IFB__25-024_-_VIG_Audio_-_June_Nov_Elections_All_Languages.pdf

Invitation For Bid (IFB) Notice to Prospective Bidders

IFB #25-024

VIG Audio – June/November 2026 Elections: All Languages

January 15, 2026

Prospective Bidders are invited to review and respond to this Invitation for Bid (IFB), entitled #25-024 – VIG Audio – March/November 2024 Elections: All Languages. In submitting your bid, you must comply with these instructions.

This solicitation requires all bidders meet the minimum Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) 3% participation goal for this solicitation. However, this solicitation excludes the DVBE incentive and adjustments will not be applied to bids with more than 3% DVBE participation.

All agreements entered into with the State of California will include by reference General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) and Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) that may be viewed and downloaded at the following Internet site:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services- Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=GTC%2004/2017.

In the opinion of the Secretary of State (SOS), this IFB is complete and without need of explanation. However, inquiries regarding this IFB should be referred to:

Stevie Brown, Contract Analyst Contract Services Unit Secretary of State contractservices@sos.ca.gov

Please Note: No verbal information given will be binding upon the State unless such information is issued in writing as an official addendum.

Contract Services | Management Services Division | 1500 11th Street, Suite 460 Sacramento, CA 95814 | Tel 916.653.5974 | www.sos.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=GTC%2004/2017 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=GTC%2004/2017 mailto:contractservices@sos.ca.gov

Secretary of State

Table of Contents Section Page

A) Purpose and Description of Services

B) Agreement Term

C) Mandatory Qualifications, Skills, Experience, and References

D) Time Schedule Information and Bid Package Requirements

1) Key Action Dates

2) Submission of Bid

3) Bid Opening, Evaluation, and Selection

4) Award and Protest

5) Disposition of Bids

6) Agreement Execution and Performance

7) Insurance Requirements

E) Preference Programs

1) Small Business Preference

2) TACPA Preference

F) Required Attachments

1) Required Attachment Checklist

2) Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

3) Cost Sheet

4) Bidder References

5) California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program Requirement ... 25

6) California Civil Rights Laws Certification (DGS OLS 04)

7) Darfur Contracting Act (if applicable)

8) DGS Approved Small Business Certification (if applicable)

9) Payee Data Record (STD 204) ..................................................................................... **

10) Contractor's Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) (page 1) ................................... **

G) Sample Standard Agreement (STD 213)

1) Exhibit A – Scope of Work

2) Exhibit A-1 – Timelines and Deadlines

3) Exhibit A-2 – CD Label Sample

4) Exhibit A-3 – Language Code Key

5) Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions

6) Exhibit B-1 – Cost Sheet

7) Exhibit C – General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025)

8) Exhibit D – Special Terms and Conditions

9) Exhibit E – Additional Provisions

** These documents are not required to be returned with the bid package and are required upon award of the contract. See Attachment 1 – Required Attachment Check List.

A) Purpose and Description of Services

Within extremely tight timeframes, the Contractor will produce and deliver high quality English Language and Additional Languages audio recordings in MP3 and CD format of the June 2, 2026, Primary Election, and the November 3, 2026, General Election Voter Information Guides (VIG) for the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS).

The recordings must be produced in the following (10) Languages; however, additional languages may be required.

(1) English, (2) Chinese* (Traditional & Mandarin), (3) Hindi, (4) Japanese, (5) Khmer, (6) Korean, (7) Tagalog, (8) Thai, (9) Spanish, (10) Vietnamese

*Text is provided in traditional Chinese characters and is to be read and recorded in Mandarin.

The languages listed above will be referenced as “All Languages” where needed throughout the contract.

For the 2026 Primary Election and 2026 General Election, the Contractor will be required to complete the following for all languages:

1. Produce audio recordings of the VIG, including introductions, transitions, and closing for audio CDs.

2. Produce audio recordings of the VIG, including an introduction for the SOS website.

3. Produce and duplicate audio CDs.

4. Produce CD labels.

5. Package CDs for mailing with cover letter.

6. Mail and ship CD deliveries.

A high standard of service is expected and must be provided by the Contractor throughout the term of this contract. All services and corrections must be made according to the specified timeframes set forth in this contract. Submissions beyond the specified timeframe may result in financial discount. Timelines can be found in Exhibit A-1, Timelines and Deadlines. SOS will provide the Contractor with samples upon request.

Any work not specifically mentioned but which is needed to make the services described herein complete within the intent of this Agreement shall be performed without additional cost to the SOS. The SOS is the owner of all work documents in all phases of completion, and the Contractor has no right of retention of the documents. The Contractor shall surrender all, in-process deliverables, regardless of the state of completion, to the SOS within two (2) hours of any request made.

