RFP_for_Training_&_Organizational_Development_Services_-_Final.pdf

Request for Proposal

For

Supplemental Training and

Organizational Development

Services Partnership

City of Cleveland 601 Lakeside Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Request for Proposals Management Training Content and Training Providers

- 2 -

August 3, 2026

Dear Service Providers:

The City of Cleveland (“City”), through its Director of Human Resources (“Director”), is currently soliciting proposals from qualified Training & Organizational Development Consultants and Professional Service Providers (“Provider” or “Providers”) to supplement the range of training and professional developments services and expertise that is currently delivered by the Talent Management team to all employees of the City of Cleveland’s workforce.

Providers wishing to be considered in the selection process must submit an electronic copy of their proposal no later than August 19, 2026. No proposals will be accepted after that date and time unless the City extends the deadline by a written addendum.

Questions, including if this RFP should contain any discrepancies or omissions, or if the intended meaning of any part of this RFP is unclear or in doubt, may be submitted in writing through the OPEN GOV portal and will be accepted until 5 p.m. EST on August 12, 2026.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or portions of them, to waive irregularities, informalities, and technicalities, to re-issue or to proceed to obtain the service(s) desired otherwise, at any time or in any manner considered in the City’s best interests. The Chief may, at his discretion, modify or amend any provision of this notice or the RFP.

Should you have any questions regarding this solicitation, please contact Janet Schiavoni at 216.664.2496.

Sincerely, Matthew Cole

Matthew Cole Director of Human Resources City of Cleveland

- 3 -

OVERVIEW & INTRODUCTION

Talent Management is responsible for maximizing employee potential and future growth. This is obtained through several key objectives, with the primary objective being developing an employee’s skillset through industry training programs, soft skills development, career pathing, leadership coaching, mentorship programs, management training, self-guided learning, skill assessments and online tools, such as skill advancement certifications.

We value the individual growth and progression of every team member, all 8,000 employees, as well as the bench strength of the City of Cleveland. Our commitment to fostering an environment of continuous learning is an intrinsic part of our organization’s culture. By investing in the professional and personal development of our teams, we are building a stronger, more adaptable, and innovative workforce who will be equipped to serve the citizens of Cleveland and our stakeholders today and in the future.

Today, delivering much of the individualized training and organizational services is accomplished through a small, internal Talent Management (TM) team which provides strategic, small-scale, targeted organizational and professional development support on an as-needed basis. The TM team also provides learning and development support services through a Learning Management System, with a diverse library of content.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The City of Cleveland Department of Human Resources has identified a need for Training and Organizational Development Professionals Services to augment the skills and resources of the HR/Talent Management Department. While the Talent Management team drives the strategy and sets the culture of continuous learning, meeting the specialized technical and leadership needs of 8,000 personnel requires a broader range of expertise than a single small division can maintain. Securing an external Professional Services contract(s) allows the City to leverage the scale and specialized expertise of external training partners. This hybrid approach maximizes the impact of our internal resources while efficiently delivering modern, expert-led training across all departments.

PROJECT DETAILS

The City is seeking proposals from qualified Professional Training and Organizational Development providers to establish a pool of external resources. This hybrid approach is designed to supplement internal capabilities, allowing the city to leverage the scale, specialized expertise, and modern methodologies of external training partners. Services will be requested on an as-needed basis.

Vendor Consultation and SOW Submission: If external resources are necessary, the selected vendor(s) will meet with the HR/Talent Management team to understand the specific request. The vendor will then submit a detailed Scope of Work (SOW) outlining the engagement details, project timeline, and total pricing.

Approval and Project Initiation: Once the SOW is approved by HR, the vendor will be introduced to the department's point person to officially kick off and begin the project.

TARGET AUDIENCE and DELIVERY SCALE

- 4 -

The training/OD programs will serve a diverse workforce, including frontline staff, technical personnel, mid-level managers, and executive leadership. The city intends to deliver training across multiple departments, requiring a partner capable of scaling operations to accommodate varying group sizes, shifts, and operational constraints.

SCOPE OF WORK

Proposers must demonstrate capabilities and outline their approach in the following four core areas:

SECTION 1: Service Offerings and Modalities

The Provider must offer a catalog of modern, expert-led training topics and flexible delivery models.

