RFP__24-C0024_SprayDays_Marketing_Campaign.pdf

Request for Proposal

SprayDays Marketing Campaign

CONTRACT #24-C0024

SECTION I OVERVIEW …….…………..…………………….……………. 1

GENERAL INFORMATION ….....…………………………………………………….………………. 1

DPR CONTACT ……………………………………………………………………….………………. 1

SERVICE NEED ……………………………………………………………………….………………. 1

CONTRACT BUDGET ……………………………………………………………….……………….. 1

CONTRACT TERM ………………………………………………………………….………………… 1

PAYMENT WITHOLD ……………………………………………………………….………………… 1

PEFORMANCE PENALTY ………………………………………………………….………………… 1

PROCESS TYPE …………………………………………………………………….………………… 1

PROCESS SCHEDULE …….……………………………………………………….………………… 2

SECTION II RULES AND CONDITIONS …………………………………. 3

INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

COMMITMENT ………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

CONTRACTOR’S COST ……………………………………………………………………………… 3

ANTITRUST CLAIMS …………………………………………………………………………………. 3

INFORMATION ………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

WRITTEN INQUIRIES ………………………………………………………………………………… 4

ADDENDA ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

MODIFICATION OF SUBMITTALS …………………………………………………………………. 4

ERRORS IN SUBMITTALS …………………………………………………………………………… 4

INELIGIBLE BUSINESSES …………………………………………………………………………… 5

NEGOTIATING STATE CONTRACTS ………………………………………………………………. 5

ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING ……………………………………………………………….. 5

USE TAX ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

SMALL BUSINESS (SB) PREFERENCE ………………….……………………………………….. 5

SUB-CONTRACTORS ………………………………………………………………………………… 5

LOSS LEADER …………………………………………….…………………………………………… 5

DARFUR CONTRACTING ACT ………………………….……………………………………….…... 5

IRAN CONTRACTING ACT ………………………….……………………………………………

CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS……………………….………………………………………...… 6

GEN AI DISCLOSURE……………………….…………………………………………

SECTION III PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS ………………….. 7

INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………….…………………………………… 7

DEADLINE ………………

ADDRESSING …………………………………………………….…………………………………… 7

NUMBER OF COPIES …………………………………………….………………………………….. 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS …….……………………………………..………………………………….. 7

SUMMARY …………………………………………………………..………………………………….. 7

METHODOLOGY …………………………………………………..………………………………….. 7

ORGANIZATION ……………….…………………………………..………………………………….. 7

QUALIFICATIONS AND RESOURCES ………………………….…………………………………. 8

REFERENCES ………………………………………………………….……………………………… 8

SAMPLE OF WRITTEN WORK ……..……………………………….……………………………… 8

CONTRACT ELIGIBILITY …………………………………………….………………………………. 8

LICENSES ……………………………………………………………….……………………………... 8

SMALL BUSINESS (SB) PARTICIPATION …………………………….……………………………. 9

DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DVBE) PARTICIPATION ……..……….….. 9

ENTERPRISE ZONE ACT ………………………………….……..………………………………….. 9

TARGET AREA CONTRACT PREFERENCE ACT (TACPA) …………………………………….. 9

LOCAL AREA MILITARY BASE RECOVERY ACT (LAMBRA) ….……………………………….. 9

SECTION IV COST PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL ………………………………… 11

OVERVIEW …………………………………..……………………..………………………………….. 11

COST BREAKDOWN ……………………….……………………..………………………………….. 11

TRAVEL AND PER DIEM …………………..……………………..………………………………….. 11

SECTION V EVALUATION AND SELECTION ………………………………… 12

INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………….………………………. 12

SELECTION PROCESS …………………………..………………………….………………………. 12

AWARD OF AGREEMENT ……………………………………………….…………………………… 12

GROUNDS FOR REJECTION ……………………………………………….……………………….. 12

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD ………..……………………………….…………………………. 13

REJECTION OF AWARD ……………………………………………….…………………………….. 13

PROPOSER NOTIFICATIONS ……..………………………………….…………………..………… 13

PROTEST OF AWARD ……………………………………………………………………………….. 13

SECTION VI DESCRIPTION OF WORK ……………………………………..… 14

INTRODUCTION …………..………………………………………………………………….……..… 14

WORK TO BE PERFORMED ……………………………………………………………….……..… 14

TASKS ………………………………………………………………………………………….……..… 14

CONTROL OF WORK ……………………………………………………………………….……..… 14

SECTION VII DEFINITIONS AND TERMS …..…………………………………... 15

GENERAL …………………………………………………………………………….………………… 15

ABBREVIATIONS ……………………………………………………………………………………... 15

AGREEMENT ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15

DPR …………………………………………………………………………………….………………. 15

CONSULTANT …………………………………………………………………………………………. 15

CONTRACT …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15

CONTRACT MANAGER ………………………………………………………………………………. 15

CONTRACTOR …………………………………………………………………………………………. 15

DIRECTOR ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 16

DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DVBE CERTIFIED) ………………………… 16

LEGAL HOLIDAYS …………………………………………………………………………………….. 16

PROGRAM MANAGER ………………………………………………………………………………… 16

PROPOSAL …….………………..……………………………………………………………………… 16

PROPOSER ……………………….……………………………………………………………………. 16

SCOPE OF WORK ……………………………………………………………………………………... 16

SMALL BUSINESS (CERTIFIED) …………………………………………………………………….. 16

STATE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16

STATE CONTRACT LAW ……………………………………………………………………………… 16

SUB-CONTRACTOR …………………………………………………………………………………… 16

ATTACHMENTS ……………………………………………………………………….

