RFQ-ITS_26-0044_HR_Grievance_Tracking_System_Refresh_Project.pdf

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Information Technology Services RFQ-ITS 26-0044 HR Grievance Tracking System Refresh Project August 2026

REQUEST FOR QUOTE

FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

RFQ-ITS #: 26-0044

For (IT Services): HR Grievance Tracking System Refresh Project

For (Division): Management Services

Release Date: August 31st, 2026 Due Date: October 2nd, 2026 by 2:00 PM Pacific Time (PT)

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is inviting you to review and respond to this Request for Quote for Information Technology Services (RFQ-ITS), entitled RFQ–ITS 26-0044 HR Grievance Tracking System Refresh Project, hereby referred to as RFQ-ITS. To participate in this RFQ-ITS, you must comply with the instructions contained in this document as well as the requirements stated in CAL FIRE’s Scope of Work (SOW), Exhibits, and Attachments (CAL FIRE may add additional Exhibits or Attachments as needed).

By submitting a bid, your firm agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this

RFQ-ITS.

All Bidders must adhere to the Key Action Dates and Times set forth below. The Key Action Dates and Times may be adjusted by issuance of addenda by CAL FIRE as conditions warrant. Responses must comply with the instructions found herein. Failure to comply with any of the requirements may cause the Responses to be deemed as “non-responsive.”

Read the attached document carefully. The RFQ-ITS due date is October 2nd, 2026 by 2:00 PM PT. Responses to this RFQ–ITS, and any required copies must be submitted by E-mail only clearly labeled to the department contact noted below.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

CAL FIRE Procurement Official: Chuck Jackson-Kirkpatrick

Phone: (279) 220-5639 E-mail address: Charles.Jackson-Kirkpatrick@fire.ca.gov

RFQ SUBMITTAL:

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Information Technology Services – Administration & Planning

Submit by E-Mail Only E-mail address: Charles.Jackson-Kirkpatrick@fire.ca.gov mailto:Charles.Jackson-Kirkpatrick@fire.ca.gov mailto:Charles.Jackson-Kirkpatrick@fire.ca.gov

A. General Information B. RFQ-ITS Written Questions C. RFQ-ITS Response Guidelines D. Confidentiality E. RFQ-ITS Response Content F. Administrative Information G. Rejection of Offers H. Evaluation Criteria I. Award of Contract J. Protest

EXHIBIT A - SCOPE OF WORK

1.0 Background and Purpose

2.0 Contract Description

3.0 Term of the Contract

4.0 Work Location

5.0 Roles and Responsibilities

6.0 Contractor Tasks Requirements

7.0 Acceptance Criteria

8.0 Reporting Requirements

9.0 Problem Escalation

9.1 Cure Notices

10.0 Contractor and Storage of Electronic Data

11.0 Security And Confidentiality

12.0 Travel

13.0 Solution Modification

14.0 Unanticipated Tasks

15.0 Termination

16.0 Contract Administrators

EXHIBIT B - BUDGET DETAIL AND PAYMENT PROVISIONS

EXHIBIT C – COST WORKSHEET

EXHIBIT D – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - GENERAL PROVISIONS CLOUD -

COMPUTING SERVICES

EXHIBIT E - SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

EXHIBIT F - WORK AUTHORIZATION TEMPLATE

Attachment 1 - Cover Letter Attachment 2 - Payee Data Record Form Std. 204 Attachment 3 - Customer Reference Form Attachment 4 - Confidentiality Statement Attachment 5 - Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-0105) Attachment 6 - Commercially Useful Function (CUF) Certification Attachment 7 - Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declarations (STD 843) Attachment 8 - UNRUH/FHEA, California Civil Rights Laws Certification Attachment 9 – Iran Contracting Act Verification Form Attachment 10 – Resumes

A. General Information

1. Background and Purpose

Public unions and employees may file grievances against an employer of alleged bargaining unit (BU) contract violations and may file complaints for other alleged violations. Grievances and complaints can go through multiple “levels” of filing and appeal and multiple levels of response. These levels may include the local (Program or Unit), Region, Director/Department, and California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) levels. Additionally, a grievance may be appealed to arbitration and/or other dispute resolution processes.

The CAL FIRE Labor Relations Office (LRO) needs a software program where grievances/complaints at all levels can be uploaded, accessed, viewed, and edited for every level of review. We also need the ability to run various reports on all data entered into the system, e.g., how many grievances are currently at the Department level, how many grievances were filed on the BU 8 Vacation provision, which grievances are being held in abeyance, are we receiving more or less grievances than last year, etc.

We need control over who has access to the software, and we need various levels of access within the software. For example, some users may only enter, read and access grievances to which they’ve responded to, and/or up to a certain level of review. Some users will need master access, and the ability to enter, read, edit and access all information in the software. We also have very specific fields/information we need to be able to enter in this software at each level, and generally within the software.

