RFQ_26520504_-_Payment_Processing_Services.docx

Date: August 7, 2026

Request for Quote (RFQ) Payment Processing Services

RFQ 26520504

Notice to Prospective Respondents

The Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) invites you to review and respond to this Request for Quote (RFQ) for payment processing services for our Home Loans Division. In submitting your Quote, you must comply with the instructions found herein. Failure to comply with any of the requirements may result in the rejection of your Quote. The services required are delineated in the Statement of Work (SOW). Please read the enclosed document carefully.

To submit a Quote for this solicitation you must comply with the instructions contained in this document as well as the requirements stated in Exhibit A - Statement of Work. By submitting a Quote, your firm agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this RFQ.

Response due date is located in Section I. General Information, G. Key Action Dates. Late responses will not be accepted.

Responses to this RFQ must be submitted by electronic mail to: ITProcurementServices@Calvet.ca.gov Attention: Diana Gee, Procurement Official

Reasonable Accommodation:

To comply with the non-discrimination requirements of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), it is the policy of the State to make every effort to ensure that its programs, activities and services are available to all persons, including persons with disabilities. For persons with a disability needing a reasonable modification to participate in the procurement process, or for persons having questions regarding reasonable modifications for the procurement process, you may notify CalVet contact above. To ensure that we can meet your need, submit your request for reasonable modification at least five (5) business days before the scheduled event or the due date of procurement documents.

Contents

Request for Quote (RFQ) I. General Information A. Purpose of RFQ The objective of this RFQ is to provide payment processing services for the CalVet Home Loans Division. CalVet is a California state agency authorized to provide a home or farm loan to veterans using state voter approved bonds funding.

CalVet’s Home Loan Program offers home loans to veterans with below market interest rates and low or no down payment requirements. This is a self-funded program without cost to the California taxpayer. The Home Loan Program originates home loans and provides manual underwriting, home protection coverage, and servicing.

Service Locations The Contractor shall provide all products and services required to achieve these tasks at the following location:

Department of Veterans Affairs Headquarters 1227 O Street Sacramento, CA 95814

The State will not reimburse the Contractor for any travel related costs.

B. Availability All candidates submitted by the Contractor must be available during the term of the Contract. The selected Contractor and proposed staff must be able to meet the requirements of the RFQ and be ready to begin work on the anticipated Contract start date indicated in the Key Action Dates, unless notified otherwise by CalVet.

C. Period of Performance The anticipated term of this Contract begins on the date indicated in the Key Action Dates, for a term of three (3) years at the rates stated in Exhibit B-1, Cost Sheet. If the Contractor starts performance before final approval of the Contract, it shall be considered voluntary on the part of the Contractor and free of charge.

D. Information Technology Provisions The following information is incorporated into this RFQ. Please read the documents carefully. Bidder must agree to the terms and conditions listed below by signing the Contractor’s Bid Certification Sheet which can be found in Section II – Contractor’s Bid Submittal Checklist section of this RFQ. Please read the documents carefully.

Bidder Instructions (Effective 11/09/11) https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/GS/PD/DGSPD%20451.pdf General Services Procurement Division – Information Technology General Provisions – (Cloud Computing Services) – GSPD-ITGP (Cloud) (Revised 02/20/2025) https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/Acquisitions/Solicitation-Document-Attachments/IT-General-Provisions-Cloud-DGS-PD-402ITGP-Revised-02202025.pdf Refer to Exhibit C - General Services Procurement Division – Information Technology General Provisions – (Cloud Computing Services) – GSPD-ITGP (Cloud) for more information.

E. Eligible Bidders Public or private corporations, agencies, organizations, associations, or individuals may submit a Quote in response to this RFQ. The Bidder must be legally constituted and qualified to do business within the State of California (registered with the Secretary of State). With the exception of Bidders whose legal status precludes incorporation (i.e., public agencies, sole proprietorships, and partnerships). Bidders that are not fully incorporated by the deadline for submitting Quotes will be disqualified. The Bidder must also not be listed on either list of the 500 largest tax delinquencies pursuant to §7063 or §19195 of the State of California Revenue and Taxation Code.