Any services outlined in this contract that the Contractor cannot perform may be sub-contracted out by the Contractor.

B) Agreement Term

The anticipated Agreement Term is March 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028.

The period of performance for this Agreement will be as identified on the Standard Agreement (STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)), Section 2, “Start Date” and "Through End Date”.

C) Mandatory Qualifications, Skills, Experience, and References

The Bidder shall meet the following mandatory qualifications, skills, and experience:

1) Bidder must have a minimum of three (3) years experience performing similar services of a complexity similar to the services detailed in the attached Scope of Work (SOW) and provide that information in Attachment 4 – Bidder References.

2) The Bidder must complete Attachment 4 – Bidder References, providing a list of two (2) customers within the last five (5) years, where similar work has been performed. If Bidder has performed these services for the SOS within the last five

(5) years, the SOS must be listed as one (1) of the references provided in Attachment 4. Reference information shall include company/organization name, contact representative name, email address, telephone number, and a description of the job(s) performed.

The SOS reserves the right to contact references prior to contract award. Receipt of negative responses may cause the response to be deemed non-responsive.

D) Time Schedule Information and Bid Package Requirements

1) Key Action Dates

Event Date/Time

IFB Available to Prospective Bidders January 15, 2026

Final Date for Bid Submission January 30, 2026, 4:00 p.m.

Bid Opening February 4, 2026, 10:00 a.m.

1500 11th St, Sacramento CA, 95814 (SOS Rotunda)

Anticipated Notice of Intent to Award February 11, 2026

Anticipated Notice of Award February 18, 2026

2) Submission of Bid

a) Each bidder may submit only one (1) bid. All bids must be submitted under sealed cover and sent/delivered to Secretary of State by the Final Date for Bid Submission shown above in the IFB, Section D.1 – Key Action Dates. The sealed cover must be plainly marked with the IFB number and title, the Bidder’s name and address, and must be marked with “Do Not Open”, as shown in the following example:

VIG Audio – June/November 2026 Elections: All Languages (Bidder/Company’s Name and Address)

Do Not Open

Note: Bids not submitted under sealed cover may be rejected.

b) All bids must include the documents identified in Attachment 1 – Required Attachment Checklist. Bids not including the proper “required attachments” shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive bid is one that does not meet the basic bid requirements.

c) All documents requiring a signature must bear the original signature of a person authorized to bind the bidding firm. The SOS may request documentation to show that the person signing is legally authorized to sign on behalf of the bidding firm. Note: For the attachments required to be submitted with the Bidder’s response that require signature(s), the use of Electronic Signatures (eSignature) is permitted. eSignatures will be accepted and are legally binding and equivalent to handwritten signatures.

d) Mail or deliver bids to the following address:

1. Mail bids to the following address:

Attn: Contract Services

1500 11th Street Sacramento, CA 95814

2. Hand delivered bids must be delivered to:

Secretary of State Loading Dock Located near 1025 P Street, at mid-block, between 10th and 11th Street.

Hours: 9 am – 4 pm, except for State Holidays.

Ring bell upon arriving

e) Bids must be submitted for the performance of all the services described herein. Any deviation from the work specifications will not be considered and will cause a bid to be rejected.

f) A bid may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The State may reject any or all bids and may waive an immaterial deviation in a bid. The State's waiver of an immaterial deviation shall in no way modify the IFB document or excuse the bidder from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement.

g) Costs incurred for developing bids and in anticipation of award of the agreement are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be charged to the State of California.

h) Loss Leader:

It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this state to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the Business and Professions Code(PCC 10344(e)).

i) An individual who is authorized to bind the bidder contractually shall sign

Attachment 2 - Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet. The signature should indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned bid may be rejected.

j) A bidder may modify a bid after its submission by withdrawing its original bid and resubmitting a new bid prior to the bid submission deadline. Bidder modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

k) A bidder may withdraw its bid by submitting a written withdrawal request to the State, signed by the bidder or an authorized agent. A bidder may thereafter submit a new bid prior to the bid submission deadline. Bids may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to bid submission deadline. Upon request, bid packages may be returned only at the bidder’s expense.

l) The awarding agency may modify the IFB prior to the date fixed for submission of bids by the issuance of an addendum to all parties who received a bid package.

m) The awarding agency reserves the right to reject all bids and/or to cancel this

IFB if it is in the best interest of the State. The agency is not required to award an agreement.

n) Before submitting a response to this solicitation, bidders should review, correct all errors, and confirm compliance with the IFB requirements.

o) Where applicable, bidder should carefully examine work sites and specifications. Bidder shall investigate conditions, character, and quality of surface or subsurface materials or obstacles that might be encountered. No additions or increases to the agreement amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of work sites and specifications.

