Vegetation_Monitoring_Survey_and_Report_for_the_Napa_County_Flood_Protection_Project_RFP.pdf

For more information, please visit our online supplier portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa

County of Napa, CA

FDRFP20260908

VEGETATION MONITORING SURVEY AND REPORT FOR THE NAPA

COUNTY FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT RFP

RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2026 RESPONSE DEADLINE: November 12, 2026, 4:00 pm

Please refer to the project timeline in this document for all important deadlines.

Request For Proposal #FDRFP20260908 Title: Vegetation Monitoring Survey and Report for the Napa County Flood Protection Project RFP

Table Of Contents

1.Calendar of Events

2.General Conditions

3.Questions Regarding the RFP

4.RFP Addenda

5.Proposal Submission, Due Date and Late Proposals

6.Organization of Proposal and Proposal Organization Requirments

7.Evaluation and Award

8.Evaluation Criteria

9.PSA and Insurance Requirements

10.Local Vendor Preference Policy

11.Protests or Objections

12.Vendor Submissions

Attachments:

A - Napa River Flood Protection Project Long Term Vegetation and Habitat Monitoring Report 2022

B - Napa River Flood Protection Project Long Term Vegetation and Habitat Monitoring Report 2017

C - Mitigation and Monitoring Plan

D - PSA Example

Calendar of Events

Release of Request for Proposal: September 8, 2026

Question Submission Deadline: October 22, 2026, 4:00pm

Question Response Deadline: October 30, 2026, 4:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline: November 12, 2026, 4:00pm

*These dates may be changed at the discretion of Napa County. Changes to the due date for questions or due date for proposal submittal will be made by addendum.

General Conditions

Proposal Process The District reserves the right to:

• Accept proposals, award proposals and/or not award proposals on individual items listed, on group items, or on the proposal as a whole.

• Request clarification of information submitted.

• Request additional information from competitors.

• Waive any informality in the proposals.

• Waive any irregularity in the submission and review process.

• Reject any and all submittals.

• Accept the proposal that appears from all considerations to be in the best interest of the County.

• Modify the scope of work after the selection process without re-issuing the RFP.

The District may reject the proposal of any proposer who previously failed to perform properly, or complete on time, contracts of a similar nature, or to reject the proposal of a proposer who is not in a position to perform such a contract satisfactorily. The District may reject the proposal of any proposer who is in default of the payment of taxes, or other monies due to Napa County.

None of the materials submitted will be returned to the respondent unless they are not submitted within the timelines of the RFP.

This solicitation and related information can be found at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa. The District does not guarantee the accuracy of information posted on or obtained from sources other than this e-procurement portal.

Provision of Information to Respondents Proposals will become a public record and available for release to the public upon selection of a successful Respondent and an Intent to Award Notification is distributed. Proposers should not include proprietary, trade secret, or other confidential information in their Proposals, and do so at their own risk.

If such information is included, Proposers must clearly identify it as confidential, proprietary, or trade secret within the Proposal. The District will consider information so identified as a request to withhold it, but the District may nonetheless release, redact or withhold such information in its sole discretion. If the District redacts or withholds such information, the Proposer shall indemnity the District and defend, at its own expense, any legal actions or challenges seeking to obtain the redacted or withheld information from the District. Nothing in this RFP creates any obligation for the District to notify the Proposers or obtain the Proposer's approval or consent before releasing information subject to disclosure under the

California Public Records Act. Submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP shall constitute the Proposer’s acknowledgement and acceptance of these provisions regarding the Public Records Act.

Questions Regarding the RFP

Proposers shall submit all inquiries regarding this bid via Napa County's e-Procurement Portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa.

Please note the deadline for submitting inquiries in the Calendar of Key Events. All answers to accepted inquiries will be posted on the Napa County e-Procurement Portal. Proposers may also click “Follow” on this RFP to receive an email notification when answers are posted. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to check the website for answers to inquiries. Questions will not be answered that would tend to constitute an evaluation of a response being prepared or that might give an unfair advantage to a potential respondent

No prior, current or post award verbal conversations or agreements with any officer, agent, or employee of the District or any other person or entity shall affect or modify any terms or obligations of this RFP or any agreement resulting from this process. Potential proposers should not contact District officials or staff regarding any aspect of this RFP. If such contact is made, the District reserves the right to reject the Proposal.

RFP Addenda

Proposers are required to register for an account via the County's e-Procurement Portal hosted by OpenGov. Once the Proposer has completed registration, they will receive addenda notifications to their email by clicking “Follow” on this project. Ultimately, it is the sole responsibility of each proposer to periodically check the site for any addenda at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa.

It is the sole responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that they obtain information related to any Addenda, and acknowledge any and all Addenda electronically in the e-Procurement Portal as part of their Response. Failure to do so will result in rejection of the response.