F. Loss Leader It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this State to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the State of California Business and Professions Code.

G. Key Action Dates Listed below are the Key Action Dates and times by which the actions shall be completed. If the State finds it necessary to change any of these dates, it will be accomplished via an addendum to this RFQ. Dates are estimated and may be extended as necessary.

Responses to this RFQ must be submitted by electronic mail to: ITProcurementServices@Calvet.ca.gov Attention: Diana Gee, Procurement Official (with a cc to Diana.Gee@Calvet.ca.gov)

H. Submission of Questions All questions and required attachments/documentation must be submitted electronically with the subject, “Payment Processing Services – Home Loans RFQ” to: ITProcurementServices@calvet.ca.gov with a cc to Diana.Gee@calvet.ca.gov.

All questions submitted by the deadline will be responded to at the same time with all questions and answers posted to Cal eProcure in the form of a question and answer set.

Oral communications by Agency/state entity officers and employees concerning this solicitation shall not be binding on the State and shall in no way excuse the Bidder of any obligations set forth in this solicitation.

All questions regarding the content of this RFQ shall be submitted via e-mail according to the following format:

Questions not submitted by the due date stated in the Key Action Dates shall be answered at the State’s option.

It shall be the Bidder’s responsibility to immediately notify the Procurement Official identified in Section I. H., in writing, whenever its intent to bid changes or whenever there is a change in the bidder’s designated contact information. The State shall not be responsible for Quote correspondence not received by the Bidder if the Bidder fails to notify the State, in writing, about any change pertaining to the designated contact person.

I. Submission of Quote Award of Contract, if made, shall be in accordance with the RFQ information and evaluation to a responsible Bidder with a Quote that complies with all the requirements of the RFQ and any addenda. Award, if made, shall be made within forty-five (45) days after the scheduled date for Contract Award as specified in the RFQ; however, a Bidder may extend the Quote beyond forty-five (45) days in the event of a delay of Contract award.

Quotes should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the firm's ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFQ. The Quote must be complete and accurate. Omissions, inaccuracies or misstatements may be sufficient cause for rejection of a Quote.

1) All Quotes shall include the Attachments and supporting documentation identified in “RFQ Submission Checklist.” Quotes that do not include the proper "required attachments" shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive is one that does not meet the basic requirements.

2) All documents requiring a signature must bear an original signature or electronic signature of a person authorized to bind the Bidder firm.

3) Quotes must be submitted for the performance of all the services described herein. Any deviation from the work specifications will not be considered and will cause a Quote to be rejected.

4) A Quote 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 any or all Quotes and may waive an immaterial deviation in a Quote. The State's waiver of immaterial deviation shall in no way modify the RFQ document or excuse the Bidder from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the Contract.

5) Costs for developing Quotes and in anticipation of award of the Contract is entirely the responsibility of the Bidder and shall not be charged to the State of California.

6) An individual who is authorized to bind the Bidder contractually shall sign the Bidder Preferences and Certification form. The signature should indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned Quote may be rejected. If the Quote is made under a fictitious name or business title, the actual legal name of Bidder must be provided.

7) A Bidder may modify a Quote after its submission by withdrawing its original Quote and resubmitting a new Quote prior to the Quote submission deadline. Bidder modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

8) A Bidder may withdraw its Quote by submitting a written withdrawal request to the State, signed by the Bidder or an authorized agent. A Bidder may thereafter submit a new Quote prior to the Quote submission deadline. Quotes may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to Quote submission deadline.

9) The State may modify the RFQ prior to the date fixed for submission of Quotes by the issuance of an addendum to all parties who received a Quote package.

10) The awarding agency reserves the right to reject all Quotes. The agency is not required to award a Contract.

11) Before submitting a response to this solicitation, Bidders should review, correct all errors and confirm compliance with the RFQ requirements.

12) Where applicable, Bidder should carefully examine work sites and specifications. Bidders shall investigate conditions, character, and quality of surface or subsurface materials or obstacles that might be encountered. No additions or increases to the Contract amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of work sites and specifications.

