RFP 2026-11001

The California State Board of Equalization is requesting proposals for a cloud-based State Tax Administration Record System (STARS) solution under RFP 2026-11001, with proposals due August 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. This is a full system modernization with no incumbent contractor identified.

Bidders must obtain and maintain an approved Electronic Vendor Application of Qualifications (eVAQ) from the California Department of Technology Office of Statewide Technology Procurement prior to proposal submission. Optional socioeconomic incentives are available for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation of at least one percent, Small Business Preference of five percent, and non-small business subcontractor preferences with 25% small business participation.

The scope encompasses design, development, implementation, and transition of a hybrid solution combining Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS), Modifiable Off-the-Shelf (MOTS), and custom software to modernize legacy mainframe operations. Core deliverables include an assessee e-file web portal supporting 2,000 to 6,000 concurrent users, automated tax computations and allocations, case management, paperless workflows, centralized data storage, data governance, reporting and dashboarding, broadband field connectivity, and audit efficiencies. The system must support Board Roll and Private Railroad Car tax programs across 58 California counties, processing $167.2 billion in annual property value. Solutions must be hosted on either Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services within the United States, comply with NIST 800-207 Zero Trust Architecture and California Department of Technology cloud policies, and meet WCAG 2.2 ADA accessibility standards. All data must be encrypted in transit and at rest per FIPS standards; 24/7 availability is required excluding agreed maintenance windows.

The estimated contract value is $6.3 million not to exceed for a two-year base term with an optional one-year extension (three-year maximum). All work shall be performed at the State Board of Equalization office in Sacramento, California, with remote Continental U.S. staff permitted subject to State approval; no offshore work is allowed. The implementation timeline spans 18 months, with go-live targeted for March 31, 2028.

Bidders must submit an Intent to Bid form by July 16, 2026 and request file-sharing access by July 30, 2026. Evaluation occurs August 11 through October 27, 2026; contract award notification is scheduled for November 20, 2026, with contract start on November 30, 2026. The procurement follows competitive negotiation under Public Contract Code Section 6611, evaluated on non-cost factors, cost analysis, and socioeconomic participation. Cost is structured as fixed-price deliverables with monthly maintenance and operations support rates and pass/fail hourly rates for unanticipated tasks across identified technical roles.