1.1 Core Content Areas may include, but are not limited to:

• Professional Development/Interpersonal Skills: Emotional intelligence, teambuilding/ team dynamics, self-awareness, mindfulness, wellness, decision-making, interpersonal effectiveness, conflict resolution, stress management, resilience, emotion regulation, and related topics as may be appropriate. (most requests for these services are a result of identified performance issues – upskilling, remediation skill building)

• Personality Inventories/Behavioral Assessments: standardized assessments that evaluate character traits, tendencies, behavioral styles, etc.

• Customer Service Excellence in Public Sector: Customer service in public agencies, active listening, customer awareness and advocacy, de-escalation, difficult customers, providing excellent customer service in culturally diverse communities, public service ethics, etc.

• Mid-level Management and Supervisory Essentials: Team building and development;

effective meetings management; performance management; supervising in a unionized environment; team dynamics; staff planning and effective hiring practices; change management; project management; defining and delegating tasks; supervisory ethical considerations in public agencies; leadership skills; strategic planning; innovative and critical thinking; process improvement, etc.

• Leadership and Executive Development: Executive Coaching, mentoring, motivational supervision, strategic decision making, change management, building consensus, fostering and leading changing cultures and environments, etc.

• Submissions for Topics Not Listed: Proposals for topics for subjects not listed here but aligned with the Project Background and Description and Desired Outcomes are strongly encouraged.

1.2 Delivery Modalities: Programs must be adaptable to multiple formats to ensure accessibility. Virtual learning modalities should be aligned with the City’s Learning Management System (LMS), Workday Learning, and the selected provider would have access to the City’s OpenSesame Course Catalog for pre/post-work.

- 5 -

• In-Person Learning: Traditional, instructor-led classroom sessions at City facilities.

• Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT): Synchronous, interactive online workshops.

• Asynchronous E-Learning: Self-paced digital modules compatible with the City’s

Learning Management System (LMS).

• Hybrid Models: Blended learning cohorts combining multiple methods.

SECTION 2: Instructional Design and Service Delivery Methodology

The Provider must employ a structured approach to curriculum customization and instructional design that minimizes disruption to City operations.

• Needs Assessment: Collaborating with City stakeholders to identify specific departmental skills gaps and learning objectives before deployment.

• Customization: Tailoring standard course content to incorporate City policies, values, case studies, and relevant municipal scenarios.

• Adult Learning Principles: Utilizing instructional design frameworks that prioritize interactive, experiential, and action-oriented learning for adults.

• Materials Production: Providing participant workbooks, digital resources, reference guides, and instructional aids as recommended by specific engagement.

SECTION 3: Work Tracking, Project Management, and Reporting

To ensure transparency and accountability, the Provider will maintain project management protocols and provide regular performance reporting. Participation in any training or OD engagement will be documented in Workday Learning and the employee’s Workday Profile.

• Implementation Planning: Developing a detailed scope of work, project timeline, and training schedule per each service request.

• Attendance and Participation Tracking: In collaboration with the Talent Management

Team, coordinate registration, tracking real-time attendance, and documenting course completion records for all participants, utilizing the city’s learning management system.

• Regular Quality Assurance Reporting: Submitting semi-annual dashboards to the City contract manager detailing:

o Milestones achieved against the project timeline.

o Summarized qualitative feedback and operational updates.

• Account Management: Assigning a dedicated Project Manager to serve as the single point of contact for scheduling, billing, and logistical coordination.

SECTION 4: Engagement and Evaluation Framework

- 6 -

The Provider will design and implement an evaluation strategy to measure the immediate impact, quality, and long-term effectiveness of the training or OD engagement.

• Four-Level Evaluation Model: Utilizing an established framework (such as the

Kirkpatrick Model) to assess training success:

o Reaction (Level 1): Post-course participant satisfaction surveys measuring instructor effectiveness and content relevance.

o Learning (Level 2): Pre- and post-assessments or knowledge checks to verify information retention.

o Behavior (Level 3): Mechanisms (e.g., 30-60-90-day follow-up surveys or manager interviews) to evaluate on-the-job behavioral applications.

• Instructor Qualifications: Ensuring all facilitators possess relevant industry certifications, advanced degrees, or verified subject-matter expertise coupled with proven public-sector training experience.