p) The State does not accept alternate contract language from a prospective contractor. A bid with such language will be considered a counter proposal and will be rejected. The State’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC) are not negotiable.

q) No oral understanding or agreement shall be binding on either party.

r) Qualifications to Do Business in California

All corporations, limited liability companies (LLC) and limited partnerships (LP) are required to be registered with the California Secretary of State (SOS) in order to do business* in the state of California. Before contract award can be made, the Contractor must be currently registered and in “Active” status with the California SOS, as required by law, to do business in California; this applies to domestic entities (organized or commercially domiciled in the state of California) and foreign entities (organized or commercially domiciled outside of California).

During the response evaluation process, the State will verify if the Bidder is currently registered and in good standing (i.e., “Active” status) with the California SOS, as applicable, in order to ensure that all obligations due to the State are fulfilled. Therefore, a certificate of status is not required to be submitted with the bidder’s response.

* “Doing business” is defined in the California Revenue and Taxation Code § 23101 as “actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit”. Although there are some statutory exceptions to taxation, rarely will a contractor performing within the state not be subject to the applicable franchise tax.

s) Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S.

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

By signing Attachment 2 - Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet the Bidder certifies that they agree to the above.

t) Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

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

Failure to report GenAI to the State may result in disqualification. The State reserves its right to seek any and all relief 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.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM/TOC/4900/4986-2

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.

u) Priority Hiring Considerations for Contracts with a Value in Excess of $200,000:

Every contract for services in excess of $200,000 shall contain a provision requiring the contractor to give priority consideration in filling vacancies in positions funded by the contract to qualified recipients of aid under Welfare and Institutions Code § 11200 (PCC § 10353).

3) Bid Opening, Evaluation, and Selection

a) All bid packages properly received according to the IFB instructions on or before the bid due date will be publicly opened and read.

b) Bidders that would like to attend the in-person Bid Opening may do so per the date, time and location identified in Section D.1, Key Action Dates, Bid Opening.

c) At the time of bid opening, each bid may be checked for the presence or absence of required information in conformance with the submission requirements of this IFB.

d) At the State’s option prior to award, bidders may be required to submit additional written clarifying information. Failure to submit the requested written information as specified may be grounds for bid rejection.

e) The State will evaluate each bid to determine its responsiveness to the published requirements. This is a pass/fail evaluation.

f) Bids that contain false or misleading statements, or which provide references, which do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the bidder, may be rejected.

4) Award and Protest

a) The award, if made, will be to the responsive and responsible Bidder that offers the lowest cost.

b) In the event of Tie Bids, a coin toss will be performed. In such event, the coin toss will be observed by witnesses and the affected bidders will be invited. In the event of a Tie Bids Between a Small Business and DVBE Small Business, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=11549.64.&highlight=true&keyword=Generative%20Artificial%20Intelligence should a precise tie between the low responsible bid of a certified small business and the low responsible bid of a certified disabled veteran owned business that is also a small business occur, the contract must be awarded to the disabled veteran owned small business. (GC § 14838 (f); 2 CCR 1896.8(f)).

c) Whenever an agreement is awarded under a procedure which provides for competitive bidding, but the agreement is not to be awarded to the low bidder, the low bidder shall be notified five (5) working days prior to the award of the agreement.

d) Upon written request by any bidder, notice of the proposed award shall be posted in a public place in the office of the awarding agency at least five (5) working days prior to awarding the agreement.

e) Any Bidder who submits a bid may file a protest if the Bidder believes its bid package is responsive to all IFB requirements and its bid is the lowest dollar bid.

Protests are limited to the grounds described in Public Contract Code (PCC) Section 10345.

f) If any bidder, prior to the award of agreement, files a written protest with the

Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services, and the Secretary of State on the grounds that the (protesting) bidder is the lowest responsive responsible bidder, the agreement shall not be awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or the Department of General Services has decided the matter.

g) Within five (5) days after filing the initial protest, the protesting bidder shall file with both the Department of General Services and the awarding agency a detailed written statement specifying the grounds for the protest if the original protest did not contain the complete grounds for the protest.

h) The written protest must be submitted to both of the following:

a. Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services Attn: Bid Protest Coordinator 707 Third Street, 7th Floor, Suite 7-330 West Sacramento, CA 95605 Email: OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

b. Secretary of State Attn: Contract Services 1500 11th Street, 4th Floor, Room 460 Sacramento, CA 95814 Email: ContractServices@sos.ca.gov mailto:OLSProtests@dgs.ca.g mailto:ContractServices@sos.ca.gov

The statement must contain the law, rule, regulation, practice, IFB number, name of the State agency involved, the agency contact person and detail reason(s) the protestant believes the awarding agency has improperly applied in awarding the Agreement.

i) Protests may be submitted by regular mail, email, courier, or personal delivery.