The purpose of this Agreement is to obtain professional services on a time-and-materials basis for the design, development, testing, and deployment of a software solution that manages public employee grievances and complaints across multiple levels of review. The Contractor will work collaboratively with the LRO to build a configurable, secure, and data-driven system that supports intake, tracking, reporting, and analysis.

2. Key Dates

Bidders are advised of the key dates and times shown below and are required to adhere to them due to time constraints:

KEY ACTION DATES & TIMES

Key Action Dates Date Time

1. Release of RFQ–ITS 26-0044 08/31/26

2. Bidder’s submission of written questions 09/08/26 2:00 PM PT

3. CAL FIRE’s response to written questions 09/18/26 5:00 PM PT

4. Submission of Bids (by date and time) 10/02/26 2:00 PM PT

5. Bid Evaluations TBD

6. Contract Award TBD

Submissions for the RFQ-ITS must be sent through email and should be received by the Due Date & Time specified in the Key Action Dates section above.

The E-mail time stamp will be used as the official receipt of the RFQ-ITS response and must be before the date and time listed in the Key Action Dates above.

If the e-mail time stamp shows received after the RFQ-ITS Offer Submission Due Date & Time, the RFQ-ITS response will be considered a material deviation and not accepted.

B. RFQ-ITS Written Questions

All questions related to this RFQ-ITS must be submitted by email to the Procurement Contact stated on page 1. Any questions received after the due date and time will not be accepted. CAL FIRE may seek clarification for any question received. Questions submitted other than by e-mail will not be accepted.

When CAL FIRE has completed its review of the questions, all the Questions and Answers (Q&A) will be sent by e-mail to all Bidders.

If a bidder wishes to participate in the RFQ-ITS, they can do so even after the question-and-answer period has ended. However, they will have to depend exclusively on the question-and-answer document that has already been published.

RFQ-ITS Question Requirements

1. RFQ-ITS Number

2. Company Name

3. Company’s Contact Name

4. Email Address

5. Telephone Number

6. Identification of the applicable RFQ-ITS section

7. Description of the question, concern, discrepancy, error, or issue

8. Additional information relevant for CAL FIRE to identify the specific issue or problem.

C. RFQ-ITS Response Guidelines

This RFQ-ITS and the Bidder’s Response to this document will be made part of the contract. Responses to this RFQ-ITS must contain all data/information requested and must conform to the format described in this RFQ-ITS. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to provide all required data and any other information deemed necessary for CAL FIRE’s evaluation team to determine and verify the bidder’s ability to perform the tasks and activities defined in the Scope of Work. CAL FIRE will review all responses to this RFQ-ITS for all administrative requirements as stated in this document, and if determined to have material deviation, this will be documented in the procurement file and the offer will not be included in the evaluation.

Exhibit A and all other Exhibits can only be changed by CAL FIRE.

The Bidder must adhere to the following when submitting a response to the RFQ-

ITS:

1. The response must have page numbers located at the bottom of each page.

2. Exhibit C - Cost Worksheet must be submitted as a separate Excel spreadsheet from the response. If any cost is incorporated in the Contractor’s technical response, this will be considered a material deviation, and the response may be rejected.

D. Confidentiality

In response to this RFQ, CAL FIRE will not accept documentation that is marked “Confidential” or “Proprietary.” All documents submitted are the property of CAL FIRE for the State of California. All documents are subject to review by, or release to the public under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), Government Code sections 7920.000, et seq.

E. RFQ-ITS Response Content

The following shall be submitted in the RFQ-ITS response, unless otherwise stated below, in the order specified below. CALFIRE will review each document for completeness as pass or fail. RFQ-ITS responses that fail to follow this format may be deemed non-responsive and rejected.

a. EXHIBIT C, Cost Worksheet

Bidder must complete the Cost Worksheet that identifies total cost in accordance to Exhibit C - Cost Worksheet and submit with their response as a separate Excel spreadsheet. All line items must have costs evaluated. To Be Determined (TBD) costs may disqualify the offer.

b. Response to Exhibit A - Scope of Work The Bidder shall provide a response to the Scope of Work (SOW) stating how the Bidder will accomplish the requirements outlined in the SOW and related material.

The Bidder’s response to Exhibit A - Scope of Work will be assessed for responsiveness to requirements. The Bidder’s response must map each task item back to the Scope of Work. The response must include any additional information that the Bidder deems necessary to explain how the Bidder intends to meet CAL FIRE’s requirements. The Bidder’s response must contain the following as applicable:

i. Overview of the required tasks and outcomes,

ii. Description of how the tasks will be performed,

iii. Work plan for each task, including sub-task description, including due date for each deliverable,

iv. How the Bidder has demonstrated their ability to provide services for three similar projects using Attachment 3 - Customer

Reference Form.

v. Any other requirements shown in CAL FIRE’s Scope of Work document.

c. Attachment 1, Cover Letter Bidder shall complete and have signed by the individual authorized to bind the company contractually acknowledging that they agree to all the terms and conditions set forth in this RFQ-ITS. See Attachment 1.

d. Attachment 2, Payee Data Record (STD 204) and optional (STD 205)

A STD 204 shall be completed and signed by an appropriate and authorized individual.

