Recreation Program Counseling Services 2026

Request for Proposals
City of San Mateo
Recreation Program Counseling Services 2026
City of San Mateo
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
RFP Issued: March 18, 2026
Proposal Deadline: April 1, 2026
Submission Options:
i) Electronic: Email one PDF with the subject line "Recreation Program Counseling Services"
to Michele Venneri, mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org
ii) Printed: Deliver or mail to San Mateo City Hall - City Manager's Office, 330 W. 20th
Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94033. Must be received (not postmarked) by the deadline.

1. Introduction
The City of San Mateo (the City) is accepting proposals from qualified Counseling Services in
accordance with the included specifications, terms, and conditions shown in this Request for
Proposal (RFP). Prospective respondents are advised to read this information carefully prior
to submitting a proposal.
One (1) signed original of the proposal must be mailed to the Parks and Recreation Department
on or before Wednesday, April 1, 2026. In addition, a PDF copy of the proposal must be
emailed to mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org no later than 5:00pm. on April 1, 2026. Proposals
shall be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked "Recreation Program Counseling
Services" and addressed to:
Parks & Recreation Department
City of San Mateo
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
Questions regarding this RFP are to be directed by e-mail to: Michele Venneri, Community
Services Supervisor at mvenneri@cityofsnmateo.org. Such contact shall be for clarification
purposes only. Material changes, if any, to the scope of services or proposal procedures will
only be transmitted by written addendum. Answers to submitted questions shall be provided to
each of the firms invited to submit proposals.
2. Background
The City of San Mateo, incorporated in 1894, is the largest municipality in San Mateo County,
California with a population of approximately 103,350. It is one of the larger suburbs of the San
Francisco Peninsula, and when traveling on U.S. Highway 101, San Mateo is approximately 30
minutes from downtown San Jose, Oakland, and 25 minutes from downtown San Francisco.
The City of San Mateo is a charter city and has a Council-Manager form of government. The
City Council is comprised of five district-elected council members, who rotate annually as Mayor.
The City Manager is appointed by the Council and serves as the chief executive officer
responsible for the day-to-day administration of City affairs. The Council also appoints a City
Attorney. There are seven advisory boards and commissions appointed by the Council.
The City provides a wide range of municipal services including police, public works, parks and
recreation, library, planning and zoning, building inspection, code enforcement, affordable
housing, sewer system, street maintenance, economic development, and general administrative
services. The City shares a consolidated Fire Department with the cities of Foster City and
Belmont.
3. Scope of Services
a. The city has prepared an outline of services included in this RFP, which includes:
iii) Staffing Structure and Personnel Requirements:
iv) Additions/Deletions of Staff
v) Response Time and Crisis Intervention
vi) Program Integration and Collaboration
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vii) On-Site Service Delivery Model
viii)Coordination and Communication with City Staff:
ix) Compliance, Licensing, and Risk Management:
x) Pricing Structure and Contract Terms:
A guide to proposing a Scope of Services is included as Attachment A.
4. Submittal Guidelines
The following guidelines are provided for standardizing the preparation and submission of
proposals. The intent is to assist respondents in the preparation of their submissions and to
assist the City by simplifying the review process providing standards for comparison of
submissions.
Statements submitted in response to this RFP shall include a complete response to the
requirements in this section in the order presented. Statements should be a straightforward
delineation of the respondent's capability to satisfy the intent and requirements of this RFP and
should not contain redundancies and conflicting statements.
Each Bidder shall submit one (1) hard copy of the Bid package. Said Bids shall be delivered to
the San Mateo City Clerk, c/o Michele Venneri, 330 W. 20th Avenue, San Mateo, California
94403, no later than 5:00 pm, April 6, 2026.
Bids shall be opened and read by a City representative, and said City representative shall report
the results of the bids to the Director of Parks and Recreation, at which time the Director may
award the contract to the bidder whose demonstrated experience, competency, and pricing
represent the best value for the City; or as the City's interest may dictate, Director may exercise
its right to modify the award or reject any or all bids.
City Clerk's Office
City of San Mateo
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
Proposals shall contain the following information in the order listed:
a. Cover letter
The cover letter should be addressed to:
Parks and Recreation Department
City of San Mateo
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
The letter should state the proposer's name, mailing address, telephone number, and
contact name. The letter shall address the proposer's understanding of the project based
on this RFP and any other information the proposer has gathered. The proposer shall
include a statement discussing the proposer's interest and qualifications for this type of
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work. A principal of the company authorized to legally bind the company shall sign the
letter
b. Table of Contents
The proposer shall insert a comprehensive table of contents denoting sections three (3)
through eleven (11) of the proposal as indicated below.
c. Qualifications and Experience
Describe the proposer's capability for actually undertaking and performing the work as
described in this RFP. Include qualifications of each key team member. List types and
locations of similar work performed by the proposer in the last five (5) years that best
characterizes the quality and past performance.
d. Describe experience, as Applicable to the Proposal
List up to five (5) comparable projects (e.g. summer camps, school,
recreation youth programs) with dates, client names, service scope, and locations
that have been completed within the past five (5) years.