COST PROPOSAL SHEET ……………………………………………………….. (ATTACHMENT A)

PROPOSAL SCORING SHEET ………………………………………………….. (ATTACHMENT B)

CONTRATOR STATUS FORM …………………………………………………… (ATTACHMENT C)

CLIENT REFERENCES …………………………………………………………… (ATTACHMENT D)

BIDDER DECLARATION ………………………………………………………….. (ATTACHMENT E)

DARFUR CONTRACTING ACT ………………………………………………….. (ATTACHMENT F)

IRAN CONTRACTING ACT ………………………………………………….. (ATTACHMENT G)

CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS……………………………………………….. (ATTACHMENT H)

PROPOSAL COMPLETION CHECKLIST ………………………………………. (ATTACHMENT I)

GENAI DISCLOSURE AND FACTSHEET …………………………………........... (ATTACHMENT J)

SECTION I OVERVIEW

General Information

The Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR) mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering sustainable pest management and regulating pesticides. For more information visit www.cdpr.ca.gov.

DPR Contact

Department of Pesticide Regulation Attn: Ivanna Richmond Phone: (916) 445-2510 Email: ContractsUnit@cdpr.ca.gov

Service Need

Marketing and communications campaign to increase awareness of “SprayDays California,” and how to use it and provide context on California's pesticide regulatory structure.

Contract Budget

Subject to the availability of funds and approval by the Department, there is a current maximum budget of $2,000,000.00. All expenses should be incorporated into this budget, including venue costs, travel costs for contractor’s staff, printing costs for materials, and other expenses incurred by the contractor during the scope of the contract terms. A minimum of $500,000 to be spent on paid marketing.

DPR reserves the right to amend the budget for this Agreement as needs arise.

Contract Term

The term of this Agreement will span approximately 24 months and is expected to begin in October 2024.

DPR reserves the right to amend the term of this Agreement as needs arise.

Payment Withhold

The provisions for payment under this contract will be subject to a ten percent (10%) withholding per task.

The withheld payment amount will be included in the final payment to the Contractor and will only be released when all required work has been completed to the satisfaction of DPR.

Performance Penalty

The selected Contractor, to receive award of this agreement, will be subject to a performance penalty if required deliverables are not submitted by the due date outlined in the Scope of Work.

The penalty will be equivalent to five percent (5%) of the budgeted amount for each task not completed in the required timeframe.

Process Type

Request for Proposal (RFP), Secondary Method.

OVERVIEW CONT.

Process Schedule

This process will be conducted according to the following tentative schedule:

Advertisement Date July 18, 2024 Written Questions Due by 5:00 pm July 31, 2024 Answers Emailed by 5:00 pm August 9, 2024 Submittal’s Due by 2:00 pm August 19, 2024 Post Notice of Intent to Award August 21, 2024

SECTION II RULES AND CONDITIONS

Introduction

There are conditions that this RFP, submitting Proposers, proposals and resulting Agreements are subject to and/or required to comply with.

Commitment

Upon submittal of a proposal, the Contractor has committed to comply with the following requirements:

All items noted in RFP documents General Terms and Conditions available for viewing at www.ols.dgs.ca.gov/Standard+Language.

Contractor Certification Clauses available for viewing at www.ols.dgs.ca.gov/Standard+Language.

If the Proposer fails to meet any of the requirements or comply with DPR requests, DPR can reject, disqualify, or remove the firm from the process.

DPR is not committed to award an Agreement resulting from this RFP

Contractor’s Cost

All costs resulting from the Contractor’s participation in the RFP process are at the firm’s expense.

No costs incurred by the Contractor participating in the RFP process will be reimbursed by DPR.

Antitrust Claims

In submitting a Proposal Package to a public purchasing body, the Proposer offers and agrees that if the Proposal Package is accepted, it will assign to the purchasing body all rights, title, and interest in and to all causes of action it may have under Section 4 of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 15) or under the Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 [commencing with Section 16700] of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), arising from purchases of goods, materials, or services by the Proposer for sale to the purchasing body pursuant to the Proposal Package. Such assignment shall be made and become effective at the time the purchasing body tenders final payment to the Proposer. (See Government Code Section 4552.)

If an awarding body or public purchasing body receives, either through judgment or settlement, a monetary recovery for a cause of action assigned under this chapter, the assignor shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for actual legal costs incurred and may, upon demand, recover from the public body any portion of the recovery, including treble damages, attributable to overcharges that were paid by the assignor but were not paid by the public body as part of the Proposal Package price, less the expenses incurred in obtaining that portion of the recovery. (See Government Code Section 4553.)

Upon demand in writing by the assignor, the assignee shall, within one year from such demand, reassign the cause of action assigned under this part if the assignor has been or may have been injured by the violation of law for which the cause of action arose and (a) the assignee has not been injured thereby, or (b) the assignee declines to file a court action for the cause of action. (See Government Code Section 4554.)

