SAFCA_RFP_2026-003_Cattle_Grazing_Lease_Dry_Creek.pdf

Office 916-874-7606 Fax 916-874-8289

1325 J Street, Suite 1700 Sacramento, CA 95814

Request for Proposals for Cattle Grazing Land Lease within the Lower Dry Creek Floodplain

RFP 2026-003

October 30, 2026

Submittals Due: 4:00 p.m. on December 8, 2026

Submit to: ELECTRONIC RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA THE

OPEN GOV PROCUREMENT ELECTRONIC BIDDING PORTAL

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/saccounty/projects/223678

Firms shall create a FREE account with OpenGov Procurement by signing up at https://secure.procurenow.com/signup.

Once you have completed account registration, browse back to the main page, click on "Submit Response” and follow the instructions to submit the electronic submittal.

https://secure.procurenow.com/signup

RFP 2026-003 Cattle Grazing Land Lease

Request for Proposals for Cattle Grazing Land Lease with the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency within the Lower Dry Creek Floodplain

Introduction The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) is requesting proposals from qualified firms or individuals (Grazer) to lease and operate an ecologically and economically viable cattle operation on certain SAFCA-managed lands located in the Rio Linda area, within Sacramento County, California, according to these specifications and as directed by SAFCA (see Exhibit A, Grazing Units and Infrastructure). The proposed grazing activity will be conducted with non-exclusive rights to use approximately 532 acres. The cattle grazing lease is for the period from March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2030, subject to renewal, or termination for non-performance, with 2 one-year extension options.

Base stocking capacity in this RFP is 711 animal unit months (AUMs) per year on the Grazing Properties under normally available forage production conditions but will vary year to year to higher or lower amounts depending on available forage production as a result of yearly rainfall (estimated to vary from 397 to 1,130 AUMs per year) and the potential for loss of forage from wildfire and flooding.

The goals of grazing management for SAFCA for these Grazing Properties include maintenance of wildlife habitat and native vegetation, control of invasive plants, management of hazardous fuels, and providing an additional stewardship presence on the property to observe conditions and communicate with SAFCA when appropriate.

SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

SAFCA is accepting electronic proposal submissions. Proposers shall create a FREE account with OpenGov Procurement by signing up at Sign Up (opengov.com). Once you have completed account registration, browse back to the project page, click on "Draft Response", and follow the instructions to submit your electronic proposal. Proposals and any associated materials described in Section 5.0 must be received BEFORE 4:00 pm on December 8, 2026, electronically via OpenGov. Failure to submit a proposal on time and as directed may be grounds for rejection of the proposal; however, SAFCA reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to accept proposals after the proposal due date.

OpenGov Project Portal:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/saccounty/projects/223678

Questions concerning this RFP must be submitted in the project Q&A section in OpenGov Procurement by 4:00 PM on November 13, 2026. Questions received via phone or e-mail to direct points of contact for this RFP will not be considered nor responded to. SAFCA shall respond to questions properly submitted as described above via the OpenGov Q&A section and/or via an addendum. Unauthorized contact regarding the RFP with other SAFCA employees or contractors may result in disqualification. Any oral communications shall be considered unofficial and nonbinding on SAFCA.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE TIME

1 RFP Issued October 30, 2026

2 RSVP Deadline for Pre-Proposal Site Visit November 6, 2026 4:00 PM

3 Optional Pre-Proposal Site Visit November 10, 2026 TBD

4 Question Submission Deadline November 13, 2026 4:00 PM

5 Responses to Questions Issued November 20, 2026

6 Proposal Submissions Due December 8, 2026 4:00 PM

7 Interviews, if required December 15, 2026

8 Preliminary Selection December 18, 2026

9 SAFCA Board Awards Lease and Authorizes Contract Execution

January 21, 2027

10 Grazing Lease Effective March 1, 2027

SAFCA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to adjust this schedule as it deems necessary.

SAFCA may also amend this RFP at any time, including through response to questions received through the procurement portal.

This RFP is organized in the following sections:

1.0 Lease Specifications

2.0 Measurement, Payment, and Term

3.0 Grazing Management Activities

4.0 Grazing Execution

5.0 RFP Submittal Requirements

6.0 Selection Process

7.0 Lease Agreement

8.0 Attachments

1.0 Lease Specifications

1.1 Scope

The Grazer shall furnish all labor, material, equipment, services, and cattle necessary to provide cattle grazing services for the Grazing Properties. The purpose of the proposed grazing activity is to achieve vegetation and landscape management objectives consistent with conservation easements and other guiding documents on the Grazing Properties. These objectives are aligned with the overall goal of increasing the quality of habitat conditions for native wildlife and increasing or sustaining cover of native plant species, while also reducing wildfire hazard, controlling invasive species, and providing general stewardship for the Grazing Properties with observations and communications with SAFCA.