Proposal Submission, Due Date and Late Proposals

By submitting a proposal, the Proposer represents and warrants that:

The information provided is genuine and not a sham, collusive, or made in the interest or in behalf of any party not therein named, and that the proposer has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other proposer to put in a sham proposal, or any other proposer to refrain from presenting information and that the prospective provider has not in any manner sought by collusion to secure an advantage.

The proposer has not paid or agreed to pay any fee or commission, or any other thing of value contingent upon the award of an exclusive operating area, to any employee, official, or existing Contractor of the County of Napa or District.

Submit Electronic Responses via the County's e-Procurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa.

The deadline for submission of proposals in response to this RFP is 4:00 pm on Thursday, November 12, 2026. Late proposals will not be accepted or considered.

The District reserves the right to request additional information not included in this RFP from any or all proposers after the Proposal Submission deadline.

Any modification, amendment, addition, or alteration to any submission must be presented, in writing, executed by an authorized person or persons, and submitted prior to the final date for submissions. No amendments, additions or alterations will be accepted after the time and date specified as the submission deadline unless requested by the District.

The submission of a proposal shall be an indication that the proposer has investigated and satisfied themself as to the conditions to be encountered, the character, quality and scope of the work to be performed, and the requirements of the District, including all terms and conditions contained within this

RFP.

Organization of Proposal and Proposal Organization Requirments

Proposals shall contain the following information and shall be organized in the same order as provided herein. See Vendor Submissions:

1. Cover Page. Cover page shall state Title and RFP number (20260908), name of proposing company, and name and signature of the person who is authorized to make decisions and represent the submitting firm with respect to this RFP.

2. Company Information. This section shall state:

a. The legal name of the company which can enter into a contract with the County and any alternate names for which the company is known (D.B.A.);

b. Mailing, and physical address(es);

c. Remit-to billing address;

d. Phone, fax, and website (if applicable);

e. Organization type;

f. Federal I.D. number

g. Federal Unique Entity ID, if applicable

h. List of owners;

i. List of corporate officers with titles (if applicable); and

j. Name (first and last), title, mailing address, phone number, fax and email of the person to receive notices and who is authorized to make decisions or represent the company with respect to this RFP

3. Company History, Experience, Qualifications and Scope of Work. See Evaluation Criteria. This section shall include a description of the firm’s experience in coordinating, conducting and preparing similar studies and reports. In particular, experience with detailed vegetation monitoring of restored habitat areas greater than 25 acres. This section shall also include the proposed scope of work, the approach to the scope of work, a list of all sub-consultants that would be used to perform the scope of work.

Contractor shall ensure that any reports, and any deliverable to the District, be delivered in a manner to ensure non-discrimination and equal access to Distirct services and digital properties such as websites, documents, and applications by persons with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and under § 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Successful respondent shall ensure that any deliverable, including but not limited to, reports, documents, videos, multimedia productions, live broadcasts and any and all other web content and information communications technology are fully accessible and in compliance with federal accessibility standards and laws and with the County's Web Content Accessibility Standards. Specifically, Contractor shall ensure that all websites, mobile applications, and digital content or services provided under this Agreement comply with the latest version of the U.S. Department of Justice’s rule on Website and Mobile Application Accessibility, which currently requires conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.

4. Pricing/Rate Proposal. This section shall communicate your proposed price for required services.

Please provide the overall project budget and include hourly rate sheets for the primary consultant and any sub-consultants.

5. References. Provide 3 references (company, contact, phone number, date(s) and description of service(s) provided). References should be entities for which similar work has been completed. Data entry submission -See "Vendor Submissions".

6. Disclosures. Data entry submission -See "Vendor Submissions".

7. PSA and Insurance Acceptance or Exception. Data entry submission -See "Vendor Submissions".

All information provided as a response to this RFP should be in the context of the information requested in the RFP. Please do not submit additional flyers, brochures, marketing material, etc.

Proposals must be submitted through the County's e-Procurement Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa

Evaluation and Award

Evaluation A panel will review all proposals submitted pursuant to the terms of the RFP and select the highest ranked proposal(s) for consideration based on the evaluation criteria noted below. After proposals have been received and reviewed, the highest ranked proposer(s) may be invited to meet with the evaluation panel at no cost to the District to discuss and clarify any questions concerning the proposer's proposal and the District's requirements.

At any time during the evaluation process, the District may request “Best and Final” offers based upon the District’s improved understanding of the offers or changed scope of work. Based on the initial proposals, further clarification and/or revision of proposals, and Best and Final offers, if requested, the panel will select the proposal that provides the best value to the District. The District may negotiate final pricing and a contract form with the successful proposer.

