Decoy Recruitment for Tobacco Enforcement Request for Information (RFI)

The California Department of Public Health, Office of Youth Tobacco Enforcement, is conducting market research through Request for Information 25-10747 to identify qualified vendors capable of supporting statewide youth decoy recruitment for tobacco compliance enforcement under the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids (STAKE) Act. The program seeks vendors with at least two consecutive years of relevant experience in recruiting, training, and managing youth volunteers aged 15 to 20 across urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout California. Vendors must demonstrate the ability to conduct outreach in diverse settings including colleges, vocational programs, and community organizations, while implementing standardized procedures for parental consent, health and safety protocols, data privacy, and protection of personally identifiable information in full compliance with California law. The vendor will be responsible for maintaining a pool of 400 to 600 active decoys, ensuring at least 25% availability during business hours, delivering 24 or more annual recruitment presentations, participating in community events, and submitting detailed monthly and quarterly reports on compliance checks, decoy retention, and safety incidents. The anticipated performance period spans from April 2026 through June 2029, with an estimated state budget allocation of $2.4 million over the three-year term for vendor services. Vendors must provide comprehensive documentation including recruitment materials, training curricula, liability insurance certificates, and secure recordkeeping systems, all aligned with the STAKE Act’s legal requirements that prohibit tobacco sales to minors under 21. Compensation for decoys is set at $10 per store visit with a minimum daily payment of $100, and vendors are required to manage all administrative functions including applicant screening, background checks, and consent form collection. Proposals must be submitted via email to Rachel Otero by December 17, 2026, and should cover recruitment strategies, training methods, legal compliance, data handling, quality assurance, budget justification, and conflict of interest disclosures. This RFI serves exclusively as a market research tool to inform future contracting decisions and does not constitute a solicitation, evaluation, or award opportunity; no formal contract clauses, payment offices, or federal acquisition regulations apply at this stage.