1.2 Grazer Minimum Qualifications

All livestock operators that meet the minimum qualifications are eligible and for the purpose of this request, an eligible respondent is defined as:

• A single producer or operator,

• A partnership or company,

• A corporation or association,

• A non‐profit organization, or

• A university or educational institute/organization.

Potential Grazers will be required to submit a Statement of Qualifications that describes how they meet each of the following minimum qualifications:

• Two years of experience managing cattle production while utilizing conservation-oriented grazing practices,

• Ability to respond to emergencies on Grazing Properties within twelve (12) hours' notice during the agreement period,

• Possession of the appropriate number of livestock needed to accomplish the objectives of the agreement, and

• Meet the minimum insurance requirements as described in Exhibit B.

1.3 Quality Assurance

Currently, SAFCA has a qualified Preserve Manager to oversee grazing and other management on the Hansen Ranch portion of the Grazing Properties, as required under the conservation easement for this property. The Preserve Manager or other qualified biologist (monitor) retained by SAFCA will periodically inspect all of the Grazing Properties throughout the duration of the identified grazing activities. The Grazer shall care for the premises and maintain them in the same order and condition in which received, ordinary wear and tear excepted. Any unacceptable operations or damage to facilities shall be corrected according to SAFCA’s direction and at the Grazer’s expense.

1.4 Quality Control

Industry Standards Anything customarily necessary or as requested by SAFCA, based on industry standards, for proper completion of the work and not otherwise addressed in this RFP or the lease, shall be furnished and installed even though not specifically contained in the specifications.

Supervision The Grazer is solely responsible for direct supervision of the Grazer's personnel or subcontractors and livestock while operating on the Grazing Properties.

1.5 Legal Issues and Potential Conflict of Interest

No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, be discriminated against in the admission or access to, or be discriminated against in treatment or employment in SAFCA’s contracted programs or activities on the grounds of disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal or California law; nor shall they be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in the performance of contracts with SAFCA or in the employment practices of SAFCA’s contractors. Accordingly, all organizations entering into contracts with SAFCA shall, upon request, be required to show proof of compliance with such nondiscrimination policies and regulations and to post in conspicuous places, available to all employees and applicants, notices of nondiscrimination.

Responding organizations/persons represented by personnel with a disability may receive accommodation regarding the means of communicating this RFP and participating in this procurement process. Responding organizations/persons represented by personnel with a disability should contact the RFP Coordinator as provided in the submittal instructions to request reasonable accommodation no later than the deadline for questions detailed in the Schedule of Events.

The proposals must list any investigations of the organization/person and any enforcement, settlements, or disciplinary actions taken within the past five years by any regulatory body. Any potential conflicts of interest with SAFCA, its staff or Board should also be identified.

2.0 Measurement, Payment, and Term

2.1 Measurement

By the 15th of each month, the Grazer will report to SAFCA’s designated Preserve Manager with the grazing use by unit, including number of head-days by class of cattle, from which AUMs of actual use will be calculated. The SAFCA Preserve Manager or other representative may periodically verify stocking rates during site visits throughout the year. Prior to germinating rains in the fall, SAFCA may monitor Residual Dry Matter (RDM1) levels to ensure grazing targets as specified in the Range Management Plan for Hansen Ranch (Exhibit D) and in Table 1 of the RFP for all Grazing Properties are being met.

Exceptional events, such as wildfire, homeless encampments, accidents and claims, and illegal activities shall be communicated to SAFCA immediately, and included in the monthly report.

2.2 Point of Contact

SAFCA:

Matt DeGroot, Real Estate Manager

(916) 874-8716 degrootm@saccounty.gov

SAFCA mainline (916) 874-7606

Preserve Manager:

Rachel Brownsey Biologist and Project Manager, ESA 916.564.4500 rbrownsey@esassoc.com

2.3 Payment and Term

The nominal annual rental amount for the term of the grazing lease is $2,000 per year, payable in two installments each year. The Grazer will pay rent to SAFCA every six months for the estimated AUMs to be grazed for the following six-month period, with an initial payment due on or before the initiation of grazing at the start of the lease. In the event of forage loss due to extreme drought or wildfire, a credit may be applied to the next lease payment based on prorated AUMs of lost grazing use below 711 AUMs at a rate of $2.81 per AUM. The cattle grazing lease is for the period from March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2030, subject to renewal, or termination for non-performance, with 2 one-year extension options.

