Active SLED Opportunity · CALIFORNIA · GOLDEN STATE CONNECT AUTHORITY

    Request for Proposals for Internet Service Providers

    Issued by Golden State Connect Authority
    stateRFPGolden State Connect AuthoritySol. 248795
    Open · 48d remaining
    DAYS TO CLOSE
    48
    due Jul 2, 2026
    PUBLISHED
    May 1, 2026
    Posting date
    JURISDICTION
    Golden State
    state
    NAICS CODE
    517311
    AI-classified industry

    AI Summary

    Golden State Fiber seeks proposals from ISPs to provide retail internet service over its open-access fiber network across 40 California counties. The RFP includes technical, marketing, customer experience, and pricing criteria. Proposals are due July 1, 2026, with contracts awarded to multiple providers under 100-day auto-renewing terms.

    Opportunity details

    Solicitation No.
    248795
    Type / RFx
    RFP
    Status
    open
    Level
    state
    Published Date
    May 1, 2026
    Due Date
    July 2, 2026
    NAICS Code
    517311AI guide
    Agency
    Golden State Connect Authority

    Description

    Golden State Fiber ("GSF") invites you to submit a proposal to provide internet service on our broadband infrastructure. This Request for Proposals ("RFP") outlines the requirements for your proposal.

    This RFP is a competitive proposal process whereby GSF will award contracts to one or more Internet Service Providers ("ISPs") to provide retail internet service to customers over infrastructure owned by GSF. All proposals will be reviewed and scored according to the requirements outlined in this RFP.

    This is a public process designed to provide transparency into the contract process. Following the close of the proposal period, all proposals will be made public. Please carefully review the confidentiality provisions of this RFP and direct any questions to GSF in advance of submitting any documentation you consider to be confidential.

    Final proposals must be submitted through the Procurement Portal no later than 11:59 pm on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Interested parties that do not meet the deadlines specified in this RFP will not be considered.

    Please direct all questions via the "Question and Answer" feature of the Procurement Portal. Answers to questions will be provided to all applicants.

    We look forward to receiving your response.

    Project Details

    • Reference ID: 2026-GSCA-RFP-001
    • Department: Finance and Administration
    • Department Head: Milena De Melo (Director of Finance)

    Important Dates

    • Questions Due: 2026-06-01T06:59:00.000Z
    • Answers Posted By: 2026-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
    • Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-05-11T21:00:00.000Z — Microsoft Teams meeting https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/261449108705978?p=kcdwcLW4FEp8GN36Tq Meeting ID: 261 449 108 705 978 Passcode: N45CF7xC

    Evaluation Criteria

    • Selection Criteria and Scoring

      GSF will review each proposal in detail to determine its compliance with the solicitation requirements. GSF reserves the right to use multiple means to validate and determine the respondent’s response to a requirement. This may be through details in its description and/or supporting documentation provided or material that is publicly available, that may either support or contradict the respondent’s claim of intended compliance.

      This is a best-value request and shall not be determined solely based on price. Proposals will be scored according to how each Respondent will meet the above requirements, as follows:

      CriterionPoints
      Submission of All Required Proposal ElementsPass/Fail
      Administrative Requirements (2.1)Pass/Fail
      Technology (2.2.1)30
      Marketing (2.2.2)20
      Customer Experience (2.2.3)30
      Price and Pricing Terms (2.2.4)20
      LifeLine Offering (2.2.5)Preference
      Maximum Points Allowable100
    • The Entity

      Golden State Fiber ("GSF"), a division of the Golden State Connect Authority (“GSCA”), exists to connect residents and businesses to their choice of internet service provider (ISP) on an open-access network backed by infrastructure GSF owns and operates. GSF's network allows customers to choose an ISP and service plan that best suits their needs.

      GSCA is a joint powers authority and public agency organized and existing under Chapter 5 (Section 6500 et seq.) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the California Government Code. GSCA’s objective is to increase access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet for the residents and businesses of our member counties. GSCA’s membership represents 40 of California’s 58 counties, 14.7% of the California population, and 61% of the California land mass.

      GSCA’s member California counties are: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Santa Barbara, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.

    • Technology

      Respondents must be able to meet minimum technical requirements, listed below:

      • It is strongly recommended, but not required, that respondents integrate their tools with GSCA's API to streamline processes and communication between organizations, especially as it relates to customer relationship management such as customer onboarding.
      • Respondents must meet and connect to our fiber in an approved data center, or else purchase circuits to do so.
      • Respondents should maintain at least one transit or IX connection in the local region they are serving.
      • The minimum interconnect available for respondents to purchase is one (1) ten gigabit (10Gbps) connection.
      • Respondents should offer IPv4, as well as capability and support of IPv6, with at least a thousand (1,000) IPv4 IPs available.
      • Respondents must provide a documented response plan to any DDoS attacks.
      • Respondents shall maintain appropriate plans for lawful intercept, as well as contacts for abuse/DMCA notifications.
      • Respondents must maintain historical logs of IP addresses to MAC addresses for identifying customers, retained for 6 months minimum for law enforcement purposes. This includes inactive subscribers.

