680155-event.pdf

Awarded To: Coalition of Communities of Color - 105,500.00 USD

Community Action Research Consulting Services Multnomah County Library seeks consulting services to guide a two-year capacity building initiative that will transform how we work with Black families during the critical transition to kindergarten.

Open 12/7/2018 8:00 AM PST Type Request for Intermediate Proposals

(RIP)

Close 1/16/2019 4:00 PM PST Number RIP-134-2019 Currency US Dollar

Sealed Until 1/16/2019 4:00 PM PST

Payment Terms 0% 0, Net 30

Contacts

Lisa Emery lisae@multco.us

Phone +1 503-988-3355 ext. 83355

Commodity Codes

Commodity Code Description

93131703 Research Programs

41105900 Libraries & Related Materials

80101599 Consulting Services, General

83121500 Libraries

86010000 Education & Training Services

Description

D.1.0 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE - Amended 12/14/18

There will be two optional pre-proposal teleconferences for this sourcing event:

• Monday, December 17, 2018 at 10:30 am

• Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 3:00 pm

If you would like to attend in person, please see details below:

Multnomah County Library Administration 919 NE 19th Ave, Ste 250 Portland OR 97232.

If you would like to attend either pre-proposal meeting remotely, please see details below:

• Phone number: 888.363.4735

• Participant code: contact Lisa Emery at lisae@multco.us

• Visual presentation: meet.google.com/sfc-fkmy-cdj

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D.1.1 PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW

Multnomah County Library (MCL) seeks consulting services to guide a two-year capacity building initiative that will transform how Multnomah County Library works with Black families (African and African American) during the critical transition to kindergarten. Through this two-year grant funded project, the Multnomah County Library will build a movement to align Black communities with the library to enact system level change. We are seeking equity focused Community Action Research (CAR) consulting services that will guide efforts to learn from Black parents/caregivers and service providers about kindergarten transition, perspectives about the library and community needs, make program and practice recommendations, and devise action steps to implement culturally responsive, research-informed recommendations. Through this work, we will address two areas – the experiences of Black families with children transitioning to kindergarten, and the library’s need to make significant progress toward equity and inclusion. The consultant will guide the community engagement activities while concurrently training library staff to continue this work in the future, with Black communities and with a broader range of cultural groups.

The Community Action Research consultant will:

• Collaborate with Black families and caregivers through a two-year community learning initiative, including codesign and community dialog sessions;

• Apply best and promising practices in culturally responsive, participatory, Community Action Research with Black communities, including both African and African American communities;

• Build capacity of a core project team of the library’s Black Cultural Library Advocates (BCLA) librarians and library assistants, to co-lead community engagement efforts and to carry this work forward with Black communities and a broader range of cultural groups in the future;

• Collaborate with the BCLA Community Engagement Team to investigate the existing kindergarten supports for Black communities by interviewing community, education and nonprofit leaders;

• Identify areas of alignment and misalignment of current practices by the library based upon literature review of research about kindergarten readiness and transition among Black children;

• Identify the areas of greatest need and opportunity for supporting kindergarten transition among Black children; and

• Develop recommendations for enacting organizational change extending to outreach services, storytimes, programs, literacy curricula, book collections, and children’s spaces at all 19 libraries.

D.1.2 INTRODUCTION AND PROGRAM HISTORY

Our library staff reach children in every public school across our eight school districts, and our early literacy programs reach 58,000 children each year from birth through first grade. Through our Every Child Initiative we help prepare children to enter kindergarten ready to learn to read. We have an expert staff of library professionals who help young children fall in love with books and give them access to the resources that they need to be successful learners. Multnomah County Library staff offer over 5,000 in-house storytimes to the community every year. These offerings include storytimes in English as well as language and culturally specific storytimes including Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, Vietnamese, Black Storytime, and Sensory Storytime. Through library storytimes, we empower caregivers to support kindergarten readiness for the children in their care, while also inspiring children to become lifelong readers.

