0CA26004_30x30 Stewardship Engagement and Report

The California Natural Resources Agency is requesting proposals for consulting services to develop the stewardship section of the 2027 Pathways to 30x30 Annual Report under RFP 0CA26004, with proposals due August 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM and questions due August 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM. A five percent Small Business Preference applies to California-certified small businesses and microbusinesses, and a five percent preference is available to non-small business bidders committing to subcontract at least 25 percent of the net bid price to certified small businesses; bidders utilizing certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises may receive a one-point incentive.

The scope requires synthesis and analysis of existing research to assess statewide stewardship needs and costs, document best practices, evaluate ecological and climate benefits, analyze workforce capacity, and develop recommendations to strengthen stewardship of conserved lands and advance California's 30x30 goals under Assembly Bill 900. The contractor must support community outreach to conservation leaders and underserved communities and coordinate closely with the CNRA Tribal Affairs Unit to ensure tribal stewardship and Traditional Ecological Knowledge components are integrated. Nine primary deliverables span October 15, 2026 through April 30, 2027, including stakeholder and tribal engagement summaries, stewardship needs assessments, best practices reviews, benefits analysis, workforce assessment, recommendations, and draft and final report sections. All public-facing deliverables must comply with ADA, Section 508, California Government Code section 11135, and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

The maximum contract value is $900,000 with overhead costs limited to 20 percent of direct personnel costs. The contract term extends from Department of General Services approval through September 1, 2027, with an optional one-year extension available. The proposed award date is September 16, 2026.

Minimum qualifications include at least five years of statewide natural resource or environmental policy experience, demonstrated California protected areas and 30x30 initiative expertise, and proven ability to lead comparable statewide analysis projects and work collaboratively with California Native American tribes. Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000), Professional Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate), and Workers Compensation ($1,000,000).

Evaluation scoring consists of 100 points across qualifications and bios (pass/fail), quality and effectiveness of proposed solution (30 points), demonstrated proficiency on comparable projects (25 points), relevant expertise of assigned personnel (20 points), industry and program experience (15 points), and proposed budget (10 points). Award goes to the highest-scoring responsive and responsible bidder, with the lowest responsive bidder serving as the cost tiebreaker.