      California Net Neutrality Requirements

      The GSCA Network is subject to the net neutrality requirements set forth in Government Code sections 53167 et seq. ISPs shall not engage in any activity prohibited by those statutes, nor take any act or omission that would violate, or cause GSCA or the Network to violate, those statutes, as they may hereafter be amended.

    • Guidance

      The requirements and recommendations included in this RFP are created to provide interested parties and those who submit proposals (“respondents”) with enough information to readily understand the nature of the project and the information required in a complete proposal. This RFP is not intended to limit proposal content or to exclude any potential respondent from submitting a proposal. Respondents who do not meet certain requirements may still submit proposals so long as they include supporting documentation and/or information on why and how they may work to fulfill those requirements.

      Respondents are reminded that they have the following responsibilities:

      • Carefully read the entire RFP.
      • Carefully review all RFP requirements prior to submitting a proposal.
      • Submit questions in a timely manner.
      • Abide by all procedures and requirements of the RFP.
      • Not include conditional statements, assumptions, or exception language with a proposal.

      Before submitting a proposal, the respondent shall understand all contract conditions referred to in this document, and any addenda issued before the RFP submission date. It shall be the respondent’s responsibility to ensure that their final proposal, including all supporting documentation, is submitted by the final RFP submission date. By submitting a proposal, the respondent acknowledges and accepts the Terms and Conditions described herein.

    • Overview

      GSF has established a Procurement Portal which includes this complete RFP. GSF requires electronic submission of proposals through the Procurement Portal. All questions must be submitted through the Procurement Portal and all question responses and addenda will be hosted exclusively in the Procurement Portal.

      The submission deadline is Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm. The Procurement Portal clock is the official clock for the determination of all deadline dates and times. Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. GSF strongly recommends respondents complete their response well ahead of the deadline.

    • Legal Requirements and Attestations

      Respondents must provide proof that they meet the following requirements:

      • They are registered to do business in the State of California and authorized with a valid and current business license.
      • They carry workers’ compensation, employer’s liability, comprehensive general liability, and comprehensive automobile liability insurance at the terms and coverage amounts stated in the terms of the Form of Agreement.
      • They have a non-discrimination clause in their hiring practices.

      Additionally, respondents must provide the following lists:

      • All ongoing or anticipated litigation.
      • All potential political issues they are involved in.
      • Any lawsuits settled within the past three (3) years pertaining to the operation of their business.

      In submitting a proposal, respondents must attest and confirm their participation and agreement to the following:

      • They are following all federal, state, and local regulations.
      • They understand they are subject to the PRA when communicating with GSF and will comply with PRA requests.
      • They will cooperate with all legal subpoenas received and are responsible for their own legal fees incurred in doing so.
    • Marketing

      Respondents must provide a “pitch deck” or similar document describing the following:

      • Respondents must provide a business plan, marketing position, go-to-market strategy, or other similar document describing their product offering, how the respondent will execute it on the GSCA network, and how the respondent will differentiate themselves from other competitors on the GSF marketplace.
      • Respondents will provide documentation of their customer service strategy, including whether they will be using door-to-door sales, availability/hours of their customer service team, whether they will use a third-party call service, and whether they have technicians to roll out to customer's houses.
      • Respondents will describe how they plan to market to customers whose primary language is not English or who are not typically served by traditional advertising approaches. Respondents are encouraged to include plans and resources to reach customers who speak less-common languages that may be used by customers in the GSF network area.
      • Respondents must provide information on any additional services they plan to provide, such as routers, TV, phone, etc. Respondents should include descriptions of any additional support they will have for those additional services.
      • If respondents are planning to provide managed router services, respondent should include information on any additional requirements to the installation process (such as how the managed router will be provided to the customer, if there are any requirements around placement of the managed router in the home, and who will be responsible for installing the router) as well as how the respondent plans to address service calls for repairing, replacing, servicing, and recovering managed routers.
      • Respondent certifies they will conform to GSF’s principles and branding standards.

      GSF desires to offer differentiation in the ISP offerings available to our customers. Respondents are encouraged to indicate how they differ from other ISPs on the network in terms of their offerings.

