SLED Opportunity · CALIFORNIA · COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

    On-Call Professional Consulting Services for Parks Projects: Biological Monitoring Services

    Issued by County of San Mateo
    countyRFPCounty of San MateoSol. 242803
    Closed
    STATUS
    Closed
    due Mar 24, 2026
    PUBLISHED
    Mar 9, 2026
    Posting date
    JURISDICTION
    County of
    county
    NAICS CODE
    541620
    AI-classified industry

    AI Summary

    The County of San Mateo seeks on-call professional consulting services for biological monitoring in parks projects. The opportunity supports management of 24 parks, 16,000+ acres, and 190 miles of trails, serving nearly three million visitors annually. This RFP aims to protect and enhance natural resources and recreational activities.

    Opportunity details

    Solicitation No.
    242803
    Type / RFx
    RFP
    Status
    open
    Level
    county
    Published Date
    March 9, 2026
    Due Date
    March 24, 2026
    NAICS Code
    541620AI guide
    Agency
    County of San Mateo

    Description

    The County of San Mateo (“County”) covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula. The region covers 744 mi2 and is home to approximately 750,000 residents. The County is made up of 20 incorporated cities. The County provides for the health and welfare of all people within its borders and serves as the local government for the unincorporated areas. Innovation thrives here in industries including bioscience, computer software, green technology, hospitality, financial management, health care, education, and transportation. The County prides itself on how that prosperity fosters its commitment to protecting and enhancing the health, safety, welfare, and natural resources of the community.

    The San Mateo County Parks Department (“Department”) serves nearly three million visitors every year. Visitors have many options when visiting the County’s unique park system. With 24 parks and recreation areas, over 16,000 acres of park land, and 190 miles of trail, the Department provides healthy outdoor activities, educational opportunities, and lasting memories.

    Due to the diversity of the park system, visitors can enjoy an array of recreational opportunities, including walking; running; hiking; biking; picnicking; horseback riding; sailing; kite surfing; fishing; camping; gardening; tidepooling; volunteering; learning; sports courts; and playing on playgrounds.

    Background

    The Parks Department oversees the planning, development, operation, and maintenance of a diverse range of parks, trails, and recreational facilities throughout the County. The Department delivers projects involving new construction, renovation, and replacement of park facilities, which often require coordination with multiple stakeholders, compliance with environmental and building regulations, and careful management of budgets and schedules. The Department is seeking on-call biological services, including habitat assessments, species surveys, regulatory compliance support, and construction-phase monitoring, to identify, protect, and mitigate impacts to sensitive biological resources associated with County projects.

    Project Details

    • Reference ID: 2026-RFP-00394
    • Department: Parks Department
    • Department Head: Emma Gonzalez (Director)

    Important Dates

    • Questions Due: 2026-03-17T00:00:00.000Z

    Addenda

    • Addendum #1 (released 2026-03-18T22:14:39.333Z) —

      Additional week added to submission deadline.

      Please use the See What Changed link to view all the changes made by this addendum.

    • Addendum #2 (released 2026-03-19T19:58:00.633Z) —

      Addition of line-item pricing section.

      Please use the See What Changed link to view all the changes made by this addendum.

    Evaluation Criteria

    • Firm Qualifications (40 pts)
    • Team Qualifications (25 pts)
    • Price Proposal (25 pts)
    • Preferential Points (10 pts)

      Where price is not the sole evaluation factor for a solicitation (e.g., in the case of a "best-value" solicitation), five percent (5%) of the total evaluation points awardable will be added to the proposal score for each Local Business or Local Non-Profit score for evaluation purposes. In the event of a tie between a Local Business or Local Non-Profit and another bidder, the Local Business or Non-Profit shall be awarded the Contract, assuming agreement on other contract terms.

      An additional three percent (3%) preference shall be given to a Local Business or Local Non-profit (for a total of eight percent (8%) of total points awardable) if the proposer is a Small Business or Small Non-Profit, or an additional 5 percent preference (for a total of ten percent (10%) of total points awardable) if the proposer is a Micro Business or Micro Non-Profit.

