Active SLED Opportunity · CALIFORNIA · SANTA CRUZ
AI Summary
The City of Santa Cruz seeks proposals for professional services to develop a 2026-2030 Economic Development Strategy focusing on business services, retail activation, infrastructure, and asset management. Proposals must include technical and cost details, with a due date of May 25, 2026.
The Office of Economic Development of the City of Santa Cruz is soliciting proposals from qualified persons or firms to enter into an Agreement for Professional Services to develop an Economic Development Strategy.
The Strategy will focus on the work of the Business Services division with only reference to goals and initiatives that might be bolstered by the support of the Office's other divisions. Goals and initiatives identified in the Strategy should align with the City Council Work Plan, General Plan, and other relevant plans and policies.
The City of Santa Cruz is located on California's Central Coast, 65 miles south of San Francisco and on the northern side of Monterey Bay. San Jose International Airport is 34 miles from downtown Santa Cruz. The primary highway access is from State Highways 1 (north and south) and 17 (accessing Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area).
Santa Cruz is a compact city dominated by single-family neighborhoods, tourist-oriented commercial areas and the University of California, Santa Cruz. The city’s population is approximately 64,000 people with a workforce of 33,300. The city is home to about 7,542 businesses and was recognized by Forbes in 2013 as #6 on the list of “Best Cities for Future Job Growth”. The principal industries of Santa Cruz and the surrounding region are agriculture, tourism, sports, and technology. The University of California, Santa Cruz, established in 1965, is located on the northern edge of Santa Cruz, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. UCSC has a current enrollment of 19,254 students and over 5,000 faculty and staff. In addition to being home to UCSC, the city is located within commuting distance of Silicon Valley.
The Office of Economic Development (OED) is nearing the conclusion of the 2021-2026 Economic Development Strategy, which has served as the City’s primary roadmap for pandemic recovery and industry growth. In April 2025, the City Council accepted a comprehensive Strategy Update that transitioned the Department’s focus toward vibrancy and storefront activation. This next phase of work is designed to operationalize those recommendations through the development of a 2026-2030 Economic Development Strategy
The Strategy should be inclusive of OED’s four divisions:
Business Services
The Business Services Division is responsible for business retention and expansion (BRE) efforts, the cultivation and support of key industry clusters, and downtown support as the primary retail, business, and cultural hub for the city. The Division provides tailored permitting assistance, incentive programs, and business planning and promotion to grow the economy.
Infrastructure & Development/Successor Agency
The Office of Economic Development serves as the lead agency on a number of infrastructure, development, and mixed-use projects throughout the City and performs economic development and planning functions within certain designated areas of the City. This division currently oversees public-private partnerships and transit-oriented developments, including the redeveloped METRO Station (Pacific Station North and South mixed-use 100% affordable housing projects) and the Downtown Library & Affordable Housing Project. The division has two additional mixed-use development projects on the horizon, an affordable/workforce development project with a public plaza anchored by the Santa Cruz Community Farmers’ Market on the existing library site and a mixed-use affordable housing development project at the gateway of Hwy 1 and Hwy 9.
Asset Management
The Asset Management Division provides property management of City-owned assets including acquisition, disposition, and development of real property. The Division manages approximately 70-80 commercial lease and license agreements, leases on the Santa Cruz Wharf and in other city- owned buildings, including properties owned by the former Redevelopment Agency such as the Del Mar Theatre and Tannery Arts Center campus. The Division also manages the city-wide graffiti abatement program, including the maintenance of the graffiti database used by local law enforcement.
Public Art
Managed by the Arts Program Manager in consultation with the City’s Arts Commission, the Santa Cruz City Arts Program includes the City Arts Recovery Design (CARD) Program, Graphic Traffic signal box art program, and the Mural Matching Grant program. The Percent for Art Program continues to allocate 1% of eligible CIP projects to enhance infrastructure, while long-term planning efforts like the Citywide Arts Master Plan ensure that public art remains a primary driver of Santa Cruz’s unique cultural and economic vibrancy.