13) General Services Procurement Division – Information Technology General Provisions –– (Cloud Computing Services) – GSPD-ITGP (Cloud) (Revised 02/20/2025). The State does not accept alternate Contract language from a prospective Bidder. A Quote with such language will be considered a counter Quote/Bid and will be rejected. The State’s General Services Procurement Division – Information Technology General Provisions –– (Cloud Computing Services) – GSPD-ITGP (Cloud) are not negotiable and may be viewed at Exhibit C.

14) Payee Data Record. Bidder must complete and submit to the awarding agency the Payee Data Record (STD204) to determine if the Bidder is subject to state income tax withholding pursuant to California Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 18662 and 26131. No payment shall be made unless a completed STD204 has been returned to the awarding agency. This form can be found at https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std204.pdf.

15) Contractor Certification Clauses. Bidder must sign and submit to the awarding agency, page one (1) of the Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC), which can be found on the Internet at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Resources/CCC-042017.pdf?la=en&hash=4DE3E4DC414511AE378794200BA43EBF91C758EE.

16) California Civil Rights Laws Certification. Pursuant to Public Contract Code section 2010, the Bidder shall complete Form 12, California Civil Rights Laws Certification, certifying compliance with the following:

(a) California Civil Rights Laws: For Contracts over $100,000 executed or renewed after January 1, 2017, the Bidder certifies compliance with the Unruh Civil Rights Act (section 51 of the Civil Code) and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (section 12960 of the Government Code); and Contractor certifies that such policies are not used in violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Section 51 of the Civil Code) or the Fair Employment and Housing Act (Section 12960 of the Government Code).

(b) Employer Discrimination Policies: For Contracts over $100,000 executed or renewed after January 1, 2017, if a Bidder has an internal policy against a sovereign nation or peoples recognized by the United States government, the Contractor certifies that such policies are not used in violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Section 51 of the Civil Code) or the Fair Employment and Housing Act (Section 12960 of the Government Code).

J. Award of Contract Award of Contract, if made, will be in accordance with the RFQ information on Evaluation to a responsible Bidder whose Quote complies with all the requirements of the RFQ documents and an addenda 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 scheduled date for Contract Award as specified in the RFQ; however, a Bidder may extend the offer beyond forty-five (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 its 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 Notice of Intent to Protest, according to the instructions contained in the paragraph titled “Protests” of this RFQ.

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 first be 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 responsive to the requirements of the RFQ and to be the bid that should have been selected according to the evaluation procedures in the solicitation 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 protester must provide facts and evidence to support the claim. Protests must be mailed or delivered to:

Dispute Resolution Unit Department of General Services Procurement Division 707 Third Street, Second Floor South West Sacramento, CA 95605 PDProtest@dgs.ca.gov All protests to the RFQ or protests concerning the evaluation, recommendation, or other aspects of the selection process must be received by the 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.

L. State’s Right to Reject A Quote 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 Quotes and may waive any immaterial deviation in a Quote. The State’s waiver immaterial defect shall in no way modify the RFQ document or excuse the proposing firm from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the Contract. CalVet reserves the right to reject all Quotes at its sole discretion. If all Quotes are too high, CalVet is not required to award a Contract (State of California PCC § 10344(d), § 10377(d)).

M. 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. For more information, refer to Section N below.

N. TACPA Contract Preference The Department of General Services, Procurement Division, (DGS-PD) Support Services Unit (SSU) administers the Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) program.

This solicitation provides for the optional TACPA preference. Bidders are not required to apply for this preference. Denial of the TACPA preference request is not a basis for rejection of the bid/offer.

The TACPA workplace and workforce preferences will be evaluated for this solicitation. California-based companies seeking TACPA preferences will need to complete and submit preference request forms with the bid/offer. The following webpage contains required preference request forms and an interactive map to determine if a business is located within a TACPA qualified zone: Request-a Target-Area-Contract-Preference By submitting TACPA forms, a bidder given a TACPA preference agrees to the TACPA contract provisions required by Government Code section 4535 and provided in section 1896.40 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) in addition to requirements specified on the TACPA form STD 830.

