REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – (SECONDARY METHOD)

Notice to Bidders

Date: June 12, RFP

Solicitation #:

CV26-100 Project Name: College Corps Event Management and Support

The Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-SERVE), invites you to review and respond to this Request For Proposals (RFP) solicitation that uses the secondary high-score method. In submitting your proposal, you must comply with the instructions found herein.

Term Start Date:

August 17, Term End Date:

July 31, 2028 Total Contract Amount:

$1,488,074.00

PROJECT SUMMARY:

In service of California Volunteers' strategy to cultivate a Statewide Cohort Experience, building a shared sense of identity and purpose among thousands of diverse College Corps fellows from across California, the contractor will be responsible for end-to-end planning, logistics, and execution of 16 large-scale (up to 8 per year), in-person events hosted on college campuses statewide over a two-year period. The Contractor is responsible for venue procurement and coordination, vendor management, breakout session facilitator training, recruitment, support and tracking, attendee registration management, day of event staffing, catering, audiovisual and technology support, and full day-of event operations/ oversight.

The contractor will participate in an advisory group led by California Volunteers and comprised of College Corps program staff. This group will provide guidance on Mid-Year Leadership

Workshop planning and programming, as well as strategies to increase Fellow attendance across all 50+ participating campuses.

Throughout the contract, the contractor will maintain a dedicated Project Manager as the primary client point of contact, oversee budget development and financial reporting across the full $1,488,074.00 contract, and provide regular project status reporting, with a required minimum team of a Project Manager, Event Manager (responsible for event oversight and stage management during events), and Event Coordinator (responsible for day-of staff supervision and facilitator support and coordination).

For a complete detailed description of the scope of work, see Attachment 3, Drafted Standard Agreement.

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals:

Date: July 3, 2026 Time: 5:00:00 PM PDT

The deadline for Receipt of Proposals is strict. Proposals that are received one (1) second past the deadline for Receipt of Proposals date and time specified above and in the Key Action Dates table will be deemed late and non-responsive and be rejected. Under no circumstances will any late proposals be accepted. The time of receipt is the time stamp on the email received by GO- SERVE’s server so proposers should submit proposals as early as possible prior to the deadline.

Proposals must have the solicitation number in the subject line and be submitted electronically only via e-mail directly to the following e-mail address:

procurement@cv.ca.gov

Any attempts by a Proposer to initiate contact with any member of GO-SERVE staff, other than the GO-SERVE Contract Officer, regarding this RFP process may disqualify the Proposer from further consideration.

The designated GO-SERVE Contract Officer for this RFP Solicitation is:

Contract Officer: Paul Wong Email: procurement@cv.ca.gov

Addendum 1 (6/15/2026): Attachment 2 – Notice to Bidders, Section F(5), Phase 5: Cost Evaluation section updated to reflect out of 60 points. Everything related to this section is now updated. This is to ensure the cost score is at least 30% of the total score to abide by the State Contracting Manual (SCM), Volume 1.

All sections previously mentioned four evaluation phases are now updated to reflect five evaluation phases.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

mailto:procurement@cv.ca.gov

Table of Contents

PROJECT SUMMARY:

A. INTRODUCTION

B. KEY DATES

i. Table 1: Key Dates

C. ELIGIBILE PROPOSERS

D. NOTICE OF STATE MANDATED REQUIREMENTS

1. Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) Participation

2. Small Business (SB) Participation

ii. Table 2: Participation Requirements

E. QUESTIONS / WEBINAR

1. Questions

2. Webinar

F. EVALUATION FOR AWARD

iii. Table 3: RFP Primary and Secondary Compared

1. Phase 1: Administrative Evaluation (Pass/Fail)

2. Phase 2: Minimum Qualifications (Pass/Fail)

iv. Table 4: Experience and Knowledge

v. Table 5: Minimum Qualifications

3. Phase 3: Technical Evaluation (100 Possible Points)

vi. Table 6: Technical Scoring Rubric

4. Phase 4: Oral Interview (40 Possible Points)

5. Phase 5: Cost Evaluation (60 Possible Points)

vii. Table 7: Example of Cost Scoring

6. Preferences And Incentives

7. Rejection

8. Selection

G. LETTER OF COMMITMENT

H. PROPOSAL CHECKLIST

I. FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

J. KEY PERSONNEL

K. SUBCONTRACTORS

L. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (GenAI) DISCLOSURE NOTIFICATION CLAUSE

M. GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Submission Of Proposals

2. Modification and/or Withdrawal to Submission

3. Proposer Responsibilities

4. Signatures

5. Disposition of Proposals

N. BUDGET DETAIL

O. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

1. SB Preference Program

2. Disabled Veteran Business-Owned Enterprise (DVBE) Program

a. DVBE Participation Program

b. DVBE Incentive Program

3. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) Program

4. Applying the Preference and Incentives

P. NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD AND PROTEST

Q. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

R. STANDARD CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

S. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS

T. LOSS LEADER

U. ATTACHMENTS

PROJECT SUMMARY:

A. INTRODUCTION

B. KEY DATES

i. Table 1: Key Dates

C. ELIGIBILE PROPOSERS

D. NOTICE OF STATE MANDATED REQUIREMENTS

1. Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) Participation

2. Small Business (SB) Participation

ii. Table 2: Participation Requirements

E. QUESTIONS / WEBINAR

1. Questions

2. Webinar

F. EVALUATION FOR AWARD

iii. Table 3: RFP Primary and Secondary Compared

1. Phase 1: Administrative Evaluation (Pass/Fail)

2. Phase 2: Minimum Qualifications (Pass/Fail)

iv. Table 4: Experience and Knowledge

v. Table 5: Minimum Qualifications

3. Phase 3: Technical Evaluation (100 Possible Points)

vi. Table 6: Technical Scoring Rubric

4. Phase 4: Oral Interview (40 Possible Points)

5. Phase 5: Cost Evaluation (50 Possible Points)

vii. Table 7: Example of Cost Scoring

6. Preferences And Incentives

7. Rejection

8. Selection

G. LETTER OF COMMITMENT

H. PROPOSAL CHECKLIST

I. FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

J. KEY PERSONNEL

K. SUBCONTRACTORS

L. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (GenAI) DISCLOSURE NOTIFICATION CLAUSE

M. GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Submission Of Proposals

2. Modification and/or Withdrawal to Submission

3. Proposer Responsibilities

4. Signatures

5. Disposition of Proposals

N. BUDGET DETAIL

O. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

1. SB Preference Program

2. Disabled Veteran Business-Owned Enterprise (DVBE) Program

a. DVBE Participation Program

b. DVBE Incentive Program

3. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) Program

4. Applying the Preference and Incentives

P. NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD AND PROTEST

Q. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

R. STANDARD CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

S. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS

T. LOSS LEADER

U. ATTACHMENTS

A. INTRODUCTION

This RFP solicitation includes information for the submission of your proposal. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to carefully read and follow all proposal requirements within this solicitation.

Compliance with the instructions within this solicitation is mandatory for your proposal to be considered for evaluation and award. Failure to comply with the instructions may cause your proposal to be deemed non-compliant and/or non-responsive, thus ineligible for award.

It is the opinion of GO-Serve, that this solicitation is complete and without need of explanation.

However, if you have questions, notice any discrepancies or inconsistencies, or need any clarifying information, please submit your inquiries via e-mail to:

procurement@cv.ca.gov

Any verbal communication with a GO-Serve employee concerning this solicitation is not binding on the State and shall in no way alter a specification, term, or condition of the solicitation.

This solicitation is published online on the California State Government Marketplace (Cal eProcure) website. To view and ensure receipt of any addenda to this solicitation that may be issued, interested parties are encouraged to register online by clicking the following link Cal eProcure.

http://www.caleprocure.ca.gov/ http://www.caleprocure.ca.gov/

B. KEY DATES

Below is the schedule of key dates for this solicitation. GO-SERVE reserves the right to modify this solicitation by changing dates and times at its sole discretion, prior to the date fixed for the receipt deadline of proposals, by the issuance of an addendum that will be posted in Cal eProcure online system located at the following hyperlink: Cal eProcure.

i. Table 1: Key Dates

KEY ACTION DATE TIME (Pacific Standard Time)

Solicitation Available to Prospective Proposers

June 12, 2026 -

Webinar June 17, 2026 2:00:00 PM PDT

Written Questions Deadline June 23, 2026 -

Posting of Questions & Answers June 24, 2026 -

Deadline for Letter of Commitment

June 26, 2026

Deadline for Proposal Receipt by GO-SERVE

July 3, 2026

5:00:00 PM PDT

Estimated Completion of Evaluation of Proposals (avg. 5 business days)

July 17, 2026

Estimated Completion of Notice of Intent to Award (5 business days)

July 24, 2026

Estimated Completion of Contract Development and Approvals (avg.

3-5 business days)

July 29-31, 2026

Estimated Completion of DGS Review/Approval (avg. 5-10 business days)

July 30-August 14, 2026

Estimated Financial Approvals Received

July 30-August 14, 2026

Estimated Start Date (Upon DGS approval)

August 17, 2026

Project End Date July 31, 2028 -

No work shall begin until approval by the Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services (DGS/OLS) is obtained, and GO-SERVE has informed the Contractor that the project can commence. The project will continue through the project end date identified above.

C. ELIGIBILE PROPOSERS

Public or private corporations, agencies, organizations, associations, or individuals may submit a proposal in response to this solicitation.

The Proposer must be legally constituted and qualified to do business within the State of California (registered with the Secretary of State). With the exception of Proposers whose legal status precludes incorporation (i.e. public agencies, sole proprietorships, and partnerships), those https://caleprocure.ca.gov/ https://www.sos.ca.gov/ that are not fully incorporated with the Secretary of State by the deadline for submitting proposals will be disqualified. The Proposer must supply a copy of either a California Business License or articles of incorporation.

The Proposer must also not be listed on either list of the 500 largest tax delinquencies pursuant to the California Revenue and Taxation Code sections 7063 or 19195.

