RFP_No._CFF_7779.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) No. CFF 7779 Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

NOTICE TO ALL PROSPECTIVE PROPOSERS

February 20, 2026

First 5 California (F5CA) invites submissions for representation to serve as the implementation and administrative partner for the Children FIRST Initiative, a three-year, $10,000,000 investment designed to address the urgent and unique needs of children ages 0–5 in immigrant, refugee, asylum-seeking, and mixed-status families.

This Initiative advances F5CA’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan by centering equity, trauma-informed systems, and culturally responsive supports.

The maximum fiscal amount of this Agreement is $10,000,000. The term of this Agreement will be approximately three (3) years, with a start date of Upon Department of General Services Approval, anticipated to be early May 2026.

A copy of RFP No. CFF 7779 is enclosed. It contains a description of the qualifications required and directions for preparation and submittal of proposals. Proposals must be submitted and received by 10:00 a.m., Pacific Time on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the address indicated in Section 5.D., Bid Response Delivery of the enclosed

RFP.

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise participation is mandatory for this RFP.

All dates subsequent to the final bid submission are approximate and may be adjusted by an addendum. Below is the tentative time schedule for this procurement.

KEY ACTION DATES

Event Date Time RFP Available to Prospective Bidders Friday, February 20, 2026 2:00 PM, PT Written Question Submittal Deadline Monday, March 2, 2026 5:00 PM, PT Response to Written Questions Monday, March 9, 2026 5:00 PM, PT Final Date for Proposal Submission Tuesday, March 17, 2026 10:00 AM, PT Proposal Review March 17–27, 2026 N/A Oral Presentations Tuesday, March 31, 2026 TBD Notice of Intent to Award Wednesday, April 1, 2026 5:00 PM, PT Last Day to Protest Award Wednesday, April 8, 2026 5:00 PM, PT Agreement Award Date Thursday, April 9, 2026 N/A Agreement Commencement Upon DGS Approval N/A

All times listed in the Key Action Dates are Pacific Time. It is recognized that time is of the essence. All proposers are hereby advised of the following schedule and will be expected to adhere to the required dates and times.

The RFP and any addenda will be viewable by prospective bidders and the public on Cal eProcure at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx.

If an addendum is issued, bidders will have five (5) business days following the addendum release date to submit questions related to said addendum.

The Notice of Intent to Award shall be posted in a public place at F5CA for five (5) working days prior to awarding the Agreement.

F5CA reserves the right to cancel or modify this RFP up until the award is executed.

F5CA has the discretion to waive non-material defects with any of the proposals.

Additionally, F5CA is not responsible for any preparation costs incurred by parties submitting a proposal.

A copy of the State’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) is not provided in this RFP. However, it is available on the DGS website (Standard Contract Language), and may be downloaded and printed. If you do not have Internet capabilities, you may request a hard copy of the State’s Terms and Conditions by contacting the F5CA Procurement Official listed below. These terms and conditions will become a part of the contract language and are NON-NEGOTIABLE. In addition, all material terms and conditions in Exhibits B, C, D, E, F, and G of the Sample Standard Agreement are

NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Procurement Official Erik Miyao First 5 California Contracts and Procurement Office 2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 120 Sacramento, CA 95833 RFP@first5.ca.gov

(916) 263-1050 https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=gtc mailto:RFP@first5.ca.gov

First 5 California RFP No. CFF 7779

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative i

Table of Contents

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

A. Introduction

B. Background

C. Problem Statement

D. Scope of Work

E. Agreement Term

F. Scope of this RFP and Bidder Admonishment

SECTION 2: RULES GOVERNING COMPETITION

A. Identification and Classification of RFP Requirements

B. Bidding Requirements and Conditions

C. Bidding Steps

D. Evaluation and Selection Process

E. Other Information

SECTION 3: ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STATE OF CALIFORNIA

PREFERENCE PROGRAMS

A. Administrative Requirements

B. State of California Preference Programs

SECTION 4: PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Cover Letter

B. Minimum Qualifications

C. Chapter 1: Technical Proposal

D. Chapter 2: Local Grantmaking and Funding Management Plan

E. Chapter 3: Cost Sheet

F. Oral Presentation (Finalists Only)

SECTION 5: BID FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

A. General Instructions

B. Number of Proposal Copies

C. Proposal Packaging and Labeling

D. Proposal Response Delivery

E. General Format Guidelines

F. Page Limits

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative ii

SECTION 6: PROPOSAL EVALUATION

A. Evaluation Information

B. Evaluation Methodology

Appendix 1: Competitive Bidding and Bid Responsiveness

Attachment 1: Required Proposal Submission Checklist

Attachment 2: Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet

Completion Instructions for Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet

Attachment 3: Payee Data Record

Attachment 4: Contractor Certification Clauses

Attachment 5: Guaranty Requirements

Attachment 6: Conflict of Interest Compliance Certificate

Attachment 7: Darfur Contracting Act

Attachment 8: Bidder Declaration

Attachment 9: TACPA Preference Claim Form

Attachment 10: DVBE Participation Incentive Claim Form

Attachment 11: DVBE Declarations

Attachment 12: Small Business Preference Claim Form

Attachment 13: California Civil Rights Laws Attachment

Attachment 14: Iran Contracting Act Verification Form

Attachment 15: Commercially Useful Function (CUF) Certification

Attachment 16: Vendor History Questionnaire

SAMPLE AGREEMENT

STD 213: Standard Agreement

Exhibit A: Scope of Work

Exhibit A1: Work Plan

Exhibit A2: Resumes

Exhibit A3: Accessibility Requirements

Exhibit A4: Work Plan Change Order Form

Exhibit B: Budget Detail and Payment Provisions

Exhibit B1: Cost Sheet

Exhibit C: General Terms and Conditions

Exhibit D: Special Terms and Conditions

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative iii

Exhibit D1: Notice of Form 700 Filing Requirement

Exhibit D2: DVBE Activity Report Form

Exhibit D3: Certification of SB and DVBE Subcontractor Payment

Exhibit E: Postconsumer-Content Certification

Exhibit F: Protection of Confidential and Sensitive Information

Exhibit G: Confidential Information Non-Disclosure Certificate

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative iv

In this solicitation document, the words “bid” and “bidder” are synonymous with “proposed,” “propose,” or “proposer,” as appropriate.

Document Format This RFP consists of six (6) sections, sixteen (16) attachments (not including the Budget attachment), and a sample Agreement.

The sections are:

Section 1: Introduction This section provides information about the purpose, background, and format of the

RFP.

Section 2: Rules Governing Competition This section describes how the procurement will be run and provides information on laws and regulations with which the bidder must comply.

Section 3: Administrative Requirements and State of California Preference Programs This section defines administrative and bidder requirements related to the bidder’s submittal of its bid.

Section 4: Proposal Requirements This section defines proposal requirements related to the bidder’s submittal of its bid.

Section 5: Bid Format Requirements This section provides instructions on the mandatory format with which the bid must comply.

Section 6: Bid Evaluation This section explains how F5CA will evaluate the bidder’s proposal. It contains information on the areas that will be scored, how the scoring is performed for each of those areas, and how the final score is computed.

Availability The selected bidder must be able to meet the requirements of this RFP and be fully available to begin work on the proposed Agreement execution date.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

A. Introduction

First 5 California (F5CA) is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to serve as a collaborative partner in the development, administration, and implementation of the Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support and Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative. This Initiative is a three-year investment dedicated to addressing the urgent and unique needs of children ages 0 to 5 in immigrant, refugee, asylum-seeking, and mixed-status families (collectively, the Population).

The selected partner will be responsible for developing and managing the statewide infrastructure of the Children FIRST Initiative. This includes establishing communication channels between F5CA, the Population, and organizations serving the Population, as well as creating a central hub for existing resources, tools, and services available across all 58 counties. To achieve this, the partner must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the resources, tools, and services currently supporting children 0–5 and their families, particularly those in immigrant and mixed-status households, and integrate them into a centralized infrastructure designed to ensure safe, reliable, and equitable access statewide. The partner will also facilitate communication loops between state and county partners.

In addition, the selected organization will establish an immigration guidance team to interpret immigration policies and policy changes, ensuring accurate and timely information is shared with families and the organizations that serve the Population.

The Children FIRST Initiative will be grounded in culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices aligned with F5CA’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan.

Beyond infrastructure, the successful bidder will also provide administrative and programmatic support to advance the Initiative’s goals. This responsibility includes building statewide capacity, delivering technical assistance (TA), and ensuring accountability measures are consistently met. While Children FIRST will not collect any personal information from the Population, the selected partner will be expected to track the types of services and information families need. This data collected from tracking will make it possible to properly assess unmet needs, identify gaps, and evaluate which segments of the Population have been assisted each year.

Lastly, the selected organization will be responsible for administering, evaluating, and approving grants to community-based organizations operating at the county level to expand local impact. These grants, which consist of up to $3,000,000 of the overall $10,000,000 investment, will support efforts across all 58 counties to address needs and service gaps that may fall outside the scope of the broader statewide infrastructure. Through this local grantmaking component, the selected organization will ensure that county-level partners have the capacity to deliver responsive, community-informed assistance to the Population and advance the overarching goals of Children FIRST in every region of the state.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

The goal is to ensure that all children, including those in immigrant and mixed-status families, receive the resources they need to thrive. Through this work, the Initiative will safeguard and strengthen the well-being of young children by ensuring immigrant and mixed-status families have reliable access to accurate information, essential resources, and supportive, safe systems.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) provides background on F5CA and the Children FIRST Initiative, outlines the required proposal contents and submittal process, and describes the evaluation and selection process that will result in awarding a three-year, deliverable-based contract.