Pursuant to the TACPA, the state shall award workplace and workforce preferences to eligible California-based companies for state solicitations exceeding $100,000.00 for the purchase of goods and services, including Information Technology goods and services, except a contract in which the worksite is fixed by the provisions of the Contract. (See Government Code (GC) §§ 4530 – 4535.3)

1. Preference Amounts Specific to Solicitations for SERVICES

(a) A workplace preference of 5 percent to California-based companies who demonstrate and certify under penalty of perjury that not less than 90 percent of the total labor hours required to perform the contract shall be accomplished at an identified worksite or worksites located in a distressed area

(b) A workforce preference, as specified in GC Section 4533.1, to California-based companies that demonstrate and certify, under penalty of perjury, that the workforce completing those labor hours are persons with a high risk of unemployment, as defined in GC Section 4532. Section 4533.1 specifies workforce preferences from 1 percent to 4 percent depending on the percentage of a bidder’s workforce required to perform the contract who are persons with high risk of unemployment as committed to and certified by the bidder.

1. Preference Maximum Amounts

(a) The maximum preference cost for the workplace preference cannot exceed $50,000.00.

(b) The maximum preference cost for the workforce preference cannot exceed $50,000.00.

(c) The maximum combined preferences and incentives resulting from a workplace preference, workforce preference, and other preferences or incentives provided under any other provision of law shall be 15% but may not in any case exceed $100,000.00 in total.

1. Preference Precedence California certified small business bidders qualified in accordance with GC 14838 shall have precedence over non-small business bidders in that the application of any bidder preference for which non-small business bidders may be eligible, including the workplace and workforce preferences under TACPA, shall not result in the denial of the award to a small business bidder. This shall apply to those cases where the small business bidder is the lowest responsible bidder, as well as to those cases where the small business bidder is eligible for award as the result of application of the 5-percent small business bidder preference and incentive.

1. Assistance to Bidders & Distressed Area Map The Department of General Services, with the cooperation of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, shall assist prospective bidders in identifying those areas of the state which qualify as distressed areas for purposes of the TACPA preferences (Title 2 California Code of Regulations (CCR) 1896.38).

The following webpage contains an interactive map to determine if a business is located within a TACPA qualified zone: Request-a-Target-Area-Contract-Preference.

For assistance, bidders may contact DGS-PD SSU at: TACPA@dgs.ca.gov

The Employment Development Department (EDD) shall assist bidders seeking to certify that they will employ persons with high risk of unemployment in recruiting eligible job applicants and shall certify such applicants, except youths participating in qualified cooperative education programs who shall otherwise be certified (2 CCR 1896.39).

O. RFQ Response Guidelines Responses to this RFQ shall contain all data/information requested. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to provide all required data and any other information deemed necessary for the State’s evaluation team to determine and verify the Bidder’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFQ.

At the State’s option prior to award, Bidders may be required to submit additional written clarifying information, including rationale for their proposed solution. Failure to submit the required written information as specified may be grounds for Quote rejection.

P. Confidentiality Bidder material becomes public only after the notice of Intent to Award is released. If material marked “confidential,” “proprietary,” or “trade secret” is requested pursuant to the Public Records Act, the State will make an independent assessment whether it is exempt from disclosure. If the State disagrees with the Bidder, the State will notify the Bidder and give them a reasonable opportunity to justify their position or obtain a court order protecting the material from disclosure.

The Bidder should be aware that marking a document “confidential” or “proprietary” in a Final Quote may exclude it from consideration for award and will not keep that document from being released after notice of award as part of the public record, unless a court has ordered the State not to release the document. The content of all working papers and discussions relating to the Bidder’s Quote shall be held in confidence indefinitely, unless the public interest is best served by an item’s disclosure because of its direct pertinence to a decision, agreement or the evaluation of the Quote.

Any disclosure of confidential information by the Bidder is a basis for rejecting the Bidder’s Quote and ruling the Bidder ineligible to further participate. Any disclosure of confidential information by a State employee is a basis for disciplinary action, including dismissal from State employment, as provided by Government Code §19570 et seq. Total confidentiality is paramount; it cannot be over emphasized.

