25ISD008_-_RFP_FINAL.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (SECONDARY METHOD)

Notice to Prospective Proposers RFP No. 25ISD008

February 27, 2026

You are invited to review and respond to this Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 25ISD008, entitled, “Evaluation of Fuel Specification Changes.” 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 California State Government Marketplace. 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 27th, 2026, no later than 12:00 p.m PST. 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 25ISD008 [Insert vendor name] Proposal”. 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: Brian.Fong@arb.ca.gov CC: Vikki.Dyachuk@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: Brian Fong Email: Brian.Fong@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. 25ISD008

Table of Contents

I. PURPOSE / BACKGROUND / SCOPE OF WORK 3

A. Purpose 3 B. Background 4 C. Scope of Work 8

II. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (GENERAL) AND INFORMATION 10

A. Key Action Dates 11 B. Questions Regarding RFP Requirements 11 C. General Proposal Requirements 12 D. Submission of Proposals 12 E. Modification and/or Withdrawal of Proposals 13 F. Proposer Responsibilities 13 G. Signature 16 H. Disposition of Proposals 17 I. Socio-Economic and Preference Programs 17

III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (TECHNICAL) 20

A. Technical Proposal Requirements 20

1. Minimum Qualifications 20

2. Title Page 21

3. Cover Letter / Letter of Commitment 21

4. Table of Contents 22

5. Summary 22

6. Minimum Qualifications Response 22

7. Required Attachments 22

8. References 22

9. Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement 22

10. Subcontracts / Subcontractors 22

11. Technical Portion 23

a. Management Plan 23

b. Methodology (Approach to Work) 23

c. Work Plan and Work Schedule 23

d. Personnel / Experience 25

e. Page Headers and Page Numbering 25

B. Cost Proposal Requirements 25

1. Cost Detail 26

2. Page Headers and Page Numbering 26

IV. EVALUATION, SELECTION, AND AWARD 26

A. Administrative Evaluation (Phase 1) 26

1. Responsive and Responsible Proposer 26 B. Technical Evaluation (Phase 2) 27

1. Scoring Criterion Guidelines 27

2. Cost Points 27

3. Proposal Evaluation 29 C. Proposal Rejection 31 D. Selection 32 E. Notice of Proposed Award 32 F. Standard Conditions of Service 33

G. Post Award Requirements 34

ATTACHMENTS

1. Required Attachment Checklist 35

2. Draft Standard Agreement (STD 213) 36

Exhibit A, Scope of Work 38 Exhibit A, Attachment 1 – Technical Proposal 46 Exhibit B, Budget Detail and Payment Provisions 47 Exhibit B, Attachment 1 – Contractor Cost Sheet 48 Exhibit C, General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) 49 Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions 50

Exhibit E, Additional Provisions 57 Exhibit F, Quarterly Progress Report Template 60 Exhibit G, Final Report Format 61

3. Proposer References Form 66

4. Payee Data Record (STD 204) 67

5. Payee Date Record (STD 205) 69

6. Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) 71

7. California Civil Rights Laws Certification 75

8. Darfur Contracting Act Certification 76

9. Bidder Declaration Form 77

10. CA DVBE Bid Incentive Instructions 80

11. Contractor Cost Sheet 84

12. Detailed Response for Minimum Qualifications 85

13. Covid-19 Prevention Contractor Self-Certification 86

14. Conflict of Interest & Confidentiality Statement 87

I. PURPOSE / BACKGROUND / SCOPE OF WORK

A. Purpose

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit competitive proposals from experienced and qualified contractors to explore the development and evaluate the impacts of alternative fuel specifications to those established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that consider the petroleum market and prices in the western region, fuel exports and imports, infrastructure needs and costs should alternative specifications be implemented, and market impacts from fuel changes.

For a detailed description of the work to be performed, please refer to Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement (STD 213). The work of this contract is expected to take twenty-one (21) months. No work shall begin until all required signatures and approvals are obtained and the CARB Project Manager provides direction.

The total budget for the entire contract is Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($750,000.00). Proposals exceeding this amount may be deemed non-responsive and ineligible for award. CARB reserves the right to amend this Agreement through a formal written amendment, signed by the parties, for additional time only.

B. Background

In 2023, Senate Bill X1-2 (SBX1-2), the California Gas Price Gouging and Transparency Law, was signed into law. SBX1-2 protects Californians from experiencing price gouging at the pump by oil companies. The law also requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), in consultation with CARB to prepare a Transportation Fuels Assessment (TFA) every three years and for both Agencies to develop a Transportation Fuels Transition Plan (TFTP) to discuss how to ensure that the supply of petroleum and alternative transportation fuels is affordable, reliable, equitable, and adequate to meet the demand for those transportation fuels described in the most current scoping plan approved by CARB under Health and Safety Code section 38561.