B. Background

Proposition 10: California Children and Families Act of 1998

In November 1998, California voters approved Proposition 10, establishing the California Children and Families Act of 1998 (the Act). The Act’s purpose is to advance, strengthen, and enhance the healthy development of young children. As outlined in Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 130100(a), “It is the intent of this act to facilitate the creation and implementation of an integrated, comprehensive, and collaborative system of information and services to enhance optimal early childhood development and to ensure that children are ready to enter school. This system should function as a network that promotes accessibility to all information and services from any entry point into the system.”

F5CA, this mandate is the foundation of our vision, priorities, and investments. It fuels our commitment to creating systems where every child can thrive, no matter their background or circumstances. Our North Star serves as the guiding beacon for this work, while our Audacious Goal defines the bold future we strive toward. The Children FIRST Initiative exemplifies how we bring this vision to life: it builds a trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally responsive infrastructure designed to support immigrant, refugee, asylum-seeking, and mixed-status families ensuring equitable access to safe, stable, and nurturing environments that foster healthy child development.

North Star: Trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally responsive systems promote the safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments necessary to eliminate inequities and ensure healthy development for all children.

Audacious Goal: In a generation, all children 0–5 will have the safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments necessary to achieve healthy development.

Through this and other investments, F5CA always aims to convene, partner, and help lead statewide movements to create and implement a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated system of supports for children prenatal through age 5 and their families. By advancing trauma-informed and culturally responsive

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative practices, we are not only fulfilling the intent of Proposition 10 but also advancing our Strategic Plan by promoting, supporting, and optimizing early childhood development so that every child has the safe, stable, and nurturing relationships they need to thrive.

C. Problem Statement

F5CA has long invested strategically in public education, systems change, and community partnerships to support children ages 0–5 and their families. These efforts have advanced equity and strengthened early childhood development across the state. Yet, California continues to face critical challenges that uniquely affect immigrant, refugee, asylum-seeking, and mixed-status families. This Population is facing challenges that directly influence children’s healthy development, family stability, and long-term social and economic outcomes.

At present, there is no statewide initiative in California dedicated to addressing the specific needs of the Population within the 0–5 age range. Meanwhile, immigration enforcement and shifting policy landscapes are creating significant trauma, which in turn has profound effects on child development, physical health, and mental health.

The Children FIRST Initiative was created to fill this urgent gap. Its purpose is to strengthen the capacity of all 58 counties to address immigration-related challenges with trusted, culturally responsive, and dignity-centered supports. Guided by expert knowledge and built on proven local strategies, the Initiative ensures that young immigrant children and their families receive the information, tools, resources, protection, stability, and care they need to thrive.

Three priority issues inform the development of the Children FIRST Initiative:

1. Ensuring Equitable Access to Information, Resources, and Services for Immigrant Families

Families with young children often face barriers in accessing accurate, timely, and culturally appropriate information on programs, rights, and services. Fear of immigration enforcement, language gaps, and a lack of centralized resources create systemic obstacles. As a result, many families remain unaware of benefits and protections available to them, including health, childcare, legal, and family support services.

These barriers not only threaten family stability but also jeopardize children’s well-being during their most critical years of development. F5CA recognizes the need for a statewide infrastructure that safely connects families to resources, tools, and services in every county. The Children FIRST Initiative will build this infrastructure, ensuring immigrant families with young children can access information and supports in a safe, reliable, and trauma-informed manner.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

Primary Objective: Establish a comprehensive, statewide system that identifies, uplifts, and makes accessible all existing resources and services that support children ages 0–5 and their immigrant or mixed-status families.

2. Elevating Community Voices and Concerns

Families with young children in immigrant and mixed-status households often face barriers in having their voices heard at the state and federal levels, particularly when immigration enforcement or policy shifts create urgent challenges for their wellbeing. The Children FIRST Initiative is designed to close this gap by creating communication channels that connect families and communities directly to F5CA. This will allow F5CA to properly elevate the concerns of the Population to the proper decision-makers while at the same time learning what the challenges are that are affecting children 0-5 in immigrant and mixed status families.

Through this structure, families with children ages 0–5 will be able to elevate concerns affecting their daily lives, such as disruptions to childcare, barriers to healthcare access, fear of enforcement actions, or other urgent needs, so that these realities inform policy responses and systems change.

Primary Objective: Establish a statewide communication system that ensures the voices of immigrant families with young children are heard and addressed, which will help shape state and federal policy.