RULES AND CONDITIONS CONT.

Information

All information obtained or produced during the course of the Agreement will be made available to DPR.

Any information that the Proposer deems confidential, must so be marked prior to submission to DPR.

DPR will hold information deemed confidential by the Proposer to the extent allowable by the California Public Records Act and the Public Contract Code.

Written Inquiries

Proposers needing clarification of the requirements of this solicitation may submit questions to DPR’s Contracts Unit using the contact information found in Section I.

All inquiries must be received no later than 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, regardless of postmark. If the inquiries are emailed, then the time and date of the receipt of the email must not be later than the due date and time.

Questions, suggestions or objections regarding the content of this solicitation, including but not limited to the purpose, scope of work, etc., not submitted by the deadline for questions shall be deemed waived and may not be raised at a later time.

Oral communications with DPR officers and employees shall be non-binding on the State and shall in no way exclude the Proposer of any obligations as set forth in this package.

All questions or inquiries regarding this solicitation shall be submitted using the contact information provided in Section I.

E-mails and/or faxes should be clearly marked “Questions Relating to

SOLICITATION 24-C0024.”

Addenda

DPR reserves the right to amend, alter, or change the rules and conditions of this

RFP.

Any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error discovered in the RFP should immediately be reported to DPR prior to the deadline for submission of written questions. DPR will issue addenda to address such issues.

Modification of

Submittals

A Proposal submitted prior to the submittal deadline, can be withdrawn or modified by the submitting Proposer. The Proposer must:

Provide a written request Identify the requesting individual and their association to the Proposer

A Proposal cannot be withdrawn after the submittal deadline has passed.

Errors in Submittals

An error in a Proposal package may be cause for rejection of that proposal.

DPR may make certain corrections, if the Proposer’s intent is clearly established based on review of the complete proposal.

Ineligible Businesses

Any Contractor or Sub-Contractor currently on the DPR Unreliable list, is ineligible to apply for or participate in this contract.

In addition, as required by PRC§42290 et seq., any business determined to be in non-compliance with the Recycled Content Plastic Trash Bag Law is ineligible to apply for or participate in this contract.

Negotiating State

Contracts

This solicitation and any resulting contract or amendments are subject to the conditions set forth in PCC 6611.

If any of the conditions identified in PCC 6611 exist, the State may perform contract negotiations, if it is determined to be in the best interest of the State.

Electronic Waste

Recycling

If the Contractor or any subcontractors participate in activities that result in the disposition of electronic components, they will comply with the provisions of PRC Chapter 8.5.

Use Tax

If, during the course of the agreement, the Contractor will be involved in the re-sale of goods to the State, they must comply with the requirements of Section 6452.1, 6487, 6487.3, 7101, and 18510 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, in addition to Section 10295.1 of the Public Contract Code.

Small Business(SB)

Preference

Any Proposer competing in this process as a California Certified SB, will receive a five percent (5%) preference.

A copy of the Proposer’s certification must be included with the proposal package.

Subcontractors

All subcontractors identified in the proposal, must be experts in their respective disciplines and capable of performing the tasks for which they are hired.

If awarded the agreement, the Contractor must use all of the SB and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) firms identified on the SB/DVBE Participation Summary.

DPR reserves the right to approve substitutions of subcontractors, as long as, certified business participation levels remain unchanged.

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.

Darfur Contracting Act

For solicitation of non-IT goods and services only. If IT, delete this clause here and in the Table of Contents and remove Attachment F.

All Proposers competing in this process must comply with the requirements of the Darfur Contracting Act (Public Contracting Code sections 10475 through 10481), effective January 1, 2009. To comply, Proposers must complete the Darfur Contracting Act form (Attachment F) and return with their Proposal.

Iran Contracting Act

Prior to bidding on, submitting a proposal or executing a contract or renewal for a State of California contract for goods or services of $1,000,000 or more, Proposers must complete the Iran Contracting Act form (Attachment F) and return with their Proposal.

California Civil Rights

Laws

Pursuant to Public Contract Code section 2010, all Proposers that submit a bid or proposal to, or otherwise propose to enter into or renew a contract with, a state agency with respect to any contract in the amount of $100,000 or above competing in this process must comply with the requirements of the California Civil Rights Laws. To comply, Proposers must complete the California Civil Right Laws (Attachment G) and return with their Proposal.

GenAI Disclosure

The State of California seeks to realize the potential benefits of GenAI, through the development and deployment of GenAI tools, while balancing the risks of these new technologies. Bidders/Offerors must notify the State in writing if their solution or service includes, or makes available, any GenAI technology, including GenAI from third parties or subcontractors. The State has developed a GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet to be completed by the Bidder/Offeror. Failure to disclose GenAI to the State and submit the GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet will result in disqualification of the Bidder/Offeror and may void any resulting contract. The State reserves its right to seek any and all relief it may be entitled to as a result of such non-disclosure. Upon receipt of a Bidder/Offeror GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet, 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.

SECTION III PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Failure to follow the instructions contained in this document may be grounds for rejection of a Proposal.