In addition to services provided at library locations, we provide extensive outreach services including both books and materials as well as early literacy education and training. Through our library book bag rotation programs, Every Child a Reader, we serve approximately 8,000 children birth through kindergarten in Multnomah County. Through our Book Delivery program, we reach over 500 child care centers-delivering tubs of books every quarter to thousands of children. We provide books for children at well child visits through the Reach Out and Read program at every Multnomah County Health Clinic. Every Child Initiative also teaches classes for child care providers, parents and other caregivers about early language and literacy development. With our partners we provide children 0-5 and their caregivers with books and early literacy support. Our partners include Head Starts, Portland Public Schools, Reynolds School District, Healthy Families, Healthy Birth Initiative, Multnomah Early Childhood Program, Nurse Family Partnership and many others.

Our programs impact thousands of children in Multnomah County and because of this we must continually assess the services we provide to the community. Through this continual assessment, we have identified parent and community engagement as a high priority for providing more equitable, culturally responsive, inclusive services. We have a specific need for engaging with Black communities to drive the development of our programs and services. In doing this, we will work to ensure we are providing culturally responsive, relevant programs that support Black parents’ and caregivers’ ability to foster early literacy development and school readiness. 20 May 201920 May 2019

We are aptly poised to strengthen community engagement efforts with Black communities. In the past five years, the library team of Black Cultural Library Advocates has grown significantly and is currently working together to develop strategic efforts to better serve the community. Very recently, the library hired a Community Engagement Coordinator to lead community engagement activities with Black communities. With our vast programs and services for children and caregivers and the newly established BCLA Community Engagement Coordinator, the library is poised and ready to put community at the center of our services by listening to our community partners, building equitable partnerships and engaging with families.

To support these efforts, Multnomah County Library was recently awarded grant funding to support a two-year capacity building initiative to transform how Multnomah County Library serves Black communities.

The project includes the following elements:

1. A Community Action Research Consultant who will establish research design and methodologies for conducting Community Action Research with Black communities, with a specific focus on kindergarten readiness and the transition into kindergarten.

2. An external, culturally responsive evaluator who will guide ongoing learning and data-driven adjustments during project implementation as well as assess outcome achievement at the end of Years 1 and 2.

3. A BCLA Community Engagement Coordinator who will co-lead the grant project with support from a team of BCLA librarians and library assistants, called the BCLA Community Engagement Team.

4. Training for the BCLA Community Engagement Team to build capacity for leading Community Action Research.

5. Systemwide staff training for approximately 80 youth services staff to increase capacity for providing inclusive, culturally responsive services for Black communities.

6. Enhancements and/or changes to incorporate culturally responsive, community driven practices into family literacy programs at library locations and outreach to support kindergarten readiness among Black youth based on community input.

7. Process for continual community input and engagement in program development, service delivery and evaluation that will guide the work with broader cultural groups.

We will achieve the following outcomes by the end of the two-year grant period:

1. The library has tested, evaluated and formalized a feasible, useful Community Action Research process for engaging Black communities to guide ongoing development of programs and services for children and families.

2. The library has implemented stakeholder-driven, culturally responsive practices for Black communities across its child and family literacy programs and library locations that are welcoming, inclusive and engaging for Black families.

3. The library has a systemwide model to engage community voices across the library’s family programming for populations facing disparities.

Additionally this project will enable the library to advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) within our organization. This project will advance DEI by developing community-informed practices, programs and strategies to reduce/remove systemic barriers that hinder Black children and families from using the library’s resources and services. We will build strong, equitable, accountable partnerships with Black communities, create a more inclusive organization in which BCLA staff are empowered to become organizational leaders, train staff systemwide and develop culturally responsive practices and principles to formalize engagement with communities facing disparities and where all Black staff feel valued and are empowered to better serve and engage with Black families. With support from consultants with expertise in Community Action Research and Culturally Responsive Evaluation, improvements will be data-driven, systemwide and founded on best and promising practices with communities of color.

We will achieve the following Diversity, Equity and Inclusion outcomes by the end of the two-year grant period:

1. The library's youth services team will have formalized strategies and an implementation toolkit for involving culturally and linguistically diverse communities in program change and development.

2. The library will implement strategies to build on existing strengths, remove barriers, and increase opportunities for Black families to participate in library services.

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3. The library will formalize systemwide practices for engaging with populations facing disparities that prioritize staff training, professional development and resource allocation.

D.1.3 GOALS, VALUES AND OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

In our 2016-17 Equity and Inclusion Annual Report, Vailey Oehlke, Library Director, remarks that, “Multnomah County Library is at an inflection point in its 154-year history. While the library has long sought to be an institution dedicated to the success and well-being of everyone in the community, its historical legacy does not align with the commitment to equity and inclusion we hold so deeply today. With an obligation to understand and dismantle the systems of oppression that have privileged many, while actively excluding others, the library is reinforcing its commitment to equitably and inclusively serving everyone in this diverse community.” The library’s vision for equity and inclusion is to operationalize a system that equitably nurtures, empowers, and lifts staff, patrons and the community to their highest potential.

With recent leadership and organizational changes, the library’s team of Black Cultural Library Advocates is poised to accomplish this work. “Our mission of BCLA is to leverage Multnomah County Library’s platform and resources to build and strengthen Black communities. - Multnomah County Library, Black Cultural Library Advocates (BCLA).”

The BCLA is a team of approximately two-dozen library employees who provide culturally relevant library services, programming and outreach to the Black communities within Multnomah County. The Black communities of Multnomah County are traditionally underserved and underrepresented, both institutionally and socially, resulting in limited use and knowledge of the library system. The BCLA goals are to: identify the various Black communities in our service areas, engage and learn about them, develop library programs that are culturally relevant and effectively market those programs.

With strong support from MCL leadership and the BCLA team, we have a unique opportunity to address inequities for children of color through the programs and services we can provide to the community. However, through a 2011 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) research grant, Preparing African American Children for Kindergarten Readiness, the library learned from local African American families that they do not always feel welcome and included in educational institutions and in our libraries. The research grant included community engagement efforts that resulted in a library service plan to support kindergarten readiness among Black children.

The library implemented an array of changes in the seven years since the research grant concluded, including the development of Black Storytime, expanded culturally specific programming, and hiring more Black Cultural Library Advocate staff. While these efforts strengthened our services for Black families, there is still more work to do. To shift toward providing more equitable, inclusive library services, we need to put community at the center of our program planning and development. We want to expand our partnerships with community organizations that serve Black communities. BCLA staff must have the resources, training and support they need to engage with the community and develop stakeholder driven programs and services.

Our youth services staff must be versed in creating inclusive, culturally responsive services for children and families and our library spaces must be welcoming for all.

To accomplish these efforts, the library needs the guidance of a consultant with expertise in Community Action Research who can design a Community Action Research process, train library staff and analyze the results to develop recommendations for change.

We seek a consulting agency with:

• Expert understanding of and experience leading Community Action Research, especially experience leading Community Action Research with culturally specific communities;

• Intimate knowledge of Black culture, Black culture specific to the PNW, intersectionality within Black communities;

socio-economic/political/historical factors that impact Black life today. Knowledge obtained through lived experiences, research, advocacy, collaboration and other involvement with Black communities;

• Ability to accomplish administrative tasks including reporting, writing, timely communication;

• Ability to develop curriculum and train staff in Community Action Research;

• Ability to motivate and collaborate with a team to accomplish goals;

• Ability to objectively facilitate community discussions where there are diverse perspectives; 20 May 201920 May 2019

• Ability to hold space for differing viewpoints;

• Ability to cultivate authentic relationships with key members of Black communities;

• Ability to work with library and community stakeholders to identify or create effective programming and to build synergistic relationships; and

• Ability to help shape the creation of a systematic strategy for providing library services to Black communities in Multnomah County that leverages available library resources.

D.1.4 TARGET POPULATION SERVED

Black (African and African American) caregivers and families in Multnomah County with at least one child between the ages of 0-7.