Protestants should include their email address if they have one and advise if they will accept service of documents pertaining to the protest via email.

j) Upon on resolution of the protest and award of the agreement, Contractor must complete and submit to the awarding agency the Payee Data Record (STD 204), to determine if the Contractor is subject to state income tax withholding pursuant to California Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 18662 and 26131. This form can be found on the Internet at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms. under the heading Office of State Publishing (OSP) Standard (STD) forms. No payment shall be made unless a completed STD 204 has been returned to the awarding agency.

k) Upon resolution of the protest and award of the agreement, Contractor must sign and submit to the awarding agency, page one (1) of the Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017), which can be found on the Internet at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal- Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language.

5) Disposition of Bids

a) By submitting a bid, Bidder agrees to the Terms and Conditions stated in this

IFB, Exhibit A - SOW and the resulting Contract. Responses received after the Final Date for Bid Submission may not be assessed. Bids received in response to the SOW will be valid for one hundred eighty (180) days after the Final Date for Bid Submission. Bidder agrees to have available the appropriate skills to complete the resulting Contract for all services as described in the solicitation and SOW.

b) Submitting responses that include assumptions, added conditional statements or statements regarding changes to the SOW in this IFB may result in the offer being found non-responsive.

c) Submitting documents in the bid that are marked as “Confidential”, “Proprietary” or similarly labeled and/or appear to contain sensitive information, that at the State’s discretion, may be considered an information security issue; therefore, may be grounds for the bid being deemed non-responsive and the bid rejected. Bids rejected for this purpose will have all https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language pages which contain such labels or information destroyed prior to Award of the contract pursuant to this IFB.

d) Upon review of the bids received and subsequent Contract Award, all documents submitted in response to this IFB shall become the property of the State of California and shall be regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 7920.000 et seq.), thereby subject to review by the public.

e) The State, at its discretion, reserves the right not to make an award or reject all bids, in the best interest of the State.

6) Agreement Execution and Performance

a) Performance shall start not later than thirty (30) days, or on the express date set by the awarding agency and the Contractor, after all approvals have been obtained and the agreement is fully executed. Should the Contractor fail to commence work at the agreed upon time, the awarding agency, upon five (5) days written notice to the Contractor, reserves the right to terminate the agreement. In addition, the Contractor shall be liable to the State for the difference between the Contractor’s bid price and the actual cost of performing work by the second lowest bidder or by another contractor.

b) All performance under the agreement shall be completed on or before the termination date of the agreement.

7) Insurance Requirements

Please refer to Exhibit E – Additional Provisions, Section 6. Insurance Requirements.

E) Preference Programs

1) Small Business Preference:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division- Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB-DVBE

2) For bids in the amount of $100,000 and over, the following preference programs apply if your firm is qualified: Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA).

Bidders wishing to take advantage of this preference will need to review the following website and submit the appropriate response with the bid:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=TACPA&divisionid=.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB-DVBE https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB-DVBE https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=TACPA&divisionid=

F) Required Attachments

Refer to the following pages for additional Required Attachments that are a part of this IFB and agreement.

Attachment 1 Required Attachment Check List

A complete bid or bid package will consist of the items identified below. Complete this checklist to confirm the items in your bid. Place a check mark or “X” next to each item that you are submitting to the State. For your bid to be responsive, all required attachments must be returned.

Attachment Attachment’s Name/Description

_____ Attachment 1 Required Attachment Check List

_____ Attachment 2 Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

_____ Attachment 3 Cost Sheet

_____ Attachment 4 Bidder References

_____ Attachment 5 California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE)

Program Requirement - Forms and Instructions:

1. DGS PD 843 – DVBE Declaration

2. GSPD-05-105 – Bidder Declaration

_____ Attachment 6 California Civil Rights Laws Certification (DGS OLS 04)

_____ Attachment 7 Darfur Contracting Act (if applicable)

_____ Attachment 8 DGS Approved Small Business (SB) Certification (if applicable)

_____ Attachment 9 Payee Data Record (STD 204). **

_____ Attachment 10 Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017). **

** These documents are not required to be returned with the bid package, but are required upon award of the contract:

• The Payee Data Record (STD 204) can be found at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms.

• The Contractor’s Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) can be found at:

Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language

Attachment 2 Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

This Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet must be signed and returned along with all the "required attachments" as an entire package with original signatures. The bid must be transmitted in a sealed envelope in accordance with IFB instructions.

Do not return the "Sample Standard Agreement" at the end of this IFB.