As a part of SBX1-2 efforts, several strategies are being developed to help plan for reduced demand and reduced fuel supply. One strategy being considered is aligning California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) specifications with other states. The work proposed here considers the impact such strategies would have on the fuels market.

More recently, Governor Newsom’s April 2025 letter to CEC solicited recommendations on changes to state policy to ensure adequate transportation fuels supply during this pivotal time in our state’s clean energy transition. The CEC in its response June 2025 recommended the state, “Implement a suite of policies and programs to ensure environmental, public health, labor, economic, and consumer protections for a successfully managed transportation fuels transition.” And further noting that, “…proactive planning and resources will be necessary to prepare communities for a future without petroleum industry, including refineries, and to ensure that fossil fuel-related legacies do not cause new harm.”

Additionally, SB 237 recognizes that the State has entered into a mid-transition phase in the fuels market, SB 237 authorizes the Governor under certain conditions and if specific findings are made, to suspend certain regulatory requirements if a suspension is necessary to protect consumers from extraordinary gasoline price increases. SB 237 further requires the next version of the above-described TFA to evaluate the cost and supply impacts of allowing the sale of gasoline with alternative specifications from CARB’s gasoline specifications and requires CEC to recommend a strategy to facilitate the sale of gasoline with alternative specifications considering a trigger mechanism for when the gasoline may be sold, existing state process, and the use of a fee associated with the sale of alternative specification gasoline. The bill additionally requires the next version of the TFA to evaluate the development of multi-state westwide gasoline specification. This work supports these efforts by developing and evaluating alternative fuel specifications as described.

Gasoline Specifications

Most gasoline produced by refineries is an unfinished gasoline blendstock called a blendstock for oxygenate blending (BOB). There are three primary BOBs in the United States:

Conventional BOB (CBOB) – Federal Reformulated BOB (RBOB) – Federal California Reformulated BOB (CARBOB) – California

A BOB is a gasoline stock that is mixed an oxygenate, typically ethanol, at the terminal racks before it becomes a finished fuel product. RBOB becomes federal Reformulated Gasoline (RFG), CBOB becomes Conventional Gasoline, and CARBOB becomes California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG).

Outside of the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) limit, RFG and Conventional Gasoline have identical specifications. These specifications are less stringent than CaRFG specifications. RFG and Conventional Gasoline have specifications for RVP, benzene, and sulfur, and all other specifications must follow ASTM limits. However, these other specifications may not exist in ASTM. Table 1 outlines the differences in specifications.

Table 1: Comparison of California and Federal Gasoline Specifications

Area California1 United States23456

Summertime Period(s)

Apr 1 – Oct

May 1 – Sep 30, May 1 - Oct 31, Jun 1 - Sep 30, Jun 1 - Oct

May 1 – Sep 15, Jun 1 - Sep 15

Regulated Gasoline

CaRFG3

CARBOB

CBOB

RFG or RBOB Flat Cap

RVP (psi, max) 7.00/6.90 6.40-7.20 5.99 Varies* 7.4

T50 (F, max) 213 220 232 ASTM ASTM

T90 (F, max) 305 330 335 ASTM ASTM

Benzene (vol%, max) 0.8 1.1 1.22 1.30/0.62 1.30/0.62

Aromatics (vol%, max)

25 35 38.7 ASTM ASTM

Olefins (vol%, max) 6 10 11.1 ASTM ASTM

Sulfur (ppm, max) 20 20 21 10/80/95 10/80/95

Oxygen Content (w%) 1.8 - 2.2 0 - 3.5 - ASTM ASTM

*As discussed below, the RVP for CBOB changes depending on the geographic region where the gasoline is sold.

1 CARB Phase 3 Gasoline Specifications. Summary Table.

2 Federal RFG must meet Substantially Similar Rule - ASTM 4814 3 Code of Federal Regulations. Title 40, Part 1090, Subpart C, Section 1090.220. RFG Standards. eCFR:40 CFR 1090.220 4 ASTM International. ASTM D4814-22 Standard Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel, Table 1.

5 Regulated as part of the EPA Complex Model. Used to certify RFG formulations that meet emissions performance standards.

6 U.S. EPA. Regulatory Announcement EPA420-F-06-020.

The primary difference between RFG and Conventional Gasoline is the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) limit. A lower RVP limit helps reduce smog-forming and hazardous chemicals in the air and is mandated during the summer months when ozone levels are at their highest. RVP limits can vary widely based on different geographic regions.

