REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – (SECONDARY METHOD)

Notice to Bidders

Date: 4/10/26 RFP Solicitation #:

#CV25-111 Project Name: California Service Corps Training Development

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:

6/1/2026 Term End Date:

6/28/27 Total Contract Amount:

$500,000

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The Learning Specialist / Content Producer hired under this contract will be responsible for producing a series of asynchronous, interactive virtual training modules for Fellows participating in the California Service Corps. These training modules will be mostly focused on career readiness for individuals new to the workforce. The majority of the content will be tailored to California Service Corps Fellows and alumni, an audience primarily new to the workforce; all content should be culturally relevant and focus on career readiness. The trainings should be evergreen, developed for annual implementation, beginning with the 2026-2027 Fellow cohort, and a subset of the trainings should be available to California Service Corps Alumni once they have successfully completed their program. Training modules will be uploaded to a digital platform and may be leveraged in other ways.

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

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals:

Date: May 5, 2026 Time: 3:00:00 PM PST

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.

mailto:procurement@cv.ca.gov

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

Contract Officer: Paul Wong Email: paul.wong@cv.ca.gov

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

mailto:paul.wong@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: Cost Evaluation (50 Possible Points)

vii. Table 7: Example of Cost Scoring

5. Preferences And Incentives

6. Rejection

7. 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/

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 4/10/2026 -

Webinar 4/21/2026 2:00:00 PM PST Deadline for Letter of Commitment

4/23/2026 -

Written Questions Deadline 4/23/2026 - Posting of Questions & Answers 4/30/2026 - Deadline for Proposal Receipt by GO-SERVE

5/5/2026 3:00:00 PM PST

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

5/12/2026

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

5/18/2026 -

Estimated Completion of Contract Development and Approvals (avg.

3-5 business days)

5/25/2026

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

5/29/2026

Estimated Start Date (Upon DGS approval)

6/1/2026 -

Project End Date 6/28/2027 -

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 that are not fully incorporated with the Secretary of State by the deadline for submitting proposals https://caleprocure.ca.gov/ https://www.sos.ca.gov/ 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).

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?

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

☒ 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)

Webinar Date: April 21, 2026 Webinar Time: 2:00:00 PM PST

Webinar Registration Link:

https://opr-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7Sy75iurTVqSWFlxUrHTuA 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 https://opr-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7Sy75iurTVqSWFlxUrHTuA https://opr-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7Sy75iurTVqSWFlxUrHTuA

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

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 four evaluation phases of proposals:

• Phase 1: Administrative (Pass/Fail)

• Phase 2: Minimum Qualifications (Pass/Fail)

• Phase 3: Technical Score (100 Possible Points)

• Phase 4: Cost Score (50 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.

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

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.

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:

• Development of effective interactive virtual training modules for adult learners

• Development of effective training curriculum

• Effective management of complex projects with multiple stakeholders

• Development of early workforce, career-readiness training materials

• Creating engaging, effective learning content for an adult audience, particularly a young adult audience

• Culturally-responsive, accessible training formats

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.

• Sample interactive training module (link or upload)

• Example of culturally-relevant training materials geared toward a young-adult audience

• Example of project management system used to organize long-term project

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 developing and publishing interactive virtual training modules for a variety of audiences

At least three (3) years of experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders

At least three (3) years of experience developing early workforce, career-readiness training resources

At least three (3) years of experience creating engaging, effective learning content for a young-adult audience

At least three (3) years of experience creating, evaluating, and refining virtual training materials for cultural relevancy

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 70 points out of 100 points on the Technical Evaluation phase in order to move to the Cost Evaluation phase.

GO-Serve will convene a panel to conduct an evaluation of the technical areas of the proposal, by an evaluation panel consisting of GO-Serve staff. If deemed necessary, other subject matter experts in civil service, independent academic, technical or policy experts may be called upon to be a part of the evaluation team.

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 POINTS

POINTS

AWARDED

1. Clarity and Organization of Proposal: This factor will assess whether the proposal is presented in a clear, concise, and organized manner. Proposer used the required Attachment 4

- Contractor Scope of Work Response Template.

2. Approach to Scope of Work – This factor will assess whether the proposed scope of work will deliver quality Guidelines as described in the criteria below:

2.1 Proposer has outlined a detailed project

management plan, including a detailed scope of work in conformance with all the tasks in the Scope of Work in the RFP consistent with the goals and objective of this project, and project organization that names a qualified Project Manager whose experience and skillset aligns with project objectives.

2.2. Proposer has described the

methodology and approach to the scope of work.

3. Work Plan, Schedule, and Budget Justification This criterion will consider the schedule of activities and budget justification and evaluate their effectiveness in reaching outlined goals and objectives. Project schedule, budget, estimated dates of completion, and proposed methods for measuring project progress are feasible when measured against the work plan.