STD 204 can be obtained through link listed below.

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std204.pdf

Required if Bidder’s remittance address is different than the mailing address on the STD 204, complete and submit the Payee Data Record Supplement Form, STD 205 if applicable.

STD 205 Payee Data Record Supplement

e. Attachment 3, Customer Reference Form The Bidder shall submit a minimum of three (3) references to validate experience providing services for customer projects with similar scope, schedule, and resources to this project.

The Bidder shall complete an Attachment 3 - Customer Reference Form for each reference. The description of each project must be detailed and comprehensive enough to permit CAL FIRE to assess the similarity of the projects to the work anticipated in the award of a resulting Agreement.

CAL FIRE reserves the right to contact customer references post-submission to verify the information submitted by the Bidder. Consequently, it is advisable for the bidder to verify the accuracy of their referenced customers' contact details on Attachment 3 and confirm their availability during the period when CAL FIRE will be conducting reference validation.

f. Attachment 4, Confidentiality Statement Bidder shall complete and sign Attachment 4 - Confidentiality Statement.

g. Attachment 5, Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105) Bidder shall complete Attachment 5 – Bidder Declaration. When completing the Bidder Declaration, all subcontractors proposed for participation in the contract must be identified. See link below:

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

h. Attachment 6, Commercial Useful Function (CUF) Evaluation Form Bidders claiming SB/DVBE status shall complete the CUF form. CUF is defined pursuant to MVC section 999(b)(5)(B) and Government Code section http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std204.pdf https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.documents.dgs.ca.gov%2Fdgs%2Ffmc%2Fpdf%2Fstd205.pdf&data=04%7C01%7Ckristine.vankeuren%40STATE.CA.GOV%7Ce30a331f9dd1456a14c108d8f9f3376e%7C52b26be47f5d4e1cbaed8cf75b7570d5%7C0%7C0%7C637534170461433575%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=AvffAGpU14ub1p8KTkMqXPWxSM6j0VzjwKzXomkTOD0%3D&reserved=0 https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=MVC&division=4.&title=&part=&chapter=6.&article=6.

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

14837(d)(4)(A) for the DVBE and SB programs, respectively. See Attachment 6 or see link below:

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/dgs/OBAS201.pdf

i. Attachment 7, Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declarations (STD 843) Bidders claiming DVBE status shall complete the DVBE Declaration form.

See Attachment 7 or see link below:

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

j. Attachment 8, UNRUH/FHEA, California Civil Rights Laws Certification

Pursuant to PCC § 2010, a person that submits a bid or proposal or otherwise proposes to enter into or renew a contract with, a state agency with respect to any contract in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more shall certify, under penalty of perjury, at the time the bid or proposal is submitted, or the contract is renewed must complete Attachment 8. See link below.

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

k. Attachment 9, Iran Contracting Act Verification Form If the bid amount is one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more, the Bidder must submit the Iran Contracting Act Verification Form with bid response. See link below.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/- /media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/OPPL/SCM/Iran_Contracting_Act_Verification_For m.pdf

l. Attachment 10, Resumes Bidders must submit resumes for all staff proposed to work on the contract as Attachment 10.

F. Administrative Information

a. RFQ-ITS and Bidder’s Response

The RFQ-ITS and Bidder’s response will be incorporated by reference into the resulting contract.

b. Tiebreaker In the event of a tie between highest scoring Bidders, a coin toss shall be conducted in the presence of witnesses. Bidders will be invited to witness the coin toss, in addition CAL FIRE staff witnesses will also be present.

Note: In the event of a precise tie between the bid of a certified SB and the bid of a certified DVBE that is also a SB, the award shall go to the DVBE that is also a SB. (Reference Government Code, Section 14838 (g)). After application of the SB preference, in the event of a precise tie: the award shall first go to a certified SB, secondly to a non-SB using eligible SB subcontracting, last to a bid not eligible for the SB preference.

c. Public Records Act (PRA) Requests https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/dgs/OBAS201.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/pd_843.pdf https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=2010.&lawCode=PCC https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS-ATTACHMENT.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS-ATTACHMENT.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/OPPL/SCM/Iran_Contracting_Act_Verification_Form.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/OPPL/SCM/Iran_Contracting_Act_Verification_Form.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/OPPL/SCM/Iran_Contracting_Act_Verification_Form.pdf https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14838.&lawCode=GOV