Listed below are the six main RVP specifications across the U.S. Figure 1 is a map showing the summer blend RVP requirements for the continental US. These requirements are set by either federal requirements or federally approved State Implementation Plans for fuel specifications, as discussed below. Some geographic regions using Conventional Gasoline with either a 7.8 psi RVP or a 9.0 psi RVP also provide a 1.0 psi RVP allowance for gasoline containing 10 percent ethanol. Figure 1 identifies these unique regions as 8.8 psi RVP and 10.0 psi RVP, respectively, to differentiate between the geographic regions that do not provide for the 1.0 psi allowance.

The 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act mandated Federal reformulated gasoline (RFG) to reduce emissions of smog-forming and toxic pollutants. Major parts of California are federally classified as ozone nonattainment areas, such as the greater Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Joaquin Valley regions. Additionally, California has its own State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to help improve air quality in these regions. Currently, CaRFG is more stringent than Federal RFG, and given California’s SIP obligations, many regions of California would not be able to adopt fuel specifications that are less stringent than Federal RFG.

Figure 1: Map of RVP standards across U.S.

*This map is only a representation of different RVP specifications and is not meant to be exhaustive. Inaccuracies will exist due to unanticipated changes in fuel specifications at the state or national levels, as well as RVP specifications not following county lines perfectly.

Gasoline Supply and Demand in California:

As demand for gasoline continues to decline in California, refineries will likely continue to transition from refining petroleum and may permanently close or convert to the refining of renewable feedstocks for renewable diesel or other types of bio-based fuels. However, some demand for liquid fuels is expected to remain over the coming decades. A single supply shock in northern or southern California, be it from an unplanned maintenance event, a severe accident, or a natural disaster, would make it even more difficult to supply transportation fuel needs during the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

There are currently nine refineries in California that produce CARBOB. Based on recent company announcements, the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington, California will close in the Fall of 2025, and the Valero Benicia refinery will close in the Spring of 2026.

California refineries meet nearly all of California’s gasoline demand, with imported gasoline from out-of-state or overseas meeting the small residual demand. Some gasoline produced is non-CARBOB and exported out of the state, much of it on a contractual basis going to Arizona (AZ) and Nevada (NV). Exports of finished fuel via pipeline to AZ and NV are expected to continue moving forward, supplying roughly 30% of the state’s gasoline demand, 30% of the state’s diesel demand, and 40% of the state’s jet fuel demand.

Pipelines supply the remaining demand in AZ and NV from Texas and Utah, respectively.

However, as demand continues to decline and in-state refineries convert to renewable fuels or close completely, careful planning will be required to ensure a safe, affordable and reliable supply for vehicles that require liquid fuels.

California is isolated from the main pipeline system in the United States, due to being geographically isolated from other major population centers. There are no pipelines for refined fuel (e.g. diesel, jet, and gasoline) going into the state, only pipelines for export out of the state to AZ and NV. Rail and marine imports are two options for bringing refined fuel into California. Rail could theoretically be a source of imports but has not been seen at any significant scale. It would take three to five 100-car trains of gasoline or gasoline blending components to match the capacity of one ship. One typical tanker ship of gasoline represents about one third of the state’s current daily demand for gasoline.

At present, the majority remaining supply of finished fuel to California is by marine imports.

Marine imports provide California with refined fuel from Washington state, Asia, and Europe. Marine imports generally have higher prices compared to in-state refining, as ships can be expensive to operate compared to pipelines and present different environmental risks.

Harbor traffic is another issue to consider for any strategy relying on increased marine imports. The need for crude imports will decline with the overall decline in demand for gasoline and other fuels. This will free up space at critical import points, but there are differences between crude import logistics and refined fuel import logistics that merit additional analysis.

Despite being directly geographically connected to other states, California’s stringent fuel specifications and relatively isolated geography create a complex challenge when considering fuel supply needs. For example, all surrounding areas have vastly less stringent gasoline specifications, while the areas that use the next most stringent fuel specifications (RFG) are located on the opposite side of the county. This creates limited export and import markets.

C. Scope of Work

The primary goal of this solicitation is to evaluate the impacts of changing fuel specifications in California as well as exploring the development of a western region fuel specification used by the continental states that makes up Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD) V (West Coast) region. This would potentially include the states of California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona.

The Contractor shall develop and administer an analysis of current and future impacts for all states in the West Coast region, as detailed in Tasks 1- 5 of this Scope of Work (SOW). Potential new fuel specifications could include full harmonization, in which previously created fuel specifications are potentially adopted outright, or a partial harmonization, in which different specifications are changed piecemeal that would lead to a potential new specification.