A. Our all-inclusive bid is submitted as detailed in Attachment 3, Cost Sheet.

B. All required attachments are included with this certification sheet.

C. The signature affixed hereon and dated certifies compliance with all the requirements of this bid document. The signature below authorizes the verification of this certification.

An unsigned Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet may be cause for rejection.

1. Company Name 2. Telephone Number 2a. Fax Number

3. Address

Indicate your organization type:

4. Sole Proprietorship 5. Partnership 6. Corporation Indicate the applicable employee and/or corporation number:

7. Federal Employee ID No.(FEIN)

8. California Corporation No.

9. Indicate applicable license and/or certification information:

10. Bidder’s Name (Print) 11. Title

12. Signature 13. Date

14. Email:

15. Are you certified with the Department of General Services, Office of Small Business and

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS) as:

a. California Small Business

Yes No If yes, enter certification number:

b. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Yes No If yes, enter your service code below:

NOTE: A copy of your Certification is required to be included if either of the above items is checked “Yes”.

Date application was submitted to OSDS, if an application is pending:

Completion Instructions for Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

Complete the numbered items on the Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet by following the instructions below.

Item Numbers

Instructions

1, 2, 2a, 3 Must be completed. These items are self-explanatory.

Check if your firm is a sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is a form of business in which one person owns all the assets of the business in contrast to a partnership and corporation. The sole proprietor is solely liable for all the debts of the business.

Check if your firm is a partnership. A partnership is a voluntary agreement between two or more competent persons to place their money, effects, labor, and skill, or some or all of them in lawful commerce or business, with the understanding that there shall be a proportional sharing of the profits and losses between them. An association of two or more persons to carry on, as co-owners, a business for profit.

Check if your firm is a corporation. A corporation is an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state or nation, composed, in some rare instances, of a single person and his successors, being the incumbents of a particular office, but ordinarily consisting of an association of numerous individuals.

7 Enter your federal employee tax identification number.

Enter your corporation number assigned by the California Secretary of State’s Office. This information is used for checking if a corporation is in good standing and qualified to conduct business in California.

Complete, if applicable, by indicating the type of license and/or certification that your firm possesses and that is required for the type of services being procured.

10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Must be completed. These items are self-explanatory.

If certified as a California Small Business, place a check in the "Yes" box, and enter your certification number on the line. If certified as a Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise, place a check in the "Yes" box and enter your service code on the line. If you are not certified to one or both, place a check in the "No" box. If your certification is pending, enter the date your application was submitted to OSDS.

Attachment 3 Cost Sheet

CLIENT: Secretary of State PROJECT TITLE: Audio Recording for All Languages: June 2, 2026, Statewide Primary Election and November 3, 2026, Statewide

Gubernatorial Election Voter Information Guide (VIG) and Text of Proposed Laws (TOPL)

The undersigned Contractor, as Bidder, declares that they have carefully examined all documents contained or referenced within this Information for Bid (IFB) and are familiar with all requirements, and agree to complete the services as described in Exhibit A – Scope of Work, Section A, Contract Purpose and Description of Services, in accordance with the Contract Documents, for the complete term of the Agreement.

Bid amount to include and cover all costs including freight and all taxes for the furnishing of all materials, and the performance of all the labor and the providing of all necessary machinery, tools, apparatus, and other means of service, in addition to the performance and completion of all the work in the manner set forth, described, and shown in Exhibit A – Scope of Work. The State does not guarantee they will require the total quantity of work outlined herein. All cells containing a dollar sign ($) must be filled out by Bidder or be deemed non-responsive.

PART I: JUNE 2, 2026, STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION

A B C E F G H I J

Language

Number of Words

(approx.

400 words per page, varies by language)

Recording Price per

Word

Price for Production of Master

CD Set Column B x C = E

Average Price of

Production of Master CD

Set Sum of

Column E / 4 = F

Price of Duplication per CD Set

Average Price of

Duplication per CD Set

Sum of Column G / 4

= H

Estimated Number of

CD Sets

Total Average

Price Column

F + (H x I) = J

English

Up to 40,000 $ $

$ 4000 $

Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Over 80,0000 $ $ $

Spanish

Up to 40,000 $ $

$ 300 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Chinese (Mandarin)

Up to 40,000 $ $

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Hindi

$ 75 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $ Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Japanese

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Khmer

$ 75 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Korean

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Tagalog

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Thai

$ 75 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Vietnamese

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $ Over

Part I Total Average Cost (Sum of Column J): ___________

PART II: NOVEMBER 3, 2026, STATEWIDE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION

A B C E F G H I J

Language

Number of Words

(approx.