e. Work Plan, Scope of Work, Performance Standards
The work plan should indicate the proposer's ability to meet each specification as
outlined in this document. The work plan should address the items of work as described
in this RFP. The plan should be simple, easy to read and follow, and addresses and
satisfies the scope of work and services listed in this RFP.
f. Conflict of Interest Statement
The proposer shall disclose any activities and financial, business, and other relationships
of the firm that might create a conflict of interest for the proposer or City. Proposer shall
describe the facts, legal implications, and possible effects of said conflicts sufficient to
permit the City to appreciate the significance of the conflict and to grant any conflict
waiver, if appropriate and necessary. Conflict information is further delineated in the
provided Professional Consultant Services Agreement. Proposer further agrees to
complete any statements of economic interest if required either by City ordinance or
State law.
g. Insurance
Show proof of insurance for the insurance requirements shown in the City of San
Mateo's Professional Consultant Services Agreement provided as Attachment 2.
h. Supportive Information/References
This section may include graphs, charts, photos, resumes, references, etc in support of
the proposer's qualifications. Include names and current phone numbers of references.
References may be contacted as part of the selection process.
i. Pending Litigation
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Describe in detail any recent, current or pending litigation involving the proposer's
operation of Recreation Program Counseling Services. Attach additional descriptive
material, if necessary.
j. Best Performance
Indicate briefly why you consider your firm to be the best to perform this contract. Please
indicate any new or creative ideas that would provide the City with high-quality, safe,
efficient and responsive services in the provision Recreation Program Counseling
Services.
k. Costs
This section should include the cost for requested services outlined in the Scope of
Work. Proposers are encouraged to provide pricing proposals on both a flat fee and
"time and expense" basis. Proposers submitting flat fee proposals may specify separate
fees for the Recreation Program Counseling Services portion of the services described
below.
No cost increases shall be passed onto the City after the proposal has been submitted.
l. Changes to Standard Contract
The City's Professional Consultant Services Agreement is included with this proposal as
Attachment 2. Any requested changes to the Professional Consultant Services
Agreement must be addressed in advance by inclusion in the proposal. If a proposing
firm does not include any proposed changes or objections, those objections will be
deemed waived.
m. Service and support
All Consultants shall explain how all on-going service and support shall be handled by
the Consultant and the City.
5. Withdrawal or Modifications of Proposals
Any proposal may be withdrawn or modified by a written request signed by the Consultant and
received by the Parks and Recreation Department prior to the final time and date for the receipt
of proposals. Once the deadline is past, Consultants are obligated to fulfill the terms of their
proposal.
6. Open Records
Upon delivery, each proposal will be subject to all applicable open records laws, including but
not limited to the California Public Records Act. Firms submitting agree to hold the City harmless
if such information is released, knowingly or not.
7. Proposal Acceptance and Rejection
The City reserves the right to accept any proposal, to reject any and all proposals, or to call for
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new proposals if such action is determined to be in the best interests of the City, such
determination to be made in the sole discretion of the City. In addition, the City may award the
contract to other than the lowest proposal if deemed such award is determined to be in the City's
best interests, such determination to be made in the sole discretion of the City.
8. Proposal Evaluation and Award
Award shall be made to the responding Consultant whose proposal is determined by the City in
its sole discretion to be the most advantageous to the City. The City shall enter into an
agreement with the successful Consultant for the specified services. All Consultants that were
not selected by the City shall be notified in writing. The City reserves the right to negotiate with
selected Consultant on any and all terms of the contract for services.
9. Proposal Process Schedule
The City intends to follow, but will not be bound by, the following schedule of events:
RFP Published: March 18, 2026
Proposals Due: April 1, 2026
Consultant Interviews (if necessary): April 6, 2026
Consultant Selection/Negotiation: April 8, 2026
Award of Contract: April 10, 2026
Transition Period (if necessary): April 13, 2026
Contract Start Date: June 8, 2026
10.Term of Agreement
The term of the contract shall be for a specific period of time, commencing upon contract
execution and expiring on Friday, August 7, 2026. The contract may be extended by mutual
agreement of the parties.
11.Payment
Vendor will provide monthly invoices separated by designated program and via e-mail to
Program Supervisor, Michele Venneri at mvenneri@cityofsanmateo.org, no later than two (2)
weeks after the month of service is complete.
City of San Mateo will process invoices and send payment via check or Electronic Funds
Transfer.
Upon receipt of the invoice, if an error is found by San Mateo vendor will provide the process on
how to remedy said error.
12.Proposed Changes
If, in the course of the Agreement, Consultant or the City proposes changes to the scope of
work, and informal consultation with the other party indicates that a change in the terms and
conditions of the Agreement may be warranted, Consultant or the City may request a change in
the Agreement. The parties to the Agreement shall meet to discuss and negotiate the required
change order documents. Upon completion of those negotiations, the negotiated change order
documents shall be submitted to the City for approval. Upon approval by the City, an "Order to
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Proceed" with the approved changes shall be submitted to Consultant. Any Amendment to this
Agreement shall not render ineffective or invalidate any unaffected portions of this Agreement.