OED has implemented many of the strategies included in the 2021-2026 Strategy and City Council directed staff to incorporate additional strategies related to Downtown retail attraction and activation of empty storefronts; placemaking and activation in Downtown to connect new development, the farmers market, and underutilized public spaces; and support for Midtown and Westside business improvement districts. The new Strategy should include strategies and analysis the following focus areas:
To be considered responsive, the proposal shall include the information detailed in this section. The proposer must provide information in the proposal in the same order as shown below. The proposal shall be separated into the subheadings referenced below. Failure to provide this information may result in a proposal being considered non-responsive to requirements.
Proposal Format
Proposals should be organized as follows:
Section 1- General Information to Vendors: Contains summary scope of work, contact information, proposal due date, and general background information.
Section 2- Specifications: Provides details regarding the evaluation of the contract.
Section 3- Process Instructions: Contains the tentative RFP schedule, explains how the proposals will be evaluated, and presents administrative information on the conduct of the RFP process.
Section 4- Terms and Conditions: Details the City’s contract terms and conditions.
Section 5- Proposal Cover Page: Provides basic Vendor contact information and an authorized signature accepting the City’s terms and conditions as stated in this solicitation.
Section 6- RFP Questionnaire: Presents questions for Vendor response.
Section 7- Fee Schedule: Provides format for submitting pricing. Fee Schedules will include all costs incidental to developing the Economic Development Strategy according to this solicitation.
Proposals shall be typed, as concisely as possible, and shall not include any unnecessary promotional material. The Proposer shall provide the information required in this Evaluation Criteria section and comply with the maximum page limitations provided for each subsection of the proposal. The RFP Required Submittal Documents do not count toward applicable section page limits.
Resumes, if requested, shall be included as a separate attachment. Number every page sequentially beginning with the cover page, including any text, charts and graphic pages, including attachments and exhibits. If used, narrative pages shall be used sparingly and only where required to convey related information that cannot be accommodated. The proposal shall use Arial or a similar, easily readable font. A minimum of 11-point font size and 1.25-line spacing is required for text. Narrow or condensed fonts are not permitted. Font restrictions do not apply to attachments. Different size fonts will be allowed for headings, charts, tables, and graphics and must be easily readable.
This section must include the following (maximum 2 pages):
In this section (maximum 5 pages), include the following:
In this section (maximum 5 pages), include the following:
If awarded the contract, the Proposer shall make every effort to ensure that the staff resources identified in the proposal will be available for the Project. If staff identified in the proposal are not available, the City reserves the right to review and approve alternate personnel.
The work plan shall include a process for delivery of the range of services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services. To the extent possible, the proposal shall reflect the roles and responsibilities of team members in the major tasks outlined in the Section Preliminary Scope of Services and strategies to accommodate the staffing needs for each task order. As appropriate, include tools and techniques you could use in addressing challenges and delivering services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services.
Proposers shall address all major tasks outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services and as appropriate, suggest supplemental tasks/sub-tasks for incorporation into the final Section Preliminary Scope of Services.
The work plan shall include a process for delivery of the range of services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services. To the extent possible, the proposal shall reflect the roles and responsibilities of team members in the major tasks outlined in the Section Preliminary Scope of Services and strategies to accommodate the staffing needs for each task order. As appropriate, include tools and techniques you could use in addressing challenges and delivering services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services.
Proposers shall address all major tasks outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services and as appropriate, suggest supplemental tasks/sub-tasks for incorporation into the final Section Preliminary Scope of Services.
Cost/Pricing is a factor in this selection. Proposers must complete and submit a Cost Proposal. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to state all costs to provide the services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services. Costs shall include, but not be limited to, direct labor, overhead, fringe benefits, profit, subcontractors, other direct costs (ODC) such as materials, supplies, taxes, and travel. A Proposer’s failure to submit a Cost Proposal will deem the submittal non-responsive. Include the Cost Proposal with the Electronic Response.
