RFO_25-006_Website_User_Experience__UX__and_Content_Stra.pdf

CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE (CMAS)

REQUEST FOR OFFER #25-006

Website User Experience (UX) and Content Strategy Services

May 15, 2026

You are invited to review and respond to this Request for Offer (RFO) to provide Website User Experience (UX) and Content Strategy Services to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI).

To submit an Offer for these services, you must comply with the instructions contained in this document as well as the requirements stated in the LCI’s Sample Agreement, Attachment 15, and Cost Worksheet, Attachment 14. The Supplier responding to this RFO; hereinafter called ‘Offeror’ in the RFO, must hold a current Information Technology (IT) California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) that includes services category for the services described in this RFO. By submitting an Offer, the Offeror agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this RFO and IT CMAS. All documents issued under this Agreement incorporate the following provisions:

General Services Procurement Division Information Technology - General Provisions Non-Cloud Computing Services and CMAS IT Goods and Services Special Provisions

Offerors must:

• Read the attached document carefully.

• Submit the Offer no later than Monday, June 1, 2026, by 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Late Offers are not accepted and will not be reviewed.

• Submit the Offer in one (1) portable document format (PDF) via email to it.procurement@lci.ca.gov.

For Offerors not opting to submit an Offer, please click on the link below to take a quick survey as to why your business did not provide an Offer. The survey is short and simple. You will be asked to indicate the reason for not submitting an Offer and provide some feedback (optional). We appreciate your time and effort in providing us with this valuable feedback.

Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/g/U4jBB7D8TN https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/Acquisitions/CMAS/2025/IT-General-Provisions-NonCloud-DGS-PD-403ITGP-Revised-02202025.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/Acquisitions/CMAS/2025/IT-General-Provisions-NonCloud-DGS-PD-403ITGP-Revised-02202025.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/Acquisitions/CMAS/2025/CMAS-IT-Goods-and-Services-Special-Provisions-7-25-2025.pdf mailto:it.procurement@lci.ca.gov https://forms.office.com/g/U4jBB7D8TN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. PROJECT OVERVIEW

B. BACKGROUND

C. KEY CONTACT, DATES AND TIMES

D. RFO OFFER REQUIREMENTS

E. MINIMUM CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

F. MINIMUM CONTRACTOR STAFF QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

G. AVAILABILITY

H. RFO QUESTION PERIOD

I. NONRESPONSIVE OFFERS

J. IRREVOCABLE OFFER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

K. GENERAL INFORMATION

2. RFO PURCHASE AGREEMENT

A. AGREEMENT TERM

B. COST

3. OFFER REQUIREMENTS AND BEST VALUE ASSESSMENT

A. RFO OFFER CONTENT

B. BEST VALUE METHODOLOGY

C. PURCHASE AGREEMENT AWARD

ATTACHMENT 1 – RFO CHECKLIST

ATTACHMENT 2 – COVER SHEET

ATTACHMENT 3 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

ATTACHMENT 4 – FOLLOW-ON CONSULTANT CONTRACT DISCLOSURE

ATTACHMENT 5 – BIDDER DECLARATION

ATTACHMENT 6 – PAYEE DATA RECORD

ATTACHMENT 7 – CA CIVIL SERVICE RIGHTS LAW CERTIFICATION

ATTACHMENT 8 – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE AWARD

SCHEDULE (CMAS)

ATTACHMENT 9 – DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS AND

DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SERVICES CERTIFICATION

ATTACHMENT 10 – DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE DECLARATIONS

ATTACHMENT 11 – TECHNICAL RESPONSE

ATTACHMENT 12 – OFFEROR RESUME TABLE

ATTACHMENT 13 – STAFF RESUMES

ATTACHMENT 14 – COST WORKSHEET

ATTACHMENT 15 – SAMPLE AGREEMENT

Governor’s Office of Land Use & Climate Innovation RFO 25-006 UX & Content Strategy Services

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) is issuing this Request for Offer (RFO) to obtain qualified professional services to support website user research, content strategy, and user experience (UX) design for LCI’s web-based content delivery.

The selected Offeror will provide services to support the research, planning, and design of a user-centered, scalable web framework for organizing and presenting LCI content within its existing website environment. These services include user research and stakeholder engagement, content inventory and analysis, development of a web content strategy, information architecture and taxonomy design, and the creation of wireframes and prototypes. The work also includes the design and production of an interactive PDF for the Environmental Goals and Policy Report (EGPR). In addition, the Offeror may provide as-needed support for content entry, content structuring, and limited technical assistance related to implementation and user acceptance testing, as authorized by LCI.

The specific services, service areas, and tasks required under this RFO are defined in the Sample Agreement, Attachment 15. Offerors must review the Sample Agreement and ensure that proposed staff possess the skills, knowledge, abilities, and experience necessary to professionally and effectively perform the services and tasks described therein.

B. BACKGROUND

LCI develops and maintains a wide range of policy guidance, planning resources, and statutory materials that serve local governments, State agencies, and other users across California. These resources include complex, multi-layered content such as planning guidelines, policy reports, and technical guidance documents.