D. NOTICE OF STATE MANDATED REQUIREMENTS

1. Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) Participation

Per the State Contracting Manual, Volume 1, Section 8.12(B), “unless statutorily exempt, all contracts, regardless of amount, are subject to the DVBE requirement. Agencies may waive the requirement for an individual contract; however, agencies are still expected to meet the overall DVBE goal [3% of all dollars spent in a fiscal year] attainment at the end of the year.

When an awarding agency decides to waive the DVBE requirement, this must be noted in the solicitation.”

If the 3% DVBE participation is not waived in the Table 2 below, then proposers must have a minimum of 3% participation as a part of their proposal. An incentive valued between 3% and 5% may be added to their scores.

If the 3% DVBE participation is waived in the Table 2 below, then a 1% to 5% incentive may be added to the proposer’s score that do have DVBE participation.

If both the 3% DVBE Participation and the DVBE Incentive are waived, then no DVBE Incentive points will be added to scores.

Proposals that have at least 3% participation by certified DVBE or is subbing out at least 3% of the work to a certified DVBE, would fulfill the 3% DVBE participation requirement.

2. Small Business (SB) Participation

If the 25% Small Business participation is not waived in the Table 2 below, then proposers must have a minimum of 25% participation as a part of their proposal.

If the 25% Small Business participation is waived in the Table 2 below, then a 5% preference will be added to the proposer’s scores that do have a minimum of 25% Small Business participation.

Proposals that have at least 25% participation by certified SB or is subbing out at least 25% of the work to a certified SB, would fulfill the 25% SB participation requirement.

Nonprofit Veteran Service Agencies (NVSA) can qualify for a small business preference if DGS/OSDS certifies that the NVSA meets the requirement of Military & Veteran Code § 999.50, et seq. Upon certification, an NVSA participating as a prime bidder is eligible for the 5% SB budding preference. An NVSA is not subject to the same standards as other certified small businesses. NVSA standards are identified in Mil. & Vet. Code § 999.51(a)(3).

https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/top500.htm https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=999.50.&lawCode=MVC https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=999.51.&lawCode=MVC

ii. Table 2: Participation Requirements

Is this solicitation waiving the required minimum of 3% participation by a Disabled Veteran Business-Owned Enterprise (DVBE) that is certified with the California Department of General Services?

☒ Not Waived ☐ Waived

Is this solicitation waiving the DVBE Incentive valued from 1% to 5%?

☒ Not Waived ☐ Waived

Is this solicitation waiving the required minimum of 25% participation by a SB that is certified with the California Department of General Services?

☒ Not Waived ☐ Waived

For more information on the socio-economic preference and incentive programs, see Section O of this document. Also see the State Contracting Manual Volume 1, Section 8.00 located at this online directory: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services- Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting.

You can search for SB and/or DVBE entities by visiting the search engine at the Cal eProcure directory here:

https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/PublicSearch/supplier-search.aspx?psNewWin=true.

You can narrow your search of potential contractors by using specific keywords that may have been used throughout the Scope of Work of Attachment 3, Draft Standard Agreement.

Keywords used in your search may include but is not limited to facilitation; event planning;

communication; interpreting; printing; translation; technical assistance; planning; consulting;

graphic design; etc.

E. QUESTIONS / WEBINAR

1. Questions

All questions and concerns about this solicitation must be submitted in writing via e-mail, and must include the solicitation number in the subject line of the e-mail to be submitted directly to:

procurement@cv.ca.gov

A questions-and-answers document will be released on the RFP solicitation posting on Cal eProcure.

2. Webinar

A webinar is scheduled to allow for public feedback for this solicitation. This allows members of the public to ask clarifying questions on the scope of work and the solicitation itself.

It can also be useful for potential contractors to identify other prospects that they may want to partner with for this work.

Attendance for the webinar is not mandatory but is highly encouraged.

Webinar (Optional Attendance) https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/PublicSearch/supplier-search.aspx?psNewWin=true mailto:procurement@cv.ca.gov https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx

Webinar Date: June 17, 2026 Webinar Time: 2:00:00 PM PDT

Webinar Registration Link:

https://opr-ca.zoom.us/j/85302940242?pwd=aOLpULheKP1P2ODdCcpkgzF2nDbg9E.1

Additional Information, if any:

The Pre-Proposal Webinar will provide prospective proposers with an overview of the College Corps Statewide Cohort Experience RFP and an opportunity to better understand the scope, expectations, timeline, and procurement process associated with this solicitation.

Topics covered during the webinar may include, but are not limited to:

• Overview of California Volunteers and the College Corps initiative

• Overview of the Statewide Cohort Experience strategy and event goals

• Scope of Work expectations and contractor responsibilities

• Mid-Year Leadership Workshops and In-Person Peer Exchange meeting overview

• Event management, logistics, staffing, and operational expectations

• Advisory group participation expectations

• Facilitator support and coordination expectations

• Event materials development and accessibility requirements

• Registration management, reporting, and evaluation expectations

• Budget structure, direct cost expectations, and allowable expenditures

• Minimum staffing and organizational capacity requirements

• Proposal submission requirements and evaluation criteria

• Contract timeline and anticipated deliverable schedule

• Oral interview process, if applicable

• Questions and answers regarding the RFP process and requirements Attendance at the Pre-Proposal Webinar is strongly encouraged but is not required in order to submit a proposal. Any clarifications or additional information provided during the webinar will be documented and shared with all registered proposers in accordance with the RFP process.