Upon award, all documents submitted in response to this RFQ-ITS will become the property of the State of California and will be regarded as public records under the CPRA (GC § 7920.000 et. seq.) and subject to review by the public.

d. Prime Contractor’s DVBE Subcontracting Reporting Requirements Military and Veteran Code (MVC) 999.5(d), 999.7 and GC 14841, and California Code of Regulations (CCR) 1896.78(e) requires all Prime Contractors that had a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) firm perform any element of work for a contract to report DVBE information.

e. Plastic Trash Bag Certification Violations Public Resources Code §42290 et seq. prohibits CAL FIRE from contracting with any supplier, manufacturer, or wholesaler, and any of its divisions, subsidiaries, or successors that have been determined to be noncompliant to the recycled content plastic trash bag certification requirements. This includes award of a state contract or subcontract or renewal, extension, or modification of an existing contract or subcontract. Prior to award CAL FIRE shall ascertain if the intended awardee or proposed subcontractor is a business identified on the current CalRecycle noncompliant list(s). In the event of any doubt of the status or identity of the business in violation, CAL FIRE will notify the Board of the proposed award and afford the Board the opportunity to advise CAL FIRE. No award will be made when either the bidder or a subcontractor has been identified either by published list or by advice from the Board, to be in violation of certification requirements.

f. GC 12990 and Non-Discrimination:

Any employer who wishes to contract with CAL FIRE for goods or services is subject to the provisions of GC 12990 relating to discrimination in employment.

Contractors that do not meet the provisions of GC 12990 are not eligible to contract with CAL FIRE. Ineligible Contractors are found in the California Regulatory Notice Register. To access the California Regulatory Notice Register, see link below: https://oal.ca.gov/publications/notice_register/

g. Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S.

government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. By submitting a bid or proposal, Contractor represents that it is not a target of Economic Sanctions. Should CAL FIRE determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for rejection of the Contractor’s bid/proposal any time prior to contract execution, or, if determined after contract execution, shall be grounds for termination by CAL

FIRE.

h. Security and Data Protection Requirements

CAL FIRE must ensure agreements with state and non-state entities include provisions which protect and minimize risk to the state when engaging in the development, use, or maintenance of information systems, products, solutions, or services. In order to comply with the State Administrative Manual (SAM) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayexpandedbranch.xhtml?tocCode=GOV&division=10.&title=1.&part&chapter&article https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=MVC&division=4.&title=&part=&chapter=6.&article=6.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=14841.&lawCode=GOV https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/OSDS/Certification/SB/Final-SB_DVBE-Regulation-Text.pdf?la=en&hash=905752DB4D5BD9E6D473B2889F5E03A31E17D97C https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=42290&lawCode=PRC https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=12990&lawCode=GOV https://oal.ca.gov/publications/notice_register/ https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/3.4.22-Russia-Ukraine-Executive-Order.pdf

Section 5305.8c, bidders must comply with Exhibit A, Section 11.0 Security and Confidentiality.

i. TACPA – (Required for contracts that will exceed $100,000.)

The TACPA preference will be granted if this solicitation is an Information Technology (IT) procurement valued at $100,000 and greater. The State will give preferences in accordance with the GC 4530-4535.3, for bidders who are California home based and who qualify for claimed preferences under the Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) by computing and returning the appropriate forms described in the RFQ. Where multiple preferences are claimed, the State will verify eligibility for the preferences and evaluate and apply preferences in accordance with the law.

Available evaluation preferences under TACPA are limited to nine percent (9%), five percent (5%) worksite, and one percent (1%) up to four percent (4%) workforce of the lowest total proposal price or $50,000.00, whichever is less.

The TACPA preference is a dollar preference, applied against the Bidder’s proposed cost, before cost is evaluated and converted to points.

The State will verify Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) preference and apply the TACPA Preference accordingly. The TACPA preference does not apply when the worksite is fixed by the terms of the Contract.

Any questions regarding the TACPA preference should be directed to the Department of General Services, Procurement Division at TACPA@dgs.ca.gov or (916) 375-5000.

Contracts excluded from this Preference Program include construction contracts and contracts with designated worksite. Bidders wishing to take advantage of this preference are required to submit the following applications/forms:

TACPA (Std. 830) TACPA preference request (STD.830).

Bidder’s Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours (DGS/PD 525) Bidder's Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours (goods and services) Manufacturer Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours (DGS/PD 526) Manufacturer Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours (goods)

j. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GEN AI)

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 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 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM/TOC/5300/5305-8 http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std830.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0525.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0526.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM/TOC/4900/4986-2 such non-disclosure. Upon notification by a Bidder of GenAI as required, the state reserves the right to incorporate GenAI Special Provisions into the final contract or reject bids that present an unacceptable level of risk to the state.

