Introduction
The Road Map Project invites you to submit a proposal to assist CCER on tasks related to building a strong system of parent engagement in South Seattle and South King County. The Community Center for Education Results (CCER) staffs the region’s collective impact initiative—the Road Map Project—to drive major improvements in education results from cradle to college and career in South Seattle and South King County, the Road Map area. The project’s goal is to double the number of students in the Road Map area who are on track to graduate from college or earn a career credential by 2020 and close achievement gaps.
A key component of the Road Map Project is the Community Network Steering Committee. The committee, a coalition of grassroots and community-based organizations from throughout the Road Map area, is charged with ensuring the project reaches its 2020 goal through meaningful community action and authentic community engagement.
In addition, the Community Network Steering Committee and project partners recognize the vital role of parents and the critical influence they have in the academic success of their children. In meeting with multiple parent engagement groups from the Road Map area over the last six months, we have identified a range of unique and diverse capacities and shared interest in improving education results. Too often parents—especially low-income, immigrant and refugee parents, and parents of color—are marginalized and face significant barriers to accessing decision-making processes that greatly impact the academic progress of their children. As a result, the Road Map Project is committed to helping build a strong system of parent engagement, and authentically engaging, educating, and empowering parents to create demand and generate political will for improving education results. Reaching the project’s 2020 goal will require strong community engagement and center on our ability to foster innovation and effective collaboration across the education continuum, especially involving parents and integrating best practice parent engagement strategies throughout the process.
We realize the importance of parents being engaged with the education of their children. However, for the purposes of this project, we are focused on building our region’s system of support for parents who are engaged in trying to improve the education outcomes of their school or district.
Scope of Work
The Community Center for Education Results is requesting proposals for assistance in the development of its parent engagement strategy. The purpose of this work is to support the Road Map Project with a number of research tasks critical to developing a strong system of regional parent engagement focused on improving education outcomes in the Road Map area, especially for low-income, immigrant and refugee students, and students of color.
The chosen consultant will act a research and strategy development partner to CCER as the parent engagement plan develops, and will also engage Road Map Project partners and provide technical assistance to CCER staff where necessary.
Research
Analysis and summary report of effective national parent engagement models
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Analysis and summary report on existing parent engagement efforts in the Road Map area
Strategic Recommendations
Recommendations for increasing local capacity and building a strong system of parent engagement in the Road Map area
Deliverables
1. Local landscape analysis report (Timeline: Due April 30, 2012). The project seeks to better understand and increase its knowledge of parent engagement activity in the Road Map area through direct learning. The chosen consultant will build on the Road Map Project’s existing knowledge of local parent engagement activity by surveying (in-person meetings or via phone) with parent engagement groups from the Road Map area. The report will be a detailed outline shared with CCER Executive Director and Community Engagement Manager and highlight specific information such as: geographic focus area (neighborhood and school district), size and structure, membership demographics, theory of change or strategic approach, recruitment methodology, organizational evolution, notable successes and capacity challenges. In addition to sharing the key findings with interview participants, the chosen consultant will also formally present the key findings to CCER staff and other key Road Map stakeholder groups. The chosen consultant should also expect close collaboration and consultation with the Community Engagement Manager and project’s network of partners throughout the development of the report.
2. National landscape analysis and best practice report (Timeline: Due May 30, 2012). The project seeks to increase knowledge of and document a) a minimum of five (5) national parent engagement models and b) best practices within the field of parent engagement. By documenting key features of successful models, the project hopes to identify effective strategies that could inform the project and be particularly beneficial to building up parent engagement in the Road Map area. Similar to the landscape analysis, interviews will be conducted with key staff from select organizations and emphasize specific learning, including: structure and membership composition, scale, capacity, geographic footprint area, strategic methodology or theory of change, education emphasis, benchmarks and measurement, lessons learned, and evolution.