F. EVALUATION FOR AWARD

This RFP is using the secondary method also known as the high-score method. In this method, technical quality of the services that are sought after is more important than cost alone. A contract award is made to the highest scoring proposal.

See the chart below that compares the RFP Primary and the RFP Secondary methods.

iii. Table 3: RFP Primary and Secondary Compared

CONSIDERATIONS RFP PRIMARY RFP SECONDARY

https://opr-ca.zoom.us/j/85302940242?pwd=aOLpULheKP1P2ODdCcpkgzF2nDbg9E.1 https://opr-ca.zoom.us/j/85302940242?pwd=aOLpULheKP1P2ODdCcpkgzF2nDbg9E.1

When is this method typically used?

To obtain complex services in which professional expertise is needed and may vary. Where different methods and approaches may be applied during performance.

To obtain very complex and/or unique services in which professional expertise and methods may vary greatly. Creative or innovative approaches are needed.

Cost/value of services

$5,000 or more $5,000 or more

Is public eProcure advertising required?

Required Required

How award is made

Lowest-priced qualified responsible proposer

Highest-scored qualified responsible proposer

How the small business preference is applied

The bid of a certified small business is reduced for evaluation purposes only by 5% of the lowest cost offered by a non-small business proposer.

Certified small business will have its points increased by 5% of the total points awarded to the highest cored non-small business proposer.

This RFP solicitation has fivefour evaluation phases of proposals:

• Phase 1: Administrative (Pass/Fail)

• Phase 2: Minimum Qualifications (Pass/Fail)

• Phase 3: Technical Score (100 Possible Points)

• Phase 4: Oral Interview (40 Possible Points)

• Phase 5: Cost Score (6050 Possible Points)

1. Phase 1: Administrative Evaluation (Pass/Fail)

Phase 1 of the Evaluation will assess that the proposer completed all the required administrative tasks and provided all the required completed attachments as identified in the Attachment 1 – Proposal Requirement Checklist and throughout this solicitation to be deemed responsive and responsible.

For more information, refer to the State Contracting Manual, Volume 1, Section 5.06. You can access the State Contracting Manuals at the following online directory hyperlink:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List- Folder/State-Contracting-Manual.

Any proposals submitted that are over the maximum amount budgeted for this project will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered.

During this administrative evaluation phase, if an item is unclear or needs further clarification, GO-SERVE staff may request from Proposers additional clarification and/or documentation for items that are immaterial deviations only.

Phase 1 will be scored on a pass or fail determination.

2. Phase 2: Minimum Qualifications (Pass/Fail)

Entities submitting a proposal must meet the minimum qualifications to be further evaluated and considered for award. Proposals that do not meet the minimum qualifications will be determined non-responsive and ineligible for award.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting-Manual https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting-Manual

The Proposer must provide evidence to show that members of the Proposer’s project team possess the specific qualifications, competence, experience, resources, and business integrity necessary to carry out the work under the contract as expected.

A resume, Curriculum Vitae (CV), or bio sketch is required for each staff member that will be a part of your proposal.

Examples of evidence to support the Proposer meeting the minimum qualifications includes but is not limited to letters of reference; work samples; or project summaries that highlight the team’s specific experience.

iv. Table 4: Experience and Knowledge

Experience: Proposer must demonstrate collective experience of their team meeting the minimum qualifications. Refer to Table 5: Minimum Qualifications for additional details.

Knowledge: Members of the team must demonstrate strong writing skills, technical knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Project management and coordination of complex, multi-site statewide initiatives

• Large-scale event planning, logistics management, and day-of event operations

• Simultaneous event coordination and staffing management

• Design, formatting, production, and assembly of event materials

• Event facilitation and presentation delivery in both virtual and in-person environments

• Meeting project timelines, reporting requirements, and deliverable deadlines

• Vendor, subcontractor, and budget management, including coordination of contracts, deposits, and operational logistics

• Accessibility compliance, culturally responsive programming, and inclusive event design practices

• Collaboration and coordination with higher education institutions, public agencies, and/ or community-based partners

• Development of professional event materials, presentations, facilitator guides, signage, and operational documents

Proof of Minimum Qualifications: The proposer must provide a detailed response, outlining information as to how the proposer meets each of the minimum qualifications listed, and to what extent if any, the minimum qualifications have been exceeded. Submit all applicable documentation and work samples, as appropriate. The proposer should create a table that shows how the minimum qualifications are met with assigned key personnel to each category of minimum qualification.

The Proposer shall provide the following to demonstrate how the proposer meets the minimum qualifications.

• A description of your organization’s experience planning, coordinating, and executing large-scale in-person events, including multi-site or simultaneous events, with a preference for experience serving higher education, national service, civic engagement, leadership development, or youth-serving programs.

• A description of your experience managing statewide or regional event logistics, including venue coordination, registration management, catering, audiovisual coordination, accessibility accommodations, transportation coordination, staffing, and vendor management.

