Request for Proposals for Legislative Advocacy and Strategic Grant Services

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. Known locally as “South City,” South San Francisco is a full-service city with its own police, fire, public works, housing and economic development, capital projects, parks and recreation, and library departments.