QR_2025-01_Project_Poder_-Research__Focus_Group_Consultant_Services_REVISED_fillable.pdf

QUOTE REQUEST QR 2025-01

Title: Project Poder - Research & Focus Group Consultant Services

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Procurement Department Contact:

Christy Colgan Director, Procurement valenciaprocurement@valenciacollege.edu

Valencia College ("College") is seeking quotations from qualified firms or individuals to conduct a comprehensive research study. This study will employ strategies such as surveys and focus groups to gain insights into how students and their families make career decisions. The scope can include both current and prospective students. The research should be culturally sensitive, recognize students' strengths and aspirations, and align with the needs of the local labor market.

I. VALENCIA COLLEGE:

Valencia College is a public community college located in Orange and Osceola counties, Florida, that has provided high quality, contemporary education to a large and diverse community since 1967. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. The College serves more than 68,000 students and has seven (7) primary campuses located in Kissimmee, Lake Nona, Orlando, Poinciana, and Winter Park.

II. INTENT OF PROJECT:

This is a request for a quote with a project budget estimate of $30,000 for a firm/individual to provide research on the local community and provide recommendations on strategies to increase registration and enrollment, focusing on low-income and underserved populations, many of whom would identify as Hispanic or Latinx services for Valencia College. The selected firm will enter into contract from August 2024 to December 2024. The contract can be extended if mutually agreed upon by both parties.

III. QUOTE REQUEST (QR) SCHEDULE:

Quote Timeline Due Date Submit Via

QR Release Date July 25, 2024 Posted to VendorLink

Question Deadline August 14,2024, 10:00 AM

Submit Vía VendorLink

Quotes Due Date/Time August 22, 2024, 10:00 AM

Submit Vía VendorLink

Anticipated Contract Start Date August 2024

IV. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT:

In November 2023, Valencia College was awarded a $400,000 grant from J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation for a two-year period for Project Poder with the intent to continue the work of learning and planning career pathways at Valencia College.

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Project Poder is designed to address our limited understanding of our students’ career-making decisions and support pathways to career success through three strategies:

1. Examining how students and families engage in career planning.

2. Developing a culturally responsive outreach and coaching plan enhanced by the research.

3. Incentivizing students to consider and/or complete AS degrees and other career credentials aligned with regional labor market needs and providing necessary educational supplies to complete programs.

Strategy 1 requires a research study focused on conducting surveys and focus groups to help us understand how students and their families make career decisions. This can include both current and prospective students.

To achieve this, the College is looking to contract with a subject matter expert to serve as a consultant. The consultant will research the local community and the student populations we serve at Valencia College many of whom identify as Hispanic or Latinx. The consultant’s research will involve conducting surveys and focus groups in English and Spanish to understand how students and their families make career decisions, ensuring the study is culturally attuned.

V. VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS:

The consultant must meet the following mandatory requirements (Please use EXHIBIT A):

1. Firm/individual must have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in providing consultant services with expertise in workforce education strategies and cultural responsiveness; and conducting surveys and focus groups (as it relates to this project).

2. Firm/individual must have experience in delivering similar services.

3. Firm/individual must be available during the College business hours.

4. Firm/Individual must provide price proposal. Please Use EXHIBIT B.

5. Firm/individual must be able to provide a minimum of two (2) references for the services. Please use EXHIBIT C. One (1) or more reference may be checked.

To be considered for this competition, please respond with the following information:

1. Ability to provide services based on individual availability or availability of staff. (How will the firm/individual make themselves available to the College?)

2. History of the firm/individual and all key personnel involved with service provision.

3. Firm/individual’s experience in delivering similar services. Please include names of project and award amounts as applicable. The purpose of this question is to include any additional projects outside of the ones detailed in EXHIBIT C to help in the demonstration of qualifications.

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VI. SCOPE OF SERVICES:

Valencia College seeks a consultant to conduct a research study focused on conducting surveys and focus groups to help us understand how students and their families make career decisions. This can include both current and prospective students.

A. SERVICES:

The awarded consultant will research the local community and the student populations we serve at Valencia College many of whom identify as Hispanic or Latinx. The consultant’s research will involve conducting surveys and focus groups in English and Spanish to understand how students and their families make career decisions, ensuring the study is culturally attuned.

Consultant to provide services to include but not limited to:

1. Analyzing the contemporary cultural context and norms, as related to career planning, within the Hispanic/Latinx community in Central Florida.

2. Identifying the employment and career paths students and those in the community are seeking or desiring, and how they make these decisions.

3. Formulating recommendations based on a socio-ecological understanding of how students make career choices.

The research questions to be examined with the support of this expert consultant are:

1. What are the primary factors that influence students’ career choice(s)?

2. How do students’ career aspirations influence the selection of an academic pathway?

B. DELIVERABLES:

1. Primary Research: Interviews and Focus Groups

An analysis of the two research questions through interviews and focus groups as primary research:

a. What are the primary factors that influence students’ career choice(s)? And which are most salient, and why?

• Analysis to include, but is not limited to the following: values/ passions, local labor market needs, starting salaries, familiarity of the career, duration of academic preparation, etc.

• Analysis and findings to help guide the college in supporting students in future work.

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b. How do students’ career aspirations influence the selection of an academic pathway?

• Analysis and findings to help guide the college in supporting students in future work.

i. Student Interviews (past, prospective on specific A.S. degrees, current)

ii. Students and Families (past, prospective, and current)

iii. Interviews with NSE Faculty

iv. Community and External Stakeholder Interviews (High School counselors)

2. Findings and Objectives:

Provide a copy of survey tool(s) and the findings report where the report describes commonalities and differences in how students and their families make career decisions, along with the range of answers and any case studies that can be provided. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions will be carried out to develop rich, descriptive narratives that seek to capture lived experiences and challenges. Any data analysis and findings to accompany the report. Analysis and findings to help guide the college in supporting students in future work.