13.Waiver of Irregularities
The City retains the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any irregularities in proposals that do
not comply with the strict requirements of this RFP, and the City reserves the right to award a
contract to a consultant submitting any such non-compliant proposal, all in the City's sole
discretion.
14.Warranty of Usage
Any quantities listed in this RFP are estimated or projected and are provided for tabulation and
information purposes only. No warranty or guarantee of quantities is given or implied. It is
understood that the Consultant will furnish the City's needs as they arise.
15.Validity of Pricing
Consultants are required to provide a fee structure including, if applicable, the hourly rate of the
employees to be assigned to the matter, and proposed cost and expense reimbursement levels.
No cost increases shall be passed onto the City after the agreement has been executed.
16.Qualification, Inspection, and Interviews
The City reserves the right to inspect the Consultant's facilities, products, personnel, and
organization at any time, or to take any other action necessary to determine Consultant's ability
to perform. The City reserves the right to interview any or all responding consultants and/or to
award a contract without conducting interviews.
17.Indemnification
See City of San Mateo's standard Professional Consultant Services Agreement provided as
Attachment 2.
18.Insurance
See Exhibit C of City of San Mateo's standard Professional Consultant Services Agreement
provided as Attachment 2.
19.Ownership of Proposal
Proposals submitted to the City typically become property of the City, will not be returned to the
bidder, and may be used for evaluation purposes.
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ATTACHMENT A
SCOPE OF SERVICES
General Overview
This RFP solicits qualified firms to provide an array of professional consultant services to the
City.
Respondents to this RFP must demonstrate an understanding of the professional consultant
services required, the capacity to deliver these services, and the ability to tailor services to
address specific issues and situations.
Terms of Contract
The term of the contract shall be for a specific period of time, commencing upon contract
execution and expiring on Friday, August 7, 2026. The contract may be extended by up
to three (3) years, one year at a time, by mutual agreement of the parties.
Staffing Structure and Personnel Requirements:
City of San Mateo Summer Camp Training will take place the week of June 8, 2026, through
June 12, 2026, and counseling staff will be requested to lead a thirty-minute information training
on their organization, what they do, and the best ways to work together. This training will be held
at a mutually agreed-upon date and time within the training week period.
The proposed staffing model will include one staff member per site, present from 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, beginning Monday,
June 15, 2026, through Friday, August 7, 2026, with the exception of Friday, June 19, 2026, and
Friday, July 3, 2026. The two sites each hold a Camp Mateo program servicing children in
grades TK through 5th grade. The camp locations are below:
Beresford Recreation Center
2720 Alameda de las Pulgas
San Mateo, CA 94403
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
725 Monte Diablo Avenue
San Mateo, CA, 94403
Staff are required to remain on-site during all scheduled hours except for their lunch break. All
staff must work under the supervision of licensed Child and Family Therapists. The organization
must provide proof that all assigned staff have completed TB testing and have successfully
passed a background check conducted through the organization. Minimum qualifications and
any additional requirements must meet the standards established by the organization.
Additions/Deletions of Staff
Although this solicitation identifies specific camps which need support, it is hereby agreed and
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understood that any service may be added or deleted to/from this contract at the option of San
Mateo. When an addition to this contract is required, the successful company under this contract
shall be invited to submit price quotes for these additional staff and may be added to the
contract in San Mateo's best interest.
On-Site Service Delivery Model:
Counselors will incorporate themselves into daily camp activities and assist recreation staff in
managing challenging behaviors and mental health crises. Counseling organization will provide the
City of San Mateo with Counseling staff. Counseling staff are never allowed to be alone with children
without prior written parental consent. Counselors will work with the Recreation Program Specialist to
make necessary accommodations for an improved camp experience for all children. Counselors will
adhere to the City of San Mateo's procedures and protocols
Coordination and Communication with City Staff:
The successful company will be required to work closely with City staff, including the Youth
Services Supervisors, Program Coordinators, Program Specialists, and Recreation Specialists.
Counselling staff will not speak to families without a Recreation staff person present. Counselors
will communicate directly with the Program Coordinator to discuss any children whom they
would like to reach out to their families. Recreation will coordinate the contact.
Compliance, Licensing, and Risk Management:
The successful company will supply the City with verification of appropriate licensure, insurance
coverage, mandated reporter compliance, fingerprint clearance, TB clearance, confidentiality
standards, and adherence to local, state, and federal regulations.
Pricing Structure and Contract Terms:
Prices shall be fixed and firm for the initial term of the contract. Proposal shall clearly identify
hourly rates, daily rates (if applicable), supervision costs, administrative fees, and any additional
charges. Include provisions for additions or deletions of service hours based on enrollment
fluctuations or program needs.
Miscellaneous Services
1. The Consultant shall cooperate with file and program audits with state agencies and City
designated auditors.
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