400 words per page, varies by language)

Recording Price per

Word

Price for Production of Master

CD Set Column B x C = E

Average Price of

Production of Master CD

Set Sum of

Column E / 4 = F

Price of Duplication per CD Set

Average Price of

Duplication per CD Set

Sum of Column G / 4

= H

Estimated Number of

CD Sets

Total Average

Price Column

F + (H x I) = J

English

Up to 40,000 $ $

$ 4000 $

Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Spanish

$ 300 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Chinese (Mandarin)

Up to 40,000 $ $

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Hindi

$ 75 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $ Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Japanese

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Khmer

$ 75 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Korean

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Tagalog

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Total Average Cost (Part I Total Average Cost + Part II Total Average Cost) = ______________

The estimated Total Cost indicated will be used solely for computing the cost as a fair and equitable formula to determine the low bidder and is not binding on the contracting agency. However, the actual Price per Word and Price of Duplication per CD Set quoted above by the Bidder shall be binding for the term of the Agreement.

Please Note: Should the SOS amend the awarded agreement from this IFB beyond the contract term end date, it will be at or below all rates identified above.

Thai

$ 75 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $

Vietnamese

$ 100 $ Up to 60,000 $ $ $

Up to 80,000 $ $ $ Over

Part I Total Average Cost (Sum of Column J): ___________

Attachment 4 Bidder References

Submission of this attachment is mandatory. Failure to complete and return this attachment with your bid will cause your bid to be rejected and deemed nonresponsive.

Bidder(s) must complete Attachment 4 – Bidder References, providing a list of two (2) customers for whom similar services have been performed within the last five (5) years, similar in scope and complexity to the services to be performed in this contract. If Bidder has performed these services for the SOS within the last five (5) years, the SOS must be listed as one (1) of the references provided in Attachment 4. Reference information shall include company/organization name, contact representative name, email address, telephone number, and a description of the job(s) performed. The description of the services performed must be detailed and comprehensive enough to permit the State to assess the similarity of the services outlined in the SOW.

The SOS reserves the right to contact references prior to contract award. Receipt of negative responses may cause the response to be deemed non-responsive.

REFERENCE 1

Name of Firm

Street Address City State Zip Code

Contact Person Telephone Number:

Email:

Start and End Dates of Service Value or Cost of Service

Brief Description of Service Provided:

REFERENCE 2

Name of Firm

Street Address City State Zip Code

Contact Person Telephone Number:

Email:

Start and End Dates of Service Value or Cost of Service

Brief Description of Service Provided

Attachment 5

California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program Requirement

The State has established goals for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) participating in State contracts. The minimum DVBE participation percentage (goal) is 3% for this solicitation. Please review the DVBE program requirements and information at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=DVBEProgramRequirements&topicCate goryFilters=&divisionid=&audienceCategoryFilters=&contenttype=PDF&sort=relevance &eventCategoryFilters=&resourceCategoryFilters=&serviceCategoryFilters=&activeFilte rs=Types%7C&page=1

The offeror must complete and return all the appropriate pages in order for the bid to be considered responsive. The following two (2) forms are required to be submitted as part of the response to this IFB. The forms can be found on the listed Internet website:

1. DGS PD 843 – DVBE Declaration:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms

2. DGS PD-05-105 – Bidder Declaration:

The Secretary of State’s Office has waived the application of the DVBE Incentive for this solicitation. Therefore, no additional incentive points will be applied during the evaluation process of this IFB; however, bidders must still meet the minimum DVBE participation percentage (goal) of 3% for this solicitation and are required to submit the following as part of their response to this IFB: DGS PD 843 (DVBE Declarations) and GSPD- 05-105 (Bidder Declaration) for the named DVBE(s).

At the State’s option prior to award, bidders may be required to submit additional written clarifying information. Failure to submit the requested written information as specified may be grounds for bid rejection.

All bidders must meet the 3% goal for this solicitation; failure to submit all required forms and fully document and meet the DVBE program requirement shall be considered non-responsive.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=DVBEProgramRequirements&topicCategoryFilters=&divisionid=&audienceCategoryFilters=&contenttype=PDF&sort=relevance&eventCategoryFilters=&resourceCategoryFilters=&serviceCategoryFilters=&activeFilters=Types%7C&page=1 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=DVBEProgramRequirements&topicCategoryFilters=&divisionid=&audienceCategoryFilters=&contenttype=PDF&sort=relevance&eventCategoryFilters=&resourceCategoryFilters=&serviceCategoryFilters=&activeFilters=Types%7C&page=1 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=DVBEProgramRequirements&topicCategoryFilters=&divisionid=&audienceCategoryFilters=&contenttype=PDF&sort=relevance&eventCategoryFilters=&resourceCategoryFilters=&serviceCategoryFilters=&activeFilters=Types%7C&page=1 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=DVBEProgramRequirements&topicCategoryFilters=&divisionid=&audienceCategoryFilters=&contenttype=PDF&sort=relevance&eventCategoryFilters=&resourceCategoryFilters=&serviceCategoryFilters=&activeFilters=Types%7C&page=1