• Continuous Improvement: Reviewing evaluation/outcome data with HR/Talent

Management team & Department stakeholders to refine curricula, adjust teaching methods, and make recommendations for a sustainability plan as related to the specific engagement.

The City reserves the right to modify the scope of services at any time before execution of a contract to add, delete, or otherwise amend any item(s), as it deems necessary, in its sole judgment, and in the best interest of the City.

- 7 -

PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS

To accomplish these goals the Department of Human Resources desires an organizational development and professional service provider that has the requisite, demonstrable competence, and experience in developing and delivering professional learning activities and programs for its diverse workforce.

The Department of Human Resources has a particular need for providers demonstrating past experience developing and delivering: (i) trainings for a public sector organization comparable in needs to the City of Cleveland, (ii) professionally accredited instructors, (iii) training that is conducive to the current knowledge and experience level of the employees, and (iv) personalized learning resources and solutions to support professional development growth.

PROPOSAL PROCESS AND GUIDANCE

Process

Tentative Timeline The City anticipates it will - but neither promises nor is obligated to - process proposals received according to the following schedule:

Issue Request for Proposals August 3, 2026

Deadline for Submitting Questions

August 12, 2026

Deadline for Submitting Proposals

August 19, 2026

Selection of Finalists August 28, 2026

Interviews, if applicable Week of September 7, 2026

Selection of Provider Week of September 14, 2026

The City reserves the right to refuse any submission not delivered by the deadline.

Proposals or unsolicited amendments to proposals arriving after the closing will not be accepted.

Questions and Communications All communications will be formalized. Questions, including if this RFP should contain any discrepancies or omissions, or if the intended meaning of any part of this RFP is unclear or in doubt, must be submitted in writing through the OPEN GOV portal and will be accepted until 5 p.m. EST on August 12, 2026.

Evaluation of Proposals The City will evaluate all responsive proposals based upon the information and materials contained in the proposals as submitted. The City will then evaluate and score all responsive proposals, based on the evaluation criteria indicated below. The highest-scored proposal(s) shall then be deemed finalists; if necessary, the City reserves the right to expand the number of finalists in the event of ties.

Finalist Interviews The City may select a limited number of Providers to make a final interview of their qualifications, proposed services, and capabilities. The City will notify the Providers selected for interviews in writing. The interview will not discuss pricing. These interviews shall be at no cost to the City of Cleveland.

- 8 -

Submission Requirements Each Provider that wishes to be considered for selection to perform the Scope of Services described in this RFP, shall submit their proposal through the OpenGov portal for the RFP Recruitment and Staffing Services.

We ask that technical proposals and fee proposals are submitted in the OpenGov portal as two separate attachments. There will be a technical section and fee proposal section in OpenGov.

All proposals shall contain concise written material and illustrations. Legibility, clarity, and completeness are essential. Each Provider, in preparing their proposal, should consider all applicable laws and available industry guidelines as applicable.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) response, at a minimum, should include:

1. SERVICES PROPOSAL

A. Executive Summary (1 page) The Provider should include a brief introduction to their organization and an expression of interest in the preparation of Organizational Development and Workplace Professional Training Services. Clearly indicate contact information, including phone and email, for the primary contact individual. If the Provider is partnering with another Provider(s), this should be clearly indicated here.

B. Organization of the Provider and Project Team

The Provider should include a description of the organization, including information regarding its primary business, its background and history, its organizational structure, the number of employees, and commitment to diversity. It is highly desirable that there be a local component to the Provider team to facilitate response time to matters that require on-site reviews. The Provider should note if it is a Minority Business Enterprise, Female Business Enterprise, and/or Cleveland Area Small Business Enterprise.

If the Provider is a privately held corporation, a listing of all stockholders, their interest in the company as related to percentage of ownership, and their interest, if any, in the operations of the entity must be included.

The Provider should also submit an organizational chart of the organization’s leadership and key project personnel. Providers may include project personnel names, roles, and unique benefits the team brings to this project. Providers should include resumes of project team leadership and key personnel for this work. If the Provider is partnering with another Provider(s) to execute any phases of this work, they should include the aforementioned details for each Provider.

C. Relevant Work Experience The Provider should include project sheets for up to three (3) recently completed relevant projects demonstrating ability to successfully lead and execute the type of work required for this project. If the Provider is partnering with another Provider(s) to execute any phases of this work, there should be at least one (1) project sheet for a relevant project for each Provider.

D. References

- 9 -

The Provider should provide three (3) verifiable positive references, which may include but are not limited to ability, performance of previous contracts and service, integrity, character, reputation, judgment, experience, efficiency, delivery and professionalism.

If the Provider is partnering with another Provider(s) to execute any phases of this work, there should be at least one (1) reference for each Provider.

E. Ownership of Content The City understands that all content developed and presented is the Provider’s intellectual property and copyrighted materials.

F. Training Dates/Cancellations Dates are considered confirmed once agreed to in writing between the City and the Provider. Requests to reschedule any confirmed dates with be considered on a case-by-case basis, not more than one time per course, and must be made in advance of 5 business days prior to the confirmed date.

G. Special Commendations (optional) The Provider shall provide any other pertinent data, information and other extraordinary circumstances which will clearly demonstrate their unique ability to provide the required Professional Services in a manner not detailed previously within this RFP.

Certificate of Insurance Submit a Certificate of Insurance form indicating limits of professional services (errors and omissions) and general liability coverage as a separate attachment to their Proposal, and shall at all times during the term of the contract resulting from this RFP, maintain the following insurance coverage:

The insurance company or companies providing the required insurance shall be authorized by the Ohio Department of Insurance to do business in Ohio and rated “A” or above by A. M. Best Company or equivalent. The Successful Provider, as Provider, shall provide a copy of the policy or policies and any necessary endorsements, or a substitute for them satisfactory to and approved by the Director of Law, evidencing the required insurances upon execution of the contract.

Professional liability insurance with limits of not less than $200,000.00 for each occurrence and subject to a deductible for each occurrence of not more than $25,000.00 per occurrence and in the aggregate, and if not written on an occurrence basis, shall be maintained for not less than two

(2) years after satisfactory completion and written acceptance of the services under the contract.

Workers’ compensation and employer’s general liability insurance as provided under the laws of the State of Ohio.

Statutory unemployment insurance protection for all its employees. Such other insurance coverage(s) as the City may reasonably require.

2. FEE PROPOSAL

The Fee Proposal shall be submitted along with the RFP in the OpenGOV System as a separate attachment from the Services Proposal. OpenGOV will provide instructions on how to submit these documents

A. Professional Services Fee Proposal

- 10 -

The Fee Proposal shall indicate the makeup of your proposed fee. Itemize the fee in dollars and percentages, or by unit cost. Provider shall provide its best estimate of expenses including, but not limited to, travel and associated expenses, if applicable.

The fee proposal shall reflect the final amount including the costs and expenses for all anticipated services.

Although Providers’ proposed fees are not the deciding factor in the selection of the Provider, it will be evaluated with other criteria herein and submitted with the proposal.

B. Additional Required Documents Proposer must complete, execute, and return with its proposal the following documents. These forms are part of the OpenGov application.

1. The Office of Equal Opportunity Notice to Bidders and Schedules;

2. Non-Competitive Bid Contract Statement for Calendar Year 2026

- 11 -

Selection Criteria Criteria Initially, proposals will be evaluated based on their relative responsiveness to the criteria described below and will be scored based on the point values as shown:

1. Quality of Proposal: 30 points Quality of Proposal includes Organization of the Provider, Capacity to Perform Work, including consideration for current City project workload, and Special Accommodations.

2. Credentials of Key Personnel and Provider: 20 points

Credentials of Key Personnel includes Qualifications of the Provider Team, particularly the project manager who will be the lead person on this project, and their prior experience and demonstrated ability to provide the scope of services.

3. Demonstrated Ability: 30 points

Demonstrated prior experience providing similar services and examples of past related work completed by the Provider.

4. Compensation/Fee: 20 points

This item will be reviewed after the evaluation of qualifications has been completed.

INTERVIEWS: Based on preliminary scoring of point-based items described above the City may create a short list of Provider(s) and conduct interviews as warranted. Further instruction will be provided to the short-listed Provider(s) when notified of the forthcoming interview.