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

k. Small Business Regulations

The Small Business (SB) regulations pursuant to the California Code of Regulations (Title 2, Division 2, Chapter 3, Subchapter 8, section 1896 et seq.)

concerning the application and calculation of the SB preference, SB certification, responsibilities of SBs, department certification, and appeals can be viewed at (https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division- Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB DVBE?search=sb%20peference). Access the regulations by clicking on “Notice of Rulemaking” in the right sidebar. For those without Internet access, a copy of the regulations can be obtained by calling the DGS Office of SB and DVBE Services (OSDS) at (916) 375-4940.

l. Small Business Preference

Small businesses will be granted the five percent (5%) small business preference on a bid evaluation when a responsible non-small business has submitted the bid that has been ranked as the highest scored bid pursuant to a solicitation evaluation method described in Section 1896.8, of the California Code of Regulations. If the highest ranked bid is eligible for the SB preference, the preference is not applied to any bidder. This preference must be claimed by completing the Bidder Declaration form GSPD-05-105, Attachment 5.

All certified SBs must perform a “commercially useful function” (CUF) in the performance of the contract, as defined in Government Code section 14837(d)(4). See Attachment 6.

m. Non-SB Subcontracting Preference

A 5% preference shall be offered to a non-small business (non-SB) that commits to subcontract at least 25 percent (25%) of its net bid price to a California certified SB(s) per Government Code, Section 14838(b). SB and MB bidders shall have precedence over non-SB bidders in that application of the preference for which a non-SB bidder may be eligible shall not result in the denial of the award to a SB or MB bidder, per Government Code, Section 14838(f).

A non-SB claiming 25% California certified SB subcontractor participation must identify applicable subcontractor information in their bid response to support the subcontracting claim:

• Subcontractor name(s)

• Subcontractor address(es)

• Subcontractor phone number(s) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=11549.64.&highlight=true&keyword=Generative%20Artificial%20Intelligence https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB%20DVBE?search=sb%20peference https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB%20DVBE?search=sb%20peference https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB%20DVBE?search=sb%20peference https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/I537E1F335A0A11EC8227000D3A7C4BC3?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)

• A description of the work to be performed and/or the products supplied and,

• The dollar amount or percentage of the net bid price (as specified in the solicitation) per subcontractor

Completion of the Bidder Declaration (Attachment 5) serves this purpose.

Each listed California certified SB must perform a ”Commercially Useful Function” (Attachment 6) in performance of the contract as defined in Government Code, Section 14837(d)(4).

n. Small Business Nonprofit Veteran Service Agencies (SB/NVSA)

Nonprofit veteran service agencies (NVSA) that have been CA certified as a SB nonprofit veteran service agency are eligible to claim the 5% SB preference when responding to competitive solicitations in accordance with California Military and Veterans Code Section 999.50 et seq. This preference must be claimed by completing the Bidder Declaration form GSPD-05-105, Attachment 5.

o. DVBE Participation Requirement

The State has established a 3% goal for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) participating in State contracts. If claiming DVBE status the bidder must document their commitment to full DVBE participation or a percentage of the work. This applies to all contracts regardless of the solicitation format used. For the purpose of this solicitation, the DVBE participation requirement may be waived.

p. DVBE Incentive

In accordance with Section 999.5(a) of the Military and Veterans Code (MVC) an incentive will be given to respondents who provide DVBE participation. For evaluation purposes only, CAL FIRE will apply an incentive based on the amount of DVBE participation obtained above three percent (3%) as identified on the Bidder Declaration GSPD-05-105, Attachment 5 and confirmed by the

CAL FIRE.

If the Contractor is claiming a DVBE incentive, the Bidder must complete Attachment 5 – Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105), Attachment 6 – Commercial Useful Function (CUF) Evaluation Form, and Attachment 7 – Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declaration (STD. 843).

The DVBE incentive percentage will be applied to the total possible points that can be earned by the bidder, excluding points for socioeconomic incentives or preferences. The following illustrates the incentive percentage available based on the Bidder’s confirmed percent of DVBE participation.

DVBE Incentive Points Calculation:

Confirmed DVBE Participation of:

DVBE Incentive:

5% or Over 5% * Total Possible Points

4% to 4.99% inclusive 4% * Total Possible Points

Confirmed DVBE Participation of:

DVBE Incentive:

3% to 3.99% inclusive 3% * Total Possible Points

2% to 2.99% inclusive 2% * Total Possible Points

1% to 1.99% inclusive 1% * Total Possible Points

G. Rejection of Offers

Deviations may cause a bid to be deemed non-responsive and not to be considered for award. CAL FIRE may reject any or all bids and/or may waive any immaterial deviation or defect in a bid. CAL FIRE's waiver of any immaterial deviation or defect shall in no way modify the RFQ-ITS documents or requirements and shall not excuse the Contractor from full compliance with the RFQ-ITS specifications if awarded a contract.

