Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) Consultant Scope of Work

The City of Thousand Oaks, California, located in Ventura County, has issued a Request for Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q) for Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) consulting services to support implementation of its Climate and Environmental Action Plan (CEAP) adopted in 2024. The City seeks a qualified firm or team with demonstrated expertise in CBSM, behavioral science, or related disciplines to design and implement a comprehensive 24- to 36-month outreach, research, and engagement strategy. The primary focus areas are residential building electrification (with induction stoves as the initial focus, funded through the Clean Power Alliance Innovation Grant with $250,000 in grant funding plus $50,000+ in City contributions) and household hazardous waste (HHW) participation, with particular emphasis on historically underrepresented communities and Spanish-language accessibility. Key deliverables include market research and audience segmentation, behavior prioritization and design frameworks, comprehensive outreach and campaign strategies, messaging and collateral development, pilot implementation with goal tracking, and capacity building and knowledge transfer. The consultant will collaborate closely with the City's Sustainability and Strategic Communications and Public Affairs teams. Evaluation criteria include experience with CBSM and behavior-change programs, grant compliance and reporting capabilities, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, climate and environmental initiative expertise, public agency experience, translation of behavioral research into campaigns, and culturally competent outreach strategies. All work related to electrification must comply with Clean Power Alliance grant requirements and reporting obligations. The deadline for submitter questions is February 24, 2026, with sealed proposals due electronically via the City's eProcurement Portal by March 3, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. local time. City Council is scheduled to award the contract on April 21, 2026, with contract execution by April 28, 2026, and work commencing May 1, 2026. Proposers must provide a maximum not-to-exceed compensation amount broken down by hourly rates, reimbursables, and anticipated costs, with detailed staff hour estimates by title for each phase, and submit a Non-Collusion Affidavit, Levine Act Disclosure Form, W-9, and at least three references from similar projects within the past five years. All materials, data, and deliverables become the property of the City and must be provided in editable, non-proprietary formats.

The solicitation does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular organization types, disadvantaged enterprises, or minority-owned businesses, indicating this procurement is open to qualified firms regardless of business structure or certification status. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation. The City will conduct a two-stage selection process with Phase 1 involving written proposal review and Phase 2 including oral presentations and interviews. The selected consultant must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), Workers' Compensation ($1,000,000 per accident), and Professional Errors and Omissions ($1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate with three-year tail coverage), with the City named as additional insured. While the total project budget exceeds $300,000 including the $250,000 CPA grant and $50,000 City contribution, with $100,000 allocated for community-based social marketing consultant services for research, pilot design, and evaluation, the specific award value or not-to-exceed amount for the consultant contract is not disclosed in the published solicitation materials. Compensation will be paid on an hourly basis according to the consultant's Schedule of Fees, with invoices submitted monthly, and payments made within 30 days of City approval. The City reserves the right to cancel the solicitation, reduce the scope of work, or terminate negotiations without liability if funding is reduced, delayed, or withdrawn, and may terminate the contract without cause upon fifteen days' written notice.