4. Proposer and Team Knowledge and Experience – This criterion will assess whether the Proposer Team possesses the expertise and competencies needed to carry out the Guidelines update services as described in minimum knowledge and experience of this RFP. This section will be evaluated based on:

4.1 Team Resume:

The proposal shall list all key personnel, including but not limited to the Project Manager, as well as all other personnel who will be working on the project. The proposal shall 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 each task and what tasks each professional will perform.

4.2 Table of Qualifications:

The proposal shall include a table that shows how the minimum qualifications are met with assigned key personnel to each category of minimum qualification.

4.3 Knowledge and Experience: The proposal

must demonstrate strong writing skills, technical knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Development of interactive virtual training modules

• Effective management of complex projects with multiple stakeholders

• Development of early workforce, career-readiness training materials

• Creating engaging, effective learning content for a young-adult audience

• Culturally-responsive, accessible training formats

4.4 Career-Readiness and Cultural

Relevancy Integration Throughout the General Plan: The proposal must demonstrate strong knowledge and experience in:

• Career-readiness training

• Cultural relevancy/responsiveness

4.5 Supplement Documents: The proposal

must demonstrate knowledge and experience in:

• Digital interactive training modules

• Culturally-relevant training materials geared toward a young-adult audience

• Effective project management systems to organize a long-term project

4.6 Communication and Presentation: The

proposal must demonstrate knowledge and experience in:

• Communication and presentation Skills, including writing for technical and general audiences;

• Computer Graphics, for creating high quality digital modules and materials;

• Digital Tool development, including user-friendly, high-quality, engaging materials

• ADA remediation as any document with all documents posted in GO-SERVE website must be ADA compliant. This includes draft and temporary documents as well.

__/ Out of 100

4. Phase 4: Cost Evaluation (50 Possible Points) Phase 4 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 50 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 (50 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 50 / $40,000 37.5 B $35,000 $30,000 X 50 / $35,000 42.86

C $30,000 (LOWEST) $30,000 X 50 / $30,000 50.0

5. Preferences And Incentives After the four 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.

6. 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. 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)).

d. 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.

e. 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.

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

• Administrative requirements

• Qualifications

• Technical proposal

• 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 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 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.

M. GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the Proposer’s and any subcontractors’ ability to satisfy the requirements of this solicitation. The proposal must be 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 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM/TOC/4800/4819-2 complete and accurate. Omissions, inaccuracies, or misstatements will be sufficient cause for rejection of a proposal.

Proposals must be submitted for the performance of all services described within this solicitation.

Any deviation from the work specifications contained in Exhibit A - Scope of Work from Attachment 3, may cause a proposal to be rejected.

1. Submission Of Proposals

a. Proposals must be submitted electronically only via e-mail to the e-mail address identified on Page 1 of this document.

b. Proposals must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. If submitted in Adobe PDF, a

Microsoft Word version must be provided by the Proposer if chosen for an award.

c. Proposals must be submitted to and received by GO-SERVE, by the receipt deadline identified in the Key Dates Table. The deadline is strict. Proposals received one (1) second passed the deadline will be considered late and will not be accepted.

If files are too large to be submitted in one (1) e-mail, condense the files into a Zipped Folder to be submitted as an attachment. Additionally, you can submit your files through multiple e-mails, but all attachments and emails must be received by the deadline.

There will be no exceptions.

d. Hand-delivered and mailed proposals will not be accepted.

e. GO-SERVE may modify the solicitation as needed. If modified, GO-SERVE will issue an addendum on the Cal eProcure website listing where this solicitation is being advertised.

f. GO-SERVE reserves the right to reject all proposals. GO-SERVE is not required to make an award.

g. More than one (1) proposal from the proposing prime contractor either as 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 (1) proposal in response to this solicitation will cause rejection of all proposals submitted by that Proposer. If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among Proposers, none of the participants in such collusion will be considered in this or future acquisitions.

h. Proposals must include all required attachments. Please refer to Attachment 1 – Proposal Requirement Checklist.

2. Modification and/or Withdrawal to Submission

a. A Proposer may request a modification and/or withdrawal of their proposal by sending an e-mail to the e-mail address identified on page one of this document. A Proposer may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal receipt deadline. Proposal modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to proposal receipt deadline.

