STATE OF CALIFORNIA -- CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor

DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

715 P Street, P.O. BOX 942836

SACRAMENTO, CA 94236-0001

REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ)

Release Date: October 19, 2026

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) invites contractors to review and respond to this Request for Quote (RFQ), entitled:

10222412 Design, Implementation, and Technical Support for DWR’s Real-Time River Forecasting System

Anticipated Contract Dates: December 1, 2026 through November 31, 2029

Note that all agreements entered into with the Department of Water Resources, hereinafter referred to as the “State”, will incorporate by reference the State’s Information Technology General Provisions and Information Technology Personal Services language which are included in this solicitation.

To submit a quote for these services, you must comply with the instructions and requirements for the services contained in this document. The Mandatory Technical Requirements are delineated in Section II of this solicitation. The services required are delineated in the Statement of Work (SOW), Exhibit A.

The RFQ due date is: November 9, 2026 by 3:00 p.m. PT

Please note: DVBE Participation for this RFQ is required.

Read the attached document carefully. You may mail or hand-deliver your response (submittals by email or fax will not be accepted) to DWR’s Procurement Official as shown below:

DWR Procurement Official Contact: Nicole Anderson Email: Nicole.anderson@water.ca.gov

RFQ Submittal Address

USPS Submittals Department of Water Resources Attn: Nicole Anderson P.O. Box 942836 Sacramento, CA 94236-0001

By Hand, Courier, or Overnight Delivery Department of Water Resources Attn: Nicole Anderson 715 P Street, 7th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814

Note: Suppliers are responsible for ensuring DWR has received responses prior to the RFQ due date and time. Mailroom hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (excluding state holidays).

Deliveries are date-stamped upon receipt.

State of California – Department of Water Resources 10222412 Design, Implementation, and Technical Support for DWR’s Real-Time River Forecasting System

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. Background B. Purpose C. Location of Services D. Standard Conditions of Agreement E. Key Action Dates F. Submission of Questions G. Information Technology Provisions H. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Disclosure I. Award of Agreement/Contract J. State’s Right to Reject K. Protests L. Economic Incentive Program M. Small Business Preference Programs N. Pending Small Business or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certifications O. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Incentive Program P. Commercially Useful Function (CUF) (Government Code 14837) Q. Bidder CUF Requirements R. Administrative Response Guidelines S. Administrative Response Requirements

II. EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA INFORMATION

A. Evaluation and Selection Process B. Tax Delinquent Status Verification C. Administrative Response Requirements (Evaluation Criteria) – (Pass/Fail) D. Technical Mandatory Requirements and Evaluation Criteria E. Cost Worksheet Scoring F. Contractor’s Cost Worksheet – (Refer to Exhibit B, Attachment 1) G. Applying Small Business Preference / DVBE Incentive Preference Calculations H. Final Scoring and Award

III. SAMPLE CONTRACT PACKAGE

Sample, STD 213 Statement of Work

Attachment 1 – Work Authorization

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Attachment 2 – Formal Acceptance/Task Deliverable Form Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions

Attachment 1 – Cost Worksheet Exhibit C, IT General Provisions DGS PD-401 IT Exhibit D, DWR Additional Provisions

Attachment 1 – Small Business Subcontractor Payment Certification (DWR 9683)

IV. RFQ RESPONSE SUBMITTAL OVERVIEW

Attachment 1 – RFQ Bid Submittal Checklist Attachment 2 – RFQ Response Certification Form Attachment 3 – Customer/Client References Attachment 4 – Payee Data Record (STD 204) Attachment 5 – Secretary of State Certification to do Business in California Attachment 6 – Drug-Free Workplace Certification (STD 21) Attachment 7 – Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105) Attachment 8 – DVBE Declarations (DGS PD 843) Attachment 9 – Small Business Certifications Attachment 10 – DVBE Certification Attachment 11 – Non-Small Business Preference Request Form Attachment 12 – GenAI Disclosure (DWR 9834) Attachment 13 – California Civil Rights Laws Attachment

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. Background The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has statutory and public safety missions for collecting hydrometeorological data and issuing real-time runoff forecasts. DWR’s real-time runoff forecasting duties align with California Water Code Section 236, DWR’s Strategic Plan Goal 4 (Respond to Public Safety Emergencies), and a core value of DWR to use science to drive water management decisions.

B. Purpose To enhance operational resilience, business continuity, and redundancy, DWR seeks to establish an independent Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS) Operator–Client system that can function as a complementary system to the California–Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) CHPS environment.

C. Location of Services The services will be performed at:

DWR Joint Operations Center 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 200

Sacramento, California 95821

D. Standard Conditions of Agreement

1. Services shall not commence until the Agreement is fully executed and all approvals have been obtained.

2. All performance under the Agreement shall be completed on or before the termination date of the Agreement unless this Agreement is amended to extend the term.