Historically, much of this content has been published as static PDF documents. While this approach has met basic distribution requirements, it presents ongoing challenges related to usability, accessibility, content maintenance, and searchability. Users often experience difficulty locating relevant information within lengthy documents, and staff face inefficiencies in updating and managing content over time. Additionally, static document formats limit discoverability through modern search tools and emerging technologies.

LCI is currently transitioning its website from a static HTML environment to a WordPress-based platform. This transition presents an opportunity to modernize how policy and guidance content is structured, delivered, and maintained. To support this effort, LCI seeks to establish a user-centered, scalable approach to organizing and presenting content that improves navigation, accessibility, and overall user experience. This contract will focus on LCI’s Policy Unit, which includes CEQA Policy, Policy Innovation, and Planning and Land Use Teams. Some of the key functions of these teams include the Judicial Streamlining Program, VMT Program. CEQA Guidelines, General Planning Guidelines, Tribal Consultation Guidelines, various Technical Advisories, the Environmental Goals and Policy Report, Catalyst Convenings, and more.

Due to the complexity of the content and the diversity of LCI’s audiences, specialized expertise is required to conduct user research, define content strategy, and design an effective information architecture and user experience framework. This includes understanding user needs, organizing deeply hierarchical content, and developing design artifacts that can guide future implementation within LCI’s technical environment.

Through this RFO, LCI seeks qualified professional services to support these efforts and to establish a sustainable foundation for delivering policy and guidance content in a modern, web-based format.

C. KEY CONTACT, DATES AND TIMES

It must be understood that time is always of the essence, both for the RFO submittal and contract completion. Offerors are advised of the key dates and times shown below and shall adhere to them.

Table 1 - Key Contact, Dates and Times

Event Date

Release RFO 05/15/2026

Questions Due Date 05/20/2026 by 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time

Answers Released 05/22/2026

RFO Offer Submission Due Date and Time 06/01/2026 by 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time

Review of RFO Submissions (Anticipated Dates) 06/02/2026 – 06/11/2026

*The Anticipated Dates are approximate and may be adjusted as conditions indicate without an addendum to this RFO.

D. RFO OFFER REQUIREMENTS

Offers are considered public documents subject to the California Public Records Act, California Government Code (GC) Sections 6250-6276.48. Offerors should not include confidential or trade secret information in their Offer.

The Offer must be submitted via email as one (1) attached portable document format (PDF) to it.procurement@lci.ca.gov and received no later than the RFO Offer Submission Due Date and Time as listed in Table 1.

All Offers must contain all requested information and data and conform to the format described in this section. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to provide all necessary information for LCI to review the Offer, verify requested information and determine the Offeror’s ability to perform the services and activities defined in the Sample Agreement, Attachment 15, and Cost Worksheet, Attachment 14, provided as required below. Offers received without all the requested information, data or documentation may be deemed non-responsive.

E. MINIMUM CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Offeror must possess a valid Information Technology (IT) California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) that includes service job titles for the services described in this RFO. In addition, the Offeror shall meet the following minimum qualification requirements in the table below.

Table 2 – Minimum Contractor Qualification Requirements

MQ# Minimum Contractor Qualification Requirements

1.0 The Contractor shall have a minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated experience in user experience (UX) design and information architecture, including development of navigation structures, user flows, and wireframes for websites or digital platforms.

2.0 The Contractor shall have a minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated experience conducting user research and developing content strategies, including activities such as stakeholder interviews, persona development, content audits, and content organization.

3.0 The Contractor must have successfully completed one (1) project, at a minimum, similar in scope and nature to the services and complexity to that described in this RFO.

F. MINIMUM CONTRACTOR STAFF QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor must possess a valid IT CMAS that includes service job titles for the services described in this RFO. For each staff proposed, the Contractor shall identify the CMAS job title used and the identified staff must meet the minimum general experience and minimum education stated in the CMAS for the job title used.

G. AVAILABILITY

The Offeror must be able to meet the requirements of this RFO and be ready to begin work within fifteen (15) business days of the start date of the Agreement or as mutually agreed upon by LCI and the Offeror.

H. RFO QUESTION PERIOD

If an Offeror discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission or any other errors in this RFO, the Offeror should immediately provide written notice to LCI of such error and request clarification or modification of the affected document.

Offerors requiring clarification of the intent and content of this RFO may request clarification by submitting questions electronically to it.procurement@lci.ca.gov. To ensure a response, questions must be received by the date and time specified in Table 1 for Questions Due Date.

Be sure to number all questions. The questions and answers will be distributed to all solicited Offerors via email. At the sole discretion of LCI, questions may be paraphrased by LCI for clarity. If paraphrased by LCI, LCI will confirm with the submitter that the paraphrase captures the integrity of the question. LCI reserves the right to accept or reject individual questions.

I. NONRESPONSIVE OFFERS

In addition to any condition indicated in this RFO, the following occurrences may cause LCI to deem an Offer non-responsive.

• Failure of an Offeror to comply with the RFO response content or submission instructions.

• Receipt of an RFO Offer that is conditional, materially incomplete or defective.

• LCI’s discovery, at any stage of the selection or upon contract award, that the Offeror is unwilling or unable to comply with the Agreement terms, conditions, attachments, or exhibits cited in this RFO, or the resulting Agreement.