• Names, titles, and brief bios of the staff who will lead the effort, including their expertise in event production and logistics management, facilitation and training design and delivery, project management, stakeholder engagement, assessment and evaluation, and development of participant-facing materials and presentations.

• Identify the lead Project Manager for the team and outline how they will communicate and coordinate with California Volunteers staff throughout the contract period, including management of simultaneous or concurrent events if required.

• A brief description of how your internal team is organized and managed, including staffing structure, subcontractor management (if applicable), and capacity to support multiple statewide events occurring within overlapping timelines.

• At least five (5) years of experience planning, managing, and executing large-scale events, convenings, trainings, or conferences with attendance of 300 or more participants.

• At least three (3) years of experience designing and producing event materials, guides, presentations, or training materials.

• At least three (3) years of experience implementing culturally responsive, accessible, and inclusive events, trainings, or participant engagement strategies.

• Demonstrated experience producing professional event materials and operational documents, including agendas, run-of-show documents, participant materials, facilitator guides, signage, and post-event reports.

Personnel / Team Resumes: The proposer shall list all key personnel (i.e., Project Manager) and other personnel who will be working on the project. Include their titles, qualifications, a summary of similar work or studies performed, a resume for each professional, a statement indicating how many hours each professional will be assigned to the technical assistance project and what tasks each professional will perform. The proposer should create a table that shows how the minimum qualifications are met with assigned key personnel to each category of minimum qualification.

If a contract agreement is awarded to the Proposer, and personnel substitutions are needed, GO-SERVE must be notified in advance of personnel being substituted and the notification must come in the form of a request for GO-SERVE approval. Substitute personnel must meet the same minimum qualifications as described in the Minimum Qualifications Section of this solicitation and described in the proposal.

Phase 2 of the Evaluation will assess the Proposer’s experience by scoring for the Minimum Qualifications.

Proposer’s must meet the Minimum Qualifications. If the Proposer receives a NO for any of the Minimum Qualifications required, the Proposer will have failed this Phase 2 and will not proceed in the Evaluation.

Phase 2 will be scored on a pass or fail determination.

v. Table 5: Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

YES / NO

At least five (5) years of experience serving as a project manager for large-scale events, conferences, convenings, trainings, or statewide initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, vendors, timelines, and deliverables;

At least five (5) years of experience planning, coordinating, and executing large-scale in-person events with attendance of 300 or more participants;

At least five (5) years of experience coordinating event logistics, including venue procurement, registration management, catering, audiovisual coordination, transportation support, and day-of operations management;

At least five (5) years of experience managing vendors, subcontractors, contracts, operational budgets, and event-related financial coordination;

At least five (5) years of experience convening and facilitating in-person meetings, workshops, trainings, or large-group sessions;

At least three (3) years of experience designing and producing event materials, guides, presentations, or training materials.

At least three (3) years of experience managing simultaneous or multi-site events, including coordination of staffing, logistics, vendors, and operational oversight across multiple locations;

At least three (3) years of experience implementing culturally responsive, accessible, and inclusive events, trainings, or participant engagement strategies;

At least three (3) years of direct experience working with higher education institutions, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, or statewide partnerships;

At least three (3) years of experience utilizing virtual event, registration, collaboration, and/or project management platforms to support large-scale event coordination, participant engagement, and operational communication;

At least three (3) years of experience developing assessments, evaluations, surveys, or reporting tools used to measure participant engagement, event outcomes, and implementation effectiveness.

PASS OR FAIL

The Proposer shall provide a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of three (3) references using the format specified in Attachment 7 – Proposer References form. For details on the Proposer References Form, please refer to Attachment 1– Proposal Requirement Checklist. References must be clients for whom the Proposer has performed relevant work of similar size and scope within the last three (5) years. GO-SERVE may contact each reference provided to validate the experience of the Proposer.

3. Phase 3: Technical Evaluation (100 Possible Points)

Phase 3 of the Evaluation will assess the technical components of the proposals that meet the proposal requirements. These components will be rated by an evaluation panel, which will use a consensus process to determine the final scores.

Proposals must score a minimum of 75 points out of 100 points on the Technical Evaluation phase in order to move to the Oral Interview Evaluation phase.

No individual notes or individual scoring sheets will be collected. The staff member facilitating the evaluation meeting will document and maintain one (1) final score sheet that captures the consensus scores.

vi. Table 6: Technical Scoring Rubric

EVALUATION FACTORS AND SUB FACTORS

POSSIBLE

POINTS

AWARDED POINTS

1. Clarity, Organization, and Responsiveness of Proposal: This factor will assess whether the proposal is presented in a clear, concise, organized, and professional manner and demonstrates responsiveness to the requirements of this RFP.

1.1 Proposal Organization and Clarity: Proposal is

well-organized, clearly written, easy to navigate, and demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail.

1.2 Responsiveness to RFP Requirements:

Proposer utilized the required Attachment 4 – Contractor Scope of Work Response Template and addressed all required proposal components and submission requirements.

2. Approach to Scope of Work: This factor will assess whether the proposer demonstrates a clear understanding of the project goals and provides a comprehensive, feasible, and high-quality approach to implementing the Scope of Work.

