RFP# CFF 7795 Federal Advocacy

First 5 California invites qualified organizations to provide federal advocacy services through RFP# CFF 7795, with proposals due by July 9, 2026, at 10:00 AM PT. The selected contractor will serve as a strategic partner to advance the healthy development and well-being of children prenatal to age five and their families by influencing federal legislative, budgetary, and administrative processes. The scope of work includes monitoring federal policy and budget developments impacting California’s youngest children, analyzing the effects of federal actions, building relationships with California’s congressional delegation, federal agencies, and the White House, developing advocacy materials such as memos and briefing documents, and providing strategic counsel aligned with First 5 California’s Strategic Plan and Policy Agenda. The contract has a potential term of up to three years, with possible one-year extensions, and a maximum total budget of $300,000 over the entire period. All services are to be performed within California, and performance cannot commence until written approval is received from the Department of General Services. The contractor must deliver specific work products including monthly monitoring reports, end-of-year summaries, an initial work plan within ten business days of orientation, and orientation meeting notes within five business days. The RFP imposes strict administrative, technical, and financial requirements. Proposals must be submitted electronically as a single PDF to RFP@First5.ca.gov with a designated subject line and include the proposer’s name and address in the email body. The proposal must be organized into defined chapters covering administrative compliance, cover letter, minimum qualifications, technical approach, and cost proposal, with all pages formatted in 12-point Arial, single-spaced, left-justified, with one-inch margins, and bearing the RFP number, proposer name, and page numbering. Evaluation is based on a 400-point system, with the technical proposal weighted at 200 points, the cost proposal at 120 points, and an oral presentation at 80 points, only accessible to the top two proposers scoring at least 75% of the total. The award will go to the highest-scoring proposer offering best value, with a mandatory preference given to a certified DVBE or microbusiness in the event of a tie with a certified small business. The contractor must comply with all applicable federal and state laws, maintain required insurance coverage including $5.5 million in general liability and $1 million in employer liability, indemnify the state against claims, and