J. IRREVOCABLE OFFER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

An Offeror’s final Offer in response to this RFO shall constitute an Offer, which shall remain irrevocable up to ninety (90) calendar days following the date responses are due specified in Table 1.

This expiration date may be further extended by agreement between LCI and the Offeror to accommodate processing time for required approvals and other procurement-related reviews. LCI’s execution of an Agreement from this RFO will not be considered a rejection of any other Offer, which such other Offers shall remain irrevocable for the period described above.

LCI reserves the right, upon termination of any Agreement and without initiating a new RFO, to accept any other Offeror’s Offer and form an Agreement with the other Offeror. By signing the Cover Sheet, Attachment 2 and submitting an Offer, the Offeror commits to adhering to this Irrevocable Offer Acknowledgement.

K. GENERAL INFORMATION

LCI may modify any part of the RFO, by issuance of one (1) or more addenda. Addenda will be numbered consecutively and sent to the established Offeror list for this RFO.

LCI may request clarifications from Offerors at any phase of the assessment and selection process for clarifying ambiguities in the information presented in the Offer. LCI will provide written notice to the Offeror(s) of the documentation required and the timeline for submission. Failure to submit the required documentation by the date and time indicated may cause LCI to deem the Offer non-responsive and/or the Offeror non-responsible.

LCI reserves the right to cancel this RFO at any time and has the right to reject all Offers. LCI is not required to award an agreement.

2. RFO PURCHASE AGREEMENT

A. AGREEMENT TERM

The services and activities for this Agreement are scheduled for an 18-month duration. The Agreement is in effect once final approval by LCI is obtained. LCI, at its sole discretion, may authorize an additional one (1) year extension, at the originally agreed-upon hourly rates specified in the resulting Agreement and in accordance to the terms listed in the California Multiple Award Schedule

(CMAS).

The Offeror shall not be authorized to deliver goods or commence performance of services and activities described in this Agreement prior to the Effective Date. Any delivery of goods or performance of services commenced prior to the Effective Date shall be considered gratuitous on the part of the Offeror.

B. COST

The estimated value for this Agreement shall not exceed $250,000. Any Offers received exceeding the maximum dollar amount shall be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered for award.

The contract value is the base cost for the 18-month term.

All costs for developing Offers are entirely the responsibility of the Offeror and shall not be chargeable to LCI. The Offeror is responsible for any travel costs that may incur while providing the services identified in the Sample Agreement, Attachment 15.

3. OFFER REQUIREMENTS AND BEST VALUE ASSESSMENT

A. RFO OFFER CONTENT

Information requested as part of the RFO Offer is included in Attachments 1 through 14. Offers must be completed in the following order using the documents provided:

1) ATTACHMENT 1 – RFO CHECKLIST

The Offeror shall complete and submit the RFO Checklist with its Offer as Attachment 1. The Offeror must submit all of the required documents as described in the RFO Checklist. All of the documents identified must be included for the Offer to be considered responsive. Offers with missing or incomplete documents may be rejected.

2) ATTACHMENT 2 – COVER SHEET

The Offeror shall complete and include the Cover Sheet with its Offer as Attachment 2.

3) ATTACHMENT 3 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

The Offeror must agree to LCI’s conflict of interest clauses and confidentiality requirements by submitting a signed and dated Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement with its Offer as Attachment 3.

4) ATTACHMENT 4 – FOLLOW-ON CONSULTANT CONTRACT DISCLOSURE

The Offeror must certify that the Offer is not in violation of Public Contract Code (PCC) Section

10365.5 and, if applicable, must identify previous consultant services contracts that are related in any manner to the services, goods, or supplies being acquired in this RFO. The Offeror must complete and submit the Follow-on Consultant Contract Disclosure with its Offer as Attachment 4.

5) ATTACHMENT 5 – BIDDER DECLARATION

The Offeror must complete and submit the Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105) with its Offer as Attachment 5. When completing the declaration, the Offeror must identify all subcontractors proposed for participation in the Agreement. The Offeror awarded the Agreement is contractually obligated to use the subcontractors for the corresponding work identified, unless LCI agrees to a substitution and it is incorporated, in writing.

If the Offeror is not using subcontractors, the Offeror must still complete the Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105) answering the applicable questions on the form and submit it with its Offer as Attachment 5.

6) ATTACHMENT 6 – PAYEE DATA RECORD

The Payee Data Record (STD 204) indicates the Offeror is subject to state income tax withholdings pursuant to California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 18662.

The Offeror must complete and submit the Payee Data Record (STD 204) with its Offer as Attachment 6.

7) ATTACHMENT 7 – CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to PCC Section 2010, a person that submits a bid or proposal to, or otherwise proposes to enter into or renew a contract with, a state agency with respect to any contract in the amount of $100,000 or above shall certify, under penalty of perjury, at the time the bid or proposal is submitted or the contract is renewed, compliance with California Civil Rights Laws and Employer Discriminatory Policies.

The Offeror must complete and submit the California Civil Rights Laws Certification with its Offer as Attachment 7.

8) ATTACHMENT 8 – IT CMAS AGREEMENT

The Offeror must submit a valid IT CMAS Agreement with its Offer issued by the Department of General Services (DGS) when responding to this RFO as Attachment 8.

