On-Call Professional Consulting Services for Parks Projects: Biological Monitoring Services

The County of San Mateo Parks Department seeks a qualified contractor to provide on-call professional consulting services for biological monitoring on an as-needed basis through this Request for Proposals issued March 9, 2026. The primary deliverables and services include habitat assessments, pre-construction surveys for special-status species, daily on-site biological monitoring during construction activities, preparation of biological assessment reports supporting CEQA and NEPA documentation, regulatory compliance support, environmental awareness training for project personnel, and coordination with environmental agencies including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Contractor personnel must have a minimum of four years of experience providing similar services within the last seven years, with at least one staff member holding necessary state or federal certifications for handling or relocating protected species; preferred qualifications include staff with at least five years of academic or professional experience in biological sciences and a minimum of two years conducting field surveys or construction monitoring. The contract will have an initial three-year term with one optional two-year extension exercisable at the County's sole discretion with thirty days' written notice. Proposals are due March 23, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. via the eProcurement portal, with a deadline for questions and contract exceptions of March 16, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; no pre-proposal conference or site visit is scheduled. Evaluation criteria consist of firm qualifications (40 points), team qualifications (25 points), and price proposal (25 points), with an additional 10 points available for local business or non-profit preferences under San Mateo County Ordinance Code Chapter 2.89.

San Mateo County has implemented local business and non-profit preference designations providing a 5 percent preference, with additional preferences of 3 or 5 percent available for small or micro businesses and non-profits respectively. No specific incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The RFP includes a sample project scope involving 34 days of on-site biological monitoring for a trail culvert replacement project to illustrate typical scope and requirements. The County reserves the right to waive irregularities, reject proposals, modify procedures, or determine no project will be pursued, with all proposals becoming public records subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act. While no specific budget or award value is disclosed in the RFP, the County has provided two contract templates—one for agreements exceeding $200,000 and one for agreements under $200,000—indicating that the potential contract value may fall within or exceed the $200,000 threshold, which carries additional compliance requirements including prevailing wage obligations and comprehensive insurance coverage with general liability, motor vehicle liability, and professional liability minimums of $1,000,000 each.