REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
LAFCO EXECUTIVE OFFICER STAFFING SERVICES
The Shasta Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) is seeking proposals from qualified individuals or professional consulting firms to provide staffing services, including Executive Officer services, on either an independent contractor basis, or as a W-2 employee of Shasta LAFCO. Shasta LAFCO intends to enter into a two (2)-year contract for staffing services, starting January 1, 2027. The Executive Officer position, as authorized by California Government Code Section 56384, provides management and executive leadership for all LAFCO activities as directed by the Commission. Additional positions that may be presented in the Statement of Qualifications include but are not limited to: Clerk, Administrator, Services Analyst, GIS Analyst, and/or Executive Assistant.
Shasta LAFCO is an independent local agency created by the State Legislature in 1963 to encourage orderly growth and development of local agencies. LAFCO’s mission is to facilitate changes in local governmental structure and boundaries that foster orderly growth and development, promote the efficient delivery of services, and encourage the preservation of open space and agricultural lands. LAFCO seeks to be proactive in raising awareness and building partnerships to accomplish this through its special studies, programs, and actions.
For general information about LAFCOs, visit the CALAFCO website: www.calafco.org; for information about Shasta LAFCO, please visit our website: www.shastalafco.org.
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities assigned to the Executive Officer will include but are not limited to the following:
- Scheduling, preparing for, and attending regular and special in-person Commission meetings, including agendas, reports, resolutions, budgets and studies in coordination with Legal Counsel.
- Overseeing LAFCO day-to-day Commission operations.
- Managing the posting of meeting materials and other public documents to the Commission’s website.
- Meeting with Executive Committee prior to each Commission meeting to set agendas, discuss applications, and review other Commission interests.
- Preparing special reports and studies as mandated by statute, including municipal service reviews and sphere of influence updates, based on Commission direction and priorities.
- Processing applications for city and district formations, annexations, reorganizations, consolidations, detachments and other proposals.
- Administering adopted LAFCO budget with budget controls, records, files and review claims and revenue deposits to and from independent LAFCO accounts.
- Monitoring new and proposed State and local legislation that pertains to LAFCO and representing Shasta LAFCO at CALAFCO and professional associations.
- Coordinating with LAFCO counsel on legal issues and other matters that may require an oral or written interpretation or opinion from legal counsel.
- Building and maintaining positive working relationships with regular and alternate commissioners, local governmental agencies, and members of the public.
- Providing technical assistance, especially with regard to applicant proposals, including by pre-application agreements.
- Administering LAFCO in accordance with California Brown Act requirements.
- Other administrative and executive services as may be requested or directed by the Commission and/or Executive Committee.
Experience, Education, and Training
The successful Statement of Qualifications will be one that demonstrates the respondent’s combination of experience, education, and training which substantially demonstrates knowledge of:
- The organization, structure, role and functions of LAFCO, including familiarity with the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (CKH Act), including but not limited to an understanding of the Municipal Services Review (MSR) and Sphere of Influence (SOI) process, requests for extension of services beyond agency boundaries, and specific expertise with respect to the statutory procedures and requirements associated with processing changes of organization and reorganization proposals.
- Local governmental agency organization, structure, services and functions, including understanding of how the full range of municipal services including water, wastewater, fire protection and other services are financed and delivered.
- Planning, management, and administration principles and practices which are typically applied to Local Agency Formation Commissions and other local governmental agencies.
- Research methodologies, group and organization dynamics, and the communication skills and techniques necessary for gathering, evaluating, presenting and disseminating information to the Commission, other agencies, community organizations, and the general public.
Minimum Qualifications
The required knowledge and skills are typically attained through education equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Public Administration, Civil Engineering or a related field. A minimum of five (5) years of experience with LAFCOs, either as an Executive Officer, Assistant or Deputy Executive Officer, or as a contract Executive Officer, is preferred. Consideration will be given to similar experience with other local governmental/public agencies such as a county, a city, or a special district. Consideration will also be given to other unique qualifications as may be presented by the applicant. It is not required that applicants live within Shasta County, but special consideration may be given to firms or individual applicants that are based within Shasta County.
Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Requirements
The nature and form of responses to this RFQ are at respondent’s discretion, but must not exceed ten (10) pages. The following minimum information must be provided:
- A signed cover letter with address, telephone, and e-mail of principal contact.
- Statement of experience in providing services to other municipal agencies, including LAFCOs.
- A brief plan explaining how the duties described and services requested will be provided. Include the duties of each person associated with the proposal, including any support staff and/or sub-contractors.