9) ATTACHMENT 9 – DGS OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS AND DISABLED VETERAN

BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SERVICES (OSDS) CERTIFICATION

If the Offeror is currently a certified Small or Micro Business (SB) or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE), include a copy of the certification letter issued by DGS with its Offer as Attachment 9.

If the letter cannot be supplied, include a printout from the DGS’s Office of Small Business &

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS) website to prove the Offeror’s current active status. LCI will verify that SB/DVBE certifications are valid at the time the Offer is due. In accordance with GC Section 14837(d) and California Military and Veterans Code Section 999, all SB and DVBE Offerors, sub-Offerors and suppliers that bid on or participate in a State contract shall perform a Commercially Useful Function (CUF).

10) ATTACHMENT 10 – DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE DECLARATIONS

FORM

If the Offeror is currently a DVBE, the Offeror must include the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declarations form (STD 843) with its Offer as Attachment 10. DVBEs must complete this declaration when a DVBE contractor or subcontractor will provide materials, supplies, services or equipment.

11) ATTACHMENT 11 – TECHNICAL RESPONSE

The Offeror must submit its Technical Response with its Offer as Attachment 11. Response shall not exceed five (5) single sided pages in length. The Offeror must address the question listed from the Offeror’s experience and must include information LCI can verify by phone, e-mail, or within a completed work product.

12) ATTACHMENT 12 – OFFEROR RESUME TABLE

The Offeror must complete and submit the Offeror Resume Table with its Offer as Attachment 12, in accordance with the instructions provided. The Offeror may use multiple projects to meet the total experience required.

13) ATTACHMENT 13 – STAFF RESUMES

The Offeror must provide a staff resume for each staff proposed as Attachment 13. The staff resume must indicate all experience and education used to meet the minimum general experience and minimum education stated in the CMAS for the job title used.

14) ATTACHMENT 14 - COST WORKSHEET

This is a time and materials based Offer. The Offeror must complete and submit the Cost Worksheet with its Offer as Attachment 14, detailing staff hours by job title and hourly rate as available within the scope of the Offeror’s IT CMAS for each task. The Offeror must demonstrate expertise to provide the services as identified in the Sample Agreement, Attachment 15, by identifying all necessary tasks or activities. The Offer must include all tasks or activities, not only those identified by LCI when calculating the Cost Worksheet.

B. BEST VALUE METHODOLOGY

Responsiveness to the RFO requirements is based on the Offeror providing all the information required in Attachments 1 through 14. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure that all relevant information is provided in their Offer. If an Offer is missing required information, it will be deemed non-responsive.

The Best Value Method is based on an assessment of the following:

Table 3 – Best Value Methodology

Assessment Criteria Points

Technical Response, Attachment 11 60 points

Offeror Resume Table, Attachment 12 Pass/Fail

Staff Resumes, Attachment 13 Pass/Fail

Cost Worksheet, Attachment 14 40 points

C. PURCHASE AGREEMENT AWARD

Award of an Agreement resulting from this RFO will be based on a Best Value Method. As a result, the selected Offeror with the highest points provides the best value.

ATTACHMENT 1 – RFO CHECKLIST

RFO 25-006

WEBSITE USER EXPERIENCE (UX) AND CONTENT STRATEGY SERVICES

FULL LEGAL NAME OF OFFEROR

ALL DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY THE OFFEROR MUST HAVE ATTACHMENT NUMBER AND

DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHMENT ON THE TOP OF EACH PAGE.

DOCUMENT YES NO

ATTACHMENT 1 – RFO CHECKLIST

ATTACHMENT 2 – COVER SHEET

ATTACHMENT 3 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CONFIDENTIALITY

STATEMENT

ATTACHMENT 4 – FOLLOW-ON CONSULTANT CONTRACT DISCLOSURE

ATTACHMENT 5 – BIDDER DECLARATION

ATTACHMENT 6 – PAYEE DATA RECORD

ATTACHMENT 7 – CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS CERTIFICATION

ATTACHMENT 8 – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) CALIFORNIA

MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE (CMAS)

ATTACHMENT 9 – DGS, OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS AND DISABLED

VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SERVICES CERTIFICATION

ATTACHMENT 10 – DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE

DECLARATIONS FORM

ATTACHMENT 11 – TECHNICAL RESPONSE

ATTACHMENT 12 – OFFEROR RESUME TABLE

ATTACHMENT 13 – STAFF RESUMES

ATTACHMENT 14 – COST WORKSHEET

ATTACHMENT 2 – COVER SHEET

RFO 25-006

WEBSITE USER EXPERIENCE (UX) AND CONTENT STRATEGY SERVICES

The submission of this Offer shall not obligate the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) to award or fund the proposed Agreement, nor shall it create any binding obligation on the part of LCI. No Agreement shall be deemed to exist unless and until a written Agreement is fully executed by duly authorized representatives of both parties and all required approvals have been obtained.

If this Offer is accepted and funding is authorized, the Offeror shall be bound by and shall comply with all terms, conditions, and provisions of the resulting Agreement, including all attachments and incorporated documents.

By signing this Cover Sheet, the Offeror hereby certifies under penalty of perjury that it has the authority to bind the organization and agrees to furnish all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and services necessary to perform the work described in the Request for Offer (RFO), except as expressly identified as being provided by LCI, in strict accordance with all specifications, requirements, and provisions of the RFO.

