Dear Community Member,

In 2021, the effort to conduct the Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study (Health Study) entered a new phase focused on soliciting independent, third-party researchers who will conduct the Health Study. While there is still much to be accomplished before the research begins, below is a snapshot of the milestones from 2021 and January of 2022.

Key Highlights

1. The draft Goals and Priorities for the Health Study were developed by the Scientific Oversight Committee (SOC) and released for public comment.
2. Community outreach continued and four virtual public meetings were hosted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health).
3. The final Goals and Priorities for the Health Study were released.
4.  The Request for Proposals (RFP) from third-party researchers to conduct the Health Study was released by Public Health.



Request for Proposals (RFP)

Feedback from both the SOC and the CAG guided the decision to solicit independent third-party research services through an open and competitive RFP process. The development of the RFP for this historic Health Study was informed by extensive community and scientific input and is ultimately seeking to provide additional insights on how the community’s physical, mental, behavioral, and social health has been impacted by the Aliso Canyon disaster.

The RFP process provides a competitive opportunity for interested researchers and research organizations to put their best proposals forward and allows for the selection of researchers with the expertise needed to implement a comprehensive and scientifically sound Health Study.

Public Health released the RFP on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 and will be administering the solicitation of research proposals, with guidance from the SOC, as mandated by the settlement of The People v. Southern California Gas Company. 

After completing the proposal review and selection process, the aim is for the Health Study to commence in the fall of 2022. For additional information on the timeline of the Health Study, please visit the Health Study Homepage.

In 2021, Public Health hosted four virtual CAG meetings open to public attendance. With the release of the RFP, the focus has shifted to administering the RFP process and soliciting the best health study proposals from a wide variety of researchers.  This year, Public Health’s priority is to promote this funding opportunity extensively to researchers and scientific professionals nationwide and select the most promising proposal to achieve the Health Study goals. Public Health will continue to inform the impacted communities on the progress of the Health Study in its research solicitation phase.

Health Study updates and any future community engagement opportunities will be communicated through electronic channels including email blasts to our list of over 800 subscribers and the Health Study website.

Once the contract is awarded, the format and structure for gathering input from the impacted communities will be based on the selected organization’s Health Study research plan.

Looking Ahead at 2022

The upcoming months will be devoted to supporting the RFP solicitation, review, and selection process. Interested independent third-party researchers must submit their proposals by April 12, 2022. Proposals must meet minimum mandatory qualifications listed in the RFP to be considered for selection. The research proposed must be responsive to the Health Study’s Goals and Priorities reflected throughout the RFP.

We expect that a variety of study designs and research methods will be submitted. The proposal review and selection process will be guided by the SOC, and ultimately, the selection will be approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Proposals under consideration will be evaluated and scored by a committee of subject matter experts, based on factors such as scientific merit, proposer’s research experience, and appropriateness of budget for the work proposed. We anticipate having a contract in place to begin implementation of the Health Study in the Fall of 2022.

Stay Informed

If you are interested in learning more about the Health Study, there are many resources available on the Health Study webpage including information on the purpose of and RFP process for the health study.

Additionally, we would appreciate your support with the distribution of this newsletter and consider re-posting Public Health’s social media posts listed below. Thank you, for your contributions this effort.