The price will be evaluated in the following manner:
Example: Lowest Total Proposed Price Total % Price
Proposer’s Total Proposed Price X for Price = Score
Cost/Pricing is a factor in this selection. Proposers must complete and submit a Cost Proposal. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to state all costs to provide the services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services. Costs shall include, but not be limited to, direct labor, overhead, fringe benefits, profit, subcontractors, other direct costs (ODC) such as materials, supplies, taxes, and travel. A Proposer’s failure to submit a Cost Proposal will deem the submittal non-responsive. Include the Cost Proposal with the Electronic Response.
The price will be evaluated in the following manner:
This portion of the proposal will be evaluated based on the reasonableness of the proposed costs. Costs will be evaluated as compared to costs the City or other comparable public agencies have paid for similar services and with the industry’s standard and customary costs for the services.
In this section (maximum 5 pages), provide the following:
The City reserves the right to:
It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure the client reference contact person is available and willing to provide a reference within the timeframe stated in this section. The client reference score/weight shall have no bearing on any other evaluation criteria.
In this section (maximum 5 pages), provide the following:
The City reserves the right to:
It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure the client reference contact person is available and willing to provide a reference within the timeframe stated in this section. The client reference score/weight shall have no bearing on any other evaluation criteria.
Proposers invited for the interview and oral presentations are expected to have a clear understanding of Project goals and objectives, the scope of services, the Project and City background, and the Proposer’s role. Proposers must present their Project understanding, work plan, and approach effectively for achieving the Scope of Services on time and within budget.
Proposers invited to participate in the interview and oral presentations will be evaluated on their ability to effectively communicate the project understanding, work plan and approach, and the qualifications of subcontractors and personnel. The presentations should be informative and concise.
By confirming, the proposer is affirming to the following:
The proposer, upon acceptance, agrees to furnish the following in accordance with the specifications and terms and conditions per City of Santa Cruz “Request for Proposals for Request For Proposals for Economic Development Strategy” at the prices indicated herein.
The proposer, under penalty of perjury, declares not to be a party with any other business to an agreement to propose a fixed or uniform price in connection with this proposal.
The proposer declares under penalty of perjury that she/he is authorized to submit this proposal and bind the business or organization to the terms of this Proposal.
The proposer recognizes the right of the City of Santa Cruz to reject any or all proposals received and to waive any informality or minor defects in proposals received.
The proposer declares under penalty of perjury that the information contained in this Proposal and all accompanying documents are true and correct.
Proposers must complete and submit a Cost Proposal with their Proposal submittal by the Proposal Submittal Due date. Costs must not exceed $90,000 including reimbursable costs. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to state all costs required to provide the services outlined in Section Preliminary Scope of Services. Costs shall include, but not be limited to, direct labor, overhead, fringe benefits, profit, subcontractor costs, and other direct costs (ODC) such as materials, supplies, taxes, and travel. A Proposer’s failure to submit a Cost Proposal will deem the Proposal non-responsive.
By confirming, the proposer, the party making the foregoing proposal declares that the proposal is not made in the interest of, or on behalf of, any undisclosed person, partnership, company, association, organization, or corporation; that the proposal is genuine and not collusive or sham; that the Consultant has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other Consultant or Sub-Consultant to put in a false or sham proposal; and has not directly or indirectly colluded, conspired, connived, or agreed with any Consultant, Sub-Consultant or anyone else to put in a sham proposal, or that anyone shall refrain from proposing; that the Consultant has not in any manner directly or indirectly, sought by agreement, communication, or conference with anyone to fix the proposal price of the Consultant or any other Consultant or Sub-Consultant, or to fix any overhead, profit, or cost element of the proposal price, or of that of any other Consultant or Sub-Consultant, or to secure any advantage against the public body awarding the contract of anyone interested in the proposed contract; that all statements contained in the proposal are true; and, further, that the Consultant has not, directly or indirectly, submitted his or her proposal price or any breakdown thereof, or the contents thereof, or divulged information or data relative thereto, or paid, and will not pay, any fee to any corporation, partnership, company association, organization, proposal depository, or to any member or agent thereof to effectuate a collusive or sham proposal.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.