For a detailed description of the work to be performed, please refer to See Attachment 2, Draft Standard Agreement (STD 213).

Task 1 - Identify Impacts of Current Fuel Specifications on Fuel Supply and Pricing Dynamics in Western Region

When identifying all current specifications implemented for gasoline in the West Coast region, all federal standards must also be evaluated. Any proposed harmonized fuel specification must not be less stringent than required by the U.S.

EPA. This task should include an analysis of potential impacts for California if its current fuel specifications were to be harmonized, partially or fully, with, Conventional Gasoline, or others identified in the analysis.

Since a majority, but not all, of California is classified as ozone nonattainment and mandated to use RFG, impacts resulting from a scenario where RFG specifications in required locations and Conventional Gasoline specifications are both utilized should also be considered.

Subtask 1a. List of West Coast Fuel Specifications

Contractor shall create a list of all fuel specifications for gasoline currently implemented in the West Coast region. The list should include all required summer and winter blend specifications for gasoline that refiners are currently conforming to for fuel being produced, imported, and exported within the West Coast region.

This includes fuel produced outside of the region that is imported to a state within the West Coast region. Gasoline specifications identified should include required limits and levels of the following: RVP, sulfur, benzene, aromatics, olefins, T50, T90, oxygen, ethanol, and any other compound regulated by a government agency. These will be informative to identify the advantages and disadvantages of total harmonization of all specifications, or partial harmonization.

Subtask 1b. Fuel Flow Dynamics

Fuel flow dynamics for all reformulated gasoline supplied to and from the West Coast region must be evaluated. This should include volumes of each identified fuel specification that are produced, imported and exported within the West Coast region. This should also include average production volumes of each finished fuel, sorted by specific location, and sorted by the current required specifications.

Additionally, this analysis should include each region where these volumes are sold to better understand the finished fuel supply chain and to establish and incorporate historical trends as appropriate.

Subtask 1c. Impacts on Refiners

Impacts of fuel specifications on refiners should be considered in this task. This should include volumes required to ensure adequate supply for each area, the average cost of production for each identified reformulated gasoline fuel specification, as well as differences in cost of production for different specifications and different regions.

Subtask 1d. Price Impacts

Price impacts on the public and private sectors should be analyzed. This should include potential cost impacts on supply, and cost impacts associated with alternative delivery and import mechanisms such as marine, pipeline, rail, and tanker truck. Potential price impacts should also consider changes to the average finished fuel prices at the pump, for different specifications and areas identified.

This analysis should include any trends identified between the fuel specification in each area and average monthly pricing for consumers.

Task 2 – Analysis of Proposed Harmonized Specification Scenarios

The contractor shall identify and provide a range of potential harmonized specification scenarios that could be implemented in all states in the West Coast region. Additionally, the contractor shall identify and provide a range of potential harmonized specification scenarios that could be implemented only in California.

This should include at a minimum of three different specifications for both scenarios with required limits that are compliant with the minimum Federal regulations for each area, for a total of 6 scenarios. These specifications should be identified in consultation with CARB. Each proposed specification will be treated as a different scenario that is further analyzed for potential impacts, as described below.

The contractor will conduct analysis exploring the impacts of each proposed harmonization scenario. This analysis should include impacts on cost of production by each refinery identified in Task 1, as well as impacts on volumes able to be produced by each. This should be compared to the flow dynamics identified in Task 1 to identify potential changes in supply resulting from different fuel production requirements. Each scenario should also explore potential changes to average fuel cost for consumers based on any identified supply changes. Partial as well as full harmonization of specifications should also be considered as potential scenarios.

The advantages and disadvantages relating to supply changes, affordability, and any other relevant information associated with each specification change scenario should be presented as deliverables of this task. This should also assess the viability and equitability of any potential issues and costs associated with infrastructure, vehicle compatibility, and costs for retailers to adapt.

Task 3 – Continuous Sharing of Results and Reports

To ensure the project adheres to the timelines described in the Work Plan described below, the Contractor and CARB Contract Manager shall communicate at least bi-weekly on the progress of the project.

Task 4 - Outreach

The contractor shall use stakeholder outreach and lessons learned during the contract to further expand on Tasks 1 and 2. Stakeholder outreach will be a continuous process with industry, trade groups, refineries, academia, and others to identify knowledge gaps, refine analysis and ensure market integrity.

Task 5 – Documenting Findings

The contractor shall provide a final written report in Microsoft Word format in which all findings are documented that can be later referenced and used by CARB to conduct further air quality research and support future recommendations and rulemakings.