- A cost and budget sheet detailing costs for contract staffing services by position, hourly rate per person, and estimated costs for services for the first fiscal year, if it is proposed that some or all staff support will be contracted for in addition to the Executive Officer position as part of a proposed independent contract for Executive Officer services Submitted proposals for Executive Officer service based on a proposed W-2 employee relationship with LAFCO are to provide a proposed Executive Officer salary, and indicate how any proposed additional support services will be provided.
- Qualification statements for the principal person who would serve as Executive Officer, as well as for all staff who will be performing work under this contract. Please limit the statement to one page per person.
- Contact information for three professional references.
- Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest with other work or third party contracts.
Submittal Requirements
- SOQs must be received no later than 5 p.m., on Friday, August 28,2026, by email or mail. Proposals received after the deadline will not be accepted. They are to be submitted to:
Jim Underwood, Shasta LAFCO General Counsel
By delivery to jim@jmulawoffice.com; or to P.O. Box 2428, Weaverville, CA 96093
Attn: Shasta LAFCO Selection Committee
- All SOQs, whether selected or rejected, shall become Shasta LAFCO property.
- The cost of preparation of SOQs shall be borne solely by the proposer.
- SOQs must be signed by an authorized employee or officer to be considered.
Selection Process
The selection process will include review of SOQs by a Selection Committee appointed by the Commission. The Selection Committee will use the criteria listed below to evaluate the SOQs. At the discretion of the Selection committee, additional information may be requested to clarify and explain the SOQs.
- Applicability of overall experience and qualifications relating to Executive Officer staffing services.
- Evaluation of the scope of services, examining in particular any special techniques, approaches, ideas, and insights to be used in performing the services, along with additional consideration of how previous experiences may contribute to the proposer’s ability to carry out the services.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, the California Environmental Quality Act, and California land use and planning law.
- Evaluation of the relevancy and quality of previous service contracts/ employment agreements on which the proposer was the sole or lead consultant. Successful experience with local public agencies of similar size and scope to the Shasta LAFCO within the last five (5) years, including pertinent references.
- Evaluation of background, experience, knowledge, and capacity to perform quality work within established deadlines and within budget. Candidate shall possess all permits, licenses and insurance necessary to perform the required planning services.
At the discretion of the Selection Committee, the Committee may, but is not required to, conduct initial interviews with one or more of the persons or principal parties of the person or entity submitting the proposal.
One or more of the persons or consulting firms with the most highly rated SOQs by the Selection Committee may be invited for interviews with the Committee in September 2026. Thereafter the Selection Committee will make a recommendation to the full LAFCO Commission for consideration. When a final selection is made by the Commission, all applicants will be advised of the selection. If an independent contractor is selected as the Executive Officer Shasta LAFCO will prepare and provide a proposed contract for professional services for the selected candidate, and that proposed contract will be presented for Commission approval on October 1, 2026.
The Commission reserves the right to cancel this RFQ process at any time, and award a contract to one or more firms, or to decline to award a contract to any firm. The Commission may amend the RFQ at any time, which amendment shall take the form of an addendum published on the Commission’s website. Any interested applications that have provided their contact information to LAFCO will be notified of any addendums.
If there are any questions concerning this Request for Qualifications or the selection process, please contact LAFCO Counsel Jim Underwood (530) 739 – 9791.
Selection Process:
SOQs due: August 28, 2026 by 5:00pm PST
SOQ Screening & Selection Committee Interviews (If Any): September 2026;
Commission approval of selected candidate: October 1, 2026;
Start Date: January 1, 2027
Insurance Requirements
The successful proposer shall be required to maintain throughout the term of the contract, and for a minimum of six months following completion by Consultant and acceptance by LAFCO of all services under the contract, the minimum insurance coverages, minimum limits, and endorsements and conditions as described below.
- Commercial General Liability – with a limit of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage, including contractual liability, personal injury, products and completed operations.
- Commercial or Business Automobile Liability – for owned, non-owned or hired automobiles with a combined single limit of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- Workers’ Compensation – Statutory Limits.
- Employers Liability Insurance – with a limit of not less than $100,000 per accident.
- Additional Insured Endorsement – The insurance policy or policies as required above, with the exception of commercial or business automobile liability, workers’ compensation and employers liability, shall be endorsed to name as additional insured Shasta LAFCO and their directors, officers, employees and agents.
Before commencing any operations under the Agreement, the successful proposer shall furnish the Shasta LAFCO with a Certificate of Insurance and copies of all applicable endorsements evidencing compliance with the above insurance requirements and that such insurance will not be canceled or materially changed without thirty (30) days advance written notice.