Full Legal Name of Offeror

Mailing Address City State Zip

Organization Website CMAS #

Federal Taxpayer Identification Number CA Seller’s Permit #, if applicable

Offeror’s Contact Person Contact Person’s Telephone Number

Contact Person’s Email Address SB/DVBE Cert #, if applicable

Provide the information below for the individual duly authorized to legally bind the Offeror.

Printed Name of Authorized Signatory Title

Signature Date

ATTACHMENT 3 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

As an authorized representative or corporate officer of the company identified below, I certify that I have the authority to bind the company contractually and to make the representations contained herein. I further agree that all personnel assigned to this Agreement shall comply with the requirements set forth in this statement.

I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, no actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest exists with respect to the services to be performed under this Agreement, or that any such conflict has been fully disclosed to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI or State). I agree to promptly disclose in writing any actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest that may arise during the term of this Agreement. I acknowledge that the State reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to determine the existence of a conflict of interest and to take appropriate action, including disqualification of the Offer or termination of the Agreement.

All information belonging to LCI or its affiliated agencies, including but not limited to financial, statistical, personal, technical, or other data related to State operations, is considered confidential (“Confidential Information”) and shall not be disclosed except as authorized in writing by the State and as necessary to perform the work under this Agreement.

I certify that I will maintain the confidentiality and security of all Confidential Information and will not copy, reproduce, or disclose such information except as authorized by the State and only to individuals who have executed confidentiality agreements acceptable to the State. I understand that Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, specifications, administrative requirements, terms and conditions, concepts, discussions, and all written or electronic materials. These obligations shall survive the completion or termination of this Agreement.

I acknowledge that any unauthorized disclosure, access, or use of Confidential Information may be grounds for civil and/or criminal penalties, and I agree to immediately notify the Contract Manager of any actual or suspected unauthorized disclosure, misuse, or loss of data.

I warrant that, if awarded the Agreement, my company will not disclose Confidential Information to any third party without prior written authorization from the State and confirmation that such third party is bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations. All materials shall be returned or destroyed in accordance with State instructions, and if destroyed, written certification of destruction shall be provided. All copies, including backup or archival copies, shall be permanently destroyed within five (5) calendar days following the end of the Agreement or final payment, as directed by the State.

All personnel assigned to this Agreement shall be required to execute a confidentiality statement prior to accessing Confidential Information or commencing work.

Full Legal Name of Offeror

Printed Name Title

Signature Date Signed

ATTACHMENT 4 – FOLLOW-ON CONSULTANT CONTRACT DISCLOSURE

Public Contract Code (PCC) §10365.5 generally prohibits a person, firm, or subsidiary thereof that has been awarded a consulting services contract from submitting a bid or being awarded an agreement for the provision of services, procurement of goods or supplies, or any other related action that is required, suggested, or otherwise deemed appropriate in the end product of that consulting services contract.

PCC §10365.5 does not apply to any person, firm, or subsidiary thereof that is awarded a subcontract of a consulting services agreement totaling no more than ten percent (10%) of the total monetary value of the consulting services agreement.

Consultants or employees of a firm that provides consulting advice under an original consulting contract are not prohibited from providing services as employees of another firm on a follow-on contract, unless such individuals are named contracting parties or subcontractors under the original contract.

PCC §10365.5 does not distinguish between intentional, negligent, or inadvertent violations. A violation may result in disqualification from bidding, a void contract, and/or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

Disclosure (Select One):

☐ No Conflict / Certification

I hereby certify that neither the Offeror nor any subcontractor proposed for use under any resulting Agreement is currently providing consulting services to the State under a State contract (or as a subcontractor providing more than ten percent (10%) of the value of a consulting services contract), nor has provided such services within five (5) years prior to the release of this RFO, that are related in any manner to the services, goods, or supplies being acquired pursuant to this RFO.

☐ Disclosure Attached

The Offeror or proposed subcontractor has provided consulting services to the State within five (5) years prior to the release of this RFO that may be related to the services, goods, or supplies being acquired. A detailed disclosure is attached to this form.

Full Legal Name of Offeror

Printed Name Title

Signature Date Signed

ATTACHMENT 5 – BIDDER DECLARATION

The Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105) is available at:

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf

ATTACHMENT 6 – PAYEE DATA RECORD

The Payee Data Record (STD 204) is available at:

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/PDF/Std204.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/PDF/Std204.pdf

ATTACHMENT 7 – CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS CERTIFICATION

The California Civil Rights Laws Certification is available at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS- ATTACHMENT.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS-ATTACHMENT.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS-ATTACHMENT.pdf

ATTACHMENT 8 – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE AWARD

SCHEDULE (CMAS)

The Offeror must submit, as Attachment 8, a valid Information Technology California Multiple Award Schedule agreement issued by the Department of General Services with its Offer in response to this Request for Offer.

ATTACHMENT 9 – DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS AND

DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SERVICES CERTIFICATION

If the Offeror is currently a certified small or micro business or a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, the Offeror must include, as Attachment 9, a copy of the certification letter issued by the Department of General Services. If the certification letter cannot be provided, the Offeror must include a printout from the Department of General Services Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services website to verify the Offeror’s current active certification status.