3.0 Grazing Management Activities

The goals of grazing management for SAFCA for these Grazing Properties include maintenance of wildlife habitat and native vegetation, control of invasive plants, management of hazardous fuels, and providing an additional stewardship presence on the property to observe conditions and communicate with SAFCA when appropriate. As such, each grazing unit should be grazed each year unless a significant event (such as wildfire) precludes grazing by eliminating available forage

1 For an explanation of using Residual Dry Matter (RDM) for grazing management, see: Bartolome, J. W., et al. (2006).

California guidelines for residual dry matter (RDM) on coastal and foothill annual rangelands. University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Available online at: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8092.pdf.

mailto:degrootm@saccounty.gov mailto:rbrownsey@esassoc.com before there is an opportunity to graze. While the target RDM level for each grazing unit is 800 lbs/ac, the maximum left on each unit shall be no more than 1,400 lbs/ac.

Grazing management activities on Hansen Ranch include compliance with the 2001 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Biological Opinion (BO) covering vernal pool habitat and associated listed species at Hansen Ranch. Associated with the USFWS BO are the Conservation Easement and Range Management Plan for Hansen Ranch (Exhibit D).

Table 1 lists the grazing units included in the RFP. Each unit has the primary management goal identified, along with selected management constraints. Additional information on some of these constraints is provided elsewhere in this RFP.

TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF GRAZING UNITS COVERED IN THIS RFP

Unit Number Property Name Acres* Grazing Prescription Selected Constraints

1 Hansen 9 Vernal pools • Avoid grazing while pools are inundated.

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM.

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

2 Hansen 6 Vernal pools • Avoid grazing while pools are inundated

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

3 Hansen 5 Vernal pools • Avoid grazing while pools are inundated

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

4 Hansen 190 Vernal pools • Seasonal flooding from Dry Creek

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

6 Coyle 131 Flexible use • Seasonal flooding from Dry Creek

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

7 Carmical 45 Native perennial grassland

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

• No developed water

12a & 12b Chen & Ching 38 Native perennial grassland

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

• No developed water

• Recreation access

13 Takeuchi 22 Native perennial grassland

• Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

• No developed water

• Recreation access

15 Long 57 Flexible use • Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

• No developed water

• Recreation access

16 Hayer 29 Flexible use • Target 800 lbs/ac RDM

• Target maximum 1,400 lbs/ac RDM

• No developed water

• Recreation access

Total 532

NOTES:

* Acreages are approximate

4.0 Grazing Execution

4.1 Livestock Management

Livestock will be limited to cattle of various classes. Up to 3 horses may also be grazed on the Grazing Properties if they are used for cattle management thereon.

Livestock Numbers Estimated forage productivity available to livestock in a normal year is about 711 AUMs, assuming an 800 lb/acre RDM target for all units. This estimate is expected to vary from 397 to 1,130 AUMs from year to year, not accounting for unusual events such as wildfire.

Flooding Dry Creek flows originate from an upstream partially urbanized watershed. Because this watershed is relatively highly developed, the flow levels increase quickly during and immediately following rain events through the fall, winter and spring. The effect of this is short-term flooding of substantial portions of Hansen Units 4 and 6, with the water tending to recede typically a day or two after the upstream rain event subsides. These flooding events wash substantial amounts of detritus (woody debris as well as urban trash) onto the floodplain, which SAFCA often works to clean up in the spring as part of Creek Week and/or if it is determined to be a significant hazard from a flooding perspective. It is expected that the Grazer will be able to continue to utilize Hansen Units 4 and 6 during these flood events because they typically have sufficient unflooded areas to sustain the current herd of cattle. The addition of Units 12 through 16 is expected to add to the Grazer’s flexibility in managing livestock during flood events. In more extreme/rare events, the Grazer will need to move livestock out of the floodway and Hansen Units 1, 2, and 3 can be used for this.