Because this proposal is negotiable, all data shall remain confidential until after an award recommendation is made, and there shall be no public opening and reading of proposals.

The District reserves the right to award an agreement without further competition based on the responses received to this RFP.

Award The District intends to award a contract to the firm who distinguish themselves as capable of the type and breadth of services provided for in the Scope of Work as evident in submitted Proposal. Selection and determination of qualifications is at the sole discretion of the District.

The District will attempt to negotiate a contract with the firm submitting the top ranked Proposal. If no contract can be successfully negotiated with the top ranked Proposer, then the District may, at its election enter into negotiations with the next highest ranked Proposer; and move down the list of Proposers in order of scoring until a contract can be negotiated.

Upon selection of qualified Proposer, completion of successful negotiations, and distribution of the “Intent to Award Notification” has taken place, the contract will be presented to the appropriate authority level for authorization.

The District reserves the right to decline awarding a contract to any of the Proposers.

Evaluation Criteria

Qualifications and experience will be evaluated to determine the proposal that provides the best value to the District.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Company History and Background

Please provide a description and brief history/background of your company. Included in this should be the number of years in business; list of owners;

board of directors, if applicable; key company personnel; number of total employees (both company wide and those working out of the office, warehouse, or depot from where services for this contract will originate); and number of staff who provide the services as described in this RFP (both company wide and those working out of the office, warehouse, or depot from where services for this contract will originate).

Points Based 10 (10% of Total)

2. Company Experience, Qualifications, and Scope of Work

This section shall include the following:

• A description of the firm’s experience in coordinating, conducting and preparing similar studies and reports. In particular, experience with detailed vegetation monitoring of restored habitat areas greater than 25 acres.

• A proposed scope of work detailed by task and staffing level of effort estimate by task.

• A list of all sub-consultants that would be used to perform the scope of work.

• A statement of the firm’s staff capabilities and qualifications, along with a list of key personnel who will be assigned to the project and for what purposes, as well as the percentage of time the key

Points Based 50 (50% of Total) personnel will be assigned to the project.

• Proposed time frames to complete the work, including periodic District review of draft work.

3. Pricing Information/Structure

This section shall communicate your proposed price for required services. Please provide the overall project budget and include hourly rate sheets for the primary consultant and any sub-consultants.

Points Based 40 (40% of Total)

PSA and Insurance Requirements

Professional Services Agreement The successful proposer will be expected to enter into a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with the District. The District’s standard General Terms and Conditions of the PSA is attached (see Attachments Tab) to this RFP for review by prospective Proposers. Proposers are not required to submit a signed copy of the District’s PSA with their proposal but are merely directed to review the PSA to ensure that all Proposers understand the District’s PSA requirements.

Proposers should clearly note in their proposals whether they take exception to any of the PSA requirements and should include a detailed explanation of the reason for the exception and a counterproposal or alternative suggestion(s) for the District’s review. However, after review of any proposer’s exceptions, the District reserves the right to reject any and all exceptions taken to the District’s PSA.

Insurance Requirements Proposers are directed to review the District’s insurance requirements as detailed in the attached draft PSA, General Terms and Conditions (Article IV, Article V, and Exhibit C ) and are required to submit a written statement with their proposal indicating their willingness and ability to meet all the District’s insurance requirements. Additionally, required insurance endorsements must be scheduled endorsements specifically naming the District. Without prior written approval, blanket endorsements will not be accepted

Proposers who are unable to meet all the District’s insurance requirements may submit with their proposal an alternative plan for obtaining insurance that will adequately mitigate the risks associated with providing the services. Any alternative insurance coverage request is subject to review and approval by District Counsel and the District’s Risk Management Officer or appointee.

Failure to meet the District’s insurance requirements (as determined by District Counsel and District Risk Management Officer or appointee) may be sufficient reason for disqualification from the selection process.

Local Vendor Preference Policy

The DIstrict has a local vendor preference that covers the acquisition of requested services. Local vendors will be awarded contracts for services where qualifications are determined by the reviewing panel to be otherwise equal unless such preference is not allowable by law. For this matter, a local vendor is a vendor who has a billing address located within Napa County.

Protests or Objections

The District’s appeals process is as follows:

A bidder or proposer who is not selected for contract award may protest the award of the contract to another bidder or proposer by submitting a written protest. Subcontractors, sub consultants, and members of the public may not submit a protest.

Protest Deadlines

(a) For contracts awarded pursuant to an RFP or RFQ (Request for Qualifications), the protest must be received by the Purchasing Agent no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after the District notifies all proposers via the Intent to Award Notification.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) above, if a proposal or statement of qualifications is rejected as non-responsive or because the bidder is not a responsible bidder, the protest must be received by the Purchasing Agent no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after the District notifies the bidder or proposer that their bid or proposal is being rejected.