Recommendations on how students make career decisions.

VII. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. This purchase will be made utilizing specified grant funding from:

Grant Name: Project Poder Grantor: JP Morgan Chase Foundation

2. Award: The College reserves the right to reject non-responsive quotations, to make the final determination as to the technical equivalency of any and all items, to waive any informality, to award this purchase on other than the lowest quote. The College reserves the right to award to one (1) or multiple firms.

3. Communications: Must be made through the Procurement Department via email to valenciaprocurement@valenciacollege.edu. Please include the QR number in the subject line. Contacting personnel relating to this QR other than the procurement official may result in the rejection of your quotation.

VIII. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. Quotations for the services specified are subject to the conditions stated herein or attached hereto. Quotations will be received by the department stated above, until the specified due date and time. All quotations must be signed and dated.

mailto:valenciaprocurement@valenciacollege.edu

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2. Any questions relative to interpretation of the QR context or process must be submitted in writing through VendorLink before the cut-off date specified in the QR Schedule. Answers to the questions will be posted to VendorLink before the QR due date. Oral answers will not be authoritative.

3. Addenda: It will be the responsibility of the offeror to contact the Procurement Department before submitting a quote to ascertain if any addenda have been issued, to obtain all such addenda, and to return executed addenda with the quote.

4. All prices must be firm, and the unit price will prevail.

5. Do not include State Sales Tax or Federal Excise Tax, as the College is Tax Exempt.

6. Quotations shall be binding for forty-five (45) calendar days from the due date unless otherwise specified.

7. The College will evaluate responses and may obtain additional information to assist in the analysis. Award will be made to the offeror(s) whose quotation represents the lowest, responsive, and responsible offer.

8. Drug-Free Workplace: In the event that multiple QR related to the procurement of commodities or contractual services are equal in respect to price, quality and service, as determined by The College, preference for award shall be to those businesses that have implemented a Drug-Free Workplace Program, in compliance with Florida Statute 287.087, without limitation.

9. Upon award, the successful offeror(s) will be required to complete a Supplier Business Profile Form, a W-9, and any other additional documents required to perform the services.

10. Valencia College will issue payment within thirty (30) days of the receipt of an acceptable invoice and receipt, inspection and acceptance of services and/or goods in accordance with the terms of this document.

11. Public Records: Upon award recommendation or thirty (30) calendar days after the Quote Request (QR) opening, whichever occurs first, quotation submittals become public records and shall be subject to public disclosure consistent with Chapter 119.07(3)(m) and 119.017(1)(b), Florida Statutes. Respondents must invoke the exemptions to disclosure provided by law in the response to the QR and must identify the data or other materials to be protected, and must state the reasons why such exclusion from public disclosure is necessary.

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EXHIBIT A

FIRM / INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION AND MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

FIRM OWNERSHIP: Yes No

Is Firm currently certified as a MBE, WBE, or VBE with the State of Florida? If yes, a copy of your State Certification is required if you are awarded.

Is Firm certified as MBE, WBE, VBE or LDB with an agency other than the State of Florida?

If yes, a copy of your certification is required if you are awarded.

3 Check all that apply: ___African American ___Hispanic American ___Asian American ___Native American ___Woman Owned ___Veteran Owned ___Local Developing

Mandatory Requirements for submitting a quote, Check Yes or No:

AGREE?

Yes No

Firm/individual has a minimum of three (3) years of experience in providing consultant services with expertise in workforce education strategies and cultural responsiveness; and conducting surveys and focus groups.

2 Firm/individual must have experience in delivering similar services.

3 Firm/individual must be available during the College business hours.

4. Firm/Individual must provide price proposal (Use EXHIBIT B)

5. Firm/individual must be able to provide two (2) references for the services. (Use EXHIBIT C)

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE INITIALS: ___________

DATE: ___________

QUOTATION OFFERED BY:

Firm / Individual Name:

FEIN:

Contact Name & Title:

Mailing Address:

City, State, ZIP Code:

Phone Number:

Email:

Website:

Authorized Signature:

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EXHIBIT B

PRICE PROPOSAL

The price must include all services, materials, supplies, travel, equipment, and labor to perform services specified herein. The unit price will prevail.

Services Price Per Hour for

Services # of hours Extended Price

(price per hour x total # of hours)

Services specified in this QR

The response date and time will be strictly observed. Failure to complete all required documentation may cause your quote to be considered non-responsive. Please submit all questions and quotes through VendorLink.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

PRINTED NAME OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

TITLE: ______________________________________

DATE: ____________________

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EXHIBIT C

REFERENCES

Firm / Individual shall submit, as a part of the quotation package, a minimum of two (2) of the most significant projects performed within the last three (3) years. Additional references may be provided as set forth below.

Project #1:

Project Name:

Type of Project/Service:

Address:

Contracting Agency/Client:

Contact Name and Phone #:

Contact Email Address and Fax #:

Contract Amount: Date Work Performed:

Scope of Services Performed:

Project #2:

Project Name:

Type of Project/Service:

Address:

Contracting Agency/Client:

Contact Name and Phone #:

Contact Email Address and Fax #:

Contract Amount: Date Work Performed:

Scope of Services Performed:

Project #3:

Project Name:

Type of Project/Service:

Address:

Contracting Agency/Client:

Contact Name and Phone #:

Contact Email Address and Fax #:

Contract Amount: Date Work Performed:

Scope of Services Performed: