CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
Request for Proposals for
Legislative Advocacy and Strategic Grant Services
Date released:
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Deadline for Submission:
Friday, May 22, 2026 at 5:00PM PT
Issued by:
City of South San Francisco
400 Grand Avenue
South San Francisco, CA 94080
650-829-6619
Contents
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Scope of Work ............................................................................................................................. 3 Period of Performance ................................................................................................................. 5 Proposal Guidelines ..................................................................................................................... 5 RFP Timeline ................................................................................................................................ 7 Proposer Questions ..................................................................................................................... 7 Submittal Instructions .................................................................................................................. 7 Evaluation Process ...................................................................................................................... 8 Selection Criteria ......................................................................................................................... 8 Contracting and Insurance ........................................................................................................... 9 Conditions and Limitations .......................................................................................................... 9 Attachment ............................................................................................................................... 10
Overview
The City of South San Francisco is seeking proposals from highly qualified firms to provide comprehensive legislative advocacy and / or technical, strategic grant writing services. For the legislative services, the City will consider proposals for State representation, Federal representation, or a combined approach.
The City is seeking a firm(s) that will act as a strategic extension of City staff, ensuring policymakers can be proactive and well-represented regarding State and Federal legislation. The City is also seeking a firm(s) that will be responsible for identifying, positioning, and securing grant funding for high-priority capital projects, public safety infrastructure, and critical community and housing initiatives.
City staff are familiar with the process of working with lobbying firms, having retained lobbyists for over a decade. The lobbyists have worked on a number of initiatives on behalf of the City, including the passage of SB 390, closing a loophole in the Mello-Roos Act; successfully securing State and Federal congressionally directed spending; advocating on behalf of the City for priority legislation; and keeping staff informed on current Senate and Assembly bills.
Profile of South San Francisco
Located in north San Mateo County, the City of South San Francisco proudly remains The Industrial City, a reflection of its steel mill and ship building past, redefined to reflect the innovative, entrepreneurial, and industrious spirit which has made South San Francisco the Biotech Capital of the World, with nearly 250 active biotech companies and growing. Incorporated in 1908, the city is now home to a vibrant community of 66,185 residents with a daytime population of 90,000 workers and visitors. South San Francisco enjoys a high quality of life with an extensive public parks system, thriving library and learning programming, and a dynamic, civically engaged community making South San Francisco a great place to live, learn, work, and play.
The City of South San Francisco is a general law city, which operates under the council/manager form of government with a General Fund budget of over $152.5 million and a total budget of $302.9 million for Fiscal Year 2025-26. The City has a five-member City Council and elected City Treasurer and City Clerk. is a full-service city with its own
police, fire, public works, housing and economic development, capital projects, parks and recreation, and library departments.
Scope of Work
When responding to this RFP, the City requests that respondents share their approach to each of the following tasks. Responses can be tailored to legislative services (for State lobbying, Federal lobbying, or both) and / or grant writing services. The City also invites respondents to provide suggestions for improving the scope of work, and to identify additional or optional tasks that could benefit the City and improve the services provided.
Task 1. Legislative Advocacy
The consultant will provide the following services related to legislative priorities and policy advocacy:
A. Assist the City in establishing a Council-adopted legislative platform which includes programmatic and revenue priorities. Update the platform each year based on City Council direction.
B. Develop actionable strategies to achieve the priorities identified in the legislative platform.
C. , anticipated
capital projects, and departmental goals to identify untapped legislative and policy alignment opportunities.
D. Property Tax in-lieu of
Vehicle License Fees (VLF) shortfall from the State, including the coordination of regional coalition efforts.
E. Schedule biweekly check-ins with City staff to provide updates on high-priority bills or emergency regulatory changes that require immediate City Council or staff action, and general updates on legislative matters.
F. Track, monitor, and analyze regulatory and legislative developments that may affect the about policy and funding opportunities.
G. Develop and maintain high-level working relationships between the City and State or Federal legislators and their staff, committee members, and State or Federal agencies through personal meetings, advocacy days, briefing papers, testimony, correspondence, and direct communication.
H. Identify and facilitate strategic partnerships with cities within San Mateo County, other regional partners, and statewide municipal associations (such as the League of California . I. Provide support in preparing and submitting letters of support or opposition to relevant committees and leadership offices.
J. Provide advocacy support by preparing briefing papers, talking points, and formal testimony for City officials, if needed.
K. Ensure adherence to local, State, and Federal disclosure requirements, including the accurate preparation and timely filing of all required lobbying reports, financial disclosures, and registration statements.
Task 2. Grant Writing Services
The consultant will provide the following services related to grant writing:
A. Develop and maintain an annual grant r
Plan (CIP) and departmental priorities with specific State and Federal funding cycles. Provide a quarterly funding matrix of realistic sources, including an assessment of competitiveness and effort-to-reward ratio.
