Request for Proposals – San Carlos Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan Update
| Location: | California |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Jan 28, 2026 |
| Due: | Mar 4, 2026 |
| Agency: | City of San Carlos |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
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
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
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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:
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
This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
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