In addition, because the project is a Cradle to Career (C2C) initiative (please visit the Cincinnati Strive Network website at www.strivetogether.org), the chosen consultant will also profile and survey the parent engagement emphases in 3-4 C2C initiatives through field interviews and document review. Key findings of the national landscape and best practices report will be formally presented to CCER staff, the Community Network and as requested to other Road Map stakeholder groups. The chosen consultant should also expect close collaboration with the Community Engagement Manager and project’s network of partners throughout the development of this report.
3. Recommendations (Timeline: Due June 30, 2012). Based on the thorough analyses provided for deliverables #1 and #2, the chosen consultant will provide a set of options and actionable recommendations to the project. After consultation with the project’s key stakeholders, a preferred option will be chosen and the consultant will scope out in detail the preferred option, including key implementation details such as estimated costs, key milestones, structures,
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functions, and projected outcomes. The recommendations will take into account the objectives of the project and specifically identify strategic action warranted from the project over a multi-year period in order to reach its goal of building a robust and regional system of parent engagement focused on dramatically improving education outcomes for students—especially students of color and immigrant and refugee students—in the Road Map area. The chosen consultant will also formally present the recommendations to CCER staff and other key Road Map stakeholder groups.
RFP Guidelines & Submission
To be considered please submit the following:
Letter of Transmittal
Include a letter of transmittal.
Profile
Provide a brief history of your organization, including relevant experience. State the number of years your organization has been operating and provide a list of clients. Lastly, provide three (3) references, including name, phone number(s) and email.
Approval
Describe the methodology you will use to address each deliverable and specific tasks outlined in the scope. For each deliverable, estimate the time needed to complete the work, and which parts (if any) would be subcontracted. Provide a detailed work plan describing the steps you will take to implement the proposal. Include biographies or resumes of all personnel who will be working on the project (including the estimated hours for each).
Cost Proposal
Develop a bid based on the scope of work, indicating all necessary fees for each task itemizing the rates for all personnel who will be working on the project. Also provide a schedule for completing the tasks. CCER will enter into a performance-based contract paying the consultant for deliverables. An allocation for mobilization may also be provided if necessary.
RFP Selection Process & Criteria
Preferred Skills
Proposals that will be strongly considered will demonstrate the following:
Experience conducting in-depth research, and providing sound analysis and comprehensive recommendations
Knowledge of parent engagement best practices and promising national models
Experience in or familiarity with the Road Map area—especially South King County
Experience working with diverse audiences and parents
Experience with educational equity initiatives
Experience and/or familiarity with parent engagement activity in the Road Map area
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Project Timeline
RFP issue date: February 2, 2012
Proposal due date: February 17, 2012 by 5:00 pm (late proposals will not be accepted)
Notification of selected consultant(s) to interview: February 24, 2012
Interview with selected consultant(s): February 27-29, 2012
Selection of final consultant and contract completed: March 5, 2012
Start date: March 12, 2012
Submission
Prospective consultants should submit their proposals by email to scann@ccedresults.org by 5:00 pm on February 17, 2012 (please use Microsoft Word® or PDF format for all attachments). Please include “Parent Engagement RFP” in the subject line.
All supporting materials and documentation should be included with the proposal.
Decisions will be made through a two-step review and interview process by CCER in consultation with the Community Network
CCER reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals.
The consultant selected will be chosen based on ability to provide quality work and benefit to the Road Map Project. The contract will not be automatically awarded to the lowest cost proposal. The contract will be awarded to the consultant(s) that best meet(s) the following criteria:
a. Experience and ability to meet project goals at the highest level of quality.
b. Quality and completeness of the proposal.
c. Cost effectiveness.
Additional Information
For more information on the Road Map Project, please visit:
www.ccedresults.org/the-project/
Road Map Project Baseline Report:
http://www.ccedresults.org/media/baseline-report/
For additional inquiries, please contact Anthony Shoecraft, Community Engagement Manager, at 206.838.6615 or ashoecraft@ccedresults.org
