Request for Qualifications for On-Call Environmental Consulting Services

The City of Hayward, Development Services Department, Planning Division is requesting qualifications from environmental consulting firms to provide on-call CEQA and NEPA services for development projects, with responses due May 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

The scope includes preparation of initial studies, negative declarations, mitigated negative declarations, environmental impact reports, and related noticing documents. Firms must demonstrate technical expertise in air quality, greenhouse gases, energy, hydrology, geology, noise, transportation, and biological, cultural, tribal, and historic resources. Respondents must hold current professional licenses and registrations relevant to environmental consulting, disclose conflicts of interest and pending litigation, and provide evidence of required insurance coverage. A key qualification threshold is completion of at least three CEQA or NEPA projects within the prior two years.

This is an on-call, indefinite-quantity procurement with no fixed contract dollar amount or term. Compensation will be negotiated based on hourly rates for key team members and reimbursable travel expenses submitted by respondents. The City reserves the right to select one or multiple consultants and to reject any or all proposals.

Selection criteria are weighted equally at 25 percent each: project management experience and references; understanding of municipal environmental reporting needs; qualifications of the firm and team; and responsiveness to RFQ requirements. The City expects to select contractors by June 1, 2026, and intends to update the pre-qualified list on a triannual basis or sooner as needed.

The deadline for submitting questions is April 24, 2026. Submissions must be made electronically through the procurement portal with a spiral-bound hard copy delivered to the Purchasing Department. Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. No bidder's conference or site visit is scheduled. All submitted materials become City property and public records under the California Public Records Act.