D.1.5 SCOPE OF SERVICES

The project consultant will work with the library BCLA Community Engagement Team and grant steering committee to design and co-lead a Community Action Research process. The BCLA Community Engagement Team will be led by the BCLA Community Engagement Coordinator and include 3-4 members of the BCLA team. These members work at library locations as librarians and library assistants where they provide reference, programming and outreach services. The grant steering committee consists of the Early Childhood Services Manager, Neighborhood Libraries Director and BCLA Executive Sponsor and the Equity and Inclusion Manager. The implementation of services should include considerations for resource constraints, staff capacity, and sustainability of community participation. The scope includes the following:

D.1.5.1 Existing services and practices review

Develop a summary of understanding of historical and current programs and services at MCL for Black families and caregivers that support kindergarten readiness and transition through research of past and current practices, staff focus groups, and interviews. The review should include a review of the 2011 LSTA grant funded community engagement work, interviews with key staff and managers to learn about past and current practices, focus groups with BCLA staff (approximately 20 staff), youth services staff (appx 50-60 staff) and managers (appx 20-30) to identify challenges and opportunities for serving Black children and families. The review will be shared in a summary written report to internal library stakeholders.

D.1.5.2 Literature and community based services review

Collaborate with the BCLA Community Engagement Coordinator to identify alignment and misalignment with current and perspective practices regarding kindergarten readiness and transition among Black children. To support this work, the BCLA community engagement coordinator will conduct a literature and community based service review of existing research and programs and services that provide culturally specific services for Black children and families that support kindergarten readiness and transition. The review will include both local and national studies, data, demographic analysis and reports that will help illuminate the disparities, challenges, and opportunities for kindergarten readiness and transition for Black children.

The documentation of alignment and misalignment will be shared in a written report to internal library stakeholders.

D.1.5.3 Community Action Research capacity building for BCLA Community Engagement Team

Through facilitation of a Community of Learning, Inquiry, and Practice, build BCLA team capacity to:

• Conduct Community Action Research;

• Use data and evaluative thinking to make program and practice recommendations; and

• Devise action steps to implement research-informed recommendations.

Assess current skills and abilities and then develop a curriculum and deliver training that will prepare the team for co-leading community engagement efforts.

D.1.5.4 Community Action Research activities (to be completed by end of year one)

Collaborate with the BCLA Community Engagement Team to lead the CAR process including: conducting, analyzing and reporting results of community engagement activities with a county-wide representative sample of Black communities including community leaders, families, educators and community based organizations. Sample should include both African immigrant/refugee communities and African American communities. Through interviews and community dialog sessions, learn from Black parents/caregivers and service providers about kindergarten transition, existing services in the community, perspectives about the library, and community needs. Make program and practice recommendations and devise action steps to implement research-informed recommendations. Develop a report for internal stakeholders of key findings and initial recommendations for: (1) staff training and; (2) culturally-responsive practices to improve storytimes, programs, early literacy training curricula, outreach, community engagement, communication strategies and library branch services and settings. Work with internal stakeholders to develop a plan for reporting to external stakeholders. Prepare a summary report of program and practice recommendations. Present draft recommendations to stakeholders, both internal and external. Revise based on feedback and present final report to internal and external stakeholders.

D.1.5.5 Action steps and implementation of research-informed recommendations

During year two the consultant will move into an advisory role, as the BCLA Community Engagement Team assumes responsibility for the development of action steps and implementation of recommendations. The first phase will be to collaborate with the BCLA Community Engagement Team to develop action steps for implementing recommendations. This will include developing a participatory process to make research-informed, community-driven changes to library family programs such as storytimes, programs, early literacy training curricula, outreach, community engagement, communication strategies and library branch services and settings. Ideally this process would happen with community partners (individuals and organizations) that participated in the year one activities. The second phase will be to implement the action steps. During the implementation process, the consultant will advise the BCLA Community Engagement Team as they lead participatory practices to develop and implement stakeholder-driven, culturally responsive practices for Black families across child and family literacy programs and library locations.