3. Proposer Responsibilities

a. Proposer should carefully examine the entire solicitation and all attachments, with special attention to the tasks and deliverables. Proposer shall investigate obstacles that might be encountered. No additions or increases to the amount will be made due to lack of careful examination of the requirements, tasks, or deliverables.

b. Before submitting a response to this solicitation, Proposers should review their response, correct all errors, and confirm compliance with all requirements. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to complete and submit all required attachments.

c. 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 GO-SERVE.

d. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to notify GO-SERVE via the e-mail address listed on page one of this document, if the Proposer believes that the solicitation is unfairly restrictive, contains errors or discrepancies, or is otherwise unclear. Notification must be done immediately to ensure that the matter may be considered, and appropriate action taken by GO-SERVE prior to the proposal receipt deadline. Such notification must be submitted no later than the question-and-answer period referenced in Table 1: Key Dates. All such correspondence received after the question-and-answer deadline may be considered at the discretion of GO-SERVE.

e. Proposer is responsible to review, read, understand, and comply in full with the State’s General Terms and Conditions GTC 02/2025 along with the Contractor’s Certification Clauses CCC 04/2017. For more information, visit the following online directory hyperlink: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal- Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract- Language?search=contractor%20certification%20clauses.

f. Each proposal must constitute an irrevocable offer for a period of at least ninety (90) business days after proposal submission.

g. If any license(s) and/or permit(s) expire at any time during the term of the Agreement, Proposer agrees to provide GO-SERVE 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 the Agreement upon occurrence of such event.

h. When an award is made, the Contractor will be asked to fill out and return the Voluntary Statistical Data Sheet (VSDS) form number DGS PD 802. The completion of this form is strictly voluntary. Public Contract Code 10111 requires that state agencies capture information on ethnicity, race, and gender (ERG) of business owners on all awarded contracts and procurements to the extent that the information has been voluntarily reported to the department. The awarding department is prohibited from using this data to discriminate or provide a preference in the solicitation or acceptance of bids, quotes, or estimates for goods, services, construction and/or information technology.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=contractor%20certification%20clauses https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=contractor%20certification%20clauses https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=contractor%20certification%20clauses

4. Signatures All documents requiring signatures can be signed by either using a wet signature or electronically using Adobe or DocuSign. If using a wet signature, print the document that requires a signature, sign it using blue or black ink, and scan it in color.

Only an individual who is authorized to bind the proposing firm (“Firm”) contractually shall sign in the necessary areas that require a signature. “Firm” is defined as the business entity. The signature must indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the Firm.

A proposal that is missing signatures where they are required may cause rejection of the proposal.

5. 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.

N. BUDGET DETAIL

1. Proposer may not submit a proposal with a budget that exceeds the total amount of this project identified in the scope of work.

2. Proposer may not substitute more than 49% of the work to subcontractors.

3. Proposals shall include a complete budget breakdown detailing the anticipated expenses for this project. The Attachment 5 – Contractor Cost Worksheet is provided, which must be submitted with the proposal. Proposer must fill out all worksheet tabs within this Excel file.

One (1) worksheet is for Cost by Task and the other is for General Cost. Identify any subcontractor expenses as well.

4. Submit a detailed budget itemizing proposed costs by task, subtask, and staff hours attributed to each component for the proposer and any subcontractors.

5. Proposals shall include all anticipated costs for completion for the Work Plan, such as:

• Identification of names/titles funded

• Labor hourly/salary rates

• Percentage/number of hours of time devoted to the work

• Operating expenses

• Travel and per diem expenses shall be at the rates currently in effect as established by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) – California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Division 1, Subchapter 2, DPA Rule 599,619 (meals and lodging) and DPA Rule 599.631 (mileage). Travel rates can be found at the following online directory: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/pages/travel-reimbursements.aspx.

• Subcontractors with the same type of cost details

• Other direct costs (except labor; i.e. educational materials, supplies, research) https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/pages/travel-reimbursements.aspx

*Labor rates shall include indirect costs (such as overhead, fringe, and administrative costs), fee/profit and any other applicable costs to be charged to this project.

*Tips, gratuities, stipends, honorariums, gifts, and food or drinks for events are not allowable expenses; DO NOT include these items in the proposed budget.

O. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

Scoring of socio-economic preferences and incentives are for evaluation purposes only. A contract will be awarded to the high-scored proposer, and the contract will be written for the dollar amount proposed by that awardee in their proposal.

The State of California requires that each fiscal year, all State agencies spend a minimum of 25% of all funding with a certified SB, and 3% of all funding with a certified DVBE. To become a certified SB or DVBE, entities must obtain certification with the State of California’s Department of General Services.

For more information on becoming certified, visit the following hyperlink online directory:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List- Folder/Certify-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise.

Questions regarding the certification approval process 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.

1. SB Preference Program This solicitation may or may not require a minimum percentage of participation by a certified SB. Refer to Table 2: Participation Requirements in Section D of this solicitation to determine if participation is required.

Government Code section 14835, et seq., requires a preference be given to Proposers who are a California Certified Small Business. The rules and regulations of this law, including the definition of a SB for the delivery of goods and services, are contained in California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 1896, et seq.

Entities that are certified as a small business with DGS may receive additional points during the evaluation process. This preference will only apply when SB participation is not required.

The SB preference is worth 5%. If the Proposer is a certified SB or is subcontracting at least 25% of the work to certified SBs, then a 5% preference will be applied to that proposal during the scoring of proposals.

Proposers must claim participation. To claim participation, Proposers must complete and submit the Attachment 8 – Bidder’s Declaration (GSPD-05-105) attachment that…