3. Building a Statewide Immigration Guidance Team and Trauma-Informed Infrastructure

Immigrant families often encounter fear, stigma, and trauma due to complex immigration laws, enforcement actions, or uncertain legal status. Early childhood systems are not always equipped with the knowledge or expertise to respond.

Without coordinated guidance, legal expertise, and training, families face inconsistent support and systems remain fragmented.

Through the Immigration Guidance Team, the Children FIRST Initiative will provide consistent, expert-informed support to families with children 0-5, local First 5 commissions, partners, and organizations serving the Population across all 58 counties. This team will develop safe-space toolkits, provide legal and policy guidance, and build capacity across counties to respond effectively and compassionately to any policy changes that affect the Population. By embedding trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices, the Initiative ensures that systems across the state meet the needs of immigrant families in a consistent and equitable way.

Primary Objective: Establish and maintain a statewide Immigration Guidance Team that provides expertise, technical assistance, and trauma-informed tools to

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative strengthen local and statewide capacity to support immigrant families with children 0-5.

Together, these efforts define the Children FIRST Initiative as a transformative investment in California’s youngest children and their immigrant families. By developing statewide infrastructure, protecting vital programs, and embedding trauma-informed guidance, F5CA will ensure immigrant and mixed-status families are not left behind. The selected contractor will be responsible for managing and coordinating these efforts, positioning F5CA as a trusted leader and partner in advancing equity, protecting children, and strengthening families across California.

D. Scope of Work

The Contractor selected through this RFP will be responsible for serving as a collaborative partner in the development, administration, and implementation of the Children FIRST Initiative. This work will include establishing and managing a statewide infrastructure, convening and coordinating an Immigration Guidance Team, creating channels of communication, ensuring robust data tracking and policy reporting, and administering, evaluating, and approving grants to community-based organizations operating at the county level to expand local impact. All tools, resources, designs, materials, technology, and assets created by the contractor and any subcontractors of this RFP will belong to First 5 California during and after the duration of the RFP. The following scope of work outlines required tasks, deliverables, timelines, roles and responsibilities, and applicable standards.

In summary, the services to be provided under this RFP include:

1. Statewide Infrastructure and Communication System

2. Immigration Guidance Team

3. Data Tracking, Policy Reporting, and Evaluation

4. Local Grantmaking and Funding Management

Reference Exhibit A, Scope of Work, in the Sample Agreement included as part of this RFP for a detailed description of the services and work to be performed as a result of any Agreement awarded based on this RFP. Bidders will be required to perform the tasks detailed in Exhibit A, Scope of Work. Any inconsistency or conflict between the terms and conditions in the final Agreement and the proposed terms and conditions appearing in this RFP will be resolved by giving precedence to the final Agreement. In addition, all material terms and conditions in Exhibits B, C, D, E, F, and G of the Sample Agreement are NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

E. Agreement Term

The anticipated term of this Agreement will be approximately three (3) years with a start date of Upon Approval by the DGS, anticipated to be early May 2026.

The Agreement shall be of no force or effect until it is signed by both parties and approved by the DGS. The successful bidder is hereby advised not to commence performance until all approvals have been obtained. If performance commences before all approvals are obtained, these services shall be considered to have been volunteered.

F. Scope of this RFP and Bidder Admonishment

This RFP contains the instructions governing the requirements for a bidder’s eligibility, administrative and bidder response content, bid submission format, and method for evaluating bids. Bidders must submit a complete and timely bid for the bid to be considered responsive by F5CA.

To minimize the risk of submitting a non-compliant bid, the bidder should do all of the following:

• Carefully read the entire RFP.

• Ask appropriate questions in a timely manner, if clarification is necessary.

• Submit all required responses by the required dates and times.

• Make sure all procedures and requirements of the RFP are accurately followed and appropriately addressed.

SECTION 2: RULES GOVERNING COMPETITION

A. Identification and Classification of RFP Requirements

F5CA has established certain requirements with respect to bids submitted by prospective contractors. The use of “shall” in the RFP denotes a mandatory requirement that cannot be waived by the State unless the deviation is immaterial. A deviation from a requirement is material if the response is not in substantial accord with the RFP requirements, provides an advantage to one bidder over other bidders, or has a potentially significant effect on the delivery, quantity, or quality of items bid, amount paid to the bidder, or on the cost to the state. Material deviations cannot be waived.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

B. Bidding Requirements and Conditions

1. General

This RFP, the evaluation of responses, and the Agreement award shall be made in conformance with current competitive bidding procedures as they relate to the procurement of goods and services by public bodies in the state of California. A bidder’s final bid is an irrevocable offer for 180 calendar days following the scheduled date of award specified in the Key Action Dates table found in the RFP Notice. A bidder may extend the offer in the event of a delay in Agreement award.

2. Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

To meet and ensure compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the state makes every effort to ensure its programs, activities, employment opportunities, and services are available to all persons, including persons with disabilities.