Wildfire The Grazing Properties are adjacent to county roads and recreational trails and are therefore at risk of forage loss from wildfire. Grazing to an 800 lb/acre RDM target is meant to help achieve the goal of reducing the hazard of wildfire by reducing the availability of fine fuels. Grazing strategically to reach this RDM target in the units bordering roads and trails earlier in the summer could help to further meet this goal.

Vernal Pools The vernal pools in Units 1 and 3 are part of mitigation covered by the 2001 USFWS BO and conservation easement. Livestock grazing of the vernal pool areas within Hansen Ranch (Units 1 through 4) will be managed to minimize the dominating effects of non-native annual grasses and herbs on vernal pool ecology on a year-round rotational basis, in coordination with the Grazer, SAFCA and the Preserve Manager.

Recreation Units 12 through 16 have access for recreational users through pedestrian gates to provide access to trails through the grazing units from neighborhoods and adjacent trail systems. Gates should be kept closed and more frequent monitoring is warranted when these units are being grazed. SAFCA will work in cooperation with the Grazer to provide appropriate signs to inform the public of the presence of cattle and the importance of keeping gates close. The gates and public use should be taken into consideration with the potential need for the Grazer's closer observation of the units while cattle are grazing them.

Livestock Health The Grazer will be responsible for implementing an animal health and care program consistent with livestock industry standards and relevant laws and regulations.

Noxious Weeds New Introduction

The Grazer, to the extent feasible, shall mitigate the possibility of introducing new noxious weeds onto any Grazing Property.

Livestock Poisoning Plants

The Grazer is advised to inspect the properties prior to grazing for any vegetation known to cause illness in or death to livestock. SAFCA makes no representation as to the presence of known poisonous plants, other than the presence of red sesbania (Sesbania punicea) in the Dry Creek floodplain.

Livestock Death The Grazer will be responsible for all aspects of animal health and compliance with relevant laws, including euthanasia when necessary and carcass disposal offsite within 48 hours.

Livestock Observation The Grazer shall check all livestock regularly to ensure that livestock are properly confined to the defined grazing area. All livestock are deemed trespass if Grazer’s livestock are found outside of the designated Grazing Property. The Grazer must respond to any request to move trespass livestock within 12 hours.

Livestock Movement Movement of livestock shall be by the most efficient means available. No livestock shall be allowed or moved by foot on any public road or adjacent private property. If crossing Rio Linda Boulevard with cattle on foot is necessary, appropriate traffic control measures shall be taken in coordination with Sacramento County and City of Sacramento traffic management departments.

Public and Private Property The Grazer shall respect public and private property boundaries at all times.

Fences and Gates The Grazing Properties boundaries are fenced and gated to primarily prevent unauthorized ingress from vehicles and people. Grazing units are fenced and gated (Units 1 through 16).

The Grazer shall be responsible for maintenance and repair of all electric fences, barb wire fences, gates or other improvements within any designated Grazing Property. The Grazer will also be responsible for maintenance and repair of existing fences, gates or other improvements within any Grazing Property, prior to and throughout the grazing period. All interior fences and boundary fences must be maintained to a level that will ensure livestock are confined to allowable areas prior to release of livestock into the grazing area and during the period of use, conforming to the requirements of CFAC Section 17121 defining a “good fence” for the purpose of confining livestock.

The corral infrastructure currently in Unit 6 of Coyle Ranch is the property of the current grazer.

The new Grazer would be expected to provide the necessary animal holding equipment required to manage cattle on the Grazing Properties, which may involve temporary corral infrastructure on Coyle Ranch as well as temporary corral infrastructure at up to two locations on the units east of Rio Linda Boulevard (Units 11, 12a, 12b, 13, 15, and 16) at locations to be agreed on by SAFCA biologists. This infrastructure must be removed during the flood season from November 15 to April 15 each year.

SAFCA will be responsible for fence replacement or improvements where existing fencing is deficient or past its useful life (Between Coyle Unit 6 and Carmichael Unit 7 and Hayer Unit 16 and Long Unit 15 boundary). In addition, the bridge over Dry Creek in Unit 6 may be removed and not replaced by SAFCA due to its deteriorating condition. There is vehicle access for livestock management for the Grazing Properties south of Dry Creek through the gate on the west side of Rio Linda Boulevard into Unit 7.

Livestock Watering and Mineral Supplements The Grazer shall be responsible for stock water and providing watering infrastructure necessary for livestock operations within the Grazing Properties. SAFCA will identify potential known water sources where present but is not responsible for ensuring water sources or availability. If mineral supplements are provided, they must be contained and at least 250 feet from any natural water sources and vernal pools.

