Project Information

Bid Title

Request for Proposals – San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update

Issuing Agency

City of San Carlos

Location

California

Published Date

Jan 28, 2026

Closing Date

Mar 4, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Department: Community Development Department
Category: Request for Proposals – San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update
Issue Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Close Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 5:00 p.m., PDT
Question Cut-Off Date: Monday, February 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m., PDT
Questions and answers to be posted:  Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 5:00 p.m., PDT

The City of San Carlos is seeking a qualified consultant team to prepare an update to the City’s Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan (CMAP) to meet CEQA mitigation requirements associated with the City of San Carlos 2045 General Plan Reset project and to guide long-term climate action and resilience efforts.  The CMAP update will consider the anticipated growth within the City to the year 2045 and provide a strategic roadmap for meeting GHG reduction targets through climate mitigation and adaptation measures. The consultant will also conduct an environmental review of the proposed CMAP based on the requirements of CEQA.

Key services include:

Climate Mitigation Targets and Vulnerability Assessment

• The consultant will analyze emissions and identify updated GHG reduction targets for climate change mitigation. The targets will be informed by relevant regional and State regulations by key milestone years (including but not limited to goals established under Senate Bill 32 and Assembly Bill 1279) and reflect the most up-to-date science and assessment models available to measure GHG emissions. The Consultant will also prepare a Vulnerability Assessment that will analyze how climate change is likely to affect the community to inform approaches to build climate resilience.

Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies

• The consultant will formulate a suite of proposed mitigation and adaptation strategies to meet the emissions reduction targets with actions identified across all source sectors and to enhance climate resilience in the face of sea level rise, extreme weather events, risk of wildfires, heatwaves, etc.

Implementation and Monitoring Planning

• The consultant will provide an actionable plan based on City Council input to implement the selected strategies and monitor and track their progress, accompanied by a clearly defined implementation timeline, responsible department or agency, recommended measures, estimated staffing requirements, potential partnerships, equity considerations, tracking tools, and recommended financing and funding opportunities.

Community Outreach and Engagement

• The consultant will undertake an inclusive community and stakeholder engagement process to receive and incorporate public input.

CEQA Review

• The consultant will conduct an environmental review to ensure the updated CMAP is a CEQA-qualified Climate Action Plan that also conforms with the mitigation measure for GHG reduction adopted as part of the City’s 2045 General Plan Reset EIR.

We encourage all proposers to thoroughly review the complete RFP document before submitting.

For any inquiries related to this RFP, please contact:

Akanksha Chopra, Senior Management Analyst
achopra@cityofsancarlos.org |  (650) 802-4350

Available Attachments:

• RFP - San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update
• City of San Carlos Professional Services Agreement Template with Exhibits

Attachment Preview

CITY OF SAN CARLOS

Request for Proposals

Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update

Due: Wednesday, March 4, 2026,

by 5:00 p.m. (PT)

Electronic Submittals shall be submitted to: achopra@cityofsancarlos.org

Attn: Akanksha Chopra, Senior Management Analyst (Sustainability)

Community Development Department, 600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070

Contents

Executive Summary..............................................................................................................................................3

Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................3

Background .........................................................................................................................................................4

Schedule ................................................................................................................................................................5

Budget ...................................................................................................................................................................6

Scope of Work.......................................................................................................................................................6

Task 1. Project Management, Work Plan, and Kickoff Meeting .........................................................................6

Task 2. Community Outreach and Engagement Plan ........................................................................................6

Task 3. Background Review and Existing Conditions Assessment ...................................................................8

Task 4. Climate Mitigation Targets and Vulnerability Assessment ....................................................................8

Task 5. Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies........................................................................................9

Task 6. Implementation and Monitoring Plan .....................................................................................................9

Task 7. Draft Updated Climate Mitigation & Adaptation Plan.......................................................................... 10

Task 8. Final Climate Mitigation & Adaptation Plan and Environmental Review ............................................ 10

City Resources Available.................................................................................................................................. 10

Submittal Requirements ................................................................................................................................... 11

Questions & Clarifications................................................................................................................................ 11

Evaluation & Selection Process....................................................................................................................... 12

San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update | Request for Proposals | City of San Carlos

Page 2

Executive Summary

The City of San Carlos is seeking a qualified consultant team to prepare an update to the City’s Climate Mitigation

and Adaptation Plan (CMAP) to meet CEQA mitigation requirements associated with the City of San Carlos 2045

General Plan Reset project and to guide long-term climate action and resilience efforts.

Key Project Information

• Budget: $250,000

• Anticipated Project Duration: May 2026 – January 2028

• Key Deliverables:

o Updated greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) inventory, forecasts, and reduction targets

o Climate vulnerability assessment

o Mitigation and adaptation strategies

o Implementation and monitoring framework

o CEQA environmental review

• Decision-Making Bodies: Planning and Transportation Commission; City Council

• CEQA Requirement: Plan must qualify as a CEQA “qualified” Climate Action Plan that also meets the

requirements established under the mitigation measure for GHG reduction for the 2045 General Plan Reset

project.