    • Minimum Point Threshold

      A respondent must pass all pass/fail components and score at least 50 points to be awarded a contract. Failure to meet this requirement will disqualify a proposal.

    • The Network

      GSCA is in the process of constructing a wholesale, advanced communications network. This RFP will pre-qualify ISPs for contracts to serve the network once it is developed.

      The network is not complete at the time of this RFP, so this solicitation is for ISPs to serve customers of a future network.

      The network will use fiber optic technology, which provides transmission of voice, data and video at speeds that are significantly faster than existing copper, cable, or satellite systems. Fiber is currently used for the backbone of the internet and other high demand applications but has not been widely implemented over “the last mile” into homes and businesses. GSCA will lay the fiber optic cable necessary to connect homes and businesses to the network. The fiber optic cable is being laid both underground and overhead aerial.

      The network is divided into footprints (neighborhood service areas). The network will be an active ethernet topology with no GPON systems. Network equipment will be placed in climate-controlled environments that are constantly monitored by GSCA.

      Network Development Timeline

      The network consists of seven projects across three service areas (Northern, Central, and Southern California), totaling approximately 1,065 route miles and 31,427 homes passed. Construction will begin in June 2026 in Glenn County, with a second project area anticipated to start in Q3 or Q4 of 2026. The remaining projects will follow as permitting and other conditions allow, with full deployment expected to be completed within approximately 18 - 24 months from the start of construction. GSCA expects to begin active customer onboarding in Q1, 2027.

      Project Service Areas

      Successful respondents will receive contracts for the entirety of the GSCA network and will be required to serve customers throughout GSF's service area. A KMZ file in the ATTACHMENTS shows all areas to be served for the initial seven projects, which is summarized below:

      ProjectService AreaPlanned MilesHomes Passed
      AmadorCentral283.642,706
      AlpineCentral37.191,063
      Town of Mammoth LakesCentral96.0412,300
      MonoCentral36.541,085
      GlennNorth106.682,089
      TehamaNorth426.789,479
      ImperialSouth78.212,705

      Service Delivery

      As contemplated and designed, GSCA will deliver services on a wholesale model in an open access environment. When an ISP customer signs up for a fiber connection with GSF, GSCA will provision a layer 2 transport circuit from the customer back to the ISP. Each customer/circuit will be configured as a point-to-point circuit. GSCA will use ethernet based switches with a one customer to one switch port ratio.

    • Confidentiality

      All proposals, including all supporting documentation, become public after contracts are awarded. GSF reserves the right to delay release of these records to other respondents or the public until the contract award date.

      GSF is subject to the California Public Records Act (Government Code section 7920.000 et seq.), which provides public access to all records in GSF's possession – including submissions for this RFP. Everything submitted to GSF is presumptively a public record. Such disclosure may be made regardless of whether the proposal (or portions thereof) is marked “confidential,”  "trade secret," “proprietary,” or otherwise, and regardless of any statement in the proposal (a) purporting to limit the GSF’s right to disclose information in the proposal, or (b) requiring GSCA to inform or obtain the consent of the Proposer prior to the disclosure of the proposal (or portions thereof).

      Exceptions to disclosure are those parts or portions of a proposal that are justifiably defined as business or trade secrets, as determined by GSF in its sole discretion, and are plainly marked by the respondent as “confidential,” "trade secret," or “proprietary.”

      GSF will not, in any way, be liable or responsible for the disclosure of any such record or any parts thereof, if disclosure is required or permitted under the California Public Records Act or otherwise by law, as determined by GSF in its sole discretion. A blanket statement of confidentiality or the marking of each page of the proposal as confidential will not be deemed sufficient notice of exception. The Proposers must specifically label only those provisions of their respective proposal which are “confidential,” "trade secret," or “proprietary” in nature.

      In the event GSF is required to defend an action on a Public Records Act request for any of the aforementioned documents, information, books, records, and/or contents of a proposal marked “confidential,” "trade secret," or “proprietary,” Proposer agrees to defend and indemnify GSF from all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred in connection with any action, proceedings, or liability arising in connection with the Public Records Act request. 

      Respondents should be aware that marking a document “confidential,” “proprietary,” or “trade secret” in a proposal may exclude it from consideration for award and will not keep that document from being released after notice of award as part of the public record unless a court has ordered GSF not to release the document. The content of all working papers and discussions relating to any proposal shall be held in confidence indefinitely, unless the public interest is best served by an item’s disclosure because of its direct pertinence to a decision, agreement, or the evaluation of the proposal.

      Any disclosure of confidential information by a respondent is a basis for rejecting a proposal and ruling the respondent ineligible to further participate.