2.1 Project Management Approach: Proposer

outlines a detailed project management plan, staffing structure, communication process, and project organization that identifies a qualified Project Manager whose experience and skillset align with project objectives.

2.2 Understanding of Project Goals and

Objectives: Demonstrated understanding of the Statewide Cohort Experience goals, Mid-Year Leadership Workshops, In-Person Peer Exchange Meeting objectives, and the intended participant experience.

2.3 Event Planning, Logistics, and Operations

Approach: Quality and feasibility of the proposed approach to event planning, logistics coordination, operational management, staffing, vendor management, and day-of event execution.

2.4 Venue Coordination, Registration, and

Attendee Management: Approach to venue procurement and coordination, attendee registration management, participant communications, accessibility accommodations, and onsite event operations.

2.5 Facilitation and Training Approach:

Approach to facilitator training development, delivery, and facilitation support.

2.6 Materials Development Approach: Approach

to event content coordination, and creation of participant-facing and operational event materials.

2.7 Risk Management and Simultaneous Event

Coordination: Approach to contingency planning, quality assurance, risk mitigation, and the ability to coordinate multiple or simultaneous statewide events if required.

3. Work Plan, Schedule, Deliverables, and Budget Justification: This criterion will assess whether the proposer provides a feasible and comprehensive work plan, timeline, budget approach, and deliverable structure aligned with the Scope of Work and project goals.

3.1 Work Plan and Schedule: Project schedule, milestones, estimated completion dates, and sequencing of activities are feasible and aligned with the Scope of Work and annual event cycle.

3.2 Deliverables and Reporting Approach:

Deliverables, reporting structure, evaluation activities, and proposed methods for measuring project progress and success are clearly defined and achievable.

3.3 Budget Justification and Resource

Allocation: Budget narrative demonstrates reasonable and appropriate allocation of staffing, operational, logistics, subcontractor, and direct event costs necessary to successfully implement the project.

4. Proposer and Team Knowledge and Experience: This criterion will assess whether the Proposer Team possesses the expertise, staffing capacity, technical knowledge, and experience necessary to successfully carry out the Scope of Work.

4.1 Team Resumes and Qualifications: Proposal

includes all key personnel, including the Project Manager and other proposed staff, with clear descriptions of qualifications, roles, relevant experience, and assigned responsibilities.

4.2 Organizational and Team Experience:

Demonstrated experience planning and executing large-scale events, conferences, trainings, convenings, or statewide initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, vendors, timelines, and operational components.

4.3 Knowledge and Technical Expertise:

Demonstrated knowledge and experience related to project management, event logistics, facilitator training, event operations, accessibility compliance, vendor coordination, stakeholder engagement, and operational communications.

4.4 Capacity and Staffing Structure:

Demonstrated organizational capacity and staffing structure sufficient to support statewide coordination, overlapping timelines, and simultaneous event management requirements.

____ / Out of 100

4. Phase 4: Oral Interview (40 Possible Points)

The top scoring three (3) proposals scoring a minimum of 24 points out of 40 points on the

Oral Interview phase shall move forward to the Cost Evaluation. GO-SERVE’s evaluation panel will conduct structured oral interviews. Proposers will be allotted the same amount of interview time and will be asked the same questions. The interview will be at a minimum of 45 minutes in length and consist of structured interview questions. The Proposer and all proposed key project staff must participate and be present with camera on during the interview.

The interviews shall be held virtually via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Proposer will be responsible for their own costs associated with the interview process.

All interviews will be conducted pursuant to the specifications below:

• Interviews will be set for 45 minutes.

• There will be a maximum of three (3) presenters for each proposer interviewed.

• Interviews will be scored based on the proposer's responses to a set of specific questions according to the point scale outlined in Section F(4)(a). All proposers will be asked the same set of questions. Generally, proposers will be asked about the following areas:

Understanding of Project Goals and Objectives

Project Management and Staffing Structure

Event Planning, Logistics, and Operations

Facilitator Training and Support

Work Plan, Deliverables, and Organizational Capacity

• No unsolicited information, material, or presentation may be provided at the interview.

Proposers are limited in their responses to only information provided in their written proposal and may not introduce new services, products, or other information.

• GO-SERVE reserves the right to not conduct interviews if deemed unnecessary to the selection of an awardee (e.g., only one (1) proposer scored a minimum of 75 points in the

Technical Evaluation phase).

a) The following point scale will be used to score the responses to the questions presented under each of the scored category unless otherwise specified.

Points Awarded

Interpretation General Basis for Point Assignment

8 Excellent Response fully meets the Board’s needs, requirements, or expectations with a high degree of confidence in the Proposer's response. Proposer offers one or more enhancing feature, method, or approach exceeding basic expectations.

6 Very Good Response fully addresses category being scored. Very good degree of confidence in the Proposer's response.

4 Good Response addresses category being scored.

Good degree of confidence in the Proposer's response. Minimal weaknesses are acceptable.

2 Adequate Response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is adequate to meet the Board’s needs, requirements, or expectations. Any omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s), are inconsequential and acceptable.

0 Inadequate Response fails to address any portion of the category being scored. The omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s) are significant and unacceptable.