DPR may reject any Proposal if it is conditional, incomplete or contains irregularities.

DPR may waive an immaterial deviation in a Proposal, if deemed in the best interest of DPR.

Deadline

The proposal package must be received by DPR via the email address listed in Section I, Overview.

Proposals received after the deadline, will be considered late and returned to the Proposer unopened.

Addressing

The proposal package must clearly state that it is in response to this RFP and note the RFP number listed with the direction of “RFP #24-C0024 – do not open.”

Number of Copies

The Proposer is required to submit all required documents in the following format:

One PDF viewable by Adobe Acrobat Reader (additional files are acceptable provided that they are in PDF format)

It is the submitting Proposer’s responsibility to ensure that the electronic documents are formatted in Adobe Acrobat Reader and viewable by DPR.

Table of Contents

The information must be organized as presented with corresponding page references.

Summary

The Proposer must include a brief overview of the project and summarize the Proposer’s approach to the work.

Methodology

The Proposer must provide a brief narrative of the methods that will be utilized to accomplish the objective of the project, as detailed in the Scope of Work.

These methods must have sufficient detail to allow DPR to evaluate those methods.

Organization

Provide a brief description of the organization’s services and activities, including:

Date of establishment History Location Any known conflict’s of interest

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS CONT.

Qualifications and Resources

The prospective contractor must have the experience, qualifications, and resources to perform the required tasks of the project.

Each proposal must include a description of the resources to be used on the project while demonstrating an individual or team members abilities to perform the work. The proposals must include resumes for the Contract Manager, Personnel and Subcontractors, that include:

Experience Knowledge Educational Background Appropriate licensing Tasks to be performed and number of hours

References

The Proposer’s team must provide a minimum of three (3) verifiable references and/or experience.

DPR reserves the right to seek references in addition to the client references provided by the Proposer, as it deems necessary.

If a reference or project experience is unable to be verified, it will be disregarded.

Samples of Written

Work

The Proposer’s team must include a copy of a verifiable written work that is similar in nature to the proposed project and deliverables.

Contract Eligibility

The Proposer must include a written declaration, stating that the Contractor and any Subcontractors to be used during the performance of the contract are eligible to contract with the State of California, pursuant to PCC 10286.

Licenses

The Contractor shall be an individual or firm licensed to do business in California, pursuant to California Business and Profession Code Section 7028.15.

A copy of the Proposer’s state license with an expiration date, must be included with the Proposal submittal.

Small Business (SB)

Participation

DPR expects a minimum of five percent (5%) of the project services to be contracted to a California Certified SB that performs a commercially useful function.

This goal can be achieved by a combined effort of the prime and/or any subcontractors, that includes:

If the Proposer is a Certified SB, as defined in Section V, Definitions and Terms, the Participation Summary must be completed and submitted with the proposal.

If the Proposer has identified subcontractors to be utilized to meet this goal, the Participation Summary must be competed and submitted with the proposal.

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS CONT.

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Participation

DPR expects a minimum of three percent (3%) of the project services to be contracted to a California Certified DVBE that performs a commercially useful function.

This goal can be achieved by a combined effort of the prime and/or any subcontractors, that includes:

If the Proposer is a Certified DVBE, as defined in Section V, Definitions and Terms, the Participation Summary must be completed and submitted with the proposal.

If the Proposer has identified subcontractors to be utilized to meet this goal, the Participation Summary must be competed and submitted with the proposal.

Enterprise Zone Act

(EZA)

If the budget for services outlined in this announcement, exceeds $100,000, DPR will grant a preference for qualified Proposers.

The Proposer must provide reasonable demonstration of contract labor hours and certify that they will comply with the requirements of the EZA.

If the Proposer is qualified for this preference, the EZA Preference Request Form must be included in the proposal submittal.

The form may be downloaded at www.DPR.ca.gov/contracts/forms.

Target Area Contract

Preference Act

(TACPA)

The Proposer must provide reasonable demonstration of contract labor hours and certify that they will comply with the requirements of the TACPA.

If the Proposer is qualified for this preference, the TACPA Preference Request Form must be included in the proposal submittal.

Local Agency Military

Base Recovery Act

(LAMBRA)

The Proposer must provide reasonable demonstration of contract labor hours and certify that they will comply with the requirements of the LAMBRA.

If the Proposer is qualified for this preference, the LAMBRA Preference Request Form must be included in the proposal submittal.

SECTION IV COST PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

Overview

The Proposal Cost must be submitted in a separate, PDF file by the due date identified in the Schedule of Section I.

The file name must note “Proposal Cost – Do not Open”.

Cost Breakdown

The cost proposal must specify the total cost and include detailed project costs, as required in the Cost Proposal Sheet and Task Breakdown Sheet.

The SB and DVBE commitments must be identified, by task and dollar amount, and included in the task by task cost proposal submittal.

The costs identified, should take into consideration the length of the contract, rise in salaries and administrative overhead costs.

The amount identified on the cost breakdown may not be changed and will remain in effect for the life of the agreement.

Travel and Per Diem

Lodging, food, and incidental expenses on trips in support of services will be reimbursed at the following State per diem rates per 24 hour day for the length of the contract.

Lodging – up to a maximum of $84 per day Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) – up to a maximum of $34 per day Incidentals – up to a maximum of $6 per day.