Final bids not received by the date and time specified in key action dates, will remain unopened and will be maintained separately from bids that have been timely received. Bids received after expiration of the deadline may only be opened and considered upon written approval of CAL FIRE’s management or their designee specifying the reason(s) for acceptance and consideration of the untimely bid.

Issuance of this RFQ-ITS in no way constitutes a commitment by CAL FIRE to award a contract. CAL FIRE reserves the right to reject any or all bids, or portions of bids, received in response to this RFQ-ITS, or to amend or cancel this RFQ-ITS at any time. In the event of such cancellation, CAL FIRE may reissue the RFQ-ITS at a later date.

CAL FIRE reserves the right to consider Bidder’s past performance with CAL FIRE in its selection of a Contractor pursuant to this RFQ-ITS.

1. Non-Responsive Offers

A bid may be deemed non-responsive and subsequently rejected if any of the following occur:

a. A submission is received after the exact time and date set forth in the Key Action Dates for receipt of each submission.

b. The Bidder fails to submit or fails to complete and sign any required Attachments as instructed in this RFQ-ITS.

c. The submission contains false, inaccurate, or misleading statements or references.

d. The Bidder is unwilling or unable to fully comply with the proposed contract provisions.

e. The Bidder supplies conditional cost information, incomplete cost information, or cost information containing unsigned/uninitiated alterations or irregularities.

f. The Bidder proposes pricing so low it suggests that the vendor cannot realistically perform the work.

2. Business In Good Standing

Bidder acknowledges that when agreements are to be performed in the State of California by corporations or vendors, CAL FIRE will verify, prior to awarding any State contract, the following information in order to ensure that all obligations due to the State are fulfilled.

3. Corporation in Good Standing

CAL FIRE will verify with the California Secretary of State (SOS) that the Bidder is a corporation currently qualified to do business in California.

The bid may be considered non-responsive if the Bidder is not listed with

SOS.

“Doing business” is defined in California Revenue and Taxation Code section 23101 as actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit. Although there are some statutory exceptions to taxation, rarely will a corporate contractor performing within the State not be subject to the franchise tax.

Both domestic and foreign (those incorporated outside of California) corporations must be in good standing in order to be qualified to do business in California.

4. State Tax Delinquency

CAL FIRE will verify with the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) that the Bidder is not on a prohibited list due to tax delinquencies. The bid will be considered non-responsive if the Contractor is on any of these lists.

The list established by FTB can be found at:

Top 500 past due balances | FTB.ca.gov

The list established by CDTFA can be found at:

Top 500 Sales & Use Tax Delinquencies in California

H. Evaluation Criteria

The overall responsiveness of each RFQ-ITS response is based on the complete response from the Bidder to the RFQ-ITS requirements, including the scope of work for the project. The following sub-sections and criteria will be reviewed by CAL FIRE’s evaluation team.

1. Administrative Requirements Evaluation Criteria (Pass/Fail) https://www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsroom/top-500-past-due-balances/corporate-income-tax-list.html https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/top500.htm

Example:

Requirement Pass Fail N/A

a. Cover Letter (Attachment 1)

b. Payee Data Record (Attachment 2)

c. Customer Reference Forms (Attachment 3)

d. Confidentiality Statement (Attachment 4)

e. Bidder Declaration (Attachment 5)

f. CUF Evaluation Form (Attachment 6)

g. DVBE Declaration (Attachment 7)

h. Civil Rights Laws Certification (Attachment 8)

i. Iran Contracting Act Verification Form (Attachment 9)

j. Resumes (Attachment 10)

2. Technical Requirements Evaluation Criteria (60 points)

The technical evaluation criteria will be scored on a scale of 0 through 60 based on references, resumes, and proposed solution outlined in the Bidder’s response to Exhibit A - Scope of Work.

3. Cost (Exhibit C) (40 points)

Cost will be evaluated at 40 points of the total available points. Bid submittals responsive to all requirements will have their cost evaluated. The required Cost Worksheet will be checked for mathematical accuracy and CAL FIRE reserves the right to make mathematical corrections and/or ask clarifying questions. The Bidders will be evaluated on the total extended cost for both the contracted term and including any optional extension years. All cost lines must be completed.

Each bidder cost score will be calculated based on the ratio of the lowest cost proposal to the bidders cost, multiplied by the maximum number of cost points available (40), as shown in the calculation below:

Lowest Total Cost Bid X Total cost points available Bidder Total Cost

Example: To help illustrate this process, refer to table below, for an example of the cost score calculation process. Cost figures in the example below explain the calculations and have no other significance.