For persons with a disability needing reasonable accommodation to participate in this procurement process, or for persons having questions regarding reasonable accommodation for any part of the procurement process, contact the Procurement Official identified on the RFP Notice. To ensure the bidder’s accommodation can be met, the Procurement Official shall receive the bidder’s request at least ten (10) business days before a scheduled event or deadline date.

If needed, the California Relay Service may be accessed at the telephone numbers below:

• Voice: (800) 735-2922

• TTY: (800) 735-2929

3. RFP Documents

In addition to an explanation of the state’s needs that must be met, this RFP includes instructions that prescribe the format and content of bids to be submitted and the model of the agreement to be executed between F5CA and the successful bidder.

If a bidder discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in this RFP, the bidder shall immediately notify F5CA of such error in writing and request clarification or modification of the document. Modifications will be made by addenda issued pursuant to Section 2.B.7., Addenda. Such clarifications shall be given by written notice to all parties that have been furnished an RFP for bidding purposes, without divulging the source of the request. Insofar as practicable, F5CA will give such notices to other interested parties, but F5CA shall not be responsible for notifying other such parties.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

If the RFP contains an error known to the bidder, or an error that reasonably should have been known, the bidder shall bid at its own risk. If the bidder fails to notify F5CA of the error prior to the bid submission date and is awarded the Agreement, the bidder shall not be entitled to additional compensation or time by reason of the error or its later correction.

4. Examination of the Work

The bidder should carefully examine the entire RFP and any addenda thereto, and all related materials and data referenced in the RFP or otherwise available to the bidder and should become fully aware of the nature and location of the work, the quantities of the work, and the conditions to be encountered in performing the work. Specific conditions to be examined are listed in SECTION 3, ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STATE OF CALIFORNIA

PREFERENCE PROGRAMS, and in the sample Agreement.

5. Questions Regarding the RFP

Bidders requiring clarification on the intent or content of this RFP, or on procedural matters regarding the competitive bid process, must request clarification by submitting questions in an e-mail with the subject line, “Questions Relating to RFP No. CFF 7779” to RFP@First5.ca.gov. To ensure a response, questions must be received in writing by the scheduled date given in the Key Action Dates table located in the RFP Notice. F5CA will publish the questions as submitted, including any background information provided with the question;

however, at its discretion, F5CA may paraphrase the question and background content for clarity.

Questions and answers will be posted on Cal eProcure at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx as an addendum to this RFP.

Bidders should include in the submission question the following information:

• Firm name, firm contact name, mailing address, telephone number with area code, and e-mail address of contact name

• A description of the subject or issue in question or discrepancy found

• RFP section, page number, or other information useful in identifying the specific problem or issue in question

• Remedy sought, if any

6. Request to Change the Requirements of the RFP and Agreement Terms

If the bidder believes one or more of the RFP requirements and/or Agreement terms is onerous, unfair, or imposes unnecessary constraints on the bidder in mailto:RFP@First5.ca.gov

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative proposing less costly or alternate solutions, the bidder may request a change to the RFP or Agreement by submitting, in writing, the recommended change(s) and the facts substantiating this belief and reasons for making the recommended change. All requests for changes must be submitted to the Procurement Official no later than five (5) business days before the deadline for submitting bids. Oral answers shall not be binding on the state. Bidders are advised the state does not intend to negotiate requirements or contract terms and conditions after submission of the final bid, except in extraordinary situations.

7. Addenda

F5CA may modify the RFP prior to date fixed for contract award by issuance of an addendum posted to Cal eProcure. All addenda to the RFP will be viewable by the public on Cal eProcure at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx.

Addenda will be numbered consecutively. If any bidder determines an addendum unnecessarily restricts its ability to bid, the bidder is allowed five (5) business days after posting of said addendum, to submit a protest to the addendum according to the instructions contained in Section 2.B.6., Request to Change the Requirements of the RFP and Agreement Terms.

8. Generative Artificial Intelligence

The State of California seeks to realize the potential benefits of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), through the development and deployment of GenAI tools, while balancing the risks of these new technologies.

Bidder must notify the State in writing if it (1) intends to provide GenAI as a deliverable to the State; or (2), intends to utilize GenAI, including GenAI from third parties, to complete all or a portion of any deliverable that materially impacts: (i) functionality of a State system, (ii) risk to the State, or (iii) Contract performance. For avoidance of doubt, the term “materially impacts” shall have the meaning set forth in State Administrative Manual (SAM) § 4986.2 Definitions for GenAI.

Failure to report GenAI to the State may result in disqualification. The State reserves the right to seek any and all relief to which it may be entitled to as a result of such non-disclosure.