The portions of the SAFCA-managed properties that are currently grazed (Units 1– 4, and Unit 6) have year-round water available. In Units 4 and 6, this consists of access to the Dry Creek channel, a perennial stream that runs through the units. A water trough in the northwest corner of Unit 1 has been fed in the past through an agreement with the neighboring property owner to supply water for early summer grazing of Units 1 – 3 by leaving the gates open between these small (less than 10 acre) units. See Exhibit A: Grazing Units and Infrastructure for locations of existing and potential water sources.

The units located east of Rio Linda Boulevard (Units 12a – 16) do not currently have developed water, nor will there be access for cattle to Dry Creek along these units. Unit 7 has a developed well that is currently used to irrigate a riparian restoration project south of, and adjacent to, Unit

7. Water from this well would be available to the Grazer to develop a trough in Unit 7. Unit 12b has an undeveloped well on the north boundary and Unit 13 has an undeveloped well outside of the southeast corner. Both wells could be developed by the Grazer in cooperation with SAFCA for use by cattle. Otherwise, a temporary tank and trough could be used that would need to be kept filled by the Grazer while cattle utilize these units. Any stock watering proposals on these units would need to be submitted to SAFCA for review and approval prior to installation. Interested applicants are encouraged to include a description of how they propose to provide water for livestock which may include pursuit of third-party (such as USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service) funding to improve water distribution in these units for improved grazing management. Any infrastructure improvement plans would be subject to approval by SAFCA as well as the applicable property owners, including SAFCA, the City of Sacramento, and Sacramento County.

4.2 Livestock Services Inspection

SAFCA shall provide overall contract oversight, review and evaluation of the terms of the agreement and the Grazer’s performance. The Grazer shall provide appropriate livestock (cattle) and will follow the prescriptions of the Exhibits and any other mutual agreements to provide services or supplies that may become necessary. Livestock numbers will likely need seasonal and/or yearly adjustment by the Grazer based upon available forage and as needed to meet the grazing objectives on the Grazing Properties.

4.3 Fire Safety and Hazardous Materials

In the event of a safety or hazard issue the Grazer's field crew must be able to communicate with the Grazer’s project manager, SAFCA’s Senior Natural Resource Specialist (916-874-6099), County Park Rangers (916-875-6961) and/or other emergency personnel (911) while conducting activities under the lease. The Grazer is also responsible for the following:

• Petro-Chemical Fuels. At no time will fuel cans/containers (glass bottles and jugs are prohibited) be placed within 100 feet of a river/creek or lake/pond. Additionally, reasonable precautions shall be taken to prevent spills of petro-chemical fuels and at no time will fuels/ oils be used or placed within 100 feet of a waterway (i.e. river, creek, pond, or lake). In the event of a hazardous material spill, the Grazer will immediately notify SAFCA in addition to appropriate first responders.

• Fire Safety. During periods of very high and extreme fire danger, the following specific equipment and fire precautionary measures are applicable:

– Meet the minimum requirements of Sections 4427 and 4428 of the California Public Resources Code (CPRC) for operating machinery that may cause a fire hazard during a period when a burn permit is required.

– Each internal combustion engine (including but not limited to trucks and tractors) shall always be equipped with an operational and maintained fire extinguisher for oil and grease fires (Class 4-B, C, 5 lb, or larger). Additionally, there will always be enough appropriately sized shovels that are 46 inches in length (or greater) and 2.5-pound axes (or larger) that are 28 inches in length (or greater) to equip each employee present.

– All equipment and internal combustion engines shall be equipped with spark arrestors as approved and according to Sections 4442 and 4443 of the CPRC. Spark arrestors shall be a model that has been tested and approved under Forest Service Standard 5100-1a (April 1970) and shall be maintained in good operating condition. Motor vehicles equipped with a maintained muffler as defined by CPRC Section 4442 and 4443 or tractors with exhaust-operated turbochargers are excluded from the spark arrestor requirement.

– One fire extinguisher meeting specifications of CPRC Section 4431 and a size 0 shovel that is 46 inches in length shall be kept with each operating power saw.

– Smoking by all employees is prohibited in grazing units.

– The fire department must be notified immediately if initial control actions (within the qualifications and capability of the Grazer and their employees) fail to extinguish a fire.

SAFCA shall be notified immediately after the fire department is notified.