Indicate whether your business will extend the pricing, terms and conditions of this bid to other government agencies, if you are the successful proposer. Your business would be required to make this contract available to interested agencies. Interested government agencies may enter into their own contract with the successful Contractor. They may negotiate minor changes in terms and conditions.
Will your business extend the same prices, terms and conditions to other public agencies?
Local Businesses and Locally Owned Businesses must submit this certification with each bid or proposal in order to receive the 2% and additional 4% preference applied during the evaluation of any competitive process for goods, supplies, equipment, materials, services, or professional services.
Local Businesses
To qualify for the 2% local business preference, a business must meet the following criteria:
To qualify for an additional 4% locally owned business preference, a business must meet the above requirements for a local business and at least 50% of the business’ owners must live in the County of Santa Cruz.
To qualify for the locally owned business preference, list all of the business’ owners and their county of residence.
In previous disasters, many organizations have responded enthusiastically to the City’s requests for supplies and services needed to protect the health, safety, and property of the Santa Cruz public. The information on this list allows us to quickly locate desperately needed resources. Because many businesses give us their nighttime phone numbers, we are able to obtain crucial supplies and services after normal business hours.
If you are interested in being a part of this list, please take a few minutes to fill out the form below, review the categories, and check any that apply.
We urge you to provide the manager’s or owner’s home address and phone number. Having information on how to contact a firm after hours greatly improves our emergency response. This information is kept confidential and used only in the event of serious life-threatening emergencies.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
In order to submit a proposal, the vendor acknowledges that they have read all addenda, and questions and answers posted for this solicitation.
As a party to a proceeding, you are required to comply with the following Levine Act Disclosure Statement:
California Government Code Section 84308, commonly referred to as the "Levine Act," prohibits City Officers (as defined below) from participating in any action concerning a license, permit, other entitlement for use, franchise, or contract (collectively “license, permit, or contract”) if they accept, solicit, or direct contribution(s) from a party, participant, and its agent(s), totaling more than $500 within the twelve (12) months prior to the proceeding, while a proceeding is pending, and for twelve (12) months following the date of a final decision in a proceeding.
“City Officers” include any City elected or appointed officer, their alternates, and any candidate for elective office. “City Officers” are listed at the following sites:
As a party to a proceeding, you are also required to provide the information below concerning your contributions to City Officers. This form is to be submitted to the City of Santa Cruz as soon as practicable, but before the proceeding itself, and is a public record. If you have any questions about this form, please contact your City representative for assistance.
You must submit a supplemental form if you make any new reportable contribution(s) while the contract, license, permit, or other entitlement is being considered by the City of Santa Cruz.
Answering “YES” to any of the questions in this Section does not preclude the City of Santa Cruz from awarding a license, permit, or contract to you or your organization or taking any subsequent action related to said license, permit, or contract. It does, however, preclude any identified City Officers from participating in any actions related to this license, permit, or contract, unless the identified City Officers return the contribution within 30 days of discovery. (Gov. Code § 84308(d); FPPC Reg. 18438.7.)
In determining whether a contribution has exceeded $500, the contributions of an agent shall not be aggregated with contributions from a party or participant. (Gov. Code § 84308(g).)
Note that, with respect to elected officers, contributions only count if the elected officer or the body of which they are a member has authority to make a decision or recommendation in the proceeding.
Note that, with respect to elected officers, contributions only count if the elected officer or the body of which they are a member has authority to make a decision or recommendation in the proceeding.
Please make sure to reflect the option choose below in your Introduction Section Timeline by clicking on "Edit Timeline"
Local Preference does not apply to:
Every contract for services to the City for $10,000 or more is subject to the City’s Living Wage Ordinance number 2000-25.
Liquidated Damages are applicable for PW- non Construction, & Construction Projects
You will need to use a standard calculation to determine this number, based on a reasonable estimate of damages you will incur daily if the Project is delayed.
If you are soliciting for an Architectural, Engineering, or Design Services contract, you cannot include pricing as a factor.
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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