Upon notification by a Bidder of GenAI as required, the State reserves the right to incorporate GenAI Special Provisions into the final contract or reject bids that present an unacceptable level of risk to the State.

Government Code 11549.64 defines “Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)” as an artificial intelligence system that can generate derived synthetic content, including text, images, video, and audio that emulates the structure and characteristics of the system’s training data.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

C. Bidding Steps

1. Preparation of Bid Response

Exhibit 1, Competitive Bidding and Bid Responsiveness, located at the end of SECTION 6, BID EVALUATION, emphasizes the requirements of competitive bidding and contains examples of common causes for rejection of bids. Bidders are encouraged to review this Exhibit.

Bids are to be prepared in such a way as to provide a straightforward, concise delineation of the bidder’s compliance with the requirements of this RFP.

Emphasis should be concentrated on conformance to the RFP instructions, responsiveness to the RFP requirements, and on completeness and clarity of content. Before submitting each document, the bidder should carefully review the bid for errors and adherence to the RFP requirements.

2. Completion of Bid Response

Bids must be complete in all respects and submitted in the required format as set forth in SECTION 5, BID FORMAT REQUIREMENTS. A bid will be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations in form or other irregularities of any kind. A bid will be rejected if any such defect or irregularity constitutes a material deviation from the RFP requirements. The bid must contain all required elements of the response.

a. Bidder’s Cost

Costs for developing bids are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be chargeable to the state.

b. False or Misleading Statements

Bids that contain false or misleading statements or provide references that do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the bidder may be rejected. If in the opinion of the state such information was intended to mislead the state in its evaluation of the bid, and the attribute, condition, or capability is a requirement of this RFP, it will be the basis for rejection of the bid.

c. Signature Authorizing Bid Submission

A cover letter is required, which shall be an integral part of the bid submission. The cover letter must be signed by an individual authorized to contractually bind the bidding firm. The signature must indicate the title or position the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned bid will be rejected.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

d. Delivery of Bid Response

The bid must be received by F5CA in the format and with the number of copies stated in SECTION 5, BID FORMAT REQUIREMENTS, no later than the date and time specified in the Key Action Dates table of the RFP Notice.

Postmarks will not be accepted.

Mail or deliver bids to the Procurement Official listed on the RFP Notice. If mailed, it is suggested bidders use a mail carrier that will provide verification and certification of the delivery date. It is the responsibility of the bidder to make sure the bid is received by F5CA within the specified time frame. F5CA assumes no responsibility for untimely delivery, lost mail, etc.

Firms opting to submit a bid prior to the Final Date for Proposal Submission by hand or utilizing a delivery service other than the United States Postal Service must make an appointment by contacting the Procurement Official, listed in the RFP Notice, by email at RFP@First5.ca.gov, not less than two (2) business days ahead of the desired appointment date.

e. Withdrawal and Resubmission/Modification of Bids

A bidder may withdraw its final bid at any time prior to the bid submission date and time specified in the Key Action Dates table of the RFP Notice by submitting a written notification of withdrawal signed by the bidder authorized in accordance with Section 2.C.2.c, Signature Authorizing Bid Submission.

The bidder may thereafter submit a new or modified bid prior to the bid submission deadline. Modification offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered. Bids cannot be changed or withdrawn after the time designated for receipt, except as provided in this section.

f. Clarification of Bid Response

During the evaluation of the bid response, the F5CA Bid Evaluation Team (Evaluation Team) may ask the bidder to clarify its submitted information but will not allow the bidder to change its bid.

g. Confidentiality

Final bids are public upon opening; however, the contents of all bids, correspondence, agenda, memoranda, or any other medium which discloses any aspect of a bidder’s bid will be held in confidence until the Notice of Intent to Award has been issued. Bidders should be aware that marking a document “confidential” or “proprietary” may exclude it from consideration for award.

However, if accepted for evaluation by the state, such marking in a final bid will not keep the document, after the Notice of Intent to Award, from being released as part of the public record, unless the bidder, at its sole expense, obtains a court order prohibiting the disclosure of the requested materials.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

h. Rejection of Bids

F5CA may reject any or all bids and may waive any immaterial deviation or defect in a bid. F5CA’s waiver of any immaterial deviation or defect shall in no way modify the RFP documents or excuse the bidder from full compliance with the RFP specifications if awarded the Agreement.

D. Evaluation and Selection Process

1. General

Final bids will be evaluated according to the procedures contained in SECTION

6, BID EVALUATION.

Definition of a Responsive Bidder

A Responsive Bidder submits specified requirements and criteria outlined in this solicitation. A Responsive Bidder submits a proposal that fully complies with the instructions, format guidelines, and conditions specified in this RFP. This includes providing all necessary information, documentation, and certifications as requested, demonstrating the firm’s understanding and commitment to the RFP’s requirements.