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

4. Anticipated Term – The anticipated term of this agreement is December 1, 2026, to November 31, 2029. State reserves the right to extend the term of the agreement by one

(1) additional year at the rates specified in the Contractor’s Cost Worksheet (Exhibit B, Attachment 1).

5. Availability – The selected Contractor and staff must be able to meet the requirements of this RFQ and be ready to begin work on the anticipated contract start date as noted in above paragraph, unless notified otherwise. Changes to either the period of performance or contract value, or both, must be changed by a written Amendment to the Agreement, if the department exercises its option to extend services.

6. Commencement of Performance – Contractor shall not be authorized to deliver or commence performance of services as described in the Statement of Work (SOW) until written approval has been obtained from all entities. No delivery or performance of service may commence prior to the execution of the Agreement.

7. Anticipated Budget – The anticipated cost of this contract shall not exceed $750,000.00.

Quotes received for this RFQ shall not exceed the anticipated budget or they will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for award.

8. Travel Costs – State does not anticipate any travel associated with this contract and will not fund any travel expenses related to this contract.

9. Unanticipated Tasks – State reserves the right to amend contract for time and increase the contract value by up to ten percent (10%) above the Contractor’s Subtotal Offer and set this amount aside for Unanticipated Tasks as they relate to the original Statement of Work (Exhibit A). Additional dollars used for unanticipated tasks will be at the same rates as originally offered in bid submittal.

10. Disposition of Bids – Upon bid opening, all documents submitted in response to this RFQ will become the property of the State and will be regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 7920 et seq.) and are subject to review by the public. Bids may be returned at the request and expense of the bidder.

11. Follow on Contracts Prohibited (PCC §10365.5) – A person, firm, or subsidiary awarded a consulting services contract is prohibited from submitting a bid or being awarded a contract for the services or goods suggested in that consulting services contract except:

a. Exception: A person, firm, or subsidiary may be awarded a subcontract of no more than

10% of the total monetary value of the consulting services contract.

b. This prohibition applies to non-IT and IT contracts. (PCC § 10430(b))

E. Key Action Dates It is recognized that time is of the essence. All proposers are advised of the key action dates and are expected to adhere to the required dates and times as stated below. If the State finds it necessary to change any of these dates, it will be accomplished via an addendum to this RFQ.

Key Action Dates Date*

1. Release of DWR RFQ October 19, 2026

2. Submission of Written Questions October 26, 2026 by 3:00 p.m. PT

3. DWR Response to Written Questions October 28, 2026

4. Submission of Quotes November 9, 2026 by 3:00 p.m. PT

5. Anticipated Contract Start Date December 1, 2026

*All dates after the Submission of Quotes (date and time) are approximate and may be changed if needed to allow the State additional time for evaluation and contract execution

F. Submission of Questions

1. All questions regarding the content of this Request for Quote must be submitted in writing to

Nicole.anderson@water.ca.gov by the Key Action Date identified above.

2. Questions not submitted by the Key Action Date shall be answered at the State’s option.

3. Responses to Vendor’s questions will be emailed to all vendors.

G. Information Technology Provisions The following information is incorporated into this RFQ. Please read the documents carefully.

Bidder must agree to the State’s Terms and Conditions listed below by signing the RFQ Bid https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=10365.5.&lawCode=PCC https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=10430.&lawCode=PCC

Response Certification Form (Attachment 2) which can be found in Section IV of this RFQ. The State will not negotiate any of the State’s Terms and Conditions. Please read the documents carefully.

1. Bidder Instructions (GSPD-451), revised and effective 11/09/2011, may be view at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/GSPD/Bidders-Instructions.ashx

2. Department of General Services Procurement Division, Information Technology (IT) General Provisions – Non-Cloud Goods & Services GSPD-ITGP, DGS PD 403-ITGP (Non-Cloud), Revised and Effective 2/20/2025, are incorporated herein by reference:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List- Folder/Required-Language-for-Solicitations-and-Contracts

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

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

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

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

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.

I. Award of Agreement/Contract Award of contract, if made, will be in accordance with the Evaluation and Selection Criteria Evaluation Information section of this RFQ to a responsible bidder whose bid complies with all the requirements of the RFQ documents and any addendum thereto, except for such immaterial defects as may be waived by the State. Award, if made, will be made within forty-five (45) days after the schedule date for Contract Award as specified in the RFQ; however, a bidder may extend the offer by 45 days in the event of a delay of contract award.

The State reserves the right to determine the successful bidder(s) either on the basis of individual items or on the basis of all items included in its RFQ, unless otherwise expressly provided in the State’s RFQ. Unless the bidder specifies otherwise in its bid, the State may accept any item or group of items of any bid. The State reserves the right to modify or cancel in whole or in part this

RFQ.

