RFI_SGC25006_10.16.25.pdf

State of California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate

Innovation 1400 10th Street. Sacramento, California, 95814 info@lci.ca.gov | lci.ca.gov Governor Gavin Newsom Director Sam Assefa

October 16, 2025

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Notice to Prospective Proposers

Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) and

Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Programs

Application Technical Assistance

RFI # SGC25006

SUBJECT: RFI #SGC25006

We invite you to review and provide feedback on Request for Information (RFI) number SGC25006. The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) is seeking input from potential partners, including technical assistance providers and Tribal Serving Organizations, regarding the Application Technical Assistance (TA) program related to the upcoming rounds of the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) and Community Resilience Center (CRC) programs.

This RFI aims to establish a list of qualified Application Technical Assistance providers who will support selected applicants in the upcoming rounds of funding for TCC Round 6 and CRC Round 2. Your insights will be invaluable in assessing the details of the Application TA program and determining if the bidder community is well-equipped to meet the outlined requirements.

We welcome your feedback and any concerns you may have in response to this RFI. Please send your questions and responses electronically to Contracts@sgc.ca.gov.

Note: RFI Closing date Friday, November 14, 2025 at 5:00:00 PM PST mailto:info@lci.ca.gov mailto:Contracts@sgc.ca.gov

Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation Request For Information

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

Table of Contents

A. BACKGROUND

B. PURPOSE

C. WEBINAR

D. WORK SCHEDULE / KEY ACTION DATES

Table 1: Work Schedule

Table 2: Key Dates

E. SUBMISSION

F. QUESTIONS

G. DISCLAIMER

Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI)

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

A. BACKGROUND

The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) is a cabinet-level council under the umbrella of LCI that coordinates multiple programs related to the intersection of climate, land-use, technical assistance, and housing. This solicitation will service two of SGC’s programs, the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) and Community Resilience Centers (CRC) programs.

The TCC program is administered by the SGC and implemented by the Department of Conservation (DOC). The TCC program furthers the purposes of AB 32 (Nunez, Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006) and AB 2722 (Burke, Chapter 371, Statutes of 2016) by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple, coordinated GHG emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits to disadvantaged communities. Funding for this round of the TCC program is provided by the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 commonly known as the “Climate Bond.” Previous rounds of funding (Round 4-5) of the TCC program were provided by the General Fund and (Rounds 1-3) were provided by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), an account established to receive Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds. Since 2018, the TCC Program has awarded over $424 million in Rounds 1-5 Implementation, Project Development, and Planning grants to 26 communities across California.

The CRC Program is administered by the SGC. SB 155 (2021) created the CRC program with funding for new construction and upgrades of neighborhood-level resilience centers to provide shelter and resources during climate and other emergencies. The CRC program also funds ongoing year-round community services and programs, such as food distribution and workforce development training, that build overall community resilience. The Climate Bond also provides funding for Round 2 of the CRC program.

B. PURPOSE

SGC is seeking input from potential partners including technical assistance providers and Tribal Serving Organizations, regarding the Application Technical Assistance (TA) program for the TCC and CRC programs’ upcoming rounds. See below for a brief description of the proposed Application TA program.

The TCC and CRC Application Technical Assistance (TA) program will provide both direct application services and capacity building support to TCC and CRC applicants selected as TA Recipients.

SGC intends to focus on providing TA to applicants across the State that are from Tribal and/or unincorporated communities. As capacity allows, the TA program will also provide assistance to under-resourced communities (which include disadvantaged, low-income

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006 and rural communities). The TA program seeks to directly engage Tribes with the goal of receiving applications from California Native American Tribes. Technical assistance providers should be prepared to support SGC with targeted outreach to eligible applicants.

TA Providers should be prepared to support TA Recipients in the development of competitive applications for TCC and CRC Planning, Project Development, and Implementation Grants.

SGC anticipates that the TA Provider team would provide direct application services to a tentative maximum of 20 Planning, 20 Project Development, and 20 Implementation grant applicants across TCC and CRC. Not all TA Recipients will require the same level of engagement from the TA Providers; it will depend on the recipient’s need and on the overall capacity of the TA providers to serve applicants.