Cost Evaluation and Scoring Methodology Example

Bidder Grand Total Cost

Calculation Cost Points Awarded

A $400,000 $300,000 X 40 $400,000

B $350,000 $300,000 X 40 $350,000

C $300,000 $300,000 X 40 $300,000

4. Final Scoring Example

Example:

BIDDER A BIDDER B BIDDER C

Responsive & responsible Yes Yes Yes

Eligible preference DVBE SB None

Technical Score 53 58 56

Score based on price bid 30 34 40

Total Score 83 92 96

Rank 3 2 1

Preference Amount 5 4.8

Final Score 88 96.8 96

Final Rank 3 1 2

The preference calculation is performed as follows:

1. Identify the total score of the #1 ranked bidder before applying the preference amounts:

a. Bidder C at 96

2. Determine the preference amounts:

a. Bidder B (SB Preference):

96 (#1 ranked bidder) X .05 (SB preference %) = 4.8

b. Bidder A (DVBE Incentive):

100 (total possible points) X .05 (DVBE incentive %) = 5

3. Add the preference amount to the total score of bids eligible to receive the preference:

a. Bidder B: 92 + 4.8 = 96.8

b. Bidder A: 83 + 5 = 88

4. The award is to Bidder B in this example.

I. Award of Contract

Award of contract, if made, will be in accordance with the RFQ information on Evaluation to a responsible Bidder whose bid 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 or Bid Submission Date as specified in the RFQ; however, a bidder may extend the offer beyond 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 section titled “Protest” of this RFQ.

J. Protest

Any Bidder 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 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. The Director of the Department of General Services, or a person designated by the director, may consider and decide on initial protests of all other information technology acquisitions and non-it goods.

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. The protester must submit their protest to the CAL FIRE Procurement Official listed for this RFQ and PDProtest@dgs.ca.gov within five (5) business days of receipt of the Notice of Intent to Award. For more information on the bid protest process, please see SCM Vol 2 Section 1702 and Protest of Awards and Contract Disputes.

mailto:PDProtest@dgs.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/SCM/TOC/17/17-02 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Protest-of-Awards-and-Contract-Disputes https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Protest-of-Awards-and-Contract-Disputes

EXHIBIT A - SCOPE OF WORK

1.0 Background and Purpose

Public unions and employees may file grievances against an employer of alleged bargaining unit (BU) contract violations and may file complaints for other alleged violations. Grievances and complaints can go through multiple “levels” of filing and appeal and multiple levels of response. These levels may include the local (Program or Unit), Region, Director/Department, and California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) levels. Additionally, a grievance may be appealed to arbitration and/or other dispute resolution processes.

The CAL FIRE Labor Relations Office (LRO) needs a software program where grievances/complaints at all levels can be uploaded, accessed, viewed, and edited for every level of review. We also need the ability to run various reports on all data entered into the system, e.g., how many grievances are currently at the Department level, how many grievances were filed on the BU 8 Vacation provision, which grievances are being held in abeyance, are we receiving more or less grievances than last year, etc.

We need control over who has access to the software, and we need various levels of access within the software. For example, some users may only enter, read and access grievances to which they’ve responded to, and/or up to a certain level of review. Some users will need master access, and the ability to enter, read, edit and access all information in the software.We also have very specific fields/information we need to be able to enter in this software at each level, and generally within the software.

The purpose of this Agreement is to obtain professional services on a time-and-materials basis for the design, development, testing, and deployment of a software solution that manages public employee grievances and complaints across multiple levels of review. The Contractor will work collaboratively with the LRO to build a configurable, secure, and data-driven system that supports intake, tracking, reporting, and analysis.

2.0 Contract Description

This Agreement is entered into between the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, hereafter referred to as CAL FIRE, and (Contractor name) hereafter referred to as Contractor. This contract is for Contractor to provide a grievance tracking system to upload, track, view, and edit documents related to grievance and complaint filings.

The Contractor shall perform work across defined phases. Work will be billed according to actual hours worked and approved by the State. The State may authorize tasks within each phase as needed.

3.0 Term of the Contract

The term of this contract is one (1) year from the date the agreement is signed and executed by both parties, with two (2) options to renew for one

(1) year periods. The Agreement can be amended for time, tasks, and funding at current contract rates specified in Exhibit C - Cost Worksheet upon mutual agreement of both parties.

The Contractor shall not be authorized to deliver goods or commence performance of services described in this Agreement prior to the date the contract is awarded.

Any delivery of goods or performance of services by the Contractor that is commenced prior to the Effective Date shall be considered gratuitous on the part of the Contractor.

4.0 Work Location

The Contractor may perform all services under this Agreement remotely in the continental United States.

5.0 Roles and Responsibilities

A. CAL FIRE Responsibilities

1. CAL FIRE will provide data, documentation, consultation, information, and feedback to the Contractor.

2. CAL FIRE will regularly monitor Contractor activities through the exchange of detailed weekly and quarterly written status reports.

3. CAL FIRE will provide all policies and procedures regarding access to and the use of the state facilities when applicable.