• Proposals Due: 5 p.m., March 4th

Introduction

In May 2025, the City of San Carlos adopted amendments to its 2030 General Plan as part of the 2045 General

Plan Reset project. The purpose of the 2045 General Plan Reset project was to update the Citywide residential,

industrial, and commercial development projections to the year 2045 and amend related policies and actions in the

General Plan.

As per the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

was prepared for the 2045 General Plan Reset project. The EIR identified a significant impact related to the

greenhouse gas emissions associated with the anticipated growth in the City over the next 20 years. The mitigation

measure adopted by the City Council as part of the CEQA-mandated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program

requires an update to the City’s 2021 Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan (CMAP) within 3 years of adoption of

the 2045 General Plan Reset project. The 2045 General Plan Reset was adopted on May 27, 2025.

In response to this, the City of San Carlos is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to develop an update to

the City’s CMAP. The CMAP update will consider the anticipated growth within the City to the year 2045 (refer to

Table 1 for projected housing units, population, and jobs) and provide a strategic roadmap for meeting GHG

reduction targets through climate mitigation and adaptation measures. The consultant will also conduct an

environmental review of the proposed CMAP based on the requirements of CEQA.

Table 1. Projections for housing, population and jobs to the year 2045

Baseline

Increase

Total

(2024)

By 2045

By 2045

Housing

Units

12,700

8,060

20,770

Population

29,350

15,620

44,510

Percentage

Increase

63.5%

51.5%

Jobs

28,930

18,010

SOURCE: SAN CARLOS 2030 GENERAL PLAN

46,950

62.3%

San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update | Request for Proposals | City of San Carlos

Page 3

Background

The City of San Carlos is located within the San Francisco Peninsula (Figure 1) in San Mateo County. It shares its

borders with Belmont to the north, Redwood City to the south, Redwood Shores and the San Francisco Bay to the

east, and unincorporated open space lands to the west. The City has an area of 5.4 square miles with a population

of

approximately

29,350

re

sidents

.1

0F

Figure 1 Location of San Carlos in the San Franscisco Peninsula

The City adopted its last comprehensive Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan in September 2021, which was an

update to the City’s 2009 Climate Action Plan. The 2021 CMAP currently serves as San Carlos’ plan to reduce

GHG emissions and to adapt to changing climate conditions. The CMAP also assists the City’s decision-makers,

staff, and the community in understanding the sources and magnitude of local GHG emissions and the impacts of

climate change on the community. Specifically, the plan provides strategies to reduce GHG emissions, prioritizes

steps to achieve GHG emission-reduction targets, and outlines methods to increase resilience. The CMAP also

presents a work plan and monitoring program for the City to implement programs and track progress over time.

Over the last several decades, the City has made significant progress in decreasing its GHG emissions. Consistent

with Senate Bill 32, the CMAP established the target of reducing 40% GHG emissions by 2030 and 80% by 2050

relative to 1990 levels. The CMAP identifies 33 GHG reduction strategies and 12 adaptation strategies to achieve

these GHG reduction goals. Figure 2 shows a comparison of GHG emissions across different sectors (in MT CO2e)

between 2005 and 2023 for San Carlos. Citywide GHG emissions decreased significantly between 2005 and 2019

due to a switch to sourcing renewable energy from Peninsula Clean Energy in 2017. Between 2021 and 2023, total

emissions decreased by about 3%. Based on the current emissions model that considers emissions from seven

key sources, emissions associated with on-road transportation (related to passenger and commercial vehicles) and

use of natural gas in buildings continue to be the two biggest sources of emissions for the City.

As San Carlos approaches the 2030 milestone in 4 years, the CMAP update will need to assess how San Carlos is

positioned to meet GHG reduction targets and associated climate goals under different State regulations, including

SB 1279, and what strategies will be critical to help the City accomplish those. The updated CMAP will also include

new GHG reduction targets, emissions forecasts, and reflect new goals aligned with community priorities, recent

State laws, emerging trends, and best practices in the field. The consultant team will be tasked to prepare an update

to the CMAP involving an inclusive community and stakeholder engagement process to receive and incorporate

1 Source: San Carlos 2030 General Plan

San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update | Request for Proposals | City of San Carlos

Page 4

public input. The updated CMAP will also provide a framework to monitor and track progress on the adopted goals

and strategies.

SOURCE: SAN MATEO COUNTY REGIONALLY INTEGRATED CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING SUPPORT (RICAPS) PROGRAM

Figure 2 San Carlos GHG Emissions by Sector

Schedule

The following table outlines the City’s proposed schedule related to this Request for Proposals (RFP) and project

commencement and completion. The City reserves the right to amend the schedule as necessary.

Table 2. RFP and Proposed Project Schedule

Activity

City releases RFP

Last date for submission of written questions from proponents

City issues addendum (if needed)

Proposal submission deadline

Potential interviews with proponents

Consultant selection

Contract award date (Council authorization)

Project commencement

Anticipated Project Completion

Date

January 28, 2026

February 9, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. PT

February 17, 2026

March 4, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. PT

Weeks of March 23 and March 30, 2026

April 15, 2026

May 11, 2026

Week of May 18, 2026

January 2028

San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update | Request for Proposals | City of San Carlos

Page 5

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541620Environmental Consulting Services

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