    Submission Requirements

    • Minimum Qualifications
    • Has Proposer has been providing similar services for a minimum of four (4) years within the last seven (7) years? (required)
    • Account manager has a minimum of two (2) years of experience within the last five (5) years in providing account services? (required)
    • Vendor is not excluded, suspended, or debarred from the System for Award Management (SAM). (required)

      SAM.gov

    • What is the registered Business Name and Unique Entity ID (UEI) No.? (If applicable)
      • UEI number can be obtained by registering your business through SAM.GOV
      • Should you be in the process of obtaining your UEI number, please enter the digits ‘123’ temporarily for your response below in order to proceed with proposal. This temporary number should be replaced with the correct registration number for submission of the proposal.
    • Performance Measures (required)

      Performance shall be evaluated by successful completion of each on-call project in full compliance with the approved scope of work, meeting all quality standards, delivering on schedule, and staying within the approved budget, while maintaining effective communication with County staff throughout the project lifecycle.

      The County may require periodic reporting from the Contractor to ensure proper contract oversight, tracking of project requirements, and verification of deliverables. The Contractor shall cooperate with the County in providing reports, documentation, or other information as requested to support timely review, approval, and recordkeeping by designated County staff.

       

    • Procurement Preference for Local Businesses and Local Non-Profits
    • Is the Proposer a "Local Business"?

      As Defined by Chapter 2.89.020 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, a “Local Business” means any for-profit business which has its principal place of business, or is headquartered, in San Mateo County. If this designation applies to the proposer, a self-attestation form must be completed and provided with this response. 

      Please download the below documents, complete, and upload. If this designation is not applicable, please leave blank. 

    • Is the Proposer a Non-Profit? (required)

      A Non-Profit is defined as a tax-exempt public charity organization (within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) that is formed for purposes other than making a profit, is exempt from paying federal income taxes on the income generated for their exempt purposes. 

    • Is the Proposer a "Local Non-Profit"

      As Defined by Chapter 2.89.020 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, a “Local Non-Profit" means a tax-exempt public charity organization (within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) that is formed for purposes other than making a profit, is exempt from paying federal income taxes on the income generated for their exempt purposes, and has its principal place of business, or is headquartered, in San Mateo County. If this designation applies to the proposer, a self-attestation form must be completed and provided with this response. 

      Please download the below documents, complete, and upload. If this designation is not applicable, please leave blank.

    • Is the Proposer a Local "Small" or "Micro" Business?

      As Defined by Chapter 2.89.020 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code:

      “Small Business” means any business which holds a Small Business Certification awarded by the California Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS).

      “Micro Business” means any Small Business certified by the OSDS which is automatically designated by the OSDS as a Micro Business due to gross annual receipts falling below the OSDS-designated dollar amount.

      If the above designations apply, please provide the OSDS provided Certification ID. 

      If this designation is not applicable, please leave blank. 

    • Is the Proposer a Local "Small" or "Micro" Non-Profit?

      As Defined by Chapter 2.89.020 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code:

      “Small Non-Profit" means a Local Non-Profit with an annual revenue of $1,000,000 to $2,500,000 according to its most recently filed IRS Form 990.

      “Micro Non-Profit" means a Local Non-Profit with an annual revenue of less than $1,000,000, according to its most recently filed IRS Form 990.

      If the above designations apply, please provide your latest filed IRS form 990. A filing from the last two calendar years is acceptable. 

      If this designation is not applicable, please leave blank. 

    • Technical Proposal
    • Introduction and Executive Summary (required)

      Submit a letter of introduction and executive summary of the proposal.  The letter must contain:

      • Name, title and contact information (email, phone, and address) for representative of proposer that is responsible for communication related to this RFP.
      • Name, title, contact information, and signature of person authorized to obligate firm to perform the commitment contained in the proposal.

      Submission of the letter will constitute a representation by proposer that it is willing and able to perform the commitments contained in the proposal and has not violated the terms of this RFP.

    • Statement of Minimum Qualifications (required)

      Describe how the proposer meets the minimum qualifications as set forth in Minimum Qualifications of this RFP.

      Submission of the Minimum Qualifications checklist is not a substitute for providing a detailed written response.