B. Work with City staff to prepare and submit high-quality grant applications, including the development of technical justifications, budget narratives, and project schedules.
C.
selection through direct engagement with awarding agencies and legislative budget committees.
D. Assist with post-award administration, including contract execution, reporting compliance, and audit preparation to ensure the City remains in good standing with funding partners.
E. If the City is unsuccessful, conduct formal debriefs with funding agencies and provide a written improvement plan to strengthen the City's position for the next cycle.
Upon acceptance of the successful response to this RFP, the selected firm will utilize the Scope of Work as part of the contract with the City.
Period of Performance
To align with the new fiscal year, the anticipated contract start date is early/mid-July 2026 based on City Council approval. The contract will have an initial term of five years, with the City reserving the option to extend the contract for up to two additional one-year terms.
Proposal Guidelines
In developing a response to this RFP, proposers should be concise and limit their response to 12 pages. All materials (proposal and any attachments) must be submitted electronically. No paper copies will be accepted.
Proposals are to adhere to the following order and content of sections. Proposal should be unrealistic in terms of commitments, lack of expertise, or are considered nonresponsive to this RFP may be rejected.
The proposal should respond to each question or requirement below in consecutive order, as follows:
1. Transmittal Letter
Include a letter of transmittal signed by a person within the firm who is authorized to bind the firm. The letter should state a
statement as to why the firm believes itself to be the best qualified to perform the services specified herein, a commitment to perform the work within the time period, and a statement that the submitted proposal is a binding and irrevocable offer. List all subconsultants, if any.
2. Description of the Firm
Include a size of your firm (i.e., number of
professional staff), office locations in California, and location of the office from which the work on this engagement is to be performed. history as it may be relevant to the services required. Describe your experience providing similar services for other public agencies and authorities, with an emphasis on California jurisdictions and agencies.
The firm shall provide information on the circumstances and status of any disciplinary action, fines, or ethics violations taken or pending against the firm during the past three (3) years by State or Federal regulatory bodies (such as the FPPC or FEC) or professional organizations.
3. List the professional staff you intend to assign to these services and the area(s) of specialization for each person, such as emergency response, flood mitigation, land use, housing, etc. Describe the role of each person who will be assigned to this work. Identify the Lead Consultant who will be the primary contact in providing services to the City, and who ional
biographies for professionals and subconsultants who will be assigned to provide services in your proposal; these can be included as attachments to the proposal and do not count towards the proposal page limit.
4. Approach to Scope of Work
Include an overview of the proposal and approach to providing the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. Include ideas and strategies for maintaining open communication with City staff.
5. References
Please provide at least three (3) client references for whom your firm has performed similar work to that requested in this RFP during the past five years, preferably in California. For each client, please provide the name, street address, telephone number, and email address.
Please also include a brief description of the services provided, and the contract start and end dates.
6. Examples of Past Work
Provide up to three examples to illustrate deliverables for similar services from your firm, and preferably from key staff that would be assigned to this engagement. This could include successful grant narratives, letters of support, legislative platforms, funding roadmaps, etc.
These can be included as attachments to the proposal and do not count towards the page limit.
7. Fee Proposal
In a separate document, proposers will provide all pricing information relative to performing the scope of services as described in this RFP.
including any direct expenses (i.e., printing costs, attendance at meetings, travel).
Upon completion of the evaluation and selection process, only the cost proposal from the most qualified consultant will be opened to begin cost negotiations. If project cost negotiations with the selected firm are unsuccessful, the City of South San Francisco reserves the right to enter into negotiations with other firm(s). Upon acceptance of a cost proposal and successful contract negotiations, staff will recommend a contract be awarded.
RFP Timeline
RFP process. The City reserves
the right to amend the schedule as necessary.
Activity Date
City releases RFP Thursday, April 16, 2026
Last date for submission of written questions from proposers Friday, May 1, 2026 City issues addendum (as needed) Friday, May 8, 2026
Proposal submission deadline Friday, May 22, 2026
Possible Interviews Week of June 1, 2026
Anticipated Award of Contract Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Proposer Questions
The City will accept questions until Friday, May 1, 2026 at 5:00PM PT. All inquiries related to this RFP should be submitted through OpenGov Procurement. The City will issue an addendum, if necessary, by Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5:00PM PT. This addendum will be posted on the RFP page on the OpenGov Submittal Instructions
The proposal and any attachments must be received no later than Friday, May 22, 2026, 5:00PM PST.
Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Submissions that are not received by the City by the submittal deadline will not be considered.
To submit the proposal, respondents must create a free account with ProcureNow by signing up at https://secure.procurenow.com/signup. Once you have completed account registration, browse back to this page, click on "Submit Response," and follow the instructions to submit the electronic bid.
Evaluation Process
The City will evaluate all RFP submissions and may, at its discretion, interview top-ranked respondents. However, the City reserves the right to select a proposal without interviews or to cancel this RFP entirely.