5. Phase 5: Cost Evaluation (6050 Possible Points)

Phase 5 of the Evaluation will assess the total cost of the proposal by comparing their budgets.

The proposal with the lowest cost will receive the maximum of 6050 cost points.

Each Proposer’s cost score will be calculated based on the formula: the lowest cost proposal amount, multiplied by the maximum number of cost points available, and then divided by the Proposer’s cost.

See formula calculation below:

(Lowest Total Cost Proposal) x (6050 Total Cost Points Possible)

Proposer Total Cost

Cost points with decimal values will be calculated up to two (2) decimal places and rounded up or down to the nearest hundredth.

If there are three (3) or more decimal places, values of ‘5’ and above in the thousandths place will be rounded up, while values with ‘4’ and under will be rounded down. For example, if the cost point total came out to be 44.5678 it will be rounded up to 44.57. If the total is 44.5648 it will be rounded down to become 44.56.

Example: To illustrate this process, refer to the table below for an example of how the cost score calculation is performed. The cost figures in the example are provided solely to explain the calculations and have no other significance.

vii. Table 7: Example of Cost Scoring

BIDDER TOTAL COST OF

PROPOSAL

CALCULATION COST POINTS

AWARDED

A $40,000 $30,000 X 6050 / $40,000

4537.5

B $35,000 $30,000 X 6050 / $35,000

51.4342.86

C $30,000 (LOWEST) $30,000 X 6050 /

$30,000

6050.0

6. Preferences And Incentives

After the fivefour phases are completed and the evaluation panel has adjourned, GO-SERVE’s Contracts Office staff will finalize the scoring by calculating for any socio-economic preference and incentive programs.

In the event of a tie between the top two (2) proposals, GO-SERVE’s Contracts Office will conduct a coin toss as a tiebreaker. The coin toss will be witnessed and documented by at least two (2) GO-SERVE employees. The tiebreaker will occur after all scoring has been completed, inclusive of the socio-economic preferences and incentives, if applicable.

For more information on the socio-economic preference and incentive programs, refer to Section O.

7. Rejection

a. Proposals must be submitted for the complete performance of all services as described herein. Any material deviation from the RFP will not be considered and shall cause a proposal to be rejected.

b. Proposals must be fully complete and comply with all requirements outlined in the solicitation. Proposals that are conditional, incomplete, contain alterations of form, or exhibit other irregularities will be rejected. GO-SERVE does not accept alternate contract language from prospective Contractors; any proposal with such language will be considered a counterproposal and rejected.

c. Attachment 5 Cost Worksheet Template shall have minimum total dollars for Personnel, Staffing, and Subcontractor Costs of $686,000, Direct Event Costs of $537,000, and Indirect Event Costs of $188,000. Failure to reference cells in your formulas and not meeting all the minimum total dollars shall cause a proposal to be rejected. Please refer to page 10 to page 11 in Attachment 3 Draft Standard Agreement for more details.

d. GO-SERVE reserves the right to cancel this solicitation at any time and reject any or all proposals. There are no grounds for protest if GO-SERVE cancels a solicitation and rejects all proposals. GO-SERVE is not obligated to award a contract if, in its opinion, no proposals meet a reasonable contract price or if there is another valid business reason for not making an award (Public Contract Code, Section 10344 (d)).

e. Material and Immaterial Deviations

If a quote or bid or proposal deviates from a solicitation requirement, GO-SERVE will determine whether the deviation is material or immaterial. Deviations will be assessed to determine if they provide an advantage to one (1) bidder over others by having a potentially significant effect on:

• Delivery;

• Quantity of items proposed;

• Quality of the items proposed;

• Amount paid to the proposer or

• Cost to GO-SERVE

If the deviation has a potentially significant effect on the above-listed items, then the deviation is material and cannot be waived. As a result, the proposal will be rejected.

Material Deviation Example: failure to submit the Bidder’s Declaration form, which identifies the proposer, subcontractors, and any certifications for Small Business or Disabled Veteran Business-owned Enterprises, is a material deviation.

If the deviation does not have a significant effect on the above-listed items, then the deviation is immaterial. Immaterial deviations would not be cause for rejection of the proposal.

Immaterial Deviation Example: failure to include printouts of DGS certification as a Small Business or Disabled Veteran Business-owned Enterprises is considered an immaterial deviation.

GO-SERVE may waive any deviation deemed immaterial in a proposal.

f. Proposals containing false or misleading statements, or references that do not support claimed attribute, condition, or capability may be rejected. If GO-SERVE believes such information was intended to mislead in the evaluation of the proposal and the attribute, condition, or capability is a requirement of this solicitation, the proposal will be rejected.

8. Selection

Selection for award shall be made on the highest scoring responsive and responsible proposer based on:

• Administrative requirements

• Qualifications

• Technical proposal

• Oral Interview

• Cost proposal

• Preference and incentive programs

a. The prospective Contractor is advised that if this solicitation should result in an award of an Agreement, the Agreement will not be in force and no work shall be performed until the Agreement is fully approved by the Department of General Services, and the Contractor is notified by the Contract Officer to begin work.

b. The awardee(s) as well as the proposers who are not being awarded contracts will be notified via email.

c. The contract shall be signed by the selected proposer and returned within ten (10) working days of receipt. If the selected proposer refuses or fails to execute the contract, GO-SERVE may award the contract to the second highest scoring proposer.

