25111 FLC Executive Search.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FLC RFP 25111

Fort Lewis College Leadership Search

Due Date:

September 25, 2025 2:00pm Mountain Standard Time

Contents

I. PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

A. Statement of Need

B. Institutional Background

C. Goals/Scope of Work………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

II. FLC CONTACT INFORMATION

III. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. Due Date

B. Schedule

C. Proposal Submission

1. Executive Summary

2. Company Overview

3. Project Team Staffing ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

4. Scope, Approach, and Methodology

5. Pricing

6. Acceptance Period ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

7. Fort Lewis College Contract and Special Provisions

8. References

I. PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

A. Statement of Need

Fort Lewis College (FLC), a public liberal arts institution and state agency in Durango Colorado, invites proposals from qualified professional serch firms to conduct one, two, or all of the following leadership searches:

• Vice President of Advancement/CEO of the Foundation

• Dean, Katz School of Business

• Dean, School of Education

FLC is seeking a flexible, comprehensive, and collaborative partnership with a serch firm experienced in higher education leadership recruitment, particularly for positions with a strong commitment to student success, academic excellence, belonging, and meaningful engagement with Native and Indigenous communities.

B. Institutional Background

Fort Lewis College is located in Durango, Colorado. The College is committed to accessible and high-quality baccalaureate education, and our hallmarks are remarkably close relationships between students and faculty, the freedom of intellectual exploration, and the challenge of experiential learning all while keeping students at the center. Our roughly 3,300 students come from 47 states, 20 countries, and 173 American Indian tribes and Alaskan Native villages. With its rich cultural heritage, Fort Lewis College is a great place to learn and work. Fort Lewis College is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of North Central Associations of College and Schools.

C. Goals / Scope of Work

The College is seeking qualified executive search firms to propose flexible levels of service. Firms may submit proposals for one, multiple, or all searches listed in the statement of need.

Proposals should describe service tiers and related pricing. Possible services may include, but are not limited to:

• Candidate solicitation, outreach, and sourcing

• Candidate screening and due diligence (background, reference, and credential checks)

• Candidate engagement, negotiations, and transition support

• Onboarding support for selected candidates

• Search committee coordination and engagement

• Design and facilitation of candidate interviews and campus visits

II. FLC CONTACT INFORMATION

Question deadline is September 15, 2025 at 4:00pm. Any questions regarding the RFP should be addressed to: submitted via www.bidnetdirect.com/Colorado.

All questions and answers become public information and will be posted on www.bidnetdirect.com/Colorado for all vendor access.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. Due Date

All material must be electronically submitted via www.bidnetdirect.com/Colorado no later than Due Date: 2:00pm (MDT) September 25, 2025.

B. Schedule

The following is an estimate of the project timeline:

September 11, 2025 RFP Available to Vendors September 15, 2025 Question Period Closes 4:00 PM (MDT) September 18, 2025 Final Addenda Issued September 25, 2025 Due Date for Proposals 2:00 PM (MDT) September 26 – 29, 2025 Evaluation Period September 30 – October 1, 2025 Informal clarification/questions meeting if needed October 3, 2025 Anticipated Notification of Intent to Award

C. Proposal Submission

All Proposals must be submitted in electronic format, via www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado.

Award of the contract resulting from this RFP will be based upon the responsive vendor whose offer will be the most advantageous to Fort Lewis College in terms of:

• Firm overview – Description of the firm’s background, higher education search experience, and relevant expertise.

• Approach – Outline of proposed methodology, including flexibility for partial or full-service engagement.

• Team – Identification of the lead consultant(s) and their experience.

• Candidate Outreach – Description of strategies for identifying and attracting a broad representative pool of qualified applicants

Fort Lewis College reserves the right to:

• Reject any or all offers and discontinue the RFP process without obligation or liability to any potential vendor

• Accept other than the lowest priced offer

• Award a contract on the basis of initial offers received, without discussions or requests for best and final offers

• Negotiate a best and final offer after the award

• Award more than one contract or vendor

Vendor’s proposals shall be submitted in several parts as set forth below. The Vendor will confine its submission to those matters sufficient to define its proposal and to provide an adequate basis for Fort Lewis College’s evaluation of the Vendor’s proposal.

Vendor’s proposals in response to this RFP may be incorporated into the final agreement between Fort Lewis College and the selected Vendor(s). The submitted proposals are suggested to include each of the following sections:

1. Executive Summary

2. Company Background

3. Scope, Approach, and Methodology

4. Proposed Schedule

5. Pricing

6. Acknowledgement of Fort Lewis College’s contract and special provisions

7. References

The detailed requirements for each of the above-mentioned sections are outlined below.

1. Executive Summary

This section will present a high-level synopsis of the Vendor’s responses to the RFP. The Executive Summary should be a brief overview of the engagement and should identify the main features and benefits of the proposed products and services.

2. Company Overview

Provide the following for your company:

• Official registered name (Corporate, D.B.A., Partnership, etc.), Dun & Bradstreet Number, Primary and Secondary SIC numbers

• Address

• Main telephone number

• Website URLs

• Key contact name, title, address (if different from above address), direct telephone and email

• Person authorized to contractually bind the organization for any proposal against this RFP

• Brief history, including year established and number of years your company has been offering services

3. Scope, Approach, and Methodology

This section should include:

• Description of proposed scope of work

• Proposed methodology including a methodology.

• Demonstrated commitment to recruiting from a broad and representative pool of qualified candidates, including advertising strategies, additional recruitment efforts, etc.

4. Proposed Schedule

In this section provide the schedule for the various parts of the engagement. Including an explanation of what happens if the selection is unsuccessful.

5. Pricing

In this section provide pricing structure including annual costs and one time implementation costs.

6. Fort Lewis College Contract and Special Provisions

A Fort Lewis College Contract, meeting the requirements of the Colorado Office of the State Controller policies and laws of Colorado, will be required. The contract must be reviewed and signed by the

Colorado Attorney General and Representatives of Fort Lewis College. A model contract can be viewed at:

http://www.fortlewis.edu/SampleFLCContract http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/dfp/sco/contracts.htm

In this section, specifically acknowledge the use of a Fort Lewis College Contract and Special Provisions as first in the order of contract precedence. Provide any additional contract language, addendums, or agreements you would require. The Fort Lewis College Contract and Special Provisions document are non-negotiable. Please note: Fort Lewis College fiscal rules prohibit Fort Lewis College from indemnifying any company, and all contracts must use Colorado as the choice of law.

Any RFP responses which do not comply with this section will be rejected.

7. References

Provide a minimum of three (3) Higher Education references. Identify the reference institution, contact, and applicable product(s) and services utilized by the institution.