RFI for Online Payment and Applications for Licensing

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) has issued Request for Information (RFI) 25-IC0054 to survey the marketplace for products, services, and cost estimates related to developing an Online Payment and Applications for Licensing (OPAL) System. This is an informational and exploratory RFI designed to identify three alternative technological solutions before proceeding with formal procurement. The system will enable electronic submission of pesticide applicator license applications and payments, replacing current paper-based processes. Key deliverables include a comprehensive online platform supporting multiple licensing types (Qualified Applicator Certificates, Pest Control Dealer Licenses, Pesticide Broker Licenses, Agricultural Pest Control Adviser Licenses, and Maintenance Gardener Pest Control Business Licenses), automated workflows with real-time error validation, secure multi-method payment processing (credit card, debit card, electronic funds transfer), license renewal capabilities, and continuing education management. The system must accommodate at least 5,000 concurrent users with 99.9% annual availability, support 2-second page load times, and maintain minimum 200-gigabyte database capacity supporting 10 million initial records with 20-gigabyte annual growth. Required qualifications include demonstrated public sector experience, Microsoft stack technology expertise, n-tier architecture development capability, compliance with NIST SP 800-53 moderate-level security controls and Transport Layer Security encryption, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA compliance, and integration capability with external systems including the U.S. Postal Service, state-approved payment vendors, PSI Inc. examination proctoring services, and the Department of Professional Regulation's Rubrik backup platform. Vendor questions were due April 17, 2026, with agency responses posted by April 24, 2026, and RFI responses due May 1, 2026; the RFI process will be complete by May 18, 2026. Responses must include a cover letter, completed questionnaire (limited to 10 pages using 10 or 12-point font), and a Rate of Markup (ROM) workbook detailing IT staffing costs across a two-year project period with an optional third year, submitted via email to CDPR's procurement officer.

The RFI contains no designated set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting responder eligibility. The current environment relies on the Infor Public Sector (IPS) application, an SQL Server-based COTS system used for manual data entry of paper applications and payments, along with existing interfaces including PSI Inc. for exam scheduling, MillPay for broker and dealer reporting, a custom-built continuing education application, and an in-house PML Tools reporting application built in .NET Framework; the proposed OPAL system must integrate with these existing systems and maintain data security. CDPR holds annual spending authority up to $1 million, with cost estimates from vendors provided for budgeting purposes only and designated as non-binding. Following RFI completion, CDPR will select one solution for implementation and submit a Budget Change Proposal for the 2027-2028 fiscal year to fund the selected solution after completing the California Department of Technology Project Approval Lifecycle Stage 4. The RFI assumes a minimum one-year Maintenance and Operations period following formal system acceptance, with an optional one-year contract extension available. While specific award values are not disclosed in the RFI documentation, vendors are encouraged to provide general cost values or ranges for identified products or solutions to support the state's budget planning and comparative analysis across submitted proposals.