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

ATTACHMENT 10 – DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE DECLARATIONS

The Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declarations form (STD 843) is available at:

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/pd_843.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/pd_843.pdf

ATTACHMENT 11 – TECHNICAL RESPONSE

INSTRUCTIONS

Offeror shall provide a narrative technical response to the question below. The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) is interested in Offers that provide well-organized, comprehensive, and sound business solutions. Vague explanations will undermine the Offeror’s credibility and result in lower scores. LCI seeks a detailed description of how the Offeror will meet the RFO requirements to ensure successful performance.

Response shall not exceed five (5) single sided pages. Offeror must address the question below from the Offeror’s experience. Offeror must include information LCI can verify by phone, e-mail, or within a completed work product.

1. TECHNICAL PROJECT EXPERIENCE

Describe your experience working on projects similar in size and scope to the services requested in this RFO. Your response shall include the following for each referenced project:

• Approach Taken

• Methodologies Used

• Product Delivery Results

• Major Successes

• Major Lessons Learned

ATTACHMENT 12 – OFFEROR RESUME TABLE

INSTRUCTIONS: The Offeror shall complete the Offeror Resume Table to demonstrate compliance with the minimum contractor qualification requirements. For each requirement, the Offeror shall indicate whether the requirement is met and provide a detailed description of relevant project experience.

The Offeror may use one or more projects to demonstrate the required experience. Each project must include the project name, dates (month and year), and duration. Failure to demonstrate compliance with the minimum qualification requirements may result in the Offer being deemed non-responsive.

1. The Contractor shall have a minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated experience in user experience (UX) design and information architecture, including development of navigation structures, user flows, and wireframes for websites or digital platforms.

Do you meet the above minimum qualification? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Provide a detailed description of specific work experience that meets the minimum qualification:

Project Name From (MM/YYYY) To (MM/YYYY) # of Years

2. The Contractor shall have a minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated experience conducting user research and developing content strategies, including activities such as stakeholder interviews, persona development, content audits, and content organization.

Project Name From (MM/YYYY) To (MM/YYYY) # of Years

3. The Contractor must have successfully completed one (1) project, at a minimum, similar in scope and nature to the services and complexity to that described in this RFO.

Project Name From (MM/YYYY) To (MM/YYYY) Completed ☐ Yes

☐ No

ATTACHMENT 13 – STAFF RESUMES

For each staff member proposed, the Offeror shall submit a resume detailing the experience and/or education used to meet the minimum experience and education requirements specified in the California Multiple Award Schedule for the applicable job title(s).

ATTACHMENT 14 – COST WORKSHEET

INSTRUCTIONS: The Offeror shall complete and submit the Cost Worksheet, providing hourly rates that do not exceed approved California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) rates and estimated hours for all phases of work described in the Sample Agreement. Phases one (1) through four (4) are deliverable-based and must include all costs necessary to complete the required deliverables. Phase five (5) is as-needed and shall be performed on a time-and-materials basis only as authorized by the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) through Work Order Authorizations (WOA). The total proposed cost, including a ten percent (10%) contingency for unanticipated tasks, shall not exceed $250,000.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COST PER PHASE

Phase Deliverables Cost

Phase 1 – Environmental Goals and Policy Report (EGPR) Visual Design and Interactive Document

• EGPR design framework and mockups

• Draft interactive EGPR document

• Revised versions (up to three (3) review cycles)

• Final interactive EGPR document

Phase 2 – Discovery and User Research

• Discovery summary report

• User personas

• Content inventory and audit

Phase 3 – Content Strategy and Information Architecture

• Web content strategy document

• Sitemap

• Navigation framework

• Taxonomy model

Phase 4 – Wireframe Design and Prototyping

• Editable wireframe files in Figma

• Clickable prototype

• Supporting documentation

Phase 5 – Content Entry and Implementation Support (as-needed)

Deliverables shall be defined in the applicable Work Order Authorization (WOA) and may include, but are not limited to, content entry, validation, user acceptance testing support, and related implementation activities, as authorized by LCI.

Unanticipated Tasks (10%)

TOTAL AGREEMENT

COMPLETE FOR EACH STAFF PROPOSED

COST FOR PROPOSED STAFF

NAME OF STAFF:

ROLE: CMAS JOB TITLE:

PROPOSED RATE PER HOUR: $ CMAS RATE PER HOUR: $

Phase Hours Cost

(Hours x Rate)

Phase 1 – EGPR Visual Design and Interactive Document

Phase 2 – Discovery and User Research

Phase 3 – Content Strategy and Information Architecture

Phase 4 – Wireframe Design and Prototyping

Phase 5 – Content Entry and Implementation Support

TOTAL $

ATTACHMENT 15 – SAMPLE AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

1. This Agreement is entered into between TBD, hereinafter referred to as the “Contractor,” and the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, hereinafter referred to as “LCI” or the “State,” collectively referred to as the “Parties.”

2. The services shall be provided during LCI business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays. The Contractor must make prior arrangements and receive approval from LCI for access to LCI office outside of business hours.

