Request for Proposal (RFP) 26-10274 AB 1264 - Regulations Development

The California Department of Public Health is requesting proposals for scientific, analytical, and technical support in developing regulations under Health and Safety Code 104662(b) related to Assembly Bill 1264 (restricted school foods and ultraprocessed foods), with proposals due September 22, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PT and a mandatory Letter of Intent due September 8, 2026. Addendum 1 was posted August 19, 2026. This is a single-award procurement open to commercial businesses, nonprofit organizations, state or public universities, and other eligible entities.

Proposers must meet a minimum 3 percent Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise participation requirement of total proposed cost. Bidding preferences are available for small businesses, microbusinesses, nonprofit veteran service agencies, non-small businesses with qualifying subcontractor participation, and entities exceeding the DVBE participation minimum. Target Area Contract Preference Act scoring applies up to 9 percent for contracts exceeding $100,000.

The scope encompasses policy and scientific reviews, development of transparent evidence evaluation methods, and modeling potential impacts of regulatory decisions. Deliverables include landscape reviews, evidence assessment frameworks, regulatory decision protocols, literature review reports, and analytical modeling reports. Work concentrates in the first contract year to align with AB 1264 timelines. Proposers must demonstrate at least three consecutive years of relevant experience within the past five years in systematic literature reviews, scientific evidence evaluation, policy and regulatory analysis, analytical modeling, and work with food composition or nutrition data, with particular expertise in nutrition epidemiology, food science, policy analysis, and statistical modeling.

The maximum contract value is $600,000 over the three-year term (January 4, 2027 through December 31, 2029), with an option to extend up to one additional year or for additional funding up to 30 percent of the contracted amount not to exceed $250,000. Indirect costs must not exceed 20 percent of the total contract amount. Compensation is based on actual expenditures according to the approved cost proposal; no travel reimbursement is permitted. The contractor must maintain general liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.

Narrative proposals are scored on agency capability (150 points), project personnel (180 points), work plan (160 points), and management plan (30 points), with a maximum of 520 points. Cost section scoring adds up to 230 points. Proposals scoring below 365 points in narrative evaluation are deemed technically deficient. The estimated Notice of Intent to Award will be posted by October 6, 2026, with a protest filing deadline of October 13, 2026.