    • Technical Considerations

      To open the PDF construction drawings (Plans), due to their size, it is recommended that bidders use BlueBeam or FoxIT PDF applications. Some files may render improperly using other software such as Adobe Acrobat. Bidders should contact GSCA prior to the bid submission deadline to resolve any issues regarding PDF files.

    • Scoring Announcement

      Scores for all proposals will be posted in the Procurement Portal. Respondents will receive electronic communication on award status.

    • Proposal Preparation Costs

      GSF is not liable for any cost incurred by a respondent associated with the preparation of their Proposal nor the negotiation of a contract prior to the issuing of the contract.

    • Philosophy and Goals

      As an organization that represents its member communities, GSF is the sum total of the communities we serve. Because of this, GSF prefers to work with ISPs who are based in California, ideally in our member counties, and are active in their communities. GSF's member counties have taken the initiative to assure world-class digital connectivity for their residents based on the following principles:

      Open Access

      The GSCA network has been designed for use by several service and content providers. We believe that an open network allows more providers to competitively offer more services at lower cost. As a “neutral” network owner and “neutral” system operator, GSF encourages open access and a significant number of ISPs, which will contribute to long term growth and stability for the benefit of the community.

      We anticipate to award to multiple vendors who meet our requirements and service expectations.

      Standards Based Architecture

      The GSCA network is dependent, from a technical standpoint, on an open, standards-based architecture for broadband media content services. This assures flexibility of service, modularity, and interoperability in access, interconnection, and transport. Although the special needs of ISPs can be accommodated, the principle of open standards must be preserved.

      Scalability

      The GSCA network has the capability of delivering significantly higher bandwidth than the networks of incumbent last mile carriers. Its architecture has the inherent flexibility to accommodate future bandwidth demands of residential, business, educational, governmental, and other customers without major re-design or construction.

      Carrier Class Reliability

      The GSCA network strives to offer carrier class reliability enabling ISPs to offer products that can compete with those available from incumbent carriers. All contracts with system operators and ISPs must support this commitment.

    • Pre-Response Meeting

      A Non-Mandatory pre-response meeting will be held virtually on Monday, May 11, 2026 at 2:00 pm using the following meeting information:

      Microsoft Teams meeting https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/261449108705978?p=kcdwcLW4FEp8GN36Tq Meeting ID: 261 449 108 705 978 Passcode: N45CF7xC

    • Indemnification

      Respondent must agree that all losses or liabilities incurred by a party shall not be shared pro rata. Instead, the respondent must agree to hold harmless, defend, and indemnify GSF, its agents, officers, and employees, against all claims, suits, actions, costs, expenses (including but not limited to reasonable attorney's fees, expert fees, litigation costs, and investigation costs), damages, judgments or decrees by reason of any person’s or persons’ bodily injury, including death, or property (including respondent’s property) being damaged by the negligent acts, willful acts, or errors or omissions of respondent, or any person employed by or under respondent in any capacity, during the provision of services, except when the injury or loss is caused by the sole negligence or intentional wrongdoing of GSF.

    • Questions

      Respondents are required to register for an account via the Procurement Portal in order to submit and receive answers to questions. Once the respondent has completed registration, they will receive addenda notifications to their email by clicking “Follow” on this project. It is the sole responsibility of each respondent to check the site for any question responses and addenda.

      Respondents requiring clarification on the intent, terms and conditions, content of this RFP, or on procedural matters regarding the competitive award process may request clarification by submitting questions in writing to GSF via the Procurement Portal. Only questions submitted in writing in this manner shall be binding and official.

      If a respondent who desires clarification or further information on the content of the solicitation, but whose questions relate to the proprietary aspect of its proposal and disclosure exposes its proposal to other respondents, the question may be submitted using the same criteria above with the notation “CONFIDENTIAL”. The respondent must explain why the question is sensitive in nature. If GSF, in its sole discretion, concurs that the disclosure of the question or answer would expose the proprietary nature of the Proposal, the question will be answered, and both the question and answer will be confidentially maintained. If GSF does not concur with the proprietary aspect of the question, the question and answer will not be confidentially maintained, and the respondent will be so notified.

      Respondents are solely and exclusively responsible for submitting such inquiries or clarification requests not less than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled closing date for the receipt of proposals. GSF will only respond to respondent inquiries or clarification requests submitted timely and by this method. Responses, and any addenda to the RFP, shall be posted in the Procurement Portal and made available to all potential respondents. Responses may be provided on a flow basis, but will be posted no later than Monday, June 8, 2026.

