External Evaluator__IREPO.pdf

Request for Proposal # 10252023 For External Evaluator

Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) Student Basic Needs Department is requesting proposals from contractors to provide the following:

Scope of Services, Qualifications, Responsibilities, and Scoring

Scope of Services

The external evaluator will design and facilitate an assessment and findings report of progress on the Student Basic Needs (SBN) objectives related to the Department of Education’s Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) Grant Program Competition (FIPSE Competitive Grant) to measure, validate and contextualize project results to better understand how the project and its individual components impact and relate to student outcomes.

The evaluator will design and develop appropriate, mixed evaluation methods (qualitative and quantitative) per SBN related objective and the overall SBN program. These methods will include a needs assessment that can be used on an ongoing basis after the grant period to support the sustainability of efforts launched by the grant. The evaluator will create a reporting structure, research basis, and data analysis and ensure the timeliness of evaluation reports.

The evaluator will coordinate and facilitate focus groups of SBN connected students, other grant target student populations and MHCC staff (Especially from SBN Partner Programs), faculty and SBN staff.

Evaluator Qualifications

Evaluation experience with post-secondary institutions is required. Preference will be given to evaluators who have extensive experience working with the equity-centered evaluation of public college basic needs initiatives and programs with disaggregation of data and recognition of underserved populations.

Evaluators must demonstrate an ability to oversee data collection and analysis and utilize formative and summative assessments as appropriate throughout the evaluation period.

Responsibilities

Work collaboratively with Mt. Hood Community College (SBN staff, Student Basic Needs Response Team, Director of Student Basic Needs Initiatives and Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) to fulfill all institutional and program-related evaluation requirements related to Student Basic Needs under the Department of Education’s IREPO/FIPSE grant.

Participate in face-to-face or virtual meetings or conference calls with project team to ensure proper implementation of both qualitative and quantitative data gathering and evaluation needs.

Train or coach project team members in using evaluation instruments, data and information collection systems, participant/case selection for sampling purposes, and/or other activities.

Establish and oversee procedures to ensure confidentiality during all evaluation phases.

Review and assess existing data collection and data management systems and make appropriate recommendations to achieve data collection goals.

Develop tools and protocols for collecting, matching (where necessary), and aggregating core data across the project. Conduct relevant evaluation activities, such as interviewing participants, collaborating entities, and the Student Basic Needs Response Team; developing evaluation instruments and forms; conducting focus groups; reviewing participant data and records; and analyzing data. Ensure all interviews, focus groups and surveys are accessible to district students with language accessibility needs.

Provide the project team with a bi-monthly update of evaluation activities and findings.

Provide the project team with a final report. Areas of discussion should include project administration, project design, the extent to which these activities were implemented within the expected timeline, key challenges associated with implementation, the accomplishments associated with these activities (preliminary quantitative and qualitative outcomes), suggestions or recommendations for future Student Basic Needs program changes and/or growth enhancements and/or investments, and any lessons learned or promising practices/challenge resolutions emerging in the project.

Produce the final evaluation and formal report at the end of the grant period. This report should include the following: 1) executive summary, 2) evaluation methodology, 3) summary of project (including case studies, if applicable), 4) presentation of formative and summative results (including a mix of graphic data representations and narrative explanations of findings, with an emphasis on outcomes, comparisons, and observations), conclusions and implications, and recommendations for future programming.

Provide technical advice/assistance to the institution’s information technology (IT) services and Analytics and Institutional Research (AIR) office in devising or adapting new data collection systems.

Provide recommendations to support the acquisition of data for future SBN projects.

Scoring Criteria

- Qualifications/Experience 40 Points

- Pricing 20 Points

- Proposal Content 40 Points

Total 100 Points

The purpose of this request is to select one contractor and the term of the agreement resulting from this request is 10 months with a maximum budget of approximately $95,000.

Please email proposals to Bhaktirose Dawdy at bhaktirose.dawdy@mhcc.edu no later than 5:00 pm on November 8, 2023.

Email Bhaktirose Dawdy if you have questions about this.

Proposals submitted after the designated time shall be kept but shall NOT be considered for award.

Proposal prices and references shall be delineated on page 4 and 5.

The Award will be made to the proposer providing the best value based upon price, experience and references. MHCC reserves the right to determine the most responsible proposer.

Prices and references shall be delineated on the attached spreadsheets. Proposals NOT submitted on the attached sheet provided WILL BE REJECTED.

mailto:bhaktirose.dawdy@mhcc.edu

FAILURE TO SUBMIT THIS PAGE MAY BE CAUSE FOR PROPOSAL REJECTION

Due Date: 5 pm November 8, 2023

The undersigned, through the formal submittal of this proposal response, declares that he/she has examined all related proposal documents and read the instructions and conditions, and hereby proposes to provide proposals as specified herein.

10-month lump sum fee (expressed numerically in dollars and cents):

Please Submit a proposal with information about your company qualifications and experience to perform the work described in this request for bids (Not to exceed 10 Pages).

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Address: _______________________________Contact Person: __________________________

Phone Number: __________________________ Authorized Signer: _______________________

Print Name/Title: ______________________________________Date: _______________________

FAILURE TO SUBMIT THIS PAGE MAY BE CAUSE FOR PROPOSAL REJECTION

Due Date: 5 pm November 8, 2023

REFERENCE FORM

Provide 3 references for whom you provided similar services, within the last 5 years, as those described in this request for proposals.

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