2027_mpio_esports_rfp.pdf

The City of Cleveland, through the Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity (MPIO), is soliciting proposals to provide 38 weeks of a citywide Out of School Time (OST) E- Sports career exploration and programming for youth in six Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Centers (NRRCs):

Fall Session: September 2026 – December 2026 Winter Session: January 2027 – March 2027 Spring Session: March 2027 – May 2027 Summer Session: June 2027 – August 2027

Services should target City of Cleveland school-age youth, and should align with the priorities of the Municipal Cabinet for Children and Youth. The City is seeking proposals from entities qualified to implement culturally relevant, evidence-based or research-based programs. Only established providers will be considered. Programs must provide supporting documentation and evidence of past program success. Qualified providers must demonstrate their capacity to provide services to youth ages 8-18.

The deadline for receipt of all proposals is 12:00 noon, EST on October 9, 2026. No proposals will be accepted after this date.

Pre-proposal Conference

A pre-proposal conference will be held as follows:

Date: September 14, 2026

Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Web Meeting (via Microsoft Teams) – Prospective proposers are encouraged to participate in this virtual meeting although attendance is not mandatory. To receive an invite to the pre-proposal conference, please email your request to mcook2@clevelandohio.gov.

Should you have any questions regarding this solicitation, please contact Michael Cook at

(216) 664-7268 or by email at mcook2@clevelandohio.gov.

mailto:mcook2@clevelandohio.gov mailto:mcook2@clevelandohio.gov

Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity RFP:

E-Sports Out-of-School Time programming

Table of Contents

Introduction and Background ............................................................ Page 3

Scope of Work ...................................................................................Page 3-5

Expected Outcomes ......................................................................... Page 6

Project Schedule and Deliverables ................................................... Page 7

Proposal Submission, Conditions, Schedule, Processing .................. Page 8

Proposer Qualifications .................................................................... Page 9

Proposal Contents (What a Proposer Must Submit) ........................... Pages 10-11

Selection Criteria .............................................................................. Page 11

E-Sports Out-of-School Time programming

Introduction and Background Information

The City of Cleveland believes that we can help our youth build resilience skills, promote healing and wellness, create safe spaces to build deeper community, and provide them with the tools they need to thrive and live quality lives. MPIO believes this can best be achieved through a network of high-quality opportunities for our youth, emerging adults, and their families, which includes access to high-quality Out-of-School Time (OST) programs.

According to the Ohio Afterschool Network, kids who participate in high-quality OST programming have higher graduation rates and are less likely to participate in high-risk or illegal activities. Additionally, 82% of parents surveyed said OST programming helped their children develop real-world life skills that will help them in school and the workforce.

The City of Cleveland is seeking a vendor to provide E-Sports OST programing that aligns with the City’s violence-prevention efforts and appropriately responds to the needs of our youth and communities. The vendor should be highly qualified, with programming and staff developed to provide not only Esports opportunities, but in connecting youth to college and career opportunities beyond their NRRC and their neighborhoods.

Scope of Work

The City of Cleveland and the Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity (MPIO) seek to procure the services of qualified service providers who are able to offer evidence or research-based Esports programs and activities for Cleveland youth in our NRRCs that will:

• Serve as safe and welcoming spaces that provide enrichment opportunities, skill-building activities, and positive youth engagement;

• teach resiliency skills;

• serve as college and career connections; a n d

• create new, high-quality opportunities and experiences.

Quality learning in and outside of classroom is the key to success and growth. It has the power to break the cycle of poverty and change lives. Providing youth with access to meaningful educational opportunities promotes academic, personal and professional growth and enables them to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global workforce. College and career readiness is essential to creating stronger futures for our youth, and any proposal must include intentional program design and reporting measures to show how Esports is being used as a conduit for college and career readiness.

Provider Qualifications:

Only established evidence-based or research-based programs aligned with national best practices for OST programming will be considered. Qualified providers must clearly identify and share in their proposal the:

• program design,

• method of program delivery,

• age range targeted,

• any specific space requirements for the programming proposed

• evidence of previous successful program outcomes

• assessment tools used to monitor and evaluate the program – including a participant assessment and a program observation

• a recruitment and retention plan, including at least two community organizations or events targeted for recruitment

• a calendar of events, including any program orientation nights before the start of a program season, culminating events or community service projects

• a membership or registration form to be completed by the caregivers of youth participants (must include: birthdates, addresses with zip codes, health concerns, and emergency contact numbers)

• expected outcomes and alignment with City objectives, including the priorities of the Municipal Cabinet for Children and Youth

In addition, program providers will be expected to:

• provide seasonal reports that clearly identify the high-quality programming outcomes, and how those outcomes are measured

• keep attendance updated on a daily basis

• conduct recruiting efforts, supply flyers and participate in registration activities

• share data as requested, such as in-kind funding, costs per participant, annual reports, and assessment data

• communicate any program closures to the MPIO point-person and the community https://www.clevelandohio.gov/city-hall/office-mayor/mayors-initiatives/municipal-cabinet-children-youth space point-person both via phone and email, as soon as possible

• provide testimony and be available for council and council committee hearings

• share success stories each season that highlight the benefits of the program to the participant(s), the family, or the community

• participate in any MPIO-led trainings and/or orientations

The proposal must also demonstrate the provider’s capacity to provide services in six NRRCs with trained staff on site during program hours. Programs should be high-quality and designed to support youth ages 8-18. Providers are not required to address all ages, but should identify specific age groups they anticipate serving if it’s more restrictive than ages 8-18. Programs should support and champion participation by youth with disabilities, and share how they will do so in their proposals.

Proposed programs should be inclusive OST programs which provide the opportunity for all individuals to improve their social skills while gaining new experiences in a safe environment.

The goal is that all people—regardless of race, ethnicity, age, income level, physical ability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or religion—can take advantage of high-quality programs, facilities, places and spaces that make their lives and communities great.

Programs should be offered year-round, for 38 weeks during the following sessions:

Fall Session: September 2026 – December 2026

Winter Session: January 2027 – March 2027

Spring Session: March 2027 – May 2027

Summer Session: June 2027 – August 2027

Awards will be based on the following factors:

• Funding availability

• Capacity of providers

• Identification of hosting site

• Community needs

• Program quality

Expected Outcomes:

Youth and emerging adults will have access to year-round evidence-based programs, resources and services that will:

• Increase participation in programming, especially in repeated participation

• Improve resiliency skills

• Support violence reduction and prevention

• Connect Esports programming to future college and career opportunities and experiences

• Align programs to the priorities identified by the Municipal Cabinet for Children and

Youth

City of Cleveland

Out-of-School Time Programs and Activities

I. Project Schedule & Deliverables

a. Detailed project deliverables that the proposer is expected to provide

i. Vendors are required to be in regular communication, as prescribed by the City.

ii. Vendors are required to submit reports at the end of each seasonal session where services have been delivered.

iii. Vendors are required to disclose to the City existing mechanisms for collecting intake, enrollment, attendance, and assessment data.

iv. Vendors are required to update program attendance daily.

v. Vendors are required to provide the City access to all elements of program data.

vi. Vendors are required to cooperate with the City to gather outcome measurement data.

vii. Vendors are required to participate in ongoing process evaluation activities conducted by the City and/or external evaluators including, but not limited to written reporting, focus groups, interviews, and various cohort meetings.

viii. Vendors are required to have the appropriate staff members complete all training necessary to ensure the adequacy and fidelity of data collection, as prescribed by City and/or external evaluators.

ix. Vendors are required to participate in any meetings, trainings, or community events as determined by MPIO staff.

b. Timeframe/Deadline for deliverables to be determined during contract development process.

II. Proposal Submission, Conditions, Schedule, Processing

a. Submission Instructions

i. Deadline Date: October 9, 2026, no later than 12:00 pm

b. City’s Rights and Condition

i. City has a right to request additional information from a proposer;

ii. City has a right to waive informalities in a proposal; and

iii. Proposer has a right to request the City to protect only specific, limited information that is clearly marked as proprietary or trade secret. The City will not be obligated to protect obviously public, non-secret, and non-proprietary information even if labeled trade secret or proprietary. A proposer may not make a “blanket” trade secret or proprietary label of its entire proposal.

c. RFP/Proposal Schedule

i. RFP Issue/Release Date: September 10, 2026

ii. Pre-Proposal Conference (Optional): September 14, 2026

iii. Deadline for Submission of Written Questions: September 18, 2026 by noon

iv. Deadline for Submission of Proposals: October 9, 2026 by 12:00 pm

v. Projected Selection Date: October 21, 2026

vi. Meeting with Selected Providers: October 28, 2026

d. Interpretation The City’s interpretation of the RFP and its provisions shall be final.

e. Forms; Miscellaneous

i. Appendix A: Required Forms

a) W-9

b) 2026 Non-Competitive Bid Contract

c) Northern Ireland Fair Employment Practices Disclosure

ii. Miscellaneous Requirements must be up to industry standards as required to demonstrate vendor can fulfill the duties outlined.