Definition of a Nonresponsive Bidder

A bidder whose submission fails to meet one or more of the specified requirements or criteria outlined in this RFP is deemed a Nonresponsive Bidder.

A Nonresponsive Bidder may have failed to provide to provide required information, documentation, and certifications, follow the specified format, or address elements outlined in this RFP. This may include noncompliance with instructions provided in the RFP, which may result in their proposal deemed Nonresponsive or ineligible for further consideration.

2. Evaluation Questions

During the evaluation and selection process, F5CA may require the bidder to answer specific questions and provide clarification.

3. Errors in the Bid

An error in the bid may cause the rejection of the bid; however, F5CA may, at its sole discretion, retain the bid and make certain immaterial corrections. In determining if an immaterial correction will be made, F5CA will consider the conformance of the bid to the format and content required by the RFP, and any unusual complexity of the format and content required by the RFP. At its sole discretion, F5CA may correct:

• Obvious clerical errors

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

• Discrepancy and arithmetic errors. The Master Copy shall have priority over additional copies

• Errors of omission: If a service or item is described in the narrative and omitted from the cost data provided in the bid for evaluation purposes, it will be interpreted to mean that the service of item will be provided by the bidder at no cost.

1. If a service or item is not mentioned at all in the bid, the bid will be interpreted to mean that the bidder does not intend to supply that service or item.

2. If a required service or item is omitted, and the omission is not discovered until after contract award, the bidder shall be required to supply that service or item at no cost. It is essential bidders carefully review the cost elements in their bid.

4. Award of Agreement

Award of Agreement, if made, will be in accordance with SECTION 6, BID EVALUATION, to a responsible bidder whose final bid complies with all the requirements of the RFP documents and any addenda thereto, except for such immaterial defects as may be waived by F5CA. F5CA reserves the right to modify or cancel, in whole or in part, the RFP prior to contract award.

5. Debriefing

A debriefing may be held after contract award, at the sole discretion of F5CA, and upon the request of any bidder, for the purpose of receiving specific information concerning the evaluation. The discussion will be primarily based on the technical and cost evaluations of the bidder’s final bid. A debriefing is not the forum to challenge the RFP specifications or requirements.

E. Other Information

1. Award Protest

Before a protest is submitted, the bidder must make full and timely use of the procedures described in this section to resolve any outstanding issue(s) between the bidder and F5CA.

An award protest is where a bidder has submitted a final bid it believes to be totally responsive to the requirements of the RFP and to be the bid that should have been selected according to the evaluation procedure in Section 6, Bid Evaluation. Upon that occurrence, if the bidder believes F5CA has incorrectly selected another bidder for award, the bidder may submit an award protest as

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative described below. Protests regarding selection of the “successful bidder” will be heard and resolved by DGS, whose decision will be final.

If any bidder, prior to award of the Agreement, files a protest with DGS and F5CA on the grounds that the protesting bidder would have been awarded the contract had F5CA correctly applied the evaluation standard in the RFP, or if F5CA followed the evaluation and scoring methods in the RFP, the Agreement shall not be awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or DGS has decided the matter. It is suggested that a protesting bidder submit any protest by certified or registered mail unless delivered in person, in which case the protesting bidder should obtain a receipt of delivery.

Within five (5) days after filing the initial protest, the protesting bidder shall file a detailed statement specifying the grounds for the protest with DGS and

F5CA.

The detailed statement must be made in writing, signed by an individual who has contractual authority to bind the company, contain a statement of the reason(s) for protest, and cite the law, rule, regulation, and/or procedures on which the protest is based. The protesting bidder must provide facts and evidence to support the claim. Protests must include the RFP number and be mailed or delivered to:

Department of General Services Office of Legal Services Attention: Bid Protest Coordinator 707 Third Street, Suite 7-330 West Sacramento, CA 95605

AND

First 5 California Contracts and Procurement Office 2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 120 Sacramento, CA 95833

2. News Releases

Any publications or news releases relating to an Agreement resulting from this RFP shall not be made without prior written approval from the Procurement Official listed on the RFP Notice.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

3. Inspecting or Obtaining Copies of Bids

a. Who can inspect or copy bid materials

Any person or member of the public can inspect or obtain copies of bid materials.

b. What can be inspected/copied and when

On or after F5CA releases the Notice of Intent to Award, all bids and evaluation sheets become public records. These records shall be available for review, inspection, and copying during normal business hours by appointment only.

c. Inspecting or obtaining copies of bid materials

Persons wishing to inspect any bid materials must identify the items to be inspected and must make an appointment by contacting F5CA at

(916) 263-1050. Original bid materials will not be released from F5CA premises.

Persons wishing to obtain copies of bid materials must submit a written request to F5CA. The requestor must identify the items to be copied.

