How to Contract With CalPERS

CalPERS offers two types of contracts:

• Consultant Services Contract - This is an agreement to provide a recommended course of action or personal expertise. The contract calls for a product of the mind rather than the rendition of mechanical skills, and could be for anything from answers to specific questions to the design of a system or plan.
• Service Contract - This is an agreement to provide CalPERS with a duty or labor, as opposed to commodities or goods, which are done through a procurement process.

Generally, these services are obtained through a competitive bidding process. Refer to the Contract Solicitation Methods section below to learn more.

CalPERS obtains information technology-related services and products through a pool of prequalified vendors via our Vendor Pool Program. To be eligible, you must currently have a publicly bid contract with either the federal government General Services Administration Schedule (GSA) program or the Department of General Services (DGS).

To request a Vendor Pool Program application package, call (916) 795-2398 or email us. In addition to the required forms included in the package, you'll need to submit copies of your current DGS or GSA contract documents and your price list.

This method can be used for complex services needing technical or professional skills and expertise. The solicitation document specifies a general business plan describing our needs and the minimum requirements to participate in the process.

In the CN process, CalPERS holds discussions with the highest scoring firms about alternative methods of approach and the cost or fee. A contract is negotiated that best meets the business needs at a fair and reasonable cost.

This method is used to secure services for routine personal or mechanical skills when work methods are standard or little discretion exists in terms of how the work is performed. A statement of work is clearly stated and bidders are generally told what, how, when, and where work and services are to be done. In the IFB process, the lowest responsive, responsible bidder is awarded the contract.

This method is used to secure complex services needing technical or professional skills and expertise. The RFP states qualification requirements, performance specifications, and time frames. Proposers are asked to recommend methods/approaches to meet the need and for how much.

There are two types of RFPs: primary and secondary. The type used depends on the needs or requirements of the service. Refer to the table below to know the difference between the RFPs.