Staff will recommend the most qualified respondent, subject to successful negotiations regarding compensation and terms, to the City Council for final approval. The City Council retains sole authority over the final consultant selection and contract award.
Selection Criteria
The City will use the following evaluation framework when reviewing the proposals:
1. Experience and Track Record (35%)
Proposers must demonstrate a proven history of success in municipal advocacy and / or wins in securing
significant State and/or Federal funding (especially for public safety infrastructure, transit, and capital projects). The City will prioritize firms with a verifiable track record of navigating complex legislative maneuvers, such as addressing the VLF shortfall, and those who maintain high-level, existing relationships with key administrative agencies (e.g., Caltrans, HCD, Cal OES).
2. Proposed Strategy and Methodology (20%)
The City will evaluate the p
-scoring proposal will demonstrate a
, anticipated capital
projects, and departmental goals; creating a Council-adopted legislative platform; and developing a cohesive 12-month grant funding roadmap. The City is seeking a firm that does not only monitor legislation but actively positions the City for legislative and funding success.
3. Qualifications of Key Personnel (20%)
Proposals should highlight the professional background of lead advocates and technical grant writers, emphasizing their direct experience in Sacramento and/or Washington D.C.
The City will evaluate the assigned team's specific subject matter expertise in California municipal finance, public safety policy, federal infrastructure programs, and other services Sacramento and Washington D.C. is
highly preferred.
4. Project Management and Communication (15%)
The City requires a high level of transparency and frequent communication. Evaluation will
proposal will outline a clear cadence for bi-weekly status reports, updates for urgent legislative changes, and a quarterly matrix of upcoming funding opportunities. This section accurate filing of all mandated ethics and disclosure reports (FPPC/FEC).
5. Cost Effectiveness / Fee Structure (10%)
While the City is looking for the best value rather than the lowest bid, the fee structure must be transparent, competitive, and commensurate with the level of service provided. The City will evaluate the clarity of the retainer or hourly fee model, the inclusion of travel and administrative costs, and any "value-added" services (such as staff training or coalitionbuilding leadership) that enhance the overall return on investment for the City.
Contracting and Insurance
standard consulting services agreement which
terms and insurance requirements.
Conditions and Limitations
Consultants are advised to become familiar with all conditions, instructions, and specifications of this RFP. By submitting a proposal, Consultant represents and warrants that it has thoroughly examined and is familiar with work required under this RFP, that Consultant has conducted such additional investigation as it deems necessary and convenient, that Consultant is capable of specifications as outlined in this RFP, and that Consultant has reviewed and inspected all materials submitted in response to this RFP. Once the consultant has been selected, a failure to have read the conditions, instructions, and specifications herein shall not be cause to alter the contract or for Consultant to request additional compensation.
Non-Discrimination Requirement
By submitting a proposal, the Consultant represents that it and its subsidiaries do not and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, religion, sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital status, physical condition, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, political affiliations or opinion, age, or medical condition.
Conditions of Proposal Acceptance
This RFP does not commit the City to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal for this RFP, or to procure or contract for any services. The City and Consultant may agree to add additional areas to the contract by mutual agreement at a later date. The City may elect to stop work at any time in the contract and will pay for work completed to that point on a time and material basis.
Other Conditions and Limitations
The City reserves the right to:
Request additional information.
Extend the due date of the RFP.
Interview none, any, or all Proposers that submit responses to the RFP.
Reject, in whole or in part, any or all qualifications submittals, and to waive minor irregularities in the submittal.
Issue addenda to clarify or modify elements of this RFP.
Seek and obtain additional proposals beyond the due date if the proposals received are unsatisfactory.
Cancel, in whole or in part, this Request for Proposals solicitation.
All RFP submittals will become the property of the City.
No reimbursement will be made by the City for any cost incurred by Proposers in preparation of the response to this RFP.
The issuance of this RFP does not constitute an agreement by the City that the City Council will actually enter into any contract.
Respondent's Duty to Investigate: The information presented in this RFP and in any report or other information provided by the City is provided solely for the convenience of the interested parties. It is the responsibility of interested parties to assure themselves that the information contained in this RFP or other documents is accurate and complete. The City and its advisors provide no representations, assurances, or warranties pertaining to the accuracy of the information.
The City may use any and all ideas and materials included in any submittal, whether or not the respondent is selected as the consultant.
Proposals and all other information and documents submitted in response to this RFP are subject to the California Public Records Act, California Government Code §§ 6250 through 6276.48) (CPRA), which generally mandates the disclosure of documents in the possession of the City upon the request of any person, unless the content of the document falls within a specific exemption category.
Non-Liability: By participating in the RFP process, each respondent agrees to hold the City and its officers, employees, agents, representatives, and consultants harmless from all claims, liabilities, and costs related to all aspects of this RFP.
Attachment
1. City of South San Francisco Consulting Services Agreement