Attachment 6 California Civil Rights Laws Certification

Attachment 7 Darfur Contracting Act Certification

Public Contract Code Sections 10475 -10481 applies to any company that currently or within the previous three years has had business activities or other operations outside of the United States. For such a company to bid on or submit a proposal for a State of California contract, the company must certify that it is either a) not a scrutinized company; or b) a scrutinized company that has been granted permission by the Department of General Services to submit a proposal.

If your company has not, within the previous three years, had any business activities or other operations outside of the United States, you do not need to complete this form.

OPTION #1 - CERTIFICATION

If your company, within the previous three years, has had business activities or other operations outside of the United States, in order to be eligible to submit a bid or proposal, please insert your company name and Federal ID Number and complete the certification below.

I, the official named below, CERTIFY UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY that a) the prospective proposer/bidder named below is not a scrutinized company per Public Contract Code 10476; and b) I am duly authorized to legally bind the prospective proposer/bidder named below. This certification is made under the laws of the State of California.

Company/Vendor Name (Printed) Federal ID Number

By (Authorized Signature)

Printed Name and Title of Person Signing

Date Executed Executed in the County and State of

OPTION #2 – WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM DGS

Pursuant to Public Contract Code section 10477(b), the Director of the Department of General Services may permit a scrutinized company, on a case-by-case basis, to bid on or submit a proposal for a contract with a state agency for goods or services, if it is in the best interests of the state. If you are a scrutinized company that has obtained written permission from the DGS to submit a bid or proposal, complete the information below.

We are a scrutinized company as defined in Public Contract Code section 10476, but we have received written permission from the Department of General Services to submit a bid or proposal pursuant to Public Contract Code section 10477(b). A copy of the written permission from DGS is included with our bid or proposal.

Company/Vendor Name (Printed) Federal ID Number

Initials of Submitter

Printed Name and Title of Person Initialing

Attachment 8 DGS Approved Small Business Certification

If applicable, attach a copy of valid (expiration date has not elapsed) DGS approved Small Business Certification.

G) Sample Standard Agreement (STD 213) Information

The Agreement resulting from this procurement will be prepared using the State’s Standard Agreement (STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)) form, including all required exhibits;

Exhibits will include a copy of the awarded Contractor’s response to this IFB, other provisions as applicable and references to the General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) and this IFB document, as if attached. (See Exhibits A-E)

a. Standard Agreement (STD 213) - https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms

b. General Terms and Conditions for non-IT service (GTC 02/2025)

Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language

Exhibit A Scope of Work

A. Contract Purpose and Description of Services

Within extremely tight timeframes, the Contractor will produce and deliver high quality English Language and Additional Languages audio recordings in MP3 and CD format of the June 2, 2026, Primary Election, and the November 3, 2026, General Election Voter Information Guides (VIG) for the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS).

The recordings must be produced in the following (10) Languages; however, additional languages may be required.

(1) English, (2) Chinese* (Traditional & Mandarin), (3) Hindi, (4) Japanese, (5) Khmer, (6) Korean, (7) Tagalog, (8) Thai, (9) Spanish, (10) Vietnamese

*Text is provided in traditional Chinese characters and is to be read and recorded in Mandarin.

The languages listed above will be referenced as “All Languages” where needed throughout the contract.

For the 2026 Primary Election and 2026 General Election, the Contractor will be required to complete the following for all languages:

1. Produce audio recordings of the VIG, including introductions, transitions, and closing for audio CDs.

2. Produce audio recordings of the VIG, including an introduction for the SOS website.

3. Produce and duplicate audio CDs.

4. Produce CD labels.

5. Package CDs for mailing with cover letter.

6. Mail and ship CD deliveries.

A high standard of service is expected and must be provided by the Contractor throughout the term of this contract. All services and corrections must be made according to the specified timeframes set forth in this contract. Submissions beyond the specified timeframe may result in financial discount. Timelines can be found in Exhibit A-1, Timelines and Deadlines. SOS will provide the Contractor with samples upon request.

Any work not specifically mentioned but which is needed to make the services described herein complete within the intent of this Agreement shall be performed without additional cost to the SOS. The SOS is the owner of all work documents in all phases of completion, and the Contractor has no right of retention of the documents. The Contractor shall surrender all, in-process deliverables, regardless of the state of completion, to the SOS within two (2) hours of any request made.