Coach airfare, mid-size/economy rental cars, and fuel – actual costs verified by bills or receipts. First Class or Business Class air travel is not allowed.

SECTION V EVALUATION AND SELECTION

DPR will perform a Pre-Qualification Evaluation process to ensure that the Proposer has included all required documentation in the Proposal submittal.

If a proposal package does not meet all of the requirements set forth in this RFP, it will be considered non-responsive and rejected from further competition.

Those Proposer’s submittals that pass this review will be forwarded to the Selection Committee for Evaluation.

Selection Process

The Selection Committee will evaluate and score all proposals, passing the Pre- Qualification Evaluation, utilizing the Scoring Criteria identified in this RFP.

Only those proposals that receive a score of at least the minimum requirement identified on the Scoring Sheet will be ranked.

The overall responsiveness of each proposal will be based on the complete response from the Proposer to the RFP requirements, including the statement of work for the project. Final ranking of the proposals will be based on the following formula:

1. Technical Requirements (scored at 70% of the total points available)

The Proposer will be scored on demonstrated knowledge of the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work, and the Proposer’s qualifications and experience.

2. Cost (scored at 30% of the total points available).

The Proposer will be evaluated on the total extended cost for both the contracted term and including any optional extension years. Each Proposer’s cost score will be calculated based on the ratio of the lowest cost proposal to the Proposer’s cost, multiplied by the maximum number of cost points available (30), as shown in the calculation below:

Lowest Cost Proposal X Total cost points available Proposer Total Cost

EXAMPLE: Lowest cost proposal = $ 75,000 Proposal A = $100,000 30 cost points available 75,000/100,000 x 30 = 22.5 cost points awarded to Proposal A

Award of Agreement

Award of this Agreement will be to the highest ranking responsible Proposer meeting all of the RFP requirements.

In the event of a tie, DPR may utilize a tie breaker to determine the winning Proposer.

DPR reserves the right to not award an Agreement.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION CONT.

Grounds for Rejection

All proposals may be rejected whenever the determination is made that the proposals received are not really competitive, when the cost is not reasonable, or when the cost exceeds the amount expected.

Additionally, a proposal may be rejected if:

It is received after the due date and time for submittal The cost submittal is unsigned The proposal cost is not prepared as required by the RFP The Proposer has been prohibited from contracting with the State by the

Department of Fair Employment and Housing The Proposer has received a substantive negative contract performance from the State Any items required by the RFP are not included with the submittal

No proposal may be rejected arbitrarily or without reasonable cause.

Notice of Intent to

Award

DPR will post a notice of intent to award this Agreement five (5) working days prior to the award being made.

Notice of the intent to award will be posted at DPR’s headquarters building noted in Section I.

Rejection of Award

If the Proposer fails to enter into a satisfactory Agreement within a reasonable timeframe after the award is made, DPR may deem that the Proposer has rejected the award.

DPR reserves the right to disqualify the awardee and award the Agreement to the next highest ranked Proposer.

Proposer Notifications

DPR will notify all Proposers of the outcome of their proposal submittals, prior to the intent to award posting.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION CONT.

Protest of Award

A Proposer may protest the proposed award by filing an official protest with the Department of General Services. The protest must be filed within the five (5) day period of the notice of intent to award timeframe.

Within five (5) days of the initial protest filing, the Proposer must submit a detailed written statement with information that supports that the Proposer would have been awarded the contract and the grounds for that position.

The Agreement will not be awarded until a decision has been made on the filed protest.

The protest documents should be sent via registered mail to the following parties:

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

Department of Pesticide Regulation Attn: Contracts Unit Email ContractsUnit@dpr.ca.gov

SECTION VI DESCRIPTION OF WORK

California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation protects human health and the environment by fostering sustainable pest management and regulating pesticides.

DPR began the development of SprayDays California in 2021. The development of SprayDays California followed community advocacy and interest from the public in more equitable and transparent access to information about pesticide applications occurring in their communities. The system will provide the public with information prior to the use of restricted material pesticide applications in agricultural settings.

As part of the process to develop a statewide pesticide notification system, DPR partnered with County Agricultural Commissioners on pilot projects, hosted a series of public webinars and workshops and conducted a beta test to collect feedback to inform the design and development of SprayDays California.

Community members, the agricultural sector and all stakeholders have requested that DPR conduct targeted, on-the-ground outreach and engagement around the launch of the tool to (1) support better awareness of the tool and how to use it, and

(2) provide context for how SprayDays fits into the context of California’s regulatory framework and restrictions for pesticide use that protect people and protect the environment and (3) provide an opportunity to answer questions on how to use the system and the information provided.

The goal of this project is to support a statewide, streamlined, and smooth rollout of SprayDays California, including clear public communication to provide context on the information included in the system. SprayDays is the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s statewide pesticide application notification system. This project will include developing an overall engagement, marketing and communications strategy including, but not limited to, conducting English and Spanish outreach events and engagement opportunities, refining outreach messaging and building out a suite of outreach materials to support system launch, conducting media relations, and designing and executing paid marketing campaigns. The key communication goals are to broadly build awareness about the availability of SprayDays, how to use the system, where to go with questions about pesticides, and overarching context for how the information in SprayDays builds from California’s pesticide regulatory system that protects people and the environment.