(c) The District’s notification under subsections (a) and (b) above may be by any reasonable means, including but not limited to U.S. mail, e-mail, facsimile, or internet posting. The effective date of notice by mail is the date that the notice is deposited in the mail. The effective date of all other means of notice is the date it is transmitted.

(d) If the seventh calendar day falls on a weekend or District holiday, the deadline to submit a protest shall be extended to 5:00 p.m. on the first business day following such weekend or holiday.

(e) Written protests must be delivered to:

Napa County Flood Control District Purchasing Agent

804 First Street

Napa, CA 94559

Content of Protest The protest must be identified as a “RFP protest” in the subject line or title of the document and shall clearly state all legal and factual grounds claimed for the protest. Any grounds not raised in the written protest are deemed waived by the bidder or proposer.

Resolution Process

(a) Upon timely receipt of a written protest, the Purchasing Agent will convene a meeting with the protesting party and appropriate District staff to seek informal resolution and/or to clarify the issues.

(b) If the protest is not resolved at the informal meeting, the Purchasing Agent shall provide a written response to the protesting party within fifteen (15) business days following the informal meeting. District Counsel may be consulted before the written response is issued. The response shall state the Purchasing Agent’s decision and facts and law supporting that decision.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b) above, if the protest is not resolved at the informal meeting and the protest is to the District’s determination that the bidder is not a responsible bidder, the bidder may request a hearing to present evidence contesting the District’s determination. The request for a hearing must be in writing and received by the Purchasing Agent no later than 5:00 p.m. on the third business day after the date of the informal meeting in subsection (a). The Purchasing Agent shall serve as the hearing officer and issue a written decision within fifteen (15) business days following the conclusion of the hearing.

(d) The District shall not award the contract being protested until after the Purchasing Agent issues a written decision on the protest, unless the Purchasing Agent, in consultation with District Counsel and the Director of the Department administering the contract, makes a written determination that the award of the contract without further delay is necessary to protect public health, safety, or welfare. The Purchasing Agent’s written decision on the protest shall be final and exhaust the protestor’s administrative remedies.

Exclusive Remedy

(a) The procedure and time limits set forth in this Section are mandatory and are the protester’s sole and exclusive remedy. Failure to comply with these procedures and time limits shall constitute a waiver of any right to further pursue a protest.

(b) The submission of a protest shall not preclude the District from rejecting all bids or proposals and re-advertising or canceling the contract. Rejecting all bids or proposals shall render a protest moot and terminate all protest proceedings.

Vendor Submissions

Proposals must be submitted through Napa County's e-Procurement Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa

Cover Page and Company Information* See Organization of Proposal and Project Organization Requirements for Required Information.

*Response required

Company History and Background* See Evaluation Criteria for required information that must be provided.

*Response required

Company Experience, Qualifications, and Scope of Work* See Evaluation Criteria for required information that must be provided.

*Response required

Pricing/Rate Proposal* See Evaluation Criteria for required information that must be provided.

*Response required

References* Provide a minimum of three (3) current references for which your agency has provided services similar to those described in this Request for Proposals. References shall include entity, contact name, address, title, phone number, and term of contract.

The District reserves the right to contact references not provided in the submittals.

*Response required

You are required to disclose any alleged significant prior or ongoing contract failures, any civil or criminal litigation or investigation pending which involves the Proposer or a verification of no responsive incidents.* Failure to comply with the terms of this provision may disqualify any proposal. The District reserves the right to reject any proposal based upon the Proposer’s prior history with the District or with any other party, which documents, without limitation, unsatisfactory performance, significant failures to meet contract milestones or other contractual failures.

Please disclose below. If you have no disclosures to report please write that you have no reportable disclosures.

*Response required

The proposer accepts the District’s standard Agreement; and is willing and able to meet the District’s insurance requirements, found in the draft Agreement, Sections IV, V, and Exhibit C ( Agreement attached)* ☐ Yes ☐ No

*Response required

When equals "No"

If no was selected, please provide reasons/exceptions:* PSA: Respondents should clearly note in their proposals whether they take exception to any of the PSA requirements and should include a detailed explanation of the reason for the exception and a counterproposal or alternative suggestion(s) for the District’s review. However, after review of any respondent’s exceptions, the District reserves the right to reject any and all exceptions taken to the District’s PSA.

Insurance: Respondents who are unable to meet all the District’s insurance requirements may submit with their proposal an alternative plan for obtaining insurance that will adequately mitigate the risks associated with providing the services. Any alternative insurance coverage request is subject to review and approval by District Counsel and the District’s Risk Management Officer.

Failure to meet the District’s insurance requirements (as determined by District Counsel and District Risk Management Officer) may be sufficient reason for disqualification from the selection process.

*Response required