) that may be viewed and downloaded at: General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) are not negotiable.

Q. No Proposer-initiated contact will be allowed between Proposers and members of the Evaluation Panel, or HCD staff, after issuance of this RFP document, with the exception of the contact person named.

R. No oral/verbal understanding or agreement will be binding on either party.

S. 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 § 7920.000 et seq.) and subject to review by the public unless disclosure is otherwise prohibited by law or HCD, in its sole discretion, determines that there is reason for nondisclosure. Should a Proposer desire to keep any or all components of their response to this RFP confidential, the Proposer would need to obtain a protective order from a court of competent jurisdiction.

12. EVALUATION AND SCORING PROCESS

A. Proposals must include clear and distinctive explanations, and not simply repeat RFP requirements but demonstrate a well-thought-out approach to meeting the requirements of the RFP.

mailto:ServiceContracts@hcd.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Resources/GTC-Updates/GTC-225-February-2025.pdf

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B. After Proposals are opened, HCD will conduct an Administrative Review to evaluate each Proposal for completeness. In order to be deemed complete, a Proposal must contain all mandatory information and supporting documentation in the format, and prepared, issued, certified, or signed as required by, Section 4, Proposer’s Mandatory Qualifications and Requirements, Section 11, RFP Submission Guidelines, and Section 17, Attachment 1, Required Attachment Checklist. Proposal completeness will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis. A Proposal that is not complete will be deemed nonresponsive.

C. After HCD deems a Proposal complete, an HCD Evaluation Team will score the Proposer References, Technical Proposal, Cost Proposal, and, if conducted, Interview, in accordance with the evaluation and scoring methods specified in this Section 12.

D. The HCD Evaluation Team will determine the points each Proposal receives within each category either by averaging individual team members’ scores or by unanimous agreement of the HCD Evaluation Team during a committee scoring process.

E. If any member of the HCD Evaluation Team becomes unavailable during the scoring process, or if HCD, in its sole discretion, determines there is good cause to remove any member of the HCD Evaluation Team or rescore Proposals because of irregularities in the scoring process that may result in unfairness, HCD may convene a new HCD Evaluation Team to rescore all Proposals that are deemed complete.

F. HCD may request clarifications from Proposers at any time for the purpose of evaluating or reevaluating completeness, responsiveness, or Proposer responsibility or otherwise clarifying ambiguities or curing omissions in the Proposal. HCD will request in writing that the Proposers provide the information or documentation required and will specify the timeline for submission. Failure to submit the required information or documentation by the date and time indicated may cause HCD to deem the proposal non-responsive or deem the Proposer nonresponsive.

G. Proposals that contain false or misleading statements, or which provide references, which do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the Proposer, may be deemed nonresponsive and rejected.

H. Interview

1) HCD, at its sole discretion, may require up to the top (3) Proposers to participate in an interview which may also require an oral presentation of how they propose to meet the objectives of this RFP.

2) HCD reserves the right to enter into an Agreement without further discussion of the Proposal submitted based on the initial Proposal.

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3) If interviews are required, the information received in the oral presentation will be added to the total points possible. The total amount of interview points will be up to 100 points.

I. HCD will use a “highest points” methodology to determine which Proposal is awarded.

Scoring Criteria Category Max.

Points

Assigned

1) Technical Proposal A. Qualifications and Experience of Organization, Key Personnel, Subcontractors: 150

2) Technical Proposal B. Approach, Methodology, and Work Plan:

3) Cost Proposal 130

4) Proposer References 50

5) TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 430

Interviews (if required) 100

J. Scoring Criteria

The responses will be reviewed, and points will be assigned, based on HCD’s evaluation and according to the point values listed below. Responses will include clear and distinctive explanations and not simply repeat the RFP requirements.

Responses will demonstrate a well-thought-out approach to meeting the requirements of this RFP.

1) Technical Proposal A: Qualifications and Experience of Organization, Key Personnel, Subcontractors. (150 points max)

1. Provide a detailed description of each of three (3) relevant examples of projects during the last five (5) years working with government entities on projects similar in size, scope, and function to that of the RFP. Description must include the governmental entity, type of project, level of review, and Key Personnel. For one of the examples provided, provide one 24 CFR Part 58 Environmental Assessment level of review as attachment. The EA will be evaluated, using current HUD

Point Values

Environmental Consulting Services for guidance on properly documenting compliance with each part, as part of the scoring.

Proposer provides no response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) or no relevant examples.

Proposer provides some relevant examples, but Proposal response is inadequate or does not meet HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations. Omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s) are significant and unacceptable.

Proposer provides some relevant examples, but no Key Personnel proposed for this agreement are included in the provided examples.

0 Points (No Value)

Proposer provides some relevant examples (i.e., content and/or explanation offered), but response is barely adequate or minimally meets HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations. There are omissions, flaws, or defects.

Only some Key Personnel proposed for this agreement are included in the provided examples.

10 Points (Poor)

Proposer provides at least some relevant examples that meet HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations (i.e., content and/or explanation offered). The omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s), if any, are inconsequential and satisfactory.

Key Personnel proposed for the Agreement are included in the provided examples.

20 Points (Fair)

Proposer provides three relevant examples and Proposal response is satisfactory and fully meets HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations with no omissions, flaws, or defects.

Key Personnel proposed for the Agreement are included in the examples.

40 Points (Excellent)

2. For each example provided for question one (1), indicate the relevant work experience and proper skills, expertise, or licenses or certificates used to effectively meet the requirements of the Scope of Work.

If fewer than three (3) relevant examples are provided for question one (1), the maximum points a proposal may receive for this question is 10 points.

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Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is inadequate or does not meet HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations. The omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s) are significant and unacceptable.

0 Points (No Value)

Proposer has some relevant experience but does not have experience that meets the requirements of this RFP. Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is barely adequate or minimally meets HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations. There are omissions, flaws, or defects or only some Key Personnel proposed for this agreement are included in the provided examples.

10 Points (Poor)

Proposer has relevant experience that partially meets the requirements of the RFP. Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) partially meets HCD’s needs/requirements or expectations.