Work to be Performed

The primary objective of this project is to support a human-centered outreach campaign for the rollout of SprayDays California statewide. By focusing on the people impacted by pesticide use in California – growers and the agricultural sector, farmworkers, community members and the public – DPR’s intent is to increase transparency and equitable access to information for all. As part of this public outreach campaign, DPR wants to support broader knowledge of the pesticide use laws and regulations that protect people and the environment, how pesticide use is enforced, DPR’s efforts to foster safer and sustainable pest management on a systemwide scale, and how to report any incidents or concerns with pesticide use.

This project will include:

- Planning and strategy: working closely with DPR’s Deputy Director of Communications, Deputy Director of Environmental Justice and DPR leadership to refine messaging, strategy, and timelines. The contractor will be required to engage and consult with DPR stakeholders within the agriculture and environmental justice communities, among others, throughout various stages of the process to inform messaging and outreach strategy. For example: the contractor will listen to feedback and ideas from community group leaders and agricultural sector leaders to inform the development of outreach strategy. The contractor is also expected to learn an overview of current pesticide regulations and the scope of SprayDays California to inform development of outreach strategy and material development. This will include reviewing public comments, reports developed by UC Davis Center for Regional Change, DPR internal memos, and meeting with DPR staff to better understand the scope of the project.

- Communications: Refining a messaging framework to use across marketing campaigns and in earned media campaigns. Messaging should focus on understanding the scope of SprayDays and the information provided, including the inexact information provided on intended application timing and location provided in a 1x1 mile section, along with added context on how this tool fits within the state’s regulatory framework for pesticide use and the commitment of DPR to foster sustainable pest management statewide. Communications should also include practical information for users on how to use the tool, where to find more information, and how to report pesticide incidents.

- Design: Developing user friendly, visual, culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive graphics and materials to use for marketing and outreach, including flyers, social media and email graphics and PowerPoint templates. Scope of work includes printing final materials for distribution at events.

- Outreach event planning and execution: Pre-event planning, site selection and booking, agenda development, partnership identification and day-of logistics for 12-15 in-person outreach events at California’s top 10 agricultural communities, which will include (1) event management and planning leadership, (2) development of event plans and materials, and (3) providing multilingual staff support for events hosted in agricultural communities in California. DPR will provide subject matter experts as event spokespeople as needed. The events will provide a demonstration of the system, how to use it and provide information on pesticide use in California. Events may be targeted by county or region, or by user group.

Capturing notes on comments, questions and feedback provided by communities and partners and the public attending all meetings and events.

- Marketing: development and execution of targeted, paid social media and radio marketing campaigns in both English and Spanish spanning the state and focusing on California’s top 10 agricultural communities.

- Media relations: conducting local media relations in English and Spanish, spanning the state with focus on California’s top 10 agricultural communities. California’s top 10 agricultural communities: Fresno, Kern, Tulare, San Joaquin, Monterey, Madera, Merced, Kings, Stanislaus and Ventura counties.

The project is anticipated to begin in October with pre-launch preparation to develop and finalize messaging, strategy and materials, based on internal and external feedback, and finalize an outreach timeline and structure prior to the launch of SprayDays, beginning with pre-launch outreach at the end of 2024 and launch outreach early in the first quarter of 2025.

During the project process, DPR staff will be supporting the contractor with collecting data, information and other items as deemed necessary to reach the contract objectives.

Desirable Qualifications:

- Experience with state or federal government

- Experience with on-the-ground, in-person engagement on a community and county level

- Experience leading and facilitating public events and meetings

- Experience with effective media relations and existing relationships with state and local TV and radio reporters in California

- Experience with designing and executing effective marketing campaigns

- Experience with diverse communities and stakeholders, environmental justice and community advocates

- Experience with designing and executing effective outreach campaigns in English and in Spanish

- Excellent communication, active listening, and facilitation skills for navigating difficult conversations in group settings

Tasks

1. Planning and Strategy

- Develop overall strategy and detailed execution timeline for campaign elements inclusive of review processes for DPR leadership.

- As part of the strategy development, consult with EJ, community leaders, growers, the agricultural sector, and others in consultation with DPR leadership.

- Plan and lead internal strategy and sync meetings with DPR leadership and project team.

- Propose, track and report specific outcomes and key performance indicators related to outreach activities and associated metrics on the impact (for example, increase in sign-ups on the SprayDays system or increase in web traffic).

- Meet with DPR leadership, project staff and external stakeholders to understand the intent and limitations of SprayDays and how it fits into the broader context of pesticide regulation in California.

2. Communications

- Develop and finalize a messaging framework for external outreach events, marketing campaigns and media relations.

- Develop media target lists and media relations strategy and execution.

- Develop visual materials and resources to use for media outreach and engagement.

3. Design

- Development of visual, culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive graphics and materials to use for marketing and outreach, including flyers, videos, social media and email graphics and PowerPoint templates. Exact number of materials will be determined in the strategy phase of the project but can grow based on incoming questions or public feedback to how to use the system and what the system provides.