II. Evaluation Information The winning bid will be based on the highest score received which is calculated by adding the points earned for technical and cost requirements.

A. Administrative, Business, and Technical Requirements The Administrative, Business, and Technical requirements will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Quotes will first be screened to determine if the Bidder has complied with appropriate submittal instructions and required components. Quotes that meet the “pass/fail” criteria will be eligible to have their cost quote evaluated. QUOTES THAT DO NOT PASS ALL THE MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE AND WILL BE REJECTED.

The State has established certain requirements with respect to Quotes to be submitted by prospective Bidders. The use of “shall,” “must,” or “will” (except to indicate simple futurity) in this RFQ indicates a requirement or condition that is mandatory. Should a Bidder respond to a mandatory requirement using language that fails to explicitly commit the Bidder after Contract award by using terms such as “may” or “could,” the State may interpret the response as a material deviation. A deviation, if not material, may be waived by the State. A deviation from a requirement is material if the deficient response is not in substantial accord with the RFQ requirements, provides an advantage to one Bidder over other Bidders, or has a potentially significant effect on the delivery, quantity, or quality of items Quote, the amount paid to the Bidder or on the cost to the State. Material deviations cannot be waived.

The State has determined that it is best to define its own needs, desired operating objectives, and desired operating environment. The State will not tailor these needs to fit some solution a Bidder may have available; rather, the Bidder shall propose to meet the State’s needs as defined in this solicitation.

The Bidder qualifications and solution requirements listed in this section are denoted as follows:

1) (M) Sections labeled as “Mandatory” or “M” are not negotiable. To be considered responsive and responsible to these requirements, all requirements identified as (M) must be responded to. A “fail” will result in a Quote being deemed non-responsive and, therefore, will be disqualified. Failure to respond to any (M) requirements where indicated shall result in a “fail” and disqualification of the Quote.

B. RFQ Submission Checklist The RFQ Submission Checklist will be used to evaluate the Bidder’s RFQ. Bidders may also use the checklist to verify that appropriate documentation and requirements are met. Bidders are not required to submit the checklist.

C. Scoring Evaluation The Contractor is responsible for performing all tasks, responsibilities, and services identified in the resulting Contract at the rates provided on EXHIBIT B-1: COST WORKSHEET for the term of the Contract as identified in the SOW, including all costs for the optional year(s). All Contractors must provide individual costs as indicated on the cost worksheet and submit with their response.

A “Value Effective” approach will be used in reviewing Contractor responses to this RFQ. An assessment committee will review and assess Quotes based on the degree to which they Quote the best value to CalVet. A multiple phase process will be used to review and/or rate responses. A multiple stage process will be used to review and/or rate responses. Quotes that do not comply with the mandatory components stipulated in this RFQ may be deemed non-compliant and the Contractor disqualified. The State may reject any response found to be non-compliant at any stage of the review. The State reserves the right to modify or cancel this procurement in its entirety or in part at any time. The Contractor is required to thoroughly review the RFQ to ensure that its response is fully compliant with the RFQ requirements and thereby avoid the possibility of being ruled non-compliant. If the State finds that a Contractor’s Final Quote has a material deviation from a specified requirement, the Contractor will be deemed non-compliant and will be the basis for rejecting the Contractor’s Quote. CalVet may reject any response found to be non-responsive at any stage of review. If deemed necessary, CalVet may collect additional documentation (i.e., missing forms, missing appendix items, missing data from RFQ forms) to enable initial responsiveness to the RFQ requirements. Responses that appear to meet the initial RFQ requirements and contain the required documentation will be submitted to a review team. By submitting a Quote, Contractors agree to the terms and conditions stated in the SOW and the proposed Contract. Responses received after this deadline will be rejected.

1) Phase I – Acceptance Shortly after the submission deadline, CalVet will review each response for initial responsiveness to the RFQ requirements (i.e., timeliness and completeness).