Written notification of the State’s intent to award will be made to all bidders. If a bidder, having submitted a bid, can show that its bid, instead of the bid selected by the State, should be selected for contract award, the bidder will be allowed five (5) working days to submit a protest to the Intent to Award, according to the instructions contained in paragraph titled “Protests” of this RFQ.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/GSPD/Bidders-Instructions.ashx https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Required-Language-for-Solicitations-and-Contracts https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Required-Language-for-Solicitations-and-Contracts https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=11549.64.&lawCode=GOV

J. State’s Right to Reject A quotation may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The State may reject all proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal/quotation. The State’s waiver of immaterial defect shall in no way modify the RFQ document or excuse the proposing firm from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement. DWR reserves the right to reject all proposals for reasonable cause. Proposals received after the due date and time will be refused (if delivered in person) or (if delivered late by mail or courier) returned unopened to the proposing firm.

K. Protests Any bidder’s issues regarding solicitation requirements must be resolved (or attempts to resolve them must have been made) before a protest may be submitted according to the procedure below.

These issues will be first resolved by the contact for the solicitation or if they result in a protest, the protest will be submitted to DGS Procurement Division Deputy Director to hear and resolve issues and whose decision will be final.

If a bidder has submitted a bid which it believes to be totally responsive to the requirements of the RFQ and to be the bid that should have been selected according to the evaluation procedure in the solicitation section on Evaluation and the bidder believes the State has incorrectly selected another bidder for award, the bidder may submit a protest of the selection as described below.

Protests regarding selection of the “successful vendor” will be heard and resolved by the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board whose decision will be final.

All protests of award must be made in writing, signed by an individual authorized to bind the bidder contractually and financially, and contain a statement of the reason(s) for protest; citing the law, rule, regulation or procedure on which the protest is based. The protestor must provide facts and evidence to support the claim. Protests must be mailed or delivered to:

Department of General Services Procurement Division 707 Third Street, Second Floor South West Sacramento, California 95605 Bid Protest Coordinator Email: OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

AND

Department of Water Resources 715 P Street, Seventh Floor Sacramento, California 95814 DWR ITCPS Email: DWR_ITCPS@water.ca.gov

All protests to the RFQ or protests concerning the evaluation, recommendation, or other aspects of the selection process must be received by DGS Procurement Division Deputy Director as promptly as possible, but not later than the date indicated in the Notification of Intent to Award.

Certified or registered mail must be used unless delivered in person, in which case the protester should obtain a receipt of delivery.

mailto:OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov mailto:DWR_ITCPS@water.ca.gov

L. Economic Incentive Program Bidders may be eligible for additional preferences when their place of business is located within certain economic regions and when they hire persons living and working within those economic regions. Please access the following links to read information about these economic incentive programs.

TACPA CONTRACT PREFERENCE

This solicitation contains Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) preference request forms. Please carefully review the forms and requirements. Bidders are not required to apply for these preferences. Denial of the TACPA preference request is not a basis for rejection of the bid.

The State as part of its evaluation process reserves the right to verify, validate, and clarify all information contained in the bid. This may include, but is not limited to, information from bidders, manufacturers, subcontractors and any other sources available at the time of the bid evaluation.

Bidder refusal to agree to and/or comply with these terms, or failure to provide additional supporting information at the State's request may result in denial of preference requested.

Contracts awarded with applied preferences will be monitored throughout the life of the contract for compliance with statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements. The State will take appropriate corrective action and apply sanctions as necessary to enforce preference programs.

• TACPA Preference Request (STD 830):

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std830.pdf

• Bidder’s Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours:

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0526.pdf

• Manufacturer’s Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours:

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0525.pdf

Any questions regarding the TACPA preference should be directed to DGS-PD Support Services Unit at (916) 375-4609 or TACPA@dgs.ca.gov.

M. Small Business Preference Programs

1. The Small Business Procurement and Contract Act Government Code (GC) Section 14838

et. seq. requires that a fair share of the State’s purchases and contracts for goods, information technology services and construction be placed with a certified Small Business (SB) or Micro- Business (MB). The Act mandates that state agencies:

a. Establish participation goals,

b. Provide a five percent (5.0%) SB calculation preference, and

c. Provide the opportunity for bidders to receive a five percent (5.0%) non-small business (NSB) calculation preference when achieving twenty-five percent (25.0%) SB participation through subcontracted efforts.

Bidder which is awarded the contract is committed to paying the stated percentage of the total contract amount (including contract amendments) to the SB subcontractor(s) as declared on the DGS PD 05-105 form. SB bidders and subcontractors must be certified by DGS/OSDS to participate in SB Preference program.