Any services outlined in this contract that the Contractor cannot perform may be sub-contracted out by the Contractor.

B. Technical Specifications, Requirements and Work Products:

Copy: • Copy will be supplied to the Contractor.

• Copy is not script formatted.

Voice Talent: • Required for each of the ten (10) languages indicated above.

• Excellent use of each language, clear speaking ability to correctly pronounce terms, names, etc. (i.e., Del Norte, Kounalakis, etc.)

• Must be able to read and speak with appropriate but minimal verbal inflections in a neutral manner as to not show bias towards any topic.

• Contractor is to use a single voice talent for the complete recording unless Contractor has received the State’s prior written approval to use multiple voice talents.

• Must be able to read the text provided in traditional Chinese characters and record the audio in Mandarin.

Recording – Style Guidelines:

• All recordings must follow exactly to the text provided and must be free of errors.

• Contractor MUST immediately notify SOS of any errors in the translated text. Errors may affect printed versions that are already on press.

• All segments must be spoken at the same cadence (between 110 and 120 words per minute), tone, inflection, and volume.

• If material needs to be re-recorded, all revisions will be read by the same voice talent as the original recording and re-recorded, mixed, finalized, proofed, and returned to the SOS within 24 hours.

• Each letter of all email addresses, social media handles, and websites must be read individually (ex: w-w-w dot g-o-o-g-l-e dot c-o-m).

• The Contractor shall read all figures, tables, and charts as they appear in legislative analyses.

• A sample of the previous recordings, including layout and links, and PDFs of the printed VIG are available on the SOS website at: http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov. A hard copy is available upon request.

Recording Environment:

• Studio recording. No background, nor production noises are permitted in final recordings.

• Must be recorded in stereo format.

• Master copy must be digitally recorded.

Analog recordings are not acceptable.

CD Specifications: • All reproductions shall be on standard audio

CDs that play on all devices.

• Standard audio CDs must have an auto-play feature.

• The Contractor shall minimize the number of

CDs created using file compression and other related high quality audio processing techniques.

Master: • The Contractor shall provide the SOS with the master files of the recording in MP3 format.

• The files shall be separated in the file naming convention provided by SOS. A single, continuous audio file is not acceptable.

• The master audio files must be approved by SOS prior to duplication production.

• The Contractor must certify that the copy provided to the SOS has been reviewed, proofed, and free of any errors prior to submittal to SOS.

Editing Capabilities: • Digital. Missed corrections will constitute financial discounts for customer. Amount of discount will be negotiated depending on the extent and seriousness of the error.

CD Case: • Paper sleeves only. Hard plastic jewel cases shall not be used.

Editing/Error Correction:

• Errors discovered by SOS are to be re-recorded or corrected by the Contractor within 24 hours, unless otherwise specified by http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/ the SOS. Contractor must review, edit, and proof prior to providing corrections back to SOS. See Section I, Errors, and Omissions, for more details.

Quantity and Delivery Dates:

• For the June 2026 Primary Election, the Contractor shall produce approximately 4,000 sets of the English recording from the approved digital master file.

• For the June 2026 Primary Election, the Contractor shall produce 100 to 500 CD sets of each additional language from the approved digital master file. Additional languages may be required.

• For the November 2026 General Election, the Contractor shall produce approximately 4,000 sets of the English recording from the approved digital master file.

• For the November 2026 General Election, the Contractor shall produce 100 to 500 CD sets of each additional language. Additional languages may be required.

• Refer to the CD Production section for more details.

• Final approved recording is to be provided to SOS in individual MP3 format files, according to the file naming convention provided by the SOS. A single, continuous audio file is not acceptable.

Principal English VIG for the Primary Election – June 2, 2026:

• Final English CDs to be delivered to the State by April 24, 2026 (E-39).

• Contractor must begin mass mailing of English CDs to the list provided by SOS by April 24, 2026 (E-39). Contractor must complete mass mailing of English CDs to the list provided by SOS by May 1, 2026 (E-32).

Principal Additional Language VIG for the Primary Election – June 2, 2026:

• Final Additional Languages CDs to be delivered to the State by April 28, 2026 (E-35).

• Contractor must begin mass mailing of Additional Languages CDs to the list provided by SOS by April 28, 2026 (E-35).

• Contractor must complete mass mailing of provided by SOS by May 5, 2026 (E-28).

Principal English VIG for the General Election– November 3, 2026:

• Final CDs to be delivered to the State by September 25, 2026 (E-39).

• Contractor must begin mass mailing of CDs to the list provided by SOS by September 25, 2026 (E-39).

• Contractor must complete mass mailing of CDs to the list provided by SOS by October 2, 2026 (E-32).

Principal…