Communications and Public Relations Consulting Services

The California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) has released Request for Proposal (RFP) #2025-591-OSG for communications and public relations consulting services through the Office of the California Surgeon General (OSG). The comprehensive scope includes planning and project management, developing communication plans for up to four projects or campaigns, providing public relations services across multiple social media platforms, executing media relations strategies, managing crisis communications, conducting earned media campaigns, and offering public relations coaching for OSG leadership. Deliverables will encompass monthly status reports, communication plans, media relations plans, scripts, social media assets, and a final knowledge transfer report. The RFP evaluation will utilize a secondary procurement method with a total of 1,200 possible points, including administrative review (pass/fail), firm strengths (50 points), staff experience (200 points), understanding and approach (450 points), cost evaluation (300 points), and optional interviews (200 points). Critical dates include written questions due by December 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM PST, proposal submissions due January 9, 2026 at 3:00 PM PST, potential interviews the week of January 19-23, 2026, and anticipated award notice the week of January 26, 2026.

The procurement includes significant small business participation goals, offering a 5% incentive for proposers committing to 25% subcontracting with certified small or microbusinesses, and an additional 3% incentive for disabled veteran business enterprise participation. Contractors must maintain specific insurance requirements, including $1,000,000 commercial general liability insurance per occurrence and $1,000,000 professional liability insurance per claim. The contract has a maximum value of $150,000 for an eighteen-month term from February 2, 2026, through July 2, 2027, with a potential state option to extend for an additional twelve months at the original agreed-upon costs. Work will primarily be performed on-site at CalHHS offices in Sacramento, with remote work permitted upon engagement manager approval. All work products must comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Level AA standards, and proposers must submit comprehensive attachments including certifications, staff resumes, cost worksheets, and an eight-page maximum experience narrative demonstrating their capabilities to meet the OSG's communications and public relations needs.