The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is currently accepting proposals for eight contractors to serve as grower liaisons for several regions or counties throughout the state. As an integral partner in the fight against Huanglongbing (HLB) and the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), responsibilities of grower liaisons may include conducting outreach directly to growers in the designated counties or regions, providing up-to-date information on the latest industry news or regulatory updates, staying engaged in CDFA activities, communicating voluntary or mandatory treatments throughout the area, and more. Proposals for all positions are now being accepted through May 10.
Grower liaison positions are open in:
- Fresno & Madera counties
- Kern County
- Northern Tulare County
- Southern Tulare County
- Northern Ventura County
- Southern Ventura County
- San Bernardino County
- San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara counties
The battle to save the California citrus industry from the threat of HLB and ACP is a collaborative effort that involves local, county, state and federal officials, researchers, scientists and commercial citrus growers. To help facilitate pest management and disease eradication, grower liaisons represent a key piece to the puzzle.
To submit a bid for one of the contracts, you must follow these steps:
- Visit ca.gov, if you do not have a profile you must register for one in order to view the Request for Proposal (RFP).
- Once logged in, visit the Get Public Procurement Information page and select “Bid opportunities in the California State Contracts Register (CSCR)”
- Under “Search Events/Event Name,” type in “Grower Liaison,” all open positions will appear on the following page.
- Once on the Events Details page for the region or county you are looking for, click “View Event Package,” then under the “View Attachments” area, click “View” to download the official RFP for the appropriate county. Once there, you should be able to view the full RFP and click “Start a Bid” if you meet the qualifications. Please note, you must have a profile and be logged in to view the RFP.
This position requires a fundamental knowledge of citrus production; a working knowledge of grove operations; and the relationship between growers, shippers and allied businesses that work in the area of pest and disease control. A Pest Control Advisor’s license is desirable, but not required. The contractor should be familiar with California agriculture and specifically its citrus industry. Knowledge of the ACP and HLB is desirable.
For additional questions, contact Contracts Analyst Donna Weber at donna.weber@cdfa.ca.gov.