    • Customer Experience

      Respondents must provide a narrative describing their field service capabilities, including team size, fleet resources, and scheduling and dispatch management procedures. This narrative must address, at minimum, the following:

      • Connection to the Local Community: Respondents should explain any existing relationship they have with communities in the Service Area, including existing customer bases and presence in the community. Preference will be given to respondents with an existing connection to the community(ies) to be served by the GSF Network, including planned service areas and future expansion GSF may undertake in our other member counties.
      • Language Accessibility: Respondents should describe how they will provide support to customers whose primary language is not English.
      • Local Technicians: Respondents are encouraged to detail their current or planned technical staffing in the region, including the qualifications and training of field service technicians, along with any existing service-level commitments or average response times.
      • Dedicated Local Resources: Preference may be given to respondents that can demonstrate established local field service resources and a proven track record of successful, timely on-site support. A fully resourced Field Service Group with dedicated trucks and technicians is strongly preferred to ensure rapid issue resolution and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.
      • Truck Roll Capacity and Dispatch Practices: Respondents are encouraged to describe their ability to dispatch technicians, including the number of available service vehicles, locations of dispatch centers, and any partnerships or subcontracting arrangements that would support swift response times.
      • Service Area Coverage: Respondents are encouraged to provide a clear map of their service area coverage for field services and outline contingency plans for ensuring coverage outside of core areas.
      • Documentation and Reporting: Respondents are encouraged to describe their current approach to documentation of service visits and provide sample reports or dashboards that illustrate how service performance is tracked.
      • Performance Metrics: Respondents will be evaluated, in part, on historical or projected metrics, including average resolution times, repeat service calls, and customer satisfaction ratings related to on-site support.
      • Implementation Timeline: Outline the timeline for establishing or expanding field service operations if additional build-out is needed to meet RFP requirements and/or fiber service areas.
      • Time to Install: Respondents must document the time it will take to install service to a new customer. In a proposal, the respondent should distinguish between installing service for new customers whose homes or businesses have not yet been connected to the network and providing service to customers who are already connected to the network. Respondents should include data showing how long it takes them to install service for their existing customers.
      • Uptime: Respondents must commit to service uptime, expressed as a percentage of the total number of minutes in a billing period and level of uninterrupted service. Respondents must document a plan to achieve their stated uptime commitment, including support for uptime maintained delivered on their existing services.
      • Attrition: Respondents must provide data showing the average length of their current customers’ accounts and explanations for why previous customers terminated.

      Note that a respondent is not required to provide each of these services. Please explain the extent to which each will be provided, and note which will not be provided. GSF and/or UTOPIA may be able to provide services (such as maintenance) for a successful respondent.

    • Proposal Terms

      Submission of a proposal shall constitute acceptance of all terms and conditions in this RFP. Conditional proposals may be rejected.

      The issuance of this RFP does not constitute an assurance that GSF will enter into a contract with any respondent. GSF expressly reserves the right to:

      • Reject any and/or all proposals.
      • Adjust or change requirements within the RFP.
      • Reissue the RFP.
      • Adjust or extend any due dates in the RFP process without advance warning.

      GSF reserves the unequivocal right to decline awarding a contract to any of the participants at its sole discretion, without being bound to provide any justification or compensation for such decisions.

    • Contract Award

      Contracts shall be awarded by the GSF Executive Director, consistent with scoring determined by a team of evaluators. A successful Respondent shall execute a contract for these services on a form prescribed by GSF, included in the ATTACHMENTS. Should a Respondent opt not to accept the award at that time, GSF may choose to award the contract to the next highest scored proposal, and so on; reject all remaining Proposals; or reissue the RFP.

      A contract award shall not confer on a successful respondent ISP any ownership or possessory interest in the network, or any of its related facilities, equipment, easements or rights-of-way, or any other GSF or GSCA property. A contract award does not offer any exclusive right to provide service in a service area. GSF reserves the right to add additional ISPs to its service areas at any time, whether through a subsequent RFP or by other means it deems appropriate.

    • Funding

      The broadband infrastructure projects contemplated under this Request for Proposals are sponsored by the Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) and are funded through a combination of grant awards from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Federal Funding Account (FFA) and bond financing. CPUC FFA grant funds are used to support the planning, design, and construction of open‑access broadband infrastructure, while bond proceeds are used to supplement grant funding and support project delivery, capital financing, and long‑term network sustainability, all subject to applicable state and federal requirements and GSCA approvals.

    • Business Hours

      GSF's normal business hours are from 7:00AM to 5:00PM Pacific Time. Respondents will be responsible to coordinate with GSF during these times.

    • Price and Pricing Terms

      Service will be provided at fixed maximum prices (subject to annual inflation adjustments); a list of pricing requirements is included in the ATTACHMENTS. Customers will be billed in two parts. One part is for the services provided by the ISP the customer selects, and the other is for the physical network connection provided by GSF. The physical network connection cost charged by GSF is effectively an equipment lease (use of the network infrastructure) and will remain at a fixed monthly rate for all customers regardless of the ISP service plan selection. The customer will have the option of choosing from a list of ISP service providers, offering an assortment of speeds at associated prices. When added together, these two prices comprise the total amount the customer will pay for the selected service plan.

      Indicate whether you will offer residential, business, or both. Indicate whether you serve multi-dwelling units (MDUs).

      For business customers, note that fee schedule is not the same. Ability to avoid caps.

      Respondents must attest and confirm that they will commit to the following pricing and billing requirements. Customers will:

      • Not be charged in excess of the fixed prices stated above.
      • Not be required to pay any installation or service connection fees.
      • Receive a modem with installation – free of charge.
      • Have the ability to choose from list of available providers – and move between them with no equipment changes or charges.
      • Not be subject to data caps.
      • Not sign a long-term contract – service is offered on month-to-month basis.
    • Appeals

      An unsuccessful respondent shall have the right to appeal any scoring decision or contract award decision to GSF's Executive Director. The Executive Director, at their sole discretion, may award a contract notwithstanding the scoring process. In exercising this discretion, the Executive Director may request to confer with a respondent and/or request additional information or documentation. Should a respondent fail to confer or provide such information or documentation, the Executive Director may decline to consider the appeal. The Executive Director shall have an unlimited amount of time to make any such decisions.

    • Form of Submission

      It is each respondent’s responsibility to ensure its proposal is submitted in a manner that enables GSF to easily locate all requirements stated in this RFP Packet. A respondent is responsible for ensuring all submission material is submitted by the deadline.

      Final submissions must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the respondent’s organization contractually, if applicable. An unsigned final proposal may be rejected. A proposal must include a Company Profile that includes, at a minimum, the Business Name, Address, Contact Information, Type, State of Organization, and Names and Titles of all officers.

    • Emergency Hours

      Respondents may be required to provide on-call assistance for work that takes place outside of normal business hours. Contractor will provide pricing and availability for said work.

    • Protests

      This procurement process does not include any additional provision beyond the aforementioned appeal to protest either the process or resulting contract award(s).

    • License Required

      Each respondent must have all requisite licenses, in active status, necessary to provide the services it proposes to offer to customers in the GSF service area. The proposal must include sufficient information and supporting document to confirm that ISP meets this requirement.

    • LifeLine Offering

      Consistent with the funding requirements for development of the GSCA network, at least one provider must offer LifeLine-discounted voice/Internet bundles. Therefore, Respondents should indicate whether they provide state or federal LifeLine VOIP service. Respondents who provide this service will receive preference in the evaluation of proposals.

    • Technical Onboarding

      Respondents who are awarded a contract under this RFP are expected to meet with GSF technical representatives for a “technical onboarding” where the different organizations can establish a comprehensive, mutual understanding of technical requirements, expectations, and preferences.

    • Financial Security and Stability

      Respondents must provide financial statements for the past fiscal year. These include at minimum: Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flow. Tax returns or other similar tax documents will not be accepted. Respondents who provide audited financial statements must provide, to the extent they exist, an Auditor’s Opinion or Notes. Financial statements meeting these requirements provided by any external accounting firm are acceptable.

      Respondents must prove a positive operational cash flow from providing end-user internet service for the past 6 months. Respondents must prove a current cash balance large enough to cover operating expenses for at least 3 months.

    • Irrevocable Offer

      A Respondent may withdraw its proposal at any time prior to the submission deadline by using the withdrawal feature in the Procurement Portal. The Respondent may thereafter submit a new or modified proposal prior to the respective submission deadline. Modification offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

      Other than as allowed by law, final Proposals cannot be changed or withdrawn after the submission deadline date and time. A respondent’s final submission is an irrevocable offer for 180 days from the submission deadline, and after that period respondents may still contract for services under this RFP but will not be required to. Respondents may, but will not be required to, accept a contract award after this 180 day period.

    • Points of Contact

      Respondents must provide direct contact information, including key points of contact, for each of the following: Legal, Information Technology, and Network Engineering.

      Respondents must document a plan to manage email distribution groups for: Customer Service, Outages, and Planned Maintenance. These email distribution groups will be used internally to provide consistent communication regardless of staff changes and will not be shared with customers/partners unless previously approved by the respondent.

    • Form of Agreement

      Respondents must attest and confirm their agreement to enter into a 100-day, auto-renewing contract with GSF, as prepared by GSF, following the award of a contract. A sample Form of Agreement ("Non-Exclusive Network Access and Use Agreement") is included in the ATTACHMENTS, and all provisions in that form are binding on the respondent.

    • Additional Information Requests

      Prior to the award of a contract, GSF must be assured that a selected Respondent has the resources to successfully perform under the contract. This includes, but is not limited to, personnel in number and requisite skill; equipment of appropriate type and quantity; financial resources sufficient to complete performance under the contract; and experience in similar endeavors. If, during the evaluation process, GSF is unable to assure itself of the Respondent’s ability to perform under the contract if awarded, GSF has the option of requesting from the Respondent any information that GSF deems necessary to determine the Respondent’s responsibility. If such information is required, the Respondent will be so notified and will be permitted five (5) business days to submit the information requested in writing.

    • Federal Funding

      (insert language for Federal Funding Procurement Requirements)

    • No Kickbacks

      Contractor agrees to comply with the requirements of the Secretary of Labor and the latest amendments to: Executive Orders 11246 and 11375, as supplemented in Department of Labor regulations (41 C.F.R. chapter 60); the Copeland “Anti-Kickback” Act (18 U.S.C. § 847) as supplemented in Department of Labor regulations (29 C.F.R. part 3); Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000); Section 109 of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. §§ 5301 et seq.); the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. §§ 6101 et seq.); and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. §§ 701 et seq.). Contractor agrees to comply with the requirements of all other applicable State, and local laws and regulations.

    • Bid Rigging

      The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provides a toll-free hotline to report bid rigging activities. Use the hotline to report bid rigging, bidder collusion, and other fraudulent activities. The hotline number is (800) 424-9071. The service is available 24 hours 7 days a week and is confidential and anonymous. The hotline is part of the DOT's effort to identify and investigate highway construction contract fraud and abuse and is operated under the direction of the DOT Inspector General.

    • Insurance

      Respondents shall, at their own cost and expense, keep in full force and effect with sound and reputable insurers, insurance coverage in the following minimum amounts:

      • Commercial general liability insurance policy in the amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence, and not less than two million ($2,000,000.00) in the aggregate, from a carrier with a Best rating of not less than A.
      • If Respondent has employees, Worker’s Compensation Insurance as may be required by the California Labor Code for coverage A (statuary limits) and not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) for coverage B (employer liability limits) from a carrier with a Best rating of at least a B+.

      If Respondent will provide services that involve the use of vehicles (for example, using its own trucks to travel to job sites to make repairs), Respondent shall also keep in full force and effect with sound and reputable insurers, automobile insurance coverage in the following minimum amounts:

      • To the extent that employees use their own vehicles, comprehensive personal automobile liability coverage, in the amount of not less than five-hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for bodily injury for each person and each accident, and one-hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for property damage liability for each accident from a carrier with a Best rating of not less than A-.
      • To the extent that Respondent-owned vehicles are used, comprehensive business or commercial automobile liability coverage, including non- owned and hired automobile liability, in the amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) from a carrier with a Best rating of not less than A-.

      Respondents will provide documentation at time of submittal and when requested by GSF management throughout the term of the contract.

      All such policies shall remain in force during the term of this Agreement and shall be payable on a “per occurrence” basis unless otherwise accepted by GSF, and shall be in form acceptable to GSF and its insurance advisors. Golden State Connect Authority shall be named as an “additional insured” on any policy as may be requested by GSF. Any such policies or endorsements shall provide for thirty (30) days prior notice to GSF in the event of any termination or reduction in coverage of such insurance.

    • References

      Respondents must provide a minimum of three (3) business references to vouch for their financial stability, customer service, and/or character.

    Submission Requirements

    • Acknowledgements (required)

      In submitting this proposal, respondent declares each of the following:

      • Respondent has thoroughly examined all of the contract documents including those contained in the addenda.
      • Respondent declares that they have fully informed themself as to the conditions, requirements, and specifications of the work.
      • Respondent will execute a contract with GSF on the form included in this RFP.
      • Respondent will meet with GSCA technical representatives for a “technical onboarding” if awarded a contract.
      • Respondent is familiar with and has satisfied itself as to all State and local laws and regulations and permits required for offering the scope of services.
      • Respondent understands that they are subject to the PRA when communicating with GSF and will comply with PRA requests.
      • Respondent will cooperate with all legal subpoenas received and are responsible for their own legal fees incurred in doing so.

      GSF reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and/or waive any irregularity in any proposal received.

    • Legal Requirements (required)

      Upload proof that respondent meet the following requirements:

      • They are registered to do business in the State of California and authorized to perform the services stated in their proposal with a valid and current business license.
      • They carry workers’ compensation, employer’s liability, comprehensive general liability, and comprehensive automobile liability insurance at the terms and coverage amounts stated in the terms of the Form of Agreement.
      • They have a non-discrimination clause in their hiring practices.