Services shall be performed at 1400 Tenth Street, Sacramento CA 95814. The Contract Manager may approve a hybrid or remote schedule. The Contractor shall be flexible in schedule in accordance with the needs of stakeholders and community partners. On occasions, Contractor may be required to work more than eight (8) hours in a day and/or on evenings, weekends or holiday. Hours in excess of eight (8) hours in a day and/or evenings, weekends or holiday will be paid at the hourly rate noted in the Cost Breakdown, Exhibit B-1.

3. Services shall be provided during the term of June 15, 2026, or upon final approval, whichever occurs later, through December 1, 2027.

LCI, at its sole discretion, may authorize an additional one (1) year extension, at the agreed-upon hourly rates specified in the Cost Breakdown, Exhibit B-1, and in accordance to the terms listed in the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS).

The Contractor shall not be authorized to deliver goods or commence performance of services described in this Agreement prior to the Start Date. Any delivery of goods or performance of services commenced prior to the Start Date shall be considered gratuitous on the part of the Contractor.

4. All inquiries during the term of this Agreement will be directed to the project representatives listed below.

Project Representatives:

GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF LAND USE

AND CLIMATE INNOVATION

TBD

Contract Manager: Lawrence Grodeska Contractor Contact:

Address: 1400 10th Street Address:

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: Phone:

Email: Lawrence.Grodeska@lci.ca.gov Email:

Technical Representatives:

GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF LAND USE

AND CLIMATE INNOVATION

TBD

Technical Lead: Sophy Noun Contractor Contact:

Phone: Phone:

Email: sophy.noun@lci.ca.gov Email:

5. Overall Services Performed

The Contractor shall provide specialized professional services to support LCI Policy Unit’s website user research, content strategy, and user experience (UX) design efforts. LCI’s Policy Unit consists of the CEQA Policy, Policy Innovation, and Planning and Land Use Teams. This contract will focus on LCI’s Policy Unit, which includes CEQA Policy, Policy Innovation, and Planning and Land Use Teams. Some of the key functions of these teams include the Judicial Streamlining Program, VMT Program. CEQA Guidelines, General Planning Guidelines, Tribal Consultation Guidelines, various Technical Advisories, the Environmental Goals and Policy Report, Catalyst Convenings, and more.

These requested services include conducting user research and stakeholder engagement;

performing content inventory and analysis; developing a comprehensive web content strategy;

designing information architecture, navigation, and taxonomy; and creating modular wireframes and interactive prototypes. Services also include the design and production of an interactive Environmental Goals and Policy Report (EGPR) to improve usability, accessibility, and presentation of policy content. As-needed services may include content entry, content structuring, and limited technical and implementation support as authorized by LCI.

All work shall be performed in alignment with LCI governance, branding, accessibility requirements, and established technical standards to ensure a user-centered, scalable, and maintainable web framework. The Contractor is responsible for providing qualified personnel with the skills, knowledge, abilities, and experience to professionally and effectively execute the services and activities described in this Scope of Work, Exhibit A.

Services shall be delivered using a hybrid payment and delivery model, consisting of:

• Deliverable-based services for defined phases of work, including research, strategy, information architecture, wireframes, and EGPR design, with payment tied to completion and acceptance of specified deliverables; and

• Time-and-materials services, authorized in advance by LCI through Work Order Authorizations (WOAs), for as-needed activities such as content entry, content validation, user acceptance testing support, and limited technical assistance.

All time-and-materials work shall be scoped, approved, and tracked by defined service areas and shall not exceed authorized amounts.

If LCI identifies the need for additional or expanded services beyond those outlined, the Contractor shall collaborate with LCI to assess requirements and provide such services upon mutual agreement.

6. Service Area and Tasks

The Contractor shall perform the services described below. Services are organized into defined service areas that correspond to project phases and deliverables outlined in Section 7. The Contractor shall provide all labor, tools, and expertise necessary to complete the tasks described herein.

Service Area # Service Area and Tasks

1.0 EGPR Visual Design and Interactive Document

The Contractor shall design and produce an interactive EGPR that improves usability, accessibility, and presentation of policy content.

1.1 Visual Design Strategy

Develop a visual design approach that aligns content, functionality, and presentation with user needs and project objectives.

1.2 User Engagement

Conduct 3-7 meetings with LCI staff and users (individual or group) to gather input on design direction, usability considerations, and content organization.

1.3 Design Standards Compliance

Ensure all design work complies with LCI branding, accessibility requirements, and style guidelines. All design work must follow LCI branding, style, and accessibility standards as provided by the LCI Communications team, including color usage, typography, layout structure, and accessibility requirements.

1.4 Layout and Content Structure

Design document layout and visual hierarchy to support readability, logical organization, and intuitive navigation.

1.5 Mockups and Design Concepts

Develop the visual framework for the document, including layout, design elements (including graphics that convey the categories for California’s long range social and ecological goals), and draft mockups for one round of stakeholder review.

1.6 Interactive Document Development

Produce an interactive document with navigation features to enhance usability.

1.7 Review and Revision

Incorporate stakeholder feedback and revise deliverables through iterative review cycles. Initial draft of the interactive document shall be reviewed up to three (3) rounds. All revisions must maintain compliance with LCI communications guidance and established branding and accessibility standards.

1.8 Final Deliverable Preparation

Deliver a final interactive document that meets all requirements and approval standards.

