Below are answers to each question submitted to First 5 Orange County on the Engaged Neighborhoods Request for Proposals (RFP).
- Can you confirm the project timeline is anticipated to be 5 months from February to June 2025? Is there a specific reason the work must be completed by June 30 or is there any flexibility to extend the project timeline into fall/winter 2025?
Yes, the timeline is 5 months (Feb-June 2025). Ideally, we would like to have results by the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year to inform our planning. Depending on the parties involved and the pace of the work, we understand that it may extend a few weeks into the first quarter of FY 2025-26.
- As we review the details for the upcoming Engaged Neighborhood Evaluation RFP, we would appreciate your guidance on the proposed indirect rate for this work. Alternatively, if you have the funding source, we can work with our team to determine the likely rate.
The funding source is First 5 Orange County which is funded through local tobacco tax revenues.
Typically, our consulting contracts don’t have an indirect rate. Our program contracts have a maximum indirect rate of 10%.
- Is there an incumbent for this work? If so, who is it?
There is no incumbent for this work.
- Has there been a prior evaluation of the Engaged Neighborhoods Initiative? If so, can the findings be shared?
This is the first program evaluation for the Engaged Neighborhoods initiative.
- What time period should the evaluation cover—just the current phase or the full history of the initiative
The evaluation should cover the full length of time that an Engaged Neighborhood has been in existence, to the extent possible, given that the four collaboratives started at different times. All four Engaged Neighborhoods have been in place since 2021, so at a minimum the evaluation should cover from July 2021 to present.
- Is the project timeframe flexible?
See response to Question 1 above.
- Is the evaluation implementation timeline firm or is there some flexibility?
See response to Question 1 above.
- Besides the metrics associated with the theory of change, what other program implementation data is the Initiative collecting? What data is currently available to bring into the assessment?
Each Engaged Neighborhood collaborative has an annual scope of work, which includes goals and activities to strengthen families, strengthen communities and promote equitable access to resources. They report their progress on a quarterly basis; this data will be available for the evaluator.
- Resident and stakeholder engagement: Do you anticipate resident engagement to be in person and/or virtual? If in person, is it F5OC’s practice to arrange for child care?
Ideally the stakeholder engagement will happen in person but remote is also an option. For in person meetings and activities, First 5OC can support with meeting room reservations, childcare and language interpretation as needed.
- Our firm has other administrative/fiscal sponsorship agreements with First 5 OC. Will that create a conflict of interest on this proposal?
If the work is unrelated administrative or fiscal sponsorship activities, there would not be a conflict of interest. If the administrative or fiscal sponsorship work is directly related to any Engaged Neighborhood work, there may be a conflict of interest and your proposal should indicate how you would address any conflict.