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std830.pdf http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0526.pdf http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0525.pdf mailto:TACPA@dgs.ca.gov https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14838.&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14838.&lawCode=GOV

2. Small Business Preference: The SB Preference offers certified SB’s and MB’s a calculation preference in the amount of five percent (5%) of the highest points awarded to a responsible bidder. The SB Preference is used as a calculation for determining the winning bidder and does not affect the actual price bid. Responding bidders must:

a. Includes in its bid a notification to the awarding department that it is an SB or that it has submitted to The Department of General Services, Office of Small Business & Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (DGS/OSDS) a complete application no later than 5:00 p.m. on the bid due date, and is subsequently certified by DGS/OSDS as an SB; and

b. Include copy of firm’s DGS/OSDS SB certification

c. Submits a timely, responsive bid; and

d. Be determined to be a responsible bidder.

3. Small Business Preference Calculation: SB preference calculation is performed for awards based on high points. To apply the preference:

a. Identify the bidder with the #1 ranked bid (the responsive bid with the highest total score

b. Multiply the total score of the #1 ranked bid by five (5%) to determine the preference amount (per Government Code Section 14838(b)).

c. Add the preference amount to the total score of responsive bids eligible to receive the preference.

d. Identify the total score of the #1 ranked bidder (Bidder A at 1600).

e. Determine the preference amount (1600 X .05 = 80).

f. Add the preference amount to the total score of bids eligible to receive the preference (Bidder C: 1,525 + 80 = 1,605).

Example:

BIDDER A BIDDER B BIDDER C

Responsive & responsible Yes Yes Yes Eligible preference None None SB Technical Evaluation Score 800 780 775 Cost Evaluation Score 800 760 750 Total Score 1600 1540 1525 Rank 1 2 3 Preference Amount 80 Final Score 1600 1540 1605 Final Rank 2 3 1

The award is to Bidder C.

4. Ties Between Suppliers Claiming Preference: In the event of a precise tie between a California certified SB bid and a non-SB subcontracting with California certified SB, the award will be made to the California certified SB. In the event of a precise tie between a certified SB bid and a certified DVBE/SB bid, the award will be made to the certified

DVBE/SB.

N. Pending Small Business or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certifications Bidders wishing to apply for the SB Preference, NSB Preference or DVBE Incentive related to this solicitation and have pending SB or DVBE certification(s) applications under review by DGS/OSDS, you must have:

1. Notified DGS/OSDS that you are responding to a solicitation and are seeking an expedite review of your SB or DVBE certification application in relation to the solicitation;

2. Provided DGS/OSDS with the Bid Key Action Dates page from the solicitation itself; and

3. Must have submitted a complete application with all required forms and documentation to

DGS/OSDS for review and approval by close of business of the Bid Submittal due date.

Bidders must notify the State in writing at the time of bid submission that they have an application for SB or DVBE certification under review at the DGS/OSDS, and that they wish to be considered for the SB Preference, NSB Preference or DVBE Incentive.

Contact DGS/OSDS at (916) 375-4940 to obtain information about the application expedite process. Website: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro- Accordion-List/OSDS/OSDS.

O. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Incentive Program

1. DVBE Program Participation is Required for Solicitation

This solicitation includes DVBE Program participation requirements, which is a minimum of three percent (3.0%) commitment. Complete and provide the following forms for DVBE Program participation compliance:

a. DGS PD 05-105, Bidder Declaration (Section IV, Attachment 7) - refer to page two of form for detailed instructions

b. DGS PD 843, DVBE Declarations (Section IV, Attachment 8)

c. DGS/OSDS Certification(s) for bidder and/or subcontractor(s). Bidder and/or subcontractors must be certified by DGS/OSDS in order to take part in DVBE Participation Program.

DVBE Incentive is as follows:

DVBE Required Participation Incentive Percentage (%) 5.0% or over 5.0%

4.0% to 4.99% 4.0% 3.0% to 3.99% 3.0%

If you need assistance with finding a certified DVBE subcontractor, you can contact the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) DVBE Program

• https://www.calvet.ca.gov/contact

• Phone Number: 800-952-5626

• Email: DVBE@calvet.ca.gov

You can also do a certified vendor search on Cal eProcure:

https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/PublicSearch/supplier-search.aspx?psNewWin=true https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/OSDS/OSDS https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/OSDS/OSDS https://www.calvet.ca.gov/contact mailto:DVBE@calvet.ca.gov https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/PublicSearch/supplier-search.aspx?psNewWin=true

2. DWR SB/DVBE Program Manager Pre-Review Of DVBE Documentation

The Department’s SB/DVBE Program Manager offers a pre-review of a bidder’s DVBE documentation prior to proposal submission. Since non-compliance with the DVBE program is immediate cause for rejection, the State strongly recommends firms interested in bidding take advantage of this opportunity to ensure they are fully compliant with DVBE Program participation requirements.