2) Phase II – Response Review/Rating Quotes that appear to meet the initial RFQ requirements and contain the required documentation will be submitted to the assessment team.

The assessment team will review and compare all responses to one another and assign a numeric score to each response based on its adequacy, thoroughness, and the degree to which the solution best meets the Program’s needs and represents the best value to the State.

The assessment team will use the following scoring system to assign points. The following chart is a list of the considerations that will be considered when assigning points to a response.

Administrative Requirements

Technical Requirements

Cost Requirements

Scoring Criteria Scoring Scale Written Responses

Definition of Criteria Terms

Scores are a percentage of their maximum scores with 0 being the lowest and 100 being the highest.

Note: Scores can be entered as whole numbers or as decimals (for example, 3.5).

(a) Administrative Assessment The Administrative Requirements of this RFQ will be scored as Pass or Fail. Responsiveness to the requirements listed in this RFQ will be either given a “Pass” (i.e., complied with requirement, completed, and returned document) or “Fail” (i.e., did not comply with requirement, did not complete or return document). If a supplier receives a Fail for any of these requirements, the response may be rejected.

(b) Technical Assessment This RFQ will be Pass or Fail and scored. The Contractor may achieve a maximum of one hundred (100) points. Scoring will be based on its adequacy, thoroughness, and the degree to which the Contractor meets or exceeds the RFQ requirements and overall best value to the State.

(c) Cost Assessment Cost Requirements of this RFQ will be scored and can achieve a score of up to one hundred (100) points. The Assessment Team will review, calculate, and score Form 14 – Cost Worksheet to verify that it is complete with total cost of Contractors’ Quotes. The Contractor with the lowest total cost based on the assessment performed below will receive a maximum of one hundred (100) points. The Assessment Team will perform the following formula for the cost assessment:

(Lowest Proposed total cost / Contractor’s Proposed total cost) * 100 points = Score Points in the examples below explain the calculations and have no other significance.

EXAMPLE: Cost Assessment Score

(Lowest Proposed Total Cost divided by the Contractor’s Total Cost) Cost Score

EXAMPLE: Maximum Non-Cost and Cost Points Available

All proposed costs for all line items must be all inclusive, thereby including the cost of any and all services required in this solicitation.

The intent is to structure the pricing format in order to facilitate a straightforward comparison among all Bidders and foster competition to obtain the best market pricing. Consequently, the CalVet requires that each Bidder’s cost be in the format outlined in the Form 14, Cost Quote. Therefore, the Bidder is advised that failure to comply with the instructions listed in this section, such as submission of an incomplete Quote, use of alternative pricing structures or different formats than the one requested, may be the basis for rejection of the Bidder’s Quote.

Important Note: It is imperative that no cost information is included in the body of the Quote. Cost information must be submitted in the Form 14, Cost Quote, as a separate attachment and clearly labeled.

If a Bidder’s Quote has been determined to be non-responsive during the evaluation of requirements, cost will not be evaluated. Quote must be based on CalVet’s Statement of Work; Exhibit A. Each Bidder's cost shall be evaluated for responsive Quotes from responsible Bidders that passed the mandatory administrative and business requirements.

D. Preference and Incentive Programs Preference and Incentive Programs are each identified below. When the Bidder satisfies the requirements and requests bid preferences and incentives, the Bidder must clearly identify in their bid submission for which of the programs it qualifies. Denial of those preference or incentive requests is not a basis for rejection of the bid.

NOTE: Pursuant to GC § 14837, only a SB who performs a Commercially Useful Function (CUF) relevant to the SOW included in this RFQ may be used to qualify the Bidder for the SB Preference or Non-Small Business Subcontractor Preference. Pursuant to Military and Veterans Code Section 995.5, only a DVBE who performs a CUF relevant to the SOW in this RFQ may qualify the Bidder for the DVBE Incentive.