The TA Providers are expected to support TA Recipients with the following:

• Meet with TA Recipients throughout the application period to support them with understanding the program requirements and completing a competitive application to one or both programs

• Provide each TA Recipient with:

o Tailored work plans to guide them through the application period o Advice on how to strengthen their applications and increase alignment with the Program Objectives o A clear assessment of their ability to meet the program thresholds and successfully complete an application o Review of completed application components and narrative responses

• Support TA Recipients in partnership development and community engagement activity planning, as required by the application

• Support TA Recipients with developing required application components, including: workplans, budgets, Collaborative Governance Agreements, Community Engagement Plans, Displacement Avoidance Plans, Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plans, Facility & Campus Amenities Plans, Emergency Plans, and Year-Round Community Resilience Plans

• In consultation with SGC staff, answer questions from TA Recipients

• As needed, create resources for TA Recipients to use during the application process

SGC is also interested in sharing potential minimum qualifications and/or requirements of a future solicitation to determine if requirements can be met by the bidder community.

These may include the following:

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

Experience:

• Existing relationships and significant experience working with California Native American Tribes—either as a staff of a Tribe, or having previously provided technical assistance to Tribes

• At least three (3) years of experience applying to or providing technical assistance for infrastructure or climate-related federal and state grants, including grant writing, grant management, grant planning, and/or grant implementation and proposal/grant writing

• At least three (3) years of experience in urban planning and community development

• At least three (3) years of experience managing infrastructure development projects

• At least three (3) years of experience coordinating public, private, and non-profit organizations or serving as a project manager with such entities

• At least three (3) years of direct experience working with under-resourced, unincorporated, rural, and Tribal communities in California

• At least three (3) years of direct experience providing robust community and public engagement services

• At least three (3) years of experience developing and implementing programs that offer technical assistance, peer learning, and/or leadership development

Desired Qualifications:

• Ability and willingness to travel to meet with Tribes in person

• Ability to balance project expertise while respecting Tribal knowledge, and the empathy, emotional intelligence, and ability to receive feedback and revise practices as needed

• Commitment to relationship and trust- building with Tribes

Knowledge:

• Climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation planning

• Energy resilient infrastructure

• Emergency management & operations, including emergency communications and emergency operations planning

• Displacement avoidance

• Workforce development

• Community engagement

• Affordable housing

• Transportation

• Recycling, composting, and waste reduction

• Urban greening and green infrastructure

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

• Rural environmental infrastructure development

• Disadvantaged unincorporated communities

• Working with coalitions or involvement in grassroots, community-centered collaborative processes

• Project and construction management

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

SGC encourages a wide variety of responses to this request for information. SGC also encourages a team-based approach to technical assistance, with various entities collaborating to contribute specific subject matter expertise. TA Providers should identify an entity and an individual to serve as the project manager and primary point of contact for SGC. The collective experience of the provider team should meet the following experience, and desired qualifications.

Required Experience:

• Provision of technical assistance for infrastructure or climate-related federal and state grants (including grant writing, grant management, and/or grant planning)

• Experience coordinating public, private, and non-profit organizations

• Experience working with under-resourced, unincorporated, rural, and tribal communities in CA

Desired Experience:

• Community engagement

• Developing and implementing programs that offer TA, peer learning, etc.

• Managing infrastructure development projects

C. WEBINAR

The Strategic Growth Council will host an informational Webinar on November 3rd, 2025, at 1:00 pm to discuss application technical assistance objectives including but not limited to anticipated timelines, audience, application technical assistance expectations, and capacity needs.

Webinar (Optional Attendance) Webinar Date: 11/3/2025 Webinar Time: 1:00 PM PST Webinar Registration Link: https://opr-ca.zoom.us/meeting/register/7I0GQg9cSU6GO3NckzWK2A https://opr-ca.zoom.us/meeting/register/7I0GQg9cSU6GO3NckzWK2A

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

D. WORK SCHEDULE / KEY ACTION DATES

Table 1: Work Schedule Anticipated Work Schedule for Application Technical Assistance Program, subject to change