4. CAL FIRE will provide a delivery location for the electronic data.

B. Contractor Responsibilities

1. The Contractor shall to work in partnership with CAL FIRE to ensure the preceding goals for this project are met by end of contract.

2. Contractor shall coordinate with CAL FIRE Project Manager to schedule work activities that require CAL FIRE staff involvement.

3. Contractor shall produce documentation to provide to CAL FIRE staff:

a. Provide a monthly status update on current tasks.

b. Provide a quarterly overview on all assigned work for the previous three months.

4. Contractor shall train CAL FIRE staff to ensure knowledge transfer upon completion of contract.

6.0 Contractor Tasks Requirements

Phase 1: Discovery and Requirements Definition

1. Conduct discovery workshops and interviews with LRO personnel.

2. Gather detailed functional, technical, workflow, reporting, and security requirements.

3. Document all grievance/complaint process flows, including Local/Program, Region, Department, CalHR, and Arbitration levels.

4. Identify mandatory data fields and information required at each level of review.

5. Document user roles, permission levels, and access control needs.

6. Develop initial conceptual system designs for LRO validation.

Phase 2: System Architecture and Design

1. Develop and document the system architecture supporting multi-level grievance/complaint processing.

2. Design data models, workflow structures, validation rules, and field configurations.

3. Define and document role-based access control (RBAC) schemas.

4. Develop UI/UX prototypes reflecting required functionality.

5. Facilitate design review sessions with LRO and revise designs as needed.

Phase 3: System Development and Configuration

1. Build the grievance/complaint management module with full multi-level workflow capability.

2. Configure custom data fields required at each review level.

3. Implement escalation, abeyance, appeal, and response workflows.

4. Develop role-based permissions (view, edit, master access, etc.).

5. Implement attachment handling, audit logs, and version tracking.

6. Conduct iterative development cycles and working demonstrations with

LRO.

Phase 4: Reporting and Analytics Development

1. Develop a configurable reporting engine.

2. Build required dashboards and standard reports.

3. Implement filters, search tools, and export features.

4. Conduct review sessions with LRO to refine analytics output.

Phase 5: Testing and Quality Assurance

1. Conduct unit, system, integration, and regression testing.

2. Validate all custom field behavior across all workflow stages.

3. Test role-based access controls for accuracy and security.

4. Support LRO in User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

5. Resolve defects and perform retesting as required.

Phase 6: Deployment and Production Readiness

1. Deploy the system into a State-approved production environment.

2. Configure system settings, workflows, and roles.

3. Validate compliance with CAL FIRE and statewide IT policies and security requirements.

4. Provide technical support during rollout and initial stabilization.

Phase 7: Training, Transition, and Documentation

1. Deliver training sessions for LRO and departmental staff.

2. Provide system documentation, user guides, and reference materials.

3. Conduct knowledge transfer for State technical personnel.

Phase 8: Ongoing Support and Maintenance

1. Provide help desk and troubleshooting support.

2. Perform updates, patches, and minor enhancements.

3. Conduct system health checks and data integrity reviews.

7.0 Acceptance Criteria

Work performed under this Time & Materials Statement of Work will be accepted based on the satisfactory completion of tasks, alignment with project requirements, and adherence to State standards. Because this is a T&M engagement, acceptance is not tied to fixed deliverables but to the quality and completeness of work performed. The following criteria apply to all phases of work:

1. Task Completion

Work is considered acceptable when the tasks authorized by the State have been performed as described in the SOW, including discovery, design, development, testing, reporting, or other activities specified.

2. Alignment With Requirements

Work products, configurations, discussions, prototypes, or other outputs must reflect the functional and technical requirements identified by the Labor

Relations Office (LRO) or clarified during the project.

3. Responsiveness to Feedback

The Contractor must revise or adjust work based on State feedback provided during working sessions, reviews, demonstrations, or testing activities. Work is acceptable when adjustments have been completed to the satisfaction of the

State.

4. Technical Accuracy and Quality

All work performed must meet industry standards for quality, accuracy, and completeness. Work must comply with State IT policies, accessibility standards, and security requirements.

5. Documentation of Activities

The Contractor must provide clear documentation of work conducted, including notes, diagrams, configurations, test results, or other materials that reasonably demonstrate progress and accuracy of work performed.

6. Collaboration and Communication

The Contractor must communicate progress, risks, issues, and recommendations in a timely manner. Work is acceptable when communication has been consistent and supports State decision-making.

7. Successful Demonstration of Functionality

For any developed or configured system components, acceptance is based on successful demonstration to LRO staff showing that functionality behaves as expected within the scope of tasks completed.

8. Resolution of Identified Issues

Issues, defects, or deficiencies identified by the State must be addressed within a reasonable timeframe, based on priority and direction from the State. Work is acceptable once issues within a given task or phase have been resolved to the

State’s satisfaction.

9. Compliance With Project Constraints

All work must be performed within the…