    • Firm Qualifications (required)

      Attach information regarding background and qualifications, including the following:

      • A brief description of the proposer.
      • A description of not more than three (3) projects similar in size and scope conducted by the proposer, including the client, reference and telephone numbers, primary staff members involved, budget, schedule, and project summary.  Descriptions should be limited to one (1) page for each project.
      • If subcontractors are anticipated, identify them (if known) and provide information on how they will be used.
    • Team Qualifications (required)

      Provide a chart identifying:

          • Project team and reporting structure
          • Lead project manager
          • Role each person will play in the project

      Provide a brief description of the experience and qualifications of the project team members, including short resumes if desired.

      Written assurance that the key individuals listed and identified will be performing the work and will not be substituted or reassigned without the County’s prior approval

    • References (required)

      Provide three references, including the name, address, and telephone number of recent clients (preferably other public agencies)

    • Price Proposal / Example Project (required)

      Example Project: Sawyer Trail Culvert Replacement Project – Woodside, CA:

       

      Contractor shall provide pre-construction surveys, and 34 days of on-site biological monitoring throughout the duration of all construction activities for the Sawyer Camp Trail Culvert Replacement project. Staff biologists shall conduct biological monitoring on-site prior to the start of work each day to determine if any wildlife was present in the work area, and to ensure that all monitoring programs were in place and effective. In advance of the construction activities, Contractor shall provide environmental awareness training for the project personnel regarding the species of concern that have the potential to be present in the project area. In advance of construction activities, Contractor shall also perform all necessary species-specific pre-construction surveys, and provide an environmental awareness training session for all new personnel who will be on site during project activities.

    • Agreement term (years) (required)

      Update below if needed.

    • Is there an extension to this agreement? (required)

      Is there an extension to this agreement?

    • Extension (required)

      Modify the extension information below, if needed

    • Will there be a Pre-Proposal Meeting and/or a Site Visit? (required)
    • Include the information that will be covered in the site visit. (required)
    • Require vendors to provide References? (required)
    • References (required)

      How many references are required by the vendor? (Number)

    • Use Electronic Line Item Pricing? (required)
    • Allow vendors to submit Confidential Information? (required)

      In rare circumstances where there is an expectation that proposers will need to submit trade secrets or other confidential information in order to respond to an RFP. 

    • Sample Agreement (required)

    Questions & Answers

    Q (Multiple Award): Will the County be selecting one firm or multiple firms?

    A: It is anticipated that one bidder will be selected in this RFP.


    Q (Contract Ceiling and Duration): Is there a predetermined contract dollar ceiling, and do you expect the contract duration to be three years?

    A: There is not a predetermined contract ceiling; as a formal RFP, the contract 'floor' is 100k. The duration is expected to be three years, subject to possible extension.


    Q (4.3.6. Price Proposal / Example Project): Can the county please clarify what information is required for section 4.3.6. Price Proposal / Example Project? The RFP includes an example project and description, but the requirements of this section are unclear.

    A: The fee proposal should include a staffing plan identifying proposed roles and estimated hours per role, along with a corresponding cost based on the proposer’s hourly rates. Proposers should also provide a total estimated fee for completion of the example project. The level of detail provided is at the proposer’s discretion but should be sufficient to demonstrate how the proposed fee was developed.


    Q (No subject): Is there any reason not to use County Parks Department staff as references?

    A: Please do not use Parks staff as a reference, as staff members may be serving on the review panel for this RFP.


    Q (No subject): We are providing detailed responses to the questions in the Minimum Qualifications checklist as part of our Technical Proposal. Would the County like us to also include and complete the original checklist? If yes, should we include this as an appendix?

    A: Please do complete the Minimum Qualifications checklist within the OpenGov system. You will be unable to submit your bid in the system without completing the checklist.


    Q (Example Project): The example project is titled "Alambique Trail Culvert Replacement Project – Woodside, CA," but the text discusses the Sawyer Camp Trail Culvert Replacement project. Please clarify.

    A: Updated to reflect correct 'Sawyer' designation.


    Key dates

    1. March 9, 2026Published
    2. March 24, 2026Responses Due

    AI classification tags

    Frequently asked questions

    SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.

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