WORK SCHEDULE

TASKS TIMEFRAME

Task 1: TA Administration Coordination and Reporting

March 2026 – September 2027

Task 2: Direct Application Assistance for TCC Round 6 and CRC Round 2 Applicants

May 2026 – November 2026

Task 3: Capacity Building for TCC and CRC Subsequent Rounds

December 2026 – September 2027

Reporting

• Monthly Reports during Direct Application TA

• Quarterly Reporting afterwards

Monthly/ Quarterly

Final Report September 2027

Table 2: Key Dates

KEY DATES TABLE

ITEM DATE TIME

RFI Released October 16, 2025 - Q&A Webinar November 3, 2025 1:00:00 PM PST Deadline to Submit Questions November 4, 2025 5:00:00 PM PST Posting of Q&A November 7, 2025 5:00:00 PM PST RFI Proposal Receipt Deadline November 14, 2025 5:00:00 PM PST

E. SUBMISSION

Responses to this RFI solicitation must be submitted directly to:

Contracts@lci.ca.gov

Response format: up to 5 pages, 11pt font, PDF mailto:Contracts@lci.ca.gov

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

Please respond to one or more of the following questions, as applicable:

1. Describe your capacity to implement an Application Technical Assistance program, including how you would:

a. Support applicants in articulating a community vision that aligns with a respective grant program;

b. Identify weaknesses in applications and address them;

c. Apply your knowledge of programmatic thresholds to grant applications to help applicants understand program requirements and how to meet them;

d. Review and provide feedback to TA Recipients on application components, including: workplans, budgets, Collaborative Governance Agreements, Community Engagement Plans, Displacement Avoidance Plans, Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plans, Facility & Campus Amenities Plans, Emergency Plans, and Year-Round Community Resilience Plans.

2. Describe your experience and capacity to provide technical assistance for climate-related federal and state grants, including grant writing, grant management, grant planning and/or grant implementation.

a. How would you develop a TA Recipient communications strategy that includes personalized outreach, information dissemination, and interactive engagement mechanisms?

b. How would you coordinate amongst providers to meet the varying needs of applicants from rural, Tribal, and disadvantaged unincorporated communities?

c. How would you ensure diverse subject matter expertise on a provider team to offer knowledge and experience in TCC and CRC activities, including:

• Climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation planning

• Energy resilient infrastructure

• Emergency management, emergency communications and emergency operations planning

• Displacement avoidance

• Workforce development

• Community engagement

• Affordable housing

• Transportation

• Recycling, composting, and waste reduction

• Urban greening and green infrastructure

• Rural environmental infrastructure development

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

• Disadvantaged unincorporated communities

• Working with coalitions or involvement in grassroots, community-centered collaborative processes

• Project and construction management

3. Describe your experience working with California Native American Tribes and your capacity to collaborate or facilitate culturally rooted, informative, and supportive meetings to provide technical assistance, including the following:

a. Ability to balance project expertise while respecting tribal knowledge, and the empathy, emotional intelligence, and ability to receive feedback and revise practices as needed

b. Commitment to relationship and trust building with Tribes

c. History and knowledge of current practices in tribal governance, Tribal laws, regulations, and policies at the state and federal levels

d. Integrating and protecting tribal data sovereignty and traditional ecological knowledge into work with Tribes

4. We’d appreciate your input on the Application TA Program details and whether the bidder community is well-positioned to meet the outlined requirements.

Please share any feedback or concerns.

F. QUESTIONS

Any questions related to this RFI must be sent electronically only directly to the following mailbox: Contracts@lci.ca.gov.

G. DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. A response to this RFI is not an offer and cannot be accepted by the State to form a binding contract.

RFI Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The State is not responsible for any expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

The submission of a response does not constitute any commitment on the part of the interested party. However, the RFI Respondent agrees that the submitted information is correct to the best of the RFI Respondent’s knowledge. CDPH is also interested in learning the reasons for not submitting a response.

RFI Respondents are advised that all documents submitted in response to this RFI will become the property of the State of California and will be regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act (PRA) pursuant to Government Code section mailto:Contracts@lci.ca.gov

RFI Solicitation #SGC25006

7920 et seq. The intent of this RFI is for Market Research purposes. Respondents should be aware that marking the response or questions “confidential” or “proprietary” will not exclude that content if the Department receives a PRA request. Please do not include any confidential or proprietary information in responses to this RFI as it will be subject to the PRA and may be disclosed to the public under the PRA.

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