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. 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) or California State Government Marketplace at: http://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.

Key Actions Dates Time RFP available to prospective Proposers 02/27/2026 N/A Written Questions Submittal Deadline 03/13/2026 12:00 p.m.

Question and Answers Addendum Posted 03/17/2026 N/A Final Date for Proposal Submission/Receipt by CARB

03/27/2026 12:00 p.m.

Complete Evaluation of Proposals 04/07/2026 N/A Posting of Intent to Award Notice(s) (Notice is posted for five [5] business days) 04/09/2026 N/A

Agreement sent to successful Proposer 04/17/2026 N/A Signed Agreement returned to CARB for counter-signature

04/24/2026 N/A

Agreement Approved and Executed – work begins

05/1/2026 N/A

Dates listed above (or below, depending on page) 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:

Fiscal Services Division Acquisitions Branch Contact: Brian Fong Email: Brian.Fong@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: Brian.Fong@arb.ca.gov

3. Each proposal will be reviewed to determine if it meets the proposal requirements contained in Section lV.B., Technical Evaluation. 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 names, 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.

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 (STD 213). 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, Proposer(s) 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, Required Attachment Checklist.

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, 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 within 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 agency 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.

20. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

The State of California seeks to realize the potential benefits of GenAI, through the development and deployment of GenAI tools, while balancing the risks of these new technologies.

Bidder / Offeror must notify the State in writing if it: (1) intends to provide GenAI as a deliverable to the State; or (2), intends to utilize GenAI, including GenAI from third parties, to complete all or a portion of any deliverable that materially impacts: (i) functionality of a State system, (ii) risk to the State, or (iii) Contract performance. For avoidance of doubt, the term “materially impacts” shall have the meaning set forth in State Administrative Manual (SAM) § 4986.2 Definitions for GenAI.

Failure to report GenAI to the State may result in disqualification. The State reserves the right to seek any and all relief to which it may be entitled to as a result of such non-disclosure.

Upon notification by a Bidder / Offeror of GenAI as required, the State reserves the right to incorporate GenAI Special Provisions into the final contract or reject bids/offers that present an unacceptable level of risk to the State.

Government Code 11549.64 defines “Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)” as an artificial intelligence system that can generate derived synthetic content, including text, images, video, and audio that emulates the structure and characteristics of the system’s training data.

21. Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals.

“Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. By submitting a bid or proposal, Contractor represents that it is not a target of Economic Sanctions. Should the State determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for rejection of the Contractor’s bid/proposal any time prior to contract execution, or, if determined after contract execution, shall be grounds for termination by the State.

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 bidder is a certified DVBE or commits to subcontracting with DVBE(s), the bid may be eligible to receive a bid 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 bids that propose California certified DVBE participation as identified on Attachment 9, titled Bidder Declaration GSPD-05-105 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 bid 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/.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion- List/OSDS/OSDS

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 bidders or proposers using the SB preference shall be granted a preference consisting of 5% of the highest responsible bidder’s total score.

3. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA)

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 https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std830.pdf. Preference Request https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0525.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0526.pdf with their proposal. 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.

e. 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.

f. 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.

g. 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 (2) 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 twenty-four (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. 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 three (3) years of experience in evaluation of laws, regulations, and related environmental policies that affect California’s petroleum refining industry.

b. Proven knowledge and three (3) years of experience in evaluation of technical and market aspects of California’s petroleum refining industry, including product outflow, fuel specifications, and fuel pricing.

c. Proven knowledge and three (3) years of experience with refinery modeling, such as Linear Program models, to understand potential production changes within refineries.

d. At least two (2) completed projects where the Proposer has conducted analysis of California petroleum refining infrastructure including crude oil supply, finished fuel volume, and distribution infrastructure. Examples that demonstrate familiarity with the relationship with California climate-related policies are preferred. The

Proposer must include a sample of two (2) completed projects for CARB review.

e. Proven knowledge and three (3) years of experience conducting technical analysis for public processes that require flexibility in terms of final product, schedule, and close communication with the Project/Contract Manager to review and approve interim project milestones prior to draft deliverables. The Proposer must include a statement describing prior project experience that demonstrates the ability to adjust to changing timelines, to accommodate requested modifications to final products, and to maintain close communication with the Project/Contract Manager.

f. Proven knowledge and three (3) years of experience in writing technical reports and communication materials for policy and decision makers. The Proposer must include a sample of one (1) product developed to communicate technical information to policy and decisions makers, including graphics that simplify complex topics.

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, 25ISD008; 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 25ISD008, 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.