1) Commercially Useful Function A business that is performing a commercially useful function is one that does ALL of the following:

(a) Is responsible for execution of a distinct element of the work of the Contract

(b) Carries out its obligation by actually performing, managing, or supervising the work involved

(c) Performs work that is normal for its business, services and function

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

(e) Is responsible, with respect to products, inventories, materials, and supplies required for the Contract, for negotiating price, determining quality and quantity, ordering, installing, if applicable, and making payment

2) Small Business Preference California Government Code (GC) Section 14835, et seq., requires a preference be given to Bidders who are California Certified Small Business (SB). The rules and regulations of this law, including the definition of a SB for the delivery of goods and services, are contained in California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 1896 et seq.

A preference is available to a certified SB. A Bidder claiming this preference must be certified by the Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Enterprise Services (OSDS) as a SB. Questions regarding certification should be directed to the OSDS at (916) 375-4940.

To be considered as a certified SB, the Bidder must have a complete application package on file with the OSDS by 5:00 p.m. on the Deadline for Final Bid Submission date. Questions regarding the certification approval process should be directed to the OSDS. A copy of the regulations, instructions and format for claiming the Small Business Preference is available at: http://www.dgs.ca.gov/pd/Programs/OSDS/GetCertified.aspx.

To claim the Small Business Preference please see Form 1, Bidders Preferences and Certification.

3) Non-Small Business Subcontractor Preference:

A preference is available to a non-small business (NS) claiming 25% California-certified small business subcontractor participation. A Bidder claiming this preference must list one or more SB subcontractor(s), whom the Bidder commits to subcontract in an amount of at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the work performed under this Contract.

To claim the Non-Small Business Subcontractor Preference please see Form 1, Bidders Preferences and Certification.

4) Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise:

The Mandatory DVBE Participation Requirement is being waived for this RFQ.

5) Applying Preference and Incentives Preferences and incentives are used for bid tabulation purposes to determine the lowest responsive responsible bid. Strict adherence to the laws and regulations to apply the preferences and incentives will be followed. If awarded the Contract, the preference and/or incentive does not alter the amount of the resulting Contract. Please be aware that Contracts awarded with applied preferences or incentives will be monitored throughout the life of the Contract for compliance to statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements.

The SB preference of 5% will be applied when a responsible Bidder that is not a CA certified SB or a NS claiming 25% CA certified SB subcontractor participation submits the lowest responsive bid. (Note: NS claiming SB subcontractor preference cannot displace an award from a certified SB.) Pursuant to California Code of Regulations (CCR) 2 CCR§ 1896.8, there is a $50,000.00 cap of the amount of SB preference.

Sample bid tabulation:

Appendix A, Administrative Requirements

Exhibit A, Statement of Work, identifies how the State Contract will be structured. No negotiations or alterations (unless specified otherwise) in the Contract are permitted. Bidder must be able to perform the work identified in the SOW. Complete From 9, Contractor’s Bid Certification to certify that the Bidder is able to meet the requirements of this RFQ.

M

If Bidder is a California Certified Small Business and/or DVBE, complete Form 1, Bidder Preferences and Certification.

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All Bidders must complete the Bidder Declaration GSPD-05-105, Form 2, Declarations, and include it with the Quote response. When completing the declaration, Bidders must identify all subcontractors proposed for participation in the Contract. Bidders 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. If not using subcontractors, submit the form and indicate “NONE” in the appropriate section.

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Military and Veterans Code Section 999 et seq. requires all small business, micro businesses and disabled veteran enterprises to perform a “commercially useful function” in any Contract they perform for the state.

The Bidder must provide a written statement detailing the role, services and/or goods the subcontractor(s) will provide to meet the Commercially Useful Function requirement, using the Commercially Useful Function Certification. The criteria and definition for performing a commercially useful function are contained in the DVBE Program Requirements page entitled Resources & Information. Form 3, Commercially Useful Function (CUF). This is not mandatory and is only applicable to California Certified Small Business and/or DVBE.

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The Bidder must maintain in force (as required by State law) a valid Workers’ Compensation Insurance Policy for all employees engaged in the performance of the Contract and agree to furnish the State satisfactory evidence thereof at the time of the bid submittal and at any time the State may so request.