2.0 Discovery and User Research

The Contractor shall conduct research and analysis to inform content strategy and design decisions for LCI’s Policy Unit.

2.1 Desk Research

Research best practices and comparable examples for presenting complex policy and guidance content.

2.2 User Interviews

Conduct interviews (5-7 individual or group) with internal users (LCI) to understand business needs, constraints, and goals.

2.3 User Research

Conduct interviews (10-15) or other research activities with representative users to identify needs, behaviors, and pain points.

2.4 User Personas

Develop user personas representing key audience groups.

2.5 Content Inventory and Audit

Develop a comprehensive inventory of existing content and assess structure, hierarchy, and dependencies.

2.6 Content Analysis

Identify gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for improving content organization and clarity.

2.7 PDF Dependency Assessment

Evaluate reliance on static documents and identify opportunities for transition to web-based formats.

2.8 Research Synthesis

Analyze findings and document insights to inform subsequent phases.

3.0 Web Content Strategy

The Contractor shall develop a comprehensive content strategy to guide how content is structured, presented, and maintained for LCI’s Policy Unit.

3.1 Audience Definition

Define primary and secondary audiences, including their needs and key tasks.

3.2 Content Definition and Prioritization

How content is prioritized and defined. Identify content types, prioritize content, and define content organization principles.

3.3 Content Categorization

How content is grouped. Establish logical groupings and relationships between content areas.

3.4 Content Transition Planning

Provide recommendations for transitioning content from static documents to structured web formats.

3.5 Alignment with Requirements

Ensure the strategy supports policy objectives and statutory requirements.

3.6 Governance Considerations

Recommend approaches for content ownership, updates, and maintenance workflows.

3.7 Strategy Documentation

Develop a comprehensive content strategy document.

4.0 Information Architecture

The Contractor shall define the structure and organization of content within the website.

4.1 Sitemap Development

Define overall site structure and hierarchy.

4.2 Navigation Design

Design navigation systems that support intuitive access to content.

4.3 User Flows

Develop user flows that illustrate how users navigate and complete tasks.

4.4 Taxonomy and Content Model

Define taxonomy, classification systems, and metadata structures.

4.5 Page Structure Definitions

Define standard page layouts and content structures.

4.6 Scalability Planning

Ensure the architecture supports future content expansion and updates.

4.7 Platform Alignment

Ensure compatibility with LCI’s WordPress platform and implementation constraints.

5.0 Wireframe Design and Prototyping

The Contractor shall develop wireframes and prototypes that represent the proposed user experience and content structure.

5.1 Wireframe Development

Develop modular wireframes representing key page types and layouts.

5.2 Component and Template Design

Create reusable components and templates to support consistency and scalability.

5.3 Alignment with Strategy and Architecture

Ensure wireframes reflect approved content strategy and information architecture.

5.4 Interactive Prototype

Develop a clickable prototype to support stakeholder review and usability validation.

5.5 Usability Considerations

Incorporate usability and accessibility best practices.

5.6 Documentation

Provide supporting documentation describing components and intended use.

5.7 Iterative Refinement

Revise wireframes and prototypes based on feedback (2 rounds).

6.0 Project Coordination and Reporting

The Contractor shall manage and coordinate project activities and provide ongoing reporting.

6.1 Project Coordination

Coordinate activities, schedules, and deliverables across all service areas.

6.2 Status Reporting

Provide regular status updates, including progress, risks, and upcoming activities.

6.3 Stakeholder Coordination

Participate in meetings with LCI staff and stakeholders.

6.4 Risk and Issue Management

Identify and track risks and issues and propose mitigation strategies.

6.5 Documentation Management

Maintain organized and accessible project documentation.

6.6 Deliverable Tracking

Track progress toward completion of deliverables and milestones.

7.0 Content Entry and Implementation Support

(As authorized by LCI via Work Order Authorization (WOA)) The Contractor may provide as-needed support for implementation and content population activities.

7.1 Content Entry and Structuring

Support formatting and structuring of content within the web framework.

7.2 Content Migration Support

Assist in transitioning content from static documents to web-based formats.

7.3 Content Validation

Ensure content aligns with approved strategy, taxonomy, and structure.

7.4 Accessibility and Formatting Review

Verify compliance with accessibility and formatting requirements.

7.5 User Acceptance Testing Support

Assist with testing, issue identification, and resolution support.

7.6 Implementation Coordination

Coordinate with LCI IT and Communications teams during implementation.

7.7 Limited Technical Support

Provide guidance and troubleshooting related to content structure and implementation.

7. Timeline and Deliverables

The Contractor shall complete the services in accordance with the phases outlined below. Timelines are defined below and may be adjusted by mutual agreement of the Parties. All deliverables are subject to review and acceptance by the LCI Contract Manager. All design files (including Figma source files, prototypes, content models, and research documentation) shall be provided in editable, non‑proprietary formats.

Phase Service Area Deliverables Timeline

Phase 1 – EGPR Visual Design and Interactive Document

1.0 • EGPR design framework and mockups

• Draft interactive EGPR document

• Revised versions (up to three

(3) review cycles)

• Final interactive EGPR document

Within forty-five (45) calendar days from the Agreement start date

Phase 2 – Discovery and User Research

2.