4. Outreach Events

- Planning, implementation, and facilitation of internal and external engagement that include DPR staff, stakeholders, and members of the public.

- Coordinate and execute 15 in-person events in the top 10 agricultural counties in California over a 12 month period, including booking venues and managing all logistics.

- Event planning will include pre-event planning (site logistics and booking venues, providing AV support and set-up, and materials development), agenda development, partnership identification, outreach to community to increase participation and attendance, printing materials and assembling any items needed onsite, and management of day-of logistics. DPR to assist in providing AV equipment and staff support as needed.

- Preparing and printing all materials necessary for distribution at events.

DPR to assist in printing materials as needed.

- Capture notes and feedback on effectiveness of outreach materials and make iterative changes as needed.

- Capture notes and feedback and to provide to DPR and to inform technology developments and other short- and long-term adjustments to improve the system.

5. Marketing

- Strategy, design, development, and execution of targeted, paid social media advertising campaign.

- Strategy, design, development, and execution of targeted, paid radio PSA or advertising campaign.

- All external content will be provided in both English and Spanish with a focus on targeting California’s top 10 agricultural communities.

6. Media Relations

- Developing press releases, interview talking points and statements as needed.

- Conducting local media relations in English and Spanish, across the state with focus on California’s top 10 agricultural communities around engagement events and activities hosted in that region.

Control of Work

1. DPR staff have the authority to determine the quality and acceptability of the following:

Work to be performed Rate and progress of the work Fulfillment of the services provided by the Contractor Compensation for services provided by the Contractor

These decisions will be deemed final and enforceable by DPR staff when the Contractor fails to complete orders required by this Agreement.

2. The Contractor will designate a Program Manager who holds the following authority:

Act as the Contractor’s Representative for work to be provided under this Agreement

Act as the Contractor’s Representative regarding contractual matters relating to this Agreement

If during the course of the Agreement, it is deemed necessary to replace the Program Manager, DPR staff approval is required.

SECTION VII DEFINITION AND TERMS

General Unless the context otherwise requires, wherever in this RFP or addenda, the following abbreviations and terms, or pronouns in place of them, are used, the intent and meaning shall be interpreted as provided in this Section.

Working titles having a masculine gender, such as “draftsman” and “journeyman” and the pronoun “he”, are utilized in these provisions for the sake of brevity, and are intended to refer to persons of either sex.

Abbreviations

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act CCR California Code of Regulations DVBE Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise EPA Environmental Protection Agency GC Government Code DPR Department of Pesticide Regulation PCC Public Contract Code RFP Request for Proposals SB Small Business SOW Scope of Work

Agreement

The written agreement covering performance of the work and furnishing of labor, materials, tools, and equipment in providing the work. The Agreement shall include the RFP, Proposal, general and specific terms and conditions, and supplemental agreements which may be required to complete the work in a substantial and acceptable manner.

DPR

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation

Consultant

The person or persons, firm, partnership, corporation, or combination thereof, which may enter into this Agreement with DPR to provide work pursuant to this RFP or his or their legal representatives.

Contract

A legally binding agreement between the state & another entity, public or private, for the provision of goods or services.

Contract Manager

A person designated by the responsible state agency or department to manage performance under a contract.

Contractor

A party contracting with the awarding agency. Vendor is often used synonymously with contractor.

DEFINITION AND TERMS CONT.

Director

The Director of the Department of Pesticide Regulation, or designees. Any references to Executive Officer shall mean the Director and/or its designated officer.

Disabled Veteran

Business Enterprise (DVBE Certified)

A business that meets all of the following criteria: (1) at least 51% of the business is owned by one or more disabled veterans or, in a business whose stock is publicly held, at least 51% or more of the stockholders are disabled veterans (2) the management and control of the business are exercised by one or more disabled veterans; (3) the business is domestically owned and its home office is in the United States; and (4) the business has been certified as a DVBE by the State.

Legal Holidays

Those days designated as State holidays in the Government Code.

Program Manager

Contractor’s representative for all work performed under this Agreement. All official correspondence, reports, submittals, billings, and other work done under this Agreement shall be reviewed and signed by the Program Manager prior to submittal to DPR.

Proposal

The description of work proposed by the contractor to the awarding agency to address a business need.

Proposer

An entity providing a proposal to the State.

Scope of Work

The description of work required of a contractor by the awarding agency.

Small Business

(Certified)

A business that has been certified by the Office of Small Business Certification and Resources, Department of General Services, as a small business as defined in GC 14837 and 2 CCR 1896.

State

The State of California.

State Contract Law

The Public Contract Code and other applicable laws that form and constitute a part of the provisions of this Agreement to the same extent as if set forth herein in full.

Subcontractor

A person or entity which contracts with the Contractor to perform all or a portion of the work as specified in the Scope of Work.

ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A – Proposal Sheet

Proposal Sheet

21-C0088

TASK

NO.

BRIEF TASK DESCRIPTION TOTAL TASK COST

(In Figures)

Planning and Strategy

Communications

Design

Outreach Events

Marketing

Media Relations

Total Cost Proposal

ATTACHMENT A – Cost Proposal Sheets

Acknowledgement/Authorization

The undersigned acknowledges the submittal of this quote constitutes an irrevocable offer for a ninety (90) day period for DPR to award an Agreement.