Satisfactory evidence of a certificate of insurance showing a minimum amount of not less than $1,000,000 employer’s liability, for all employees proposed in the performance of this Contract must be included in the Quote and must be provided to the State at any time the State may request. Bidders must complete Form 4, Workers’ Compensation Insurance Certification.

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The Bidder and proposed subcontractors must maintain in force (as required by State law) a valid Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy. Satisfactory evidence of a certificate of insurance showing a minimum amount of not less than $1,000,000.00 must be included in the Quote and must be provided to the State at any time the State may request. Form 5, Commercial General Liability Certification.

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The Bidder is required to sign the Payee Data Record, STD. 204 and provide a copy of CA Seller’s Permit. Form 6, Payee Data Record and Form 8, Seller’s Permit.

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All Corporations, Limited Liability Corporations, and Limited Partnerships must be registered and in ‘Active’ status with the California Secretary of State (SOS) to be awarded a Contract. Form 7, Secretary of State Certification.

Bidder’s Quote must contain a copy of the Bidder’s certification with the SOS to do business in California. If certification has not been received, a copy of Bidder’s application and statement of status must be included.

The Bidder must be certified with the SOS, if required by law to do business in California. If the Bidder does not currently have this certification, the successful Bidder must be certified before Contract award can be made.

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The SOS may be contacted as follows:

California Secretary of State Division of Corporate Filing and Services 1500 Eleventh Street, Third Floor Sacramento, CA 95814-5701 The required document(s) may also be obtained through the Certification Unit at 916-657-5448 or at the SOS website http://www.sos.ca.gov/.

All proposed subcontractors must be identified on the completed GSPD-05-105, Form 2, Declarations.

Any subcontractor that the Bidder chooses to use in fulfilling the requirements of this RFQ, and which is expected to receive more than ten percent (10%) of the value of the Contract, must also meet all requirements of the RFQ, as applicable. The Bidder’s Quote must include the following RFQ Forms for each subcontractor expected to receive more than ten (10%) percent of the value of the Contract:

Form 3, Commercially Useful Function Form 5, Commercial Liability Insurance M

All additional documents, such as addendums or end user Contracts, required by the Bidder shall be included in the bid response for review by CalVet. If these documents are not included in the bid they will not be considered by CalVet.

CalVet will not sign or incorporate proposed addendums and end user Contracts that contradict or supersede California State Contract Laws and the State of California Information Technology General Terms and Conditions. The State of California General Terms and Conditions can be found at: https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/Acquisitions/Solicitation-Document-Attachments/IT-General-Provisions-Cloud-DGS-PD-402ITGP-Revised-02202025.pdf M

General Terms and Conditions incorporate by reference certain mandated contractor certification clauses (“CCC’s”), such as the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1990 (GC § 8350, et seq.) and the Expatriate Corporation, Domestic Partnerships and Sweatfree Code of Conduct Certifications. These certifications are included in the Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC), and found on the DGS/OLS website. Complete and submit Form 10, Contractor Certification Clauses, with Final Quote submittal.

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Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 2010, if a Bidder executes or renews a Contract over $100,000 on or after January 1, 2017, the Bidder hereby certifies compliance with the California Civil Rights Law and Employer Discriminatory Policies. Complete and submit Form 11, California Civil Rights Law, with Final Quote submittal.

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Appendix B, Business Requirements

Appendix C, Technical Requirements

Contractor’s Bid Submittal Information RFQ Submission Checklist The following checklist shall be used by the Evaluation Committee (EC) to verify applicable documentation received for the Bidder’s RFQ. Bidders may also use the checklist to verify that appropriate documentation and requirements are submitted. The State makes no warranty that the checklist is a full comprehensive listing of every requirement specified in the RFQ. The checklist is only a tool to assist participating Bidders in compiling their Quote response. Bidders are encouraged to carefully read the entire RFQ. Bidders are required to submit a checklist that identifies revisions, additions, or subtractions related to Administrative Requirements, Business Technical Requirements, and Costs that may differ from the provided example.

Bidder’s Name:

Response To RFQ Requirements

Tab 1 – Table of Contents All major parts of the response to this RFQ,…