Bidders should allow at least five (5) working days for pre-review of their DVBE documentation and submit them to the following:

SB/DVBE Program Manager Email: SB.DVBE@water.ca.gov

Upon satisfactory review of the bidder’s DVBE documentation, the DWR SB/DVBE Program Manager issues a Notification of Compliance which the bidder will submit with their bid submittal.

3. DVBE Incentive Program

Under CCR 1896.99.100, the California DVBE Incentive provides responsive and responsible bidders the opportunity to receive additional incentive calculations. The incentive is applied at the time of solicitation evaluation when a proposing firm identifies and commits to using a California-certified DVBE subcontractor to provide services or commodities in support of the overall contract. Application of the DVBE Incentive may place the bidder in line for contract award.

The following are key elements of the DVBE Incentive Program:

a. The DVBE Incentive is applied during the evaluation process and is only applied to responsive bids from responsible bidders proposing the percentage(s) of DVBE participation for the incentive(s) specified in the solicitation.

b. DVBE Incentive participation is at the discretion of the bidder and is optional when overall DVBE Program requirements are exempt by the State for that solicitation.

c. When requesting the DVBE Incentive Application, a bidder must complete and return the DVBE Incentive Application Request included within this solicitation with their proposal at time of submission.

d. DVBE certified firm (bidder and/or subcontractor(s)) must be certified by DGS/OSDS.

e. Services or commodities provided by the DVBE firm MUST meet the definition of

CUF as defined under Government Codes: 14837 and 14842.5; Military and Veterans Code 999 (B) (i) (ii); and California Code of Regulations 1896.71. A DVBE firm determined as not meeting CUF regulations will render the responding firm ineligible for the DVBE Incentive Application.

4. Bidder which is awarded this contract, is committed to paying the stated percentage (on each form DWR 9526) of the total contract amount (including contract amendments) to the DVBE subcontractor declared on this form.

mailto:SB.DVBE@water.ca.gov https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/IB12922901BF311EE8DA6DAFA82226BB2?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)&bhcp=1 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=999&lawCode=MVC https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=999&lawCode=MVC https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=999&lawCode=MVC

P. Commercially Useful Function (CUF) (Government Code 14837) A certified SB, micro-business (MB) contractor, subcontractor or supplier, must meet commercially useful function (CUF) requirements under Government Code (GC) section 14837(d) (4). Selected firms must perform a CUF relevant to this contract.

The term “small business contractor, subcontractor or supplier” means any person or entity that satisfies the ownership (or management) and control requirements in accordance with GC section 14837(d) (4) and provides services or goods that contribute to the fulfillment of the contract requirements by performing a CUF. A person or an entity is deemed to perform a CUF if that person or entity does all of the following:

1. Is responsible for the execution of a distinct element of the work of the contract.

2. Carries out contractual obligations by actually performing, managing, or supervising the work involved.

3. Performs work that is normal for its business services and functions.

4. Is not further subcontracting a portion of the work that is greater than that expected to be subcontracted by normal industry practices.

5. Is responsible, with respect to products, inventories, materials, and supplies required for the contract, for negotiating price, determining quality and quantity, ordering, installing, and, if applicable, making payment

6. Its role is not an extra participant in the transaction, contract or project through which funds are passed in order to obtain the appearance of DVBE participation.

Q. Bidder CUF Requirements The Department will determine, to the best of its ability, that your firm meets the criteria above for CUF. In responding to this solicitation, you are confirming that, under GC 14837 (d) (4) above, your business provides goods and/or services meet the definition of CUF. All bidders are required to provide CUF documentation using the State’s Bidder Declaration form DGS PD 05-105 (Section IV, Attachment 7), included in the solicitation document. When completing the DGS PD 05-105, bidders must identify all subcontractors proposed for participation in the contract. Any bidder awarded a contract is contractually obligated to use the subcontractor for the corresponding work defined unless the State agrees to a substitution.

R. Administrative Response Guidelines This RFQ and the Contractor’s offer in response to this document will be made a part of the contract. Responses to this RFQ must contain all data/information requested and must conform to the format described in this RFQ document. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to provide all required data and any other information deemed necessary for the State’s review team to determine and verify the Contractor’s ability to perform the tasks and activities defined in the Statement of Work location in Section III.

S. Administrative Response Requirements To be deemed responsive the following items must be submitted with your RFQ Response. An RFQ Submittal Checklist (Attachment 1) included in Section IV, may be used as a reference tool in ensuring all documents and attachments are returned with the RFQ response:

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837.&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837.&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837.&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837.&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14837&lawCode=GOV

1. All RFQ responses must be addressed to the DWR Procurement Official identified in this RFQ by the date and time identified in Section I – Key Action Dates.

2. The Bidder must submit their offers in a sealed envelope labeled “10222412 – Design, Implementation, and Technical Support for DWR’s Real-Time River Forecasting System.” The outside of the sealed envelope/box must be labelled as instructed on the cover letter to this RFQ.