      Additionally, respondents must provide the following lists:

      • All ongoing or anticipated litigation.
      • All potential political issues they are involved in.
      • Any lawsuits settled within the past three (3) years pertaining to the operation of their business.
    • Names and Titles of Officers (required)

      If respondent is a corporation, the legal name of the corporation shall be set forth together with the names of the officer or officers authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the corporation; if respondent is part of a partnership, the true name of the firm shall be set forth together with the name of the partner or partners authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the partnership; and if respondent is an individual, their legal name shall be set forth.

    • Points of Contact (required)

      Pprovide direct contact information, including key points of contact, for each of the following: Legal, Information Technology, and Network Engineering.

    • Financial Security and Stability (required)

      Provide financial statements for the past fiscal year. These include at minimum: Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flow. Tax returns or other similar tax documents will not be accepted. Respondents who provide audited financial statements must provide, to the extent they exist, an Auditor’s Opinion or Notes. Financial statements meeting these requirements provided by any external accounting firm are acceptable.

    • References (required)

      Respondent must include a minimum of three (3) business references to vouch for their financial stability, customer service, and/or character.

      Provide the following for each reference:

      Company Name and Address:
      Contact Person and Phone Number:

    • Certification of Non-Discrimination (required)

      In making this proposal, respondent certifies that there will be no discrimination in employment with regard to race (including natural hair texture and hairstyles), national origin or ancestry, color, religious creed (including religions dress and grooming practices), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), national origin or ancestry, gender identity or expression, transgender or transitioning status, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age (persons age 40 and over), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, reproductive health decisions, disability (mental or physical), medical condition (including genetic characteristics or information, cancer or record or history of cancer, or AIDS/HIV status), off-duty cannabis use (that does not cause on-the-job impairment), or any combination of the above characteristics; that all Federal, State and local directives and executive orders regarding nondiscrimination in employment will be complied with; and that the principle of equal opportunity in employment will be demonstrated positively and aggressively.

    • Proof of Insurance (required)

      Upload proof of insurance which shows coverage in the following minimum amounts:

      • Commercial general liability insurance policy in the amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence, and not less than two million ($2,000,000.00) in the aggregate, from a carrier with a Best rating of not less than A.
      • Comprehensive personal automobile liability coverage, in the amount of not less than five-hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for bodily injury for each person and each accident, and one-hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for property damage liability for each accident from a carrier with a Best rating of not less than A-.
      • Comprehensive business or commercial automobile liability coverage, including non- owned and hired automobile liability, in the amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) from a carrier with a Best rating of not less than A-.
      • If Respondent has employees, Worker’s Compensation Insurance as may be required by the California Labor Code for coverage A (statuary limits) and not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) for coverage B (employer liability limits) from a carrier with a Best rating of at least a B+.
    • Indemnification

      Respondent must agree that all losses or liabilities incurred by a party shall not be shared pro rata. Instead, the respondent must agree to hold harmless, defend, and indemnify GSF, its agents, officers, and employees, against all claims, suits, actions, costs, expenses (including but not limited to reasonable attorney's fees, expert fees, litigation costs, and investigation costs), damages, judgments or decrees by reason of any person’s or persons’ bodily injury, including death, or property (including respondent’s property) being damaged by the negligent acts, willful acts, or errors or omissions of respondent, or any person employed by or under respondent in any capacity, during the provision of services, except when the injury or loss is caused by the sole negligence or intentional wrongdoing of GSF.

    • PROPOSAL UPLOAD (required)

      Describe your experience for each of the Scope of Work elements and how you would perform those services.

      Please clearly label your responses to the following key scoring areas:

      • Technology
      • Marketing
      • Customer Experience
      • Price and Pricing Terms
      • LifeLine Offering
    • Project Location (required)
    • License Requirements (required)

      Example: Class A General Engineering license or Class C-34 Pipeline Contractor’s license and C-10 High Voltage license

    • Do prevailing wages apply? (required)
    • Are there any technical considerations for viewing the bid package? (required)

      For example: "To open the PDF construction drawings (Plans), due to their size, it is recommended that bidders use BlueBeam or FoxIT PDF applications. Some files may render improperly using other software such as Adobe Acrobat. Bidders should contact GSCA prior to the bid submission deadline to resolve any issues regarding PDF files."

    • Is this project Federally Funded (required)
    • Does the Statement of Work include attachments? (required)

    Key dates

    1. May 1, 2026Published
    2. July 2, 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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