5.0 RFP SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

All interested applicants should submit proposals pursuant to the submittal instructions on page 2 of this RFP. SAFCA will review the submitted proposals and evaluate them to determine which meets the requirements of the RFP and provides the best value and will optimize the achievement of land management objectives for the sites. This analysis will be based on the degree to which the proposal clearly communicates superior team qualifications, approach, and cost.

Clarity is appreciated more than the length of the submittal; submittal reviewers may not read the entirety of lengthy proposals.

5.1 Transmittal Letter

The proposal must include a transmittal letter signed by an official authorized by the organization to undertake projects and enter into a lease. The letter should include the name, address, email address, and phone number of the organization’s primary contact person. The primary contact person should be able to answer questions on the submittal, arrange an interview, and manage lease negotiations.

5.2 Organization/Qualifications

Provide a maximum four-page statement describing the applicant’s experience and capacity to meet the minimum qualifications described in this RFP, including experience with conservation-oriented grazing practices, ability to respond to urgent cattle-related matters on the Grazing Properties, and possession of adequate cattle and business infrastructure to graze these properties.

5.3 Conflict of Interest

Disclose, if relevant or appropriate, any actual, apparent, direct, indirect, or potential conflicts of interest that may exist with respect to the firm, management, or employees of the firm or other persons relative to the services to be provided under the Agreement for Grazer services to be awarded pursuant to this RFP. If there are no known potential conflicts of interest, provide a statement to this effect.

5.4 References

Provide two references in the past five years or one reference in the past two years that can attest to the applicant’s experience in the implementation of a grazing agreement performed on public or conservation easement protected lands. Include the responsible manager/landowner, including name, current address, current telephone number, and current email address (if available) of clients’ representatives.

5.5 Insurance

Provide a summary of the applicant's insurance coverage including public liability, automobile, workers' compensation, and professional liability. The successful Grazer shall also summarize their ability to have in place all necessary insurance coverages and limits under SAFCA’s standard lease terms, which are attached hereto as Exhibit B.

6.0 Selection Process

SAFCA will select the most qualified applicant that proposes to complete the requested scope of services. SAFCA may request interviews with all or a subset of the applicants if an interview would enable a more complete evaluation of otherwise closely-ranked submittals or if an elucidation of responses would help with the selection. The proposals will be scored using the contents of the proposal as described above and other information such as might be provided during interviews if they are held. Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of three criteria, weighted in the selection decision as follows:

• 30% Past experience with conservation-oriented grazing practices,

• 30% References from past grazing leases or contracts and the ability of the Grazer to adequately meet lease terms in a timely manner, and

• 40% Feasibility of the grazing proposal to be implemented and meet management goals and objectives.

SAFCA reserves the right to reject any proposals received for any reason, to negotiate and enter an agreement with any qualified applicant, or to cancel the process. All proposals and material submitted to SAFCA will become the property of SAFCA and subject to public disclosure, and submittal of an RFP will be considered proof of consent to disclosure. SAFCA is not liable for any costs incurred in the preparation and submittal of a proposal.

SAFCA reserves the right to award all, part, or none of this work at its sole discretion based on the applications received. SAFCA staff will advise all RFP submitters on the relative ranking of the proposals. The final selection of applicant will be subject to approval by the SAFCA Board of Directors.

7.0 Lease Agreement

After the RFPs have been evaluated by SAFCA, the RFP Coordinator will invite the best evaluated Grazer to participate in negotiations with SAFCA. SAFCA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to negotiate with the apparent best evaluated Grazer.

The apparent best-evaluated Grazer shall be prepared to enter into a lease agreement with SAFCA which shall be substantially the same as the Lease Agreement Template included in Exhibit C of this RFP. Notwithstanding, SAFCA reserves the right to add terms and conditions, deemed to be in the best interest of SAFCA, during final lease agreement negotiations. Any such terms and conditions shall be within the scope of the RFP and shall not affect the basis of Proposal evaluations.

The lease agreement will be for the period from March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2030, subject to renewal, or termination for non-performance.

SAFCA staff will make a recommendation to the Board on award of a lease or rejection of the proposals, in accordance with applicable SAFCA contracting policies and authorities.

8.0 Attachments

Exhibit A. Grazing Units and Infrastructure

Exhibit B. Insurance Requirements

Exhibit C. Lease Agreement Template

Exhibit D. Hansen Ranch Conservation Easement and Range Management

Plan

1.5 Legal Issues and Potential Conflict of Interest