California Public Health Services Program

Overview:

A brand and design system for a major RFP response, created for the long-standing technology provider of a California state care program. The system covered color, typography, page templates, and content components for a response of roughly 200 pages, plus two illustrated symbol concepts to give the pitch a memorable angle in front of decision makers.

Challenge:

My client had supported the program for many years and had to win that role again through a competitive RFP. The response needed to be easy to navigate across hundreds of pages, consistent in print and on screen, and accessible. It also needed something a long technical document rarely has: an idea the evaluators would remember after the presentation ended.

Approach:

I built the system in four parts:

  • Color: a Pacific Blue primary range for institutional trust and a California Golden secondary for warmth, with status colors mapped to the states the system reports: approved, pending, denied, and informational. Each color was documented as a CSS variable with a defined use.

  • Typography: three related typefaces, with DM Serif Display for headlines, DM Sans for body text, and DM Mono for labels and data. A 12-role type scale carries matched print and digital sizes, with contrast specified to WCAG AA.

  • Layout: four letter-size page templates (cover, section opener, two-column body, and closing page), with a progress ribbon and section sidebar so readers always know where they are. Six reusable components handle pull quotes, requirement callouts, data callouts, numbered lists, tables, and figures.

  • Symbol: two illustrated concepts for the presentation, each with a written rationale tying it to the program. The Sacramento camellia stands for care that is in place before it is needed, which suits an incumbent. The California quail stands for care that is family-oriented and close to the ground.

Results:

The proposal team received one documented reference for both the printed response and its on-screen versions, along with two presentation concepts ready to develop further. The state has since rewritten the RFP, so the response is on hold until the new version is released. Because the system is built from templates and components instead of fixed pages, it can be applied to the revised RFP's structure without being redesigned.

Role: Brand, Design System, Illustration