3. Response copies: Bidder must submit one (1) hardcopy of their bid, and one (1) electronic copy on USB Flash Drive of all documentation required as part of this RFQ. Do not include the Cost Worksheet (Exhibit B, Attachment 1) within the hardcopies.

4. Cost Worksheet: Bidder must submit a Cost Worksheet (refer to Section III - Exhibit B, Attachment 1) The Cost Worksheet must identify the proposed staff member and hourly rate for each. If item is zero cost, Bidder must enter price as $0.00, otherwise the Cost Worksheet may be deemed unresponsive and disqualified. Bidders are reminded of the prohibition of selling items below their cost, which is prohibited under Business & Profession Codes.

5. Attachment 1 – RFQ Response Submittal Checklist (Required) The Response Submittal Checklist is designed to assist the bidder in ensuring all documents and attachments are returned with the response.

6. Attachment 2 – RFQ Response Certification Form (Required) Bidders submitting a response must include completed RFQ Response Certification form.

Bidders must also check the appropriate box regarding their acceptance of the State’s required IT language provisions as referenced in Section I, paragraph G, and Section III, sample contract package.

7. Attachment 3 – Customer/Client References (Required) Bidders submitting a response must include the required number of references as identified in Section II, Paragraph D Technical Mandatory Requirements and Evaluation Criteria.

8. Attachment 4 – Payee Data Record (STD 204) (Required) Bidder must include a completed copy of the Payee Data Record, STD 204, with bid.

9. Attachment 5 – Vendor’s Certification to do Business in the State of California (If Applicable) – Bidder must (if applicable) submit an approved Secretary of State (SOS) certification with “Active” status or proof that certification is in process, to do business in the State of California.

10. Attachment 6 – Drug-Free Workplace Certification (STD 21) (Required) Bidder must include a completed copy of the Drug-Free Workplace Certification, STD 21, if Bidder has not previously done business with DWR.

11. Attachment 7 – Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105) (Required) All bidders must complete the Bidder Declaration GSPD-05-105 and include it with their offer.

When completing the declaration, bidders must identify all subcontractors, if any are proposed for participation in the resulting contract. Contractors awarded a contract are contractually obligated to use the subcontractors for the corresponding work identified unless the State agrees to a substitution and it is incorporated by amendment to the contract. Failure to include the Bidder Declaration may result in offer rejection.

12. Attachment 8 – Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declaration (DGS PD 843) (If applicable) – All prime DVBE firms or DVBE firms acting as subcontractors for materials, supplies, services or equipment rental must submit an original signed DVBE Declaration, DGS PD 843 with their offer, or provide one to the prime for inclusion with their offer submittal.

13. Attachment 9 – Small Business Certification (If applicable) Contractors claiming the small business preference or who have committed to subcontract at least 25% of the net offer price with one or more California certified small businesses must provide their OSDS certification. Completed certification applications and required support documents must be submitted to the Office of Small Business and DVBE Services (OSDS) no later than 5:00 p.m. on the offer due date, and the OSDS must be able to approve the application as submitted.

Small business nonprofit veteran service agencies (SB/NVSA) claiming the small business preference must possess certification by California prior to the day and time offers are due.

Questions regarding certification should be directed to the OSDS at (916) 375-4940.

14. Attachment 10 – DVBE Certification (If applicable) Firms proposing DVBE subcontractor(s) must include the selected DVBE firm’s DGS OSDS firm certification at the time of offer submission. Failure to include the DVBE certification will result in no application of the DVBE incentive during bid evaluation.

15. Attachment 11 – Non-Small Business Preference Request Form (If applicable) A Non-Small Business (NSB) firm may request the Small Business preference pursuant to the Small Business Procurement and Contract Act (Gov. Code Section 14835 et. Seq.), providing that the firm has selected, and mutually agreed, to partner with a certified Small Business subcontractor to provide commodities or services related to the performance of the requested services identified in this RFQ.

Any firm responding to this RFQ desiring to claim this preference is required to submit the NSB Preference Request form with their offer. Contractors submitting incomplete NSB Preference Request forms will not be eligible to receive the NSB preference.

Firms requesting the NSB preference must include the DGS OSDS Small Business certification with the NSB preference form for the Small Business subcontractor(s) listed on the NSB form. Failure to include the certification will result in no application of the NSB preference during offer review.

16. Attachment 12 – Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Disclosure (DWR 9834) (Required) All Bidders/Offerors must complete the GenAI Disclosure (DWR 9834) to provide notification to the State in writing if their solution or service includes, or makes available, any GenAI technology, including GenAI from third parties or subcontractors.

Failure to disclose GenAI to the State and submit the GenAI Reporting and 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 form, 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.

