diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 28931f013..e16f65bf6 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -77,13 +77,51 @@ NVIDIA is willing to work with partners for adding platform support for the GPU
 
 To file feature requests, bugs, or questions, submit an issue at https://github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator/issues
 
-To contribute to the project, file a Pull Request at https://github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator/pulls. Contributions do not require explicit contributor license agreements (CLA), but we expect contributors to sign their work.
+To contribute to the project, file a Pull Request at https://github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator/pulls. Contributions do not require explicit contributor license agreements (CLA), but we expect contributors to [sign](#signing) their work.
 
 Before beginning implementation or opening a Pull Request for a significant change, first open an issue describing the problem or proposal.
 A significant change includes, but is not limited to, architectural changes, new features, breaking changes to API or behavior, and non-trivial bug fixes.
 
+Reviewers are automatically assigned to Pull Requests from the [OWNERS](CODEOWNERS) file.
+The approval / decision-making process is documented in [GOVERNANCE.md](GOVERNANCE.md)
+
 All contributions must adhere to the [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).
 
+## Development Environment Setup
+
+### Prerequisites
+* [Go](https://go.dev/doc/install) (see `go.mod` for the minimum required version)
+* [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) (for building container images)
+* [Helm v3](https://helm.sh/docs/intro/install/) (for rendering and/or installing the Helm chart)
+* [golangci-lint](https://golangci-lint.run/docs/welcome/install/) (for running `make lint`)
+
+Install additional development tools by running `make install-tools`.
+
+### Common make targets
+```console
+make build                      # compile
+make cmds                       # build all Go executables
+make build-image                # build the gpu-operator container image
+
+make unit-test                  # run unit tests
+make fmt                        # apply gofmt to codebase
+make goimports                  # apply goimports to the codebase
+make lint                       # lint codebase with golangci-lint
+
+make validate-generated-assets  # validate all generated code / assets are up-to-date
+
+make manifests                  # generate CRDs/RBAC from kubebuilder markers
+make generate                   # generate zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+make generate-clientsets        # generate clientsets for APIs
+make sync-crds                  # copy generated CRDs in config/crd/bases/* to helm chart and OLM bundle
+
+make validate-helm-values       # verify that images referenced in helm values are valid
+make validate-csv               # verify that images referenced in the OLM bundle's CSV file are valid
+
+make validate-modules           # verify that go.mod and go.sum are up-to-date
+make check-third-party-notices  # verify that `THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md` is up-to-date
+```
+
 ## <a name="signing"></a>Signing your work
 
 Want to hack on the NVIDIA GPU Operator? Awesome!
diff --git a/tools/go.mod b/tools/go.mod
index e1a1ec89f..0a59827af 100644
--- a/tools/go.mod
+++ b/tools/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ go 1.26.0
 require (
 	github.com/google/go-licenses/v2 v2.0.1
 	github.com/jandelgado/gcov2lcov v1.1.1
+	golang.org/x/tools v0.49.0
 	k8s.io/code-generator v0.37.0
 	sigs.k8s.io/controller-tools v0.22.0
 	sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kustomize/v5 v5.8.1
@@ -55,8 +56,8 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/net v0.58.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.22.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.47.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/telemetry v0.0.0-20260811182544-a038080d80e5 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.41.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/tools v0.49.0 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa // indirect
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa // indirect
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.36.12-0.20260120151049-f2248ac996af // indirect
diff --git a/tools/go.sum b/tools/go.sum
index 4bbba734c..968d32402 100644
--- a/tools/go.sum
+++ b/tools/go.sum
@@ -250,6 +250,8 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200930185726-fdedc70b468f/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7w
 golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.47.0 h1:o7XGOvZQCADBQQ4Y7VNq2dRWQR7JmOUW8Kxx4ZsNgWs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.47.0/go.mod h1:4GL1E5IUh+htKOUEOaiffhrAeqysfVGipDYzABqnCmw=
+golang.org/x/telemetry v0.0.0-20260811182544-a038080d80e5 h1:ZUSxONxc981v7AW7QUg+I9WwZzSTTJ019ENBYr5pV/Q=
+golang.org/x/telemetry v0.0.0-20260811182544-a038080d80e5/go.mod h1:LVehoXe41cL5SCVQilsV7Gg6BNG+Js6P9PhSbYTIUkQ=
 golang.org/x/term v0.45.0 h1:NwWyBmoJCbfTHpxrWoZ9C6/VxOf7ic219I8xZZFdrf0=
 golang.org/x/term v0.45.0/go.mod h1:9aqxs0blBcrm/n0L9QW0aRVD+ktan8ssZromtqJC43w=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
diff --git a/tools/tools.go b/tools/tools.go
index 63e45f769..8377fbf60 100644
--- a/tools/tools.go
+++ b/tools/tools.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ package tools
 import (
 	_ "github.com/google/go-licenses/v2"
 	_ "github.com/jandelgado/gcov2lcov"
+	_ "golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports"
 	_ "k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/client-gen"
 	_ "sigs.k8s.io/controller-tools/cmd/controller-gen"
 	_ "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kustomize/v5"