BTC-2024-RFP-003 Addendum No. 2.docx

3028 Lindbergh Avenue Bellingham WA 98225 360.752.8343

From: Melisa Nelson, Director of Purchasing To: All interested bidders Date: September 30, 2024 Subject: Addendum No. 2 to Request for Proposal #BTC-2024-RFP-003, External Evaluator Services Addendum No. 2:

The purpose of this addendum is to provide additional information in answer to submitted questions.

Question 1:

Thank you for sharing the Q&A for the Title III proposal. I have a follow-up clarification question. Is the maximum budget allowed for the 4-year project $80,000 (as the RFP states) or $64,000 (as the Q&A seems to indicate)?

Answer – Question 1:

The maximum budget is $80,000 ($16,000 per year for five years). As noted on p. 24 of the RFP, “The first year of the Title III cooperative grant project will be complete on September 30, 2024. We will ask that the selected external evaluator submit the Year One annual evaluation report in time for the first Annual Performance Report, which is estimated to be due in March 2025. Due to the compressed timeline for the Year 1 report, the information contained in the first annual evaluation report may be less detailed than in subsequent reports.

In succeeding years, the annual evaluation report will be developed throughout the project year (Oct 1 – Sept 30) and should be submitted by January or February of the next year along with the Annual Performance Report.”

Question 2:

Is there a preference for organizations that have worked with Bellingham Technical College before?

Answer – Question 2:

No, but previous higher education experience is preferred.

Question 3:

Has Bellingham Technical College previously had a US Dept of Ed Title III grant award?

Answer – Question 3:

Yes, Bellingham Technical College has had multiple previous Title III projects.

Question 4:

Can meetings with the Project and Activity Directors and Grant Management Team occur virtually?

Answer – Question 4:

Yes, virtual meetings are allowable.

Question 5:

What, if any, data collection instruments were created in Year 1?

Answer – Question 5:

No grant-specific data collection instruments were developed in Year 1 of this project.

Question 6:

What, if any, data is available to be analyzed for Year 1?

Answer – Question 6:

Both colleges have created multiple data dashboards that will be useful in gathering/reporting quantitative data relevant to grant objectives. Each college has dedicated institutional research staff that will support and inform this project. Qualitative data (in the form of meeting notes and other project related documents) are also available.

Question 7:

Are there any budget restrictions such as a cap on indirect costs?

Answer – Question 7:

The college has no restrictions on the budget that the external evaluator creates.

Question 8:

Are there any formatting requirements for the proposal, other than the limit of 10 pages, such as font size, font, page margins, etc.?

Answer – Question 8:

No other formatting requirements other than page numbers.

Question 9:

Are there non-English speaking students participating in these grant activities? If so, what language(s) do they speak?

Answer – Question 9:

We do not anticipate that non-English speaking students will participate in grant activities.

Question 10:

Are we allowed to provide incentives (e.g., gift cards) to students who participate in data collection (e.g. surveys, interviews)? If so, are there limits on the amount or type of incentive allowed?

Answer – Question 10:

Grant funds cannot be used to provide incentives to students.

Question 11:

Can you provide more information about the grants’ activities?

Answer – Question 11:

The grant activities are summarized in the RFP, please let us know if you have specific questions about these activities. You can also attend the Oct. 1, 2024, at 10:00 am, PT pre-proposal bid meeting to ask these specific questions. Zoom Meeting ID: 821 6783 6228.

Question 12:

Can we see questions and answers from other proposing organizations?

Answer - Question 12:

All questions and answers are posted to WEBS as addenda to the original RFP document and should be signed and included with proposals.

This addendum shall become part of the original Request for Information and shall be properly signed, executed, and returned, along with the formal proposal response, by 4:00 pm on October 11, 2024.

Regards, Melisa Nelson Director of Purchasing Administrative Services

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