G. LETTER OF COMMITMENT

A Letter of Commitment is required to be submitted before the deadline established in the Key Dates Table. The purpose of the Letter of Commitment is to summarize a Proposer’s interest in submitting a response to this RFP solicitation. Please refer to Attachment 1 - Proposal Requirement Checklist for the Letter or Commitment requirements.

H. PROPOSAL CHECKLIST

Attachment 1 – Proposal Requirement Checklist must be filled out completely, signed, and submitted with your proposal.

I. FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

Please refer to Attachment 1 – Proposal Requirement Checklist for the submission format requirements.

J. KEY PERSONNEL

The proposer shall provide a list all key personnel (i.e., Project Manager) and other individuals who will be working on the project. For additional details, refer to Section F, Table 5 of the Minimum Qualifications section.

Any substitution of personnel must meet the same minimum qualifications outlined in the Minimum Qualifications section of this Request For Proposal. If a contract is awarded and substitutions are necessary, the Proposer must notify GO-SERVE in advance. This notification should be submitted as a formal request to GO-SERVE for approval.

K. SUBCONTRACTORS

1. If subcontractors are to be used, the Proposer must have a section within the proposal that identifies the subcontractor(s) as well as the work to be performed by the subcontractor(s).

Subcontractor(s) shall also be listed on the Attachment 8 – Bidder Declaration Form (GSPD 05-105). The cost of the subcontractor’s work is to be included and itemized in the Attachment 5 – Contractor Cost Worksheet Response. If the subcontractor is a certified SB or DVBE, then the proposal must include copies of the certifications. Any certified SB or DVBE subcontractors are subject to performing a commercially useful function (CUF).

Any Subcontractor that the Proposer chooses to use in fulfilling the requirements of this solicitation must also meet all the requisites of this RFP, including the minimum qualifications and insurance requirements.

Subcontractors must be identified prior to the time of proposal submission. Proposals that list subcontractors as To Be Determined will be rejected.

2. Proposer may not substitute any proposed Subcontractor without advance written consent of GO-SERVE.

3. Nothing contained in the Agreement or otherwise shall create any contractual relationship between GO-SERVE and any Subcontractors, and no Subcontractor shall relieve the Contractor of its responsibilities and obligations hereunder. The Contractor agrees to be fully responsible to GO-SERVE for the acts and omissions of its Subcontractors and of persons either directly or indirectly employed by any of them as it is for the acts and omissions of persons directly employed by the Contractor. The Contractor’s obligation to pay its Subcontractors is an independent obligation from the obligation of GO-SERVE to make payments to the Contractor. As a result, GO-SERVE shall have no obligation to pay or to enforce the payment of any moneys to any Subcontractor.

4. Locating Subcontractors

a. State Resources: Access the list of all certified contractors by using the California eProcurement online database at: www.caleprocure.ca.gov.

To begin your search, click on “Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services,” then click “SB/DVBE Search.” Search by “Keywords” or “United Nations Standard Products and Services Codes (UNSPSC) that apply to the elements of work you want to subcontract to a DVBE. Check for subcontractor ads that may be placed on the California State Contracts Register (CSCR) for this solicitation prior to the closing date. Access the CSCR at: www.caleprocure.ca.gov. For questions regarding the online certified firm database and the CSCR, please call the Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS) at (916) 375-4940 or send an email to: OSDSHelp@dgs.ca.gov

b. Federal Resources: Search the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Central Contractor Registration (CCR) online database at https://www.sba.gov to identify potential DVBEs and click on the “Dynamic Small Business Search” button. Search options and information are provided on the CCR Dynamic Small Business Search site.

First time users should click on the “help” button for detailed instructions.

L. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (GenAI) DISCLOSURE

NOTIFICATION CLAUSE

Executive Order (EO) N-12-23 signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 6, 2023, establishes statewide policy for the State’s use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), such http://www.caleprocure.ca.gov/ http://www.caleprocure.ca.gov/ mailto:OSDSHelp@dgs.ca.gov https://www.sba.gov/ https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=d4c9870f6e6bc306JmltdHM9MTcxMDIwMTYwMCZpZ3VpZD0xODcwOGEwYi1jODE1LTZkOWQtMTc2Mi05OWRhYzk3ZjZjZTgmaW5zaWQ9NTIwMg&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=18708a0b-c815-6d9d-1762-99dac97f6ce8&psq=Executive+Order+(EO)+N-12-23&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ292LmNhLmdvdi93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMy8wOS9BSS1FTy1Oby4xMi1fLUdHTi1TaWduZWQucGRm&ntb=1 as those involving consequential decisions affecting access to essential goods and services.

GenAI is defined as follows:

“Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): The class of AI models that emulate the structure and characteristics of input data in order to generate derived synthetic content. This can include images, videos, audio, text, and other digital content.” – State Administrative Manual (SAM), section 4819.2.

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…