17. Attachment 13 – California Civil Rights Laws Certifications (If applicable) Pursuant to Public Contract Code section 2010, all bidders or proposers executing or renewing a contract over $100,000 on or after January 1, 2017, must certify compliance with the California Civil Rights Laws and Employer Discriminatory Policies.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14835.&lawCode=GOV https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=2010.&lawCode=PCC

II. EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA INFORMATION

A. Evaluation and Selection Process

1. Selection Basis – The State will put each RFQ offer response through a process of evaluation to determine the responsiveness of bidders to the State’s needs. Award of the Contract will be made to the Supplier with the Highest Points scored for this solicitation. This selection process is designed to identify Contractors that demonstrates the “Best” capability to meet the State’s requirements based on the Administrative and Technical Requirements as defined in the RFQ. Final selection will be made to the contractor with the highest points scored.

The evaluation criteria governing contract award is based on a high point award system that includes cost. These factors are weighted for this solicitation with administrative and technical requirements equaling 50% of the evaluation, and cost equaling the remaining 50% of the total possible points before socioeconomic preferences and incentives are included.

2. False or Misleading Information: Bids containing false or misleading statement or providing references that do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the bidder may be rejected.

If, in the opinion of the State, information was intended to mislead the State in its evaluation of the bid, and the attribute, condition, or capability is a requirement of this RFQ, it will be the basis for rejection of the bid.

3. Conformance with Requirements: At the time of bid opening, each RFQ offer response will be checked for the presence of requirement information in conformance with the submission requirements of this RFQ. DWR will evaluate each RFQ response to determine its responsiveness to the requirements. The overall responsiveness of each RFQ response is based on the complete response from the Contractor to the RFQ requirements.

4. Mathematical Accuracy: The Contractor’s Cost Worksheet, Exhibit B, Attachment 1, (located in Section III) will be checked for mathematical accuracy and scored. Errors will be corrected in accordance with the Bidders Instructions.

5. Tie Bids: If there are tied bids, representatives of the State will flip a coin to pick the winning bidder. The drawing will be witnessed and documented by two or more State employees, at least one of which is a Division of Business Services (DBS) employee.

B. Tax Delinquent Status Verification

1. Effective July 1, 2012, Public Contract Code 10295.4, requires state agencies to verify the tax delinquent status of bidders responding to state solicitations.

2. At the time of bid evaluation, prior to contract award and execution, the State will verify all bidders and identified subcontractors as not listed as tax delinquent by the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization. Any bidder or subcontractor listed as tax delinquent shall result in a bid rejection and will not be considered for contract award. Bidders wanting further clarification can refer to the statute above or to the web sites listed below for additional information.

California Department of Tax and Fee Administration – Top 500 Sales Tax and Use Delinquencies

Top 500 Sales & Use Tax Delinquencies in California

Franchise Tax Board – Top 500 Delinquent Taxpayers Top 500 Past Due Balances https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/top500.htm https://www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsroom/top-500-past-due-balances/index.html

C. Administrative Response Requirements (Evaluation Criteria) – (Pass/Fail) The administrative requirements defined in Section I., Paragraph S. Administrative Requirements, and in Section IV, Attachment 1 - RFQ Bid Submittal Checklist will be reviewed and the Contractor will receive a “Pass, Fail, or N/A” for each listed requirement. Failure to provide all required items may be grounds for rejection as determined by evaluation team. Minor omissions may be determined to be immaterial, and Contractor may be allowed to correct the deficiency within a reasonable period of time prior to the final selection.

D. Technical Mandatory Requirements and Evaluation Criteria The overall responsiveness of each RFQ response is based on the complete response from the Contractor to the RFQ requirements, including the statement of work for the project. The Contractor’s Cost Worksheet will then be checked for mathematical accuracy. Mathematical errors will be corrected in accordance with the Bidders Instructions.

The following will be scored in the Technical Evaluation phase. All mandatory requirements are a Pass/Fail. Additional points will be given for the Mandatory Experience exceeding the minimum requirement and any Desired Experience as identified. Contractor must submit a resume for each of their proposed staff and meet or exceed the requirements in their corresponding classifications as stated in Technical Requirements This selection process is designed to identify the contractors who demonstrate the “best” capability to meet the State’s requirements:

1. Table 1 – Contractor’s Minimum Qualifications

2. Table 2 – Contractor’s Technical Approach to Deliverables

Contractors will be awarded points based on their Approach to Tasks/Deliverables defined in the Statement of Work (SOW), Exhibit A. Each response will be evaluated based upon the depth and breadth demonstrated in the Contractor’s proposed approach to the technical solution, compliance with industry standards, relevant staffing, relevant knowledge and the completeness of the response to the information requested, based on the following scoring criteria table.

Point Percentage Description

Non-Compliant 0%

Fails to address the component or the proposing firm does not describe any experience related to the component.