Submit copy requests as follows:

Request for Copies of RFP No. CFF 7779 Materials First 5 California 2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 120 Sacramento, CA 95833 Email: RFP@First5.ca.gov

Copying costs, when applicable, are charged at a rate of ten cents per page.

F5CA will provide the requestor an invoice for copied bid materials upon identification of the items to be copied and the preferred mailing method.

Unless waived by F5CA, a check covering copying and mailing costs must be received prior to fulfillment of the request.

F5CA will fulfill all copy requests as promptly as possible.

4. Disposition of Bids

All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the state and will be returned only at the state’s option and at the bidder’s expense.

At a minimum, the master copy shall be retained for official files and will become a public record after the Notice of Intent to Award as specified in the Key Action Dates table of the RFP Notice.

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

SECTION 3: ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STATE OF

CALIFORNIA PREFERENCE PROGRAMS

This section of the RFP presents all administrative requirements a bidder must include in its bid response. The administrative requirements include requirements for complying with State of California laws and regulations and state preference programs.

This section is divided into the following parts:

• Administrative Requirements o Mandatory Response Areas o Required Forms

• State of California Preference Programs o Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) o Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program o Small Business (SB) Preference o Commercially Useful Function (CUF)

A. Administrative Requirements

1. Mandatory Response Areas

The following are the mandatory response areas:

• The bidder shall follow the actions and deadlines as specified in the Key Action Dates table of the RFP Notice.

• The bidder shall commit to fulfill all requirements in SECTION 3, ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STATE OF CALIFORNIA

PREFERENCE PROGRAMS, and Exhibit A, Scope of Work of this RFP.

• The bidder shall follow the format instructions as specified in SECTION 5, BID FORMAT REQUIREMENTS, of this RFP.

2. Required Forms

The requirements below present required forms the bidder must complete and include with its bid response. In addition to the required forms, a responsive bid shall include all attachments and components as listed on Attachment 1, Required Bid Submission Checklist.

• Signed Cover Letter

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

• Required Bid Submission Checklist (Attachment 1)

• Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet (Attachment 2)

• STD 204 - Payee Data Record (Attachment 3)

• STD 205 - Payee Data Record Supplement (Attachment 3), if applicable

• Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017)(Attachment 4)

• Guaranty Requirements (Attachment 5)

• Conflict of Interest Compliance Certificate (Attachment 6)

• Darfur Contracting Act Certification (Attachment 7)

• Bidder Declaration (Attachment 8)

When completing the GSPD-05-105 Form, bidders must identify all subcontractors proposed for participation in the Agreement. The Bidder awarded the Agreement is contractually obligated to use the subcontractors for the corresponding work identified unless F5CA agrees to a substitution, and it is incorporated into the Agreement by amendment.

• TACPA Preference Claim Form (Attachment 9)

• DVBE Participation Incentive Claim Form (Attachment 10)

• Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declarations (STD. 843) (Attachment 11)

• Small Business Preference Claim Form (Attachment 12)

• California Civil Rights Laws Attachment (Attachment 13)

• Iran Contracting Act Verification Form (Attachment 14)

• Commercially Useful Function (CUF) Certification (Attachment 15)

• Vendor History Questionnaire (Attachment 16)

B. State of California Preference Programs

This section presents information on the following state preference programs:

• Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA)

• Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std204.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/DGS/FMC/PDF/std205.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Resources/CCC-042017.pdf?la=en&hash=4DE3E4DC414511AE378794200BA43EBF91C758EE https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/GS/PD/PD_1.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/pd_843.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Forms?search=Civil%20Rights&topicCategoryFilters&audienceCategoryFilters&sort=relevance&activeFilters&page=1 https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/GS/PD/PD_3.pdf

Children, Families, Immigrants, and Refugees: Support & Tools (Children FIRST) Initiative

• Small Business (SB) Preference

1. TACPA

Bidders are not required to apply for the TACPA preference. Denial of the TACPA preference request is not a basis for rejection of the bid.

The TACPA program was established in 1983 to stimulate economic growth and employment opportunities in designated distressed areas throughout the state of California. The Procurement Division (PD), Dispute Resolution Unit (DRU) within DGS oversees the TACPA preference program and evaluates all TACPA applications.

The TACPA preference will be granted to California-based firms, in accordance with Government Code (GC) sections 4530, et seq., whenever contracts for goods or services are in excess of $100,000.00 and the bidder meets certain requirements as defined in the California Code of Regulations (Title 2, California Code of Regulations (CCR), sections 1896.30 et seq.) regarding labor needed to provide the goods being procured. Information on this preference program can be found at Target Area Contract Preference Act on the DGS website.

To qualify for a TACPA preference, the firm must be located directly in a California eligible distressed area(s), located directly adjoining/adjacent, or contiguous to a valid TACPA Census Tract & Block Group boundary (GC 4532).

In evaluating proposals for contracts for…