III. Proposer Qualifications

a. Minimum Proposer qualifications to be eligible for contract award

i. Licensed to do business in the state of Ohio, if applicable.

ii. Professional licensing or certifications, if applicable.

iii. Proposer firm’s required type, length, and level of experience in type(s) of services or project (determined by user department).

iv. Key project staff members’ experience, to include type, length, and level of experience.

v. Client references for both the firm and each project team member.

vi. Written commitments, to become part of the agreement, that: a) all members of the proposed Project Team shall be the persons performing services during the contract term; and b) the successful Proposer, as contractor, shall not remove, add, or substitute members of the proposed Project Team without the prior written consent of the City department director.

vii. Completed FBI/BCI background checks for any staff working with youth under 18 years of age.

b. Insurance Requirements

i. The Successful Proposer, at its expense, shall at all times during the term of the contract resulting from this RFP, maintain the following insurance coverage.

The insurance company(ies) providing the required insurance shall be authorized by the Ohio Department of Insurance to do business in Ohio and rated “A” or above by A. M. Best Company or equivalent. The Successful Proposer, as contractor, shall provide a copy of the policy or policies and any necessary endorsements, or a substitute for them satisfactory to and approved by the Director of Law, evidencing the required insurances upon execution of the contract.

ii. Professional liability insurance with limits of not less and $1,000,000.00 for each occurrence and subject to a deductible for each occurrence of not more than $50,000.00 per occurrence and in the aggregate, and if not written on an occurrence basis, shall be maintained for not less than two (2) years after satisfactory completion and written acceptance of the services under the contract.

iii. Workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance as provided under the laws of the State of Ohio.

iv. Statutory unemployment insurance protection for all of its employees.

v. Such other insurance coverage(s) as the City may reasonably require.

IV. Proposal Contents: What a Proposer Must Submit

a. Cover Letter, dated

b. Executive Summary: A maximum two-page summary of key proposal features, including proof of program quality and outcomes.

c. Proposer’s exception(s), if any, to RFP requirements or provisions.

d. Proposed Project Team members.

e. Qualifications: Description of experience and capabilities in the applicable field(s), responsive to minimum qualifications described in Section III a.

i. Client References.

ii. Resumes for project team members (note the City’s right to approve any changes to proposed project team).

iii. Individual references for each team member.

f. Proposed Services/Solution

i. Demonstrating that the program is evidence or research- based.

a) Research-based: The program is based on practices demonstrated as effective through research.

b) Evidence-based: The entire program has been demonstrated or tested by independent research to be effective.

ii. Project/Program Approach:

• Provide detailed narrative describing the components of the program, and how this program is guaranteed to be high quality as identified by either state or national OST organizations.

• Identify expected outcomes, as SMART Goals, and how they will be measured via both participant assessments and program observations.

• Describe how outcomes align with the City’s goals and objectives.

• Identify process for monitoring implementation and evaluating progress toward outcomes, including pivot strategies if necessary.

• Describe the targeted audience the program is designed to serve and show demonstrated evidence that the provider has the capacity to effectively serve this population.

• Identify the maximum number of individuals that can be served per site, the minimum number expected to be served per site, and a recruitment and retention plan.

• Identify number of sites the provider has the capacity to serve, and any specific program location/space needs.

• Identify logistics, i.e., the number of days per week; the number of hours per day; and a calendar of events including any culminating events, community service projects, and program orientation nights before the start of the program season.

g. Project Organization: If services are for a project, one or more charts setting forth project tasks or services, identifying team member(s) responsible for each task, by name or position/job title, and timelines for completion of each task and delivery of deliverable(s) for each task, and the overall project.

h. Explanation of how the proposer’s project/solution incorporates environmental sustainability (if applicable)

i. Fees and Expenses. Fee proposals will not be scored.

i. Fees, itemized by project phase or task or deliverable – consistent with project organization – assigning dollar amount or percentage of total fee to each major work product (contract’s payment schedule should match this itemization, unless revised).

ii. Estimate of reimbursable travel and other expenses consistent with City’s statement of expenses qualified for reimbursement.

iii. Submitted budgets must include a reasonable line item to replace any loss, damaged, or stolen equipment, up to 10% of the total submitted budget.

j. Supplemental Information:

i. Financial information about proposer (to be determined by user department).

ii. Any additional information proposer would like to submit in support of its proposal.

V. Selection Criteria

a. Evaluation Methodology – All proposals will be reviewed and ranked by the Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity Review Committee. Proposals will be reviewed based upon the following criteria:

i. Experience and Expertise

ii. Project/Program Approach

iii. Research-Based or Evidence-Based

iv. Proposed Services

v. Proposed Outcomes

vi. Schedule/Timeline