Poor 30%

Minimally addresses the section, but one or more major considerations of the component are not addressed, or so limited that it results in a low degree of confidence in the proposing firm’s response.

Fair 50%

The response addresses the section, but minor considerations may not be addressed. Acceptable degree of confidence in the proposing firm’s response

Good 80%

The response fully addresses the section and provides a good quality solution. Good degree of confidence in the proposing firm’s response.

Point Percentage Description

Excellent 90%

All considerations of the section are addressed with a high degree of confidence in the proposing firm’s response.

Outstanding 100%

All considerations of the section are addressed with the highest degree of confidence in the firm’s response or proposed solution.

The response exceeds the requirements in providing a superior experience and creative approach.

The State calculates points for the Contractor’s Technical Approach to Deliverables as a percentage of the total possible score. For example, if a response carries 50 total possible points, an Outstanding score yields 100% (50 points), a Good score yields 80% (40 points), and a Poor score yields 30% (15 points).

E. Cost Worksheet Scoring Scoring for each firm’s Cost Worksheet will be based on the ratio of its total cost to the total cost associated with the lowest responsive proposal multiplied by the maximum number of cost points available and rounded to nearest whole number.

Example Scoring: Max available score = 30 points. Lowest Bid = Firm B.

Firm Total Cost Proposal Calculation Cost Worksheet

Score

A $175,000 $100,000 (Firm B) X 30 $175,000 (Firm A) 17

B $100,000 $100,000 (Firm B) X 30 $100,000 (Firm B) 30

C $150,000 $100,000 (Firm B) X 30 $150,000 (Firm C) 20

Table 1: Contractor’s Minimum Qualifications Qualifications will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis against the minimum requirements using the Vendor’s provided experience description.

Vendors that fail to meet all minimum requirements will be disqualified from further consideration.

TABLE 1 – Contractor’s Minimum Qualifications Requirement Mandatory or

Desired

Evaluation Criteria Scoring for Qualification/Experience

DWR Use Only Points awarded

1. The contractor must demonstrate at least 5 years of experience in development, configuration, or support of operational hydrologic forecasting systems.

Mandatory Pass/Fail

2. The contractor must demonstrate experience with real-time or near-real-time forecasting systems, including automated data ingestion, data QA/QC tools, scheduling, and forecast execution.

Mandatory Pass/Fail

3. The contractor must demonstrate direct experience configuring and implementing Delft-FEWS and Community Hydrologic Prediction System in an operational environment.

Mandatory Pass/Fail

4. The contractor must demonstrate experience participating in testing, evaluation, or implementation of pre-release (e.g., beta) versions of Delft-FEWS or similar operational forecasting software.

Mandatory Pass/Fail

5. The contractor must demonstrate experience providing technical training and knowledge transfer to operational staff. Mandatory Pass/Fail

6. The contractor must identify key personnel with relevant expertise in FEWS/CHPS configuration and operational forecasting systems.

Mandatory Pass/Fail

7. The contractor must submit a minimum of two (3) customer references for work similar in nature of these RFQ requirements, performed within the last five (5) years.

Use Attachment 3 – Customer/Client References

Mandatory Pass/Fail

Table 1 – Contractor’s Minimum Qualifications Pass/Fail

Table 2 – Contractor’s Technical Approach to Deliverables

Contractors will be awarded points based on their Approach to the delivery of services, tasks/deliverables. Each response will be evaluated based upon the demonstrated depth and breadth of Contractor’s proposed approach to the delivery of services, compliance industry standard and practices, relevant staffing depth, relevant knowledge and the completeness of the response to the information requested.

Contractor must submit a response titled “Contractor’s Technical Response to DWR 10222412 – Design, Implementation, and Technical Support for DWR’s Real-Time River Forecasting System” and include the following:

Table 3 – Contractor’s Approach to Tasks/Deliverables – Key Elements

Maximum Possible Points

Points Awarded

1.

Describe the proposed system architecture and design for the Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS) Operator–Client environment, including how the system will replicate (mirror) the functionality, workflows, and outputs of the California–Nevada River Forecast Center CHPS system, and explain how the design supports statewide scalability, reliability, and operational performance.

2.

Describe the proposed implementation approach and work plan, including task sequencing, milestone alignment, and coordination with DWR IT processes and constraints.

3.

Demonstrate experience and provide a detailed description of the proposed approach for configuring Delft-FEWS and/or CHPS, including workflows, modules, configuration management, and operational forecasting setups.

4.

Describe the approach for integrating meteorological, hydrologic, and reservoir data sources into the system, including methods for automated data ingestion, scheduling, error handling, and ensuring data integrity under real-time 24-hour and 7 days per week operational conditions.

5.

Describe the proposed approach for system testing, validation, and acceptance, and procedures for issue tracking and resolution.

6.

Describe the proposed approach for training DWR staff and transferring…