D.1.5.6 Community Action Research model creation (to be completed by end of year two)

Collaborate with the BCLA Community Engagement Team and culturally responsive evaluator to develop a model for engaging community voice across the library’s family programming for populations facing disparities. This model will consider findings from the evaluator and include best practices for involving stakeholders from linguistically and culturally diverse communities and key principles to guide the library’s community engagement efforts. Additionally it will include strategies and an implementation toolkit for involving culturally and linguistically diverse communities in program change and development.

Present model through a written report and oral presentation to internal stakeholders.

D.1.5.7 Project evaluation with culturally responsive evaluator (throughout two-year grant period)

Collaborate with culturally responsive evaluator to inform the evaluation of the project implementation. The culturally responsive evaluator will guide ongoing learning and data-driven adjustments during project implementation and assess outcome achievement at the end of Years 1 and 2.

D.1.6 FISCAL REQUIREMENTS AND REPORTING

Final reports, including quarterly reports, will be negotiated with the selected Proposer during contract negotiations.

D.1.7 PERFORMANCE MEASURES/PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING

Final performance measures will be negotiated with the selected Proposer during contract negotiations.

D.1.8 METHOD OF AWARD

Multnomah County strongly encourages the participation of Minority-Owned, Women-Owned, and Emerging Small Businesses and Organizations in providing these services.

Through this RIP process, the County is seeking to award one contract. Award, as determined by the County, will be made to the responsible Proposer whose Proposal the County determines is most advantageous to the County based on the evaluation process and evaluation factors described in this RIP.

The County reserves the right to select Proposers who have submitted a proposal scoring fewer points than a higher scoring proposal based on the Proposer’s ability to best meet the County’s programmatic needs. If a Proposer who has submitted a proposal that has scored fewer points is recommended for selection, the Board of County Commissioners must approve the award.

D.1.9 FUNDING / ESTIMATED PURCHASES

The Library District has budgeted approximately $105,500 for the CAR consulting services for this two-year project, made possible by The Library Foundation, including grants from the Meyer Memorial Trust and the Collins Foundation. The estimated budget is split over two years with the majority of consulting services provided in year one (approximately 82% in year one and 18% in year two). The funding for the project is divided with approximately 30% of funds allocated to achieving project outcomes with African communities and 70% with African American communities.

The overall project budget outside of the scope of the CAR consulting services includes the following:

• Compensation for consulting with Black culturally specific organizations;

• Materials, supplies, interpreters and incentives for community dialog sessions and meetings;

• Development and production of community outreach tools and materials;

• Development and production of two training modules for youth services staff;

• Culturally responsive evaluator contracting fees; and

• In-kind staff time from MCL staff.

D.1.10 METHOD OF CONTRACTING

A Services Contract form is provided in the Buyer Attachments page showing the standard terms and conditions. Carefully review the terms and conditions of the Contract. Additional Contract terms related to this procurement, if any, are set out below in the section entitled Term of Contract.

D.1.11 TERM OF CONTRACT

The contract term shall be for 2 years.

D.1.12 CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

The County will initiate contract negotiations with the responsive and responsible Proposer with the highest scoring proposal.

Multnomah County may, at its option, elect to negotiate general contract terms and conditions, services, pricing, implementation schedules, and such other terms as the County determines are in the County’s best interest. If negotiations fail to result in a contract, the County reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and initiate contract negotiations with the next highest scoring responsive and responsible Proposer. This process may continue until a contract agreement is reached.

D.1.13 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS - Amended 12/7/18

The insurance requirements in the Buyer Attachments called Sample Exhibit 2 are the County standards and at the time of contract negotiations these maybe modified, removed, or other types added depending on the services being provided.

D.1.14 PRE-AWARD RISK ASSESSMENT

Successful proposers whose contract award includes federal funding (as identified by a Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number) will be subject to a Pre-Award Risk Assessment (which includes an evaluation of financial stability, quality of financial /management systems, experience with federal funds, reports and findings from audits) completed by Multnomah County (if one has not been submitted in the last year) prior to the issuance of a contract. Contractors who fail to submit the required documents will not be eligible for a contract from the County.