Recreational Fishing Regulations Mobile Application RFI

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is issuing a Request for Information to solicit vendor input on the development of a publicly accessible mobile application for Recreational Fishing Regulations, with RFI responses due August 31, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

The application will deliver geospatially driven access to location-specific recreational marine and inland fishing regulations through an interactive, map-based interface supporting both native mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and web-based desktop access. The system must provide offline functionality for areas without cellular connectivity, location-based regulation identification, accessibility compliance with California Government Code Section 11135 and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, and multi-language localization support in Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Mandarin Chinese. Core deliverables include a regulation rule summary with species cards and regulation codes in accordion format, visual status indicators for conditions such as open, closed, restricted, and emergency closure, AI-driven natural language query capabilities, data synchronization with a Centralized Regulations Database and ArcGIS services, push notification functionality for regulatory updates and emergency closures, and enhancements to the existing Content Management Interface.

The application integrates with an existing SQL Server database schema managing user authentication, fishing regulations and rules, species management, fishing methods, take methods, and supporting lookup tables. CDFW has completed Phase 1 infrastructure in 2024 and finalized technical and functional design documents. Development must accommodate two operational modes: Pamphlet Mode presenting regulations in traditional format with a 5-mile buffer selection, and Rule-Based Mode enabling direct water body selection with structured database rules. Existing GIS data includes RFRInlandLines (327 features) and RFRInlandPolygons (298 features) for inland regulations; CDFW recommends thorough quality review of sections 5.00, 7.00, 7.40, and 7.50 (trout, salmon, and black bass regulations) before production deployment.

An Intent to Respond deadline is August 6, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Vendors may submit questions until August 18, 2026. Selected vendors will be notified by September 9, 2026, and invited to participate in virtual demonstration days on September 14–18, 2026, via Microsoft Teams for up to two hours per presentation. RFI responses must include a signed cover letter, a vendor profile limited to five pages, completion of the Vendor Questionnaire (25 pages maximum), the RFI Response Checklist, and evidence of review of the Recreational Fishing Regulations Requirements exhibit. This RFI creates no legally binding obligations; responses will become public records subject to the California Public Records Act and may inform a future formal solicitation such as an RFQ, IFB, or RFP.