Additional acknowledgement is made of receipt of all competitive documents, including Addenda, relating to this Agreement.

The undersigned acknowledges that the Bidder has read all of the requirements set forth in DPR documents and will comply with said provisions.

The undersigned hereby authorizes and requests any person, firm, agency, or corporation to furnish any information requested by DPR in verification of the recitals comprising this Quote and also hereby authorizes DPR to contact such persons, firms, etc., in order to obtain information regarding the undersigned.

The undersigned acknowledges that there are no potential conflicts of interest, as defined in Public Contract Code (PCC) 10410, 10411, and Government Code (GC) 87100, by the submitting firm and/or any Sub-Contractors listed in the Quote.

The undersigned acknowledges that they are eligible to contract with the state pursuant to PCC §10286 and §10286.1.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Name & Title of Authorized Representative:

Contractor Name:

Address: Telephone #:

City, State Zip: Email:

Signature of Authorized Representative:

Date Signed:

ATTACHMENT B

Proposal Scoring Sheet

24-C0024

To qualify, the Proposer MUST achieve an overall score of 80 – 85%.

Contractor/Company Name:

Proposer’s Score

1. Overall approach and organization - Maximum Score 20 points

a. Format of proposal. (5)

b. Overall approach and understanding of problems, issues and required tasks. (10)

c. Clarity of proposal. (5)

2. Methodology - Maximum Score 30 points

a. Soundness of proposed methodology. (10)

b. Appropriateness of proposed methodology. (10)

c. Feasibility of work plan and schedule. (10)

3. Qualifications/Resources - Maximum Score 10 points

a. Assigned staff's knowledge and educational background of the particular project involved. (2)

b. Assigned staff's experience and background in similar projects. (5)

c. Abilities of assigned staff to conduct the necessary research with proficiency and accuracy and without omission. (3)

ATTACHMENT B

4. Past Work - Maximum Score 10 points

(References will be consulted.)

a. Similarity between previous projects and the project contained in this RFP. (3)

b. The success (including level of completion) of past projects and any related work record. (4)

c. Recommendations by Project Review Panel of previous projects. (3)

5. Cost Proposal - Maximum Score 30 points

a. Cost breakdown is sufficiently detailed to determine that the proposed expenses are reasonable (e.g., salary x hours spent on project/tasks). (20)

b. Any costs savings are described (e.g., volunteer labor, In-kind services, recycling option, and/or the use of existing materials). (5)

c. Describe any other funding source (if any) that will contribute to this project. (5)

TOTAL SCORE:

Evaluator's Signature Date

ATTACHMENT C

Contractor Status Form

Contractor’s Name_________________________________________ County____________________________

Address__________________________________________________ Phone No. _________________________

___________________________________________________ Fax No. ___________________________

Federal Employer Identification No. _________________________________________

STATUS OF CONTRACTOR PROPOSING TO DO BUSINESS:

Individual Limited Partnership General Partnership Corporation Other

INDIVIDUAL:

If a sole proprietorship, state the true name of sole proprietor: ______________________________________

PARTNERSHIP:

If a partnership, list each partner, including limited partners, stating their true name and their interest in the partnership:

CORPORATION:

If a corporation, place and date of Incorporation: _________________________________________________________

Date corporation was authorized by Secretary of State: ____________________________________________________

President: ____________________________ Vice-President: ____________________________

Secretary: ____________________________ Treasurer: ________________________________

Other Officers: ________________________________________________

OTHER: (Explain)

SMALL BUSINESS PREFERENCE

Are you claiming preference as a small business? YES – Attach approval letter from Office of Small

Business Certification and Resources

NO

Date you filed for small business preference: ___________________ Your small business ID No. _______________

NOTE: THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED OR YOUR PROPOSAL MAY BE REJECTED

ATTACHMENT D

Client References

List at least three (3) client references that can attest to the Proposer’s qualifications to fulfill the requirements of the Scope of Work. List the most recent first. Client references must also be provided for any subcontractors identified in the Proposer’s response. Duplicate and attach additional pages as necessary. If three references cannot be provided, please explain why on an attached sheet of paper.

PROPOSER / SUBCONTRACTOR’S NAME:

REFERENCE 1

Name of Firm

Street Address City State Zip Code

Contact Person Telephone Number

E-Mail Address

Dates of Service Cost of Service

Brief Description of Service Provided

REFERENCE 2

REFERENCE 3

ATTACHMENT E

ATTACHMENT F

ATTACHMENT G

ATTACHMENT G

ATTACHMENT H

ATTACHMENT I

Proposal Completion Checklist

Please use this checklist to assist in the preparation of your Proposal package to ensure that all required items are included.

Copy of Current State Issued License

Contractor Status Form

Client References

Bidder Declaration

Darfur Contracting Act

Iran Contracting Act

California Civil Rights Laws

Completion Checklist

GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet

Personnel Information and Organizational Chart

The following number of PROPOSAL packages must be submitted as the Contractor’s response to this RFP:

One (1) Electronic copy of Proposal Package in Adobe Acrobat format.

The following forms are not required at the time of the quote submission but will be required by the successful Contractor during the contract period:

Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 307)

Recycl…