RFQ Early Literacy Advocate - Copy.docx

CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF

COOS, LOWER UMPQUA AND SIUSLAW INDIANS

1245 Fulton Avenue - Coos Bay, Oregon 97420 Telephone (541)888-9577 Toll Free 1-888-280-0726 Fax: (541)888-2853

REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ)

Early Literacy Advocate Due Date: March 12, 2026 2 p.m. PST

Respond to:

Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians Attn: Jemiah Wassman 1425 Fulton Ave Coos Bay, Or 97420 541-888-1318 jwassman@ctclusi.org

Implementing DELC Funding Objectives for CTCLUSI Education Department

Table of Contents

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project, Purpose, and Scope 3

1.2 Scope of Work 4

SECTION 2: OVERVIEW OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

2.1 Background Information 4

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project, Purpose, and Scope

The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI) is seeking quotes for qualified individuals or firms to provide services as a Home Visiting Professional who can oversee a home visitation component within the Birth to Five Early Literacy program either virtually or in-person. This contract seeks to broaden the reach of literacy-focused activities, developmental evaluations, and culturally grounded practices for tribal families whose children fall between infancy and five. While the present funding timeframe concludes on June 30, 2027, additional support anticipated from the 2027–2029 biennium is expected to facilitate continued operation beyond that deadline.

In taking on this role, the contractor will unify efforts across multiple CTCLUSI units, ensuring that culturally-centered services, screening protocols like ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2, and family plus community support forms the foundation of the home visitation experience and truly the learning journey youth engage with when they are so young.

1.2 Scope of Work

The selected Early Literacy Advocate will enhance the Birth to Five Early Literacy and Tribal Early Learning Plan initiatives within the CTCLUSI Education Department in coordination with funding from the 2025–2027 DELC. This is a 1 year and 3 month contract. The scope of this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

Family Coordination and Enrollment

· Collaborate with designated departments (e.g., Education, DCNR, HR, Housing, Social Services, Enrollment and Finance) to identify and confirm eligible households with children from birth to age eight.

· Conduct outreach to potential participants, verify interest, and work to align work with the existing “Baby Boxes” home visiting program, youth story and library sessions, targeted curriculums, and other early literacy efforts.

Home-Based and Occasional Library Visits

· Conduct regular in-person visits, paired with virtual meetings to provide parenting support, monitor early literacy milestones, and address cultural needs or facilitate cultural support as appropriate.

· Administer developmental assessments (e.g., ASQ-3, ASQ:SE-2), communicate results to parents or guardians, and recommend any necessary referrals.

Facilitate the Roll-Out and Distribution of Baby Boxes

· Oversee the Winter and Summer distributions of Baby Boxes, ensuring items are age-appropriate and distributed to the correct recipients.

· Guide families through the materials provided, document feedback, and incorporate suggestions for future distributions.

· Ensure that the Baby Boxes program is in alignment with the Language Department staff, to ensure culturally excellent materials go out to families.

Cultural and Social-Emotional Integration

· Coordinate with the Tribe’s Language and Cultural Departments to appropriately include approved language and cultural learning materials in early literacy activities, consistent with departmental guidance and availability.

· Work with behavioral health resources when parent, guardian, or child needs warrant additional support or intervention.

Data Maintenance and Reporting -Document all early literacy engagement sessions (including home-based, community-based, or virtual settings), record participant numbers, note services provided, and retain any screening or referral outcomes in accordance with applicable privacy and confidentiality standards.

-Submit timely progress updates to the Education Director, according to an established reporting schedule (e.g., monthly or quarterly).

Interdepartmental Communication

· Attend scheduled meetings with staff to coordinate schedules, share progress, and align efforts.

· Provide recommendations for program improvements, such as updated screening methods, revised distribution schedules, or enhanced cultural content.

All in all, the Early Literacy Advocate will support Indigenous/American Indian families within the tribal community, facilitate literacy development, and integrate culturally relevant practices.

SECTION 2: OVERVIEW OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

2.1 Background Information

The Education Department of CTCLUSI is dedicated to assisting Tribal Members in achieving their educational goals. Our team, including Jemiah Wassman, Director of Education, Brandy Lauby, Education Specialist II, Daylen Cossey, Administrative Assistant, Morgan Cloud, Higher Education Specialist, Lyndsay Carroll, Educational Outreach Coordinator, and Cheri Moos, Education Outreach Advocate, provides comprehensive support through case management, financial assistance for college and technical school, scholarships, and various youth activities.

These activities encompass support for After School Programming, Spring Camp, Tutoring, Culture Camps, and a Student Recognition Event, celebrating the achievements of all Tribal children and adults. Our primary focus is on supporting students' academic pursuits by offering resources, guidance, and support to help them become educated, healthy, and well-rounded Tribal members as they strive toward higher education and vocational aspirations.

The Education Department also oversees the Tribal Library, which offers hundreds of titles for Tribal Members of all ages. We continually expand our collection to inform and engage our Tribal Community.

We pledge to provide both traditional learning and Western principles through our Higher Education Stipend Program, Adult Education Program, and support systems for high school completion, tutoring, and mentoring for middle and elementary school students who identify with indigenous traditions. Our commitment is to help Tribal Members explore their potential contributions to the community. As resources grow, we aim to enhance our program offerings across the five-county service area and to all members of the tribe.

The current education staff is committed to their roles and willing to collaborate with the independent contractor. They are prepared to undertake the necessary work to develop and implement high-quality programming strategies that will benefit the native student population and the tribal community at large. The team recognizes the importance of creating an inclusive and culturally sensitive educational environment that honors and preserves the tribe’s traditions, language, and heritage.

SECTION 3: SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Qualifications

To facilitate the analysis of responses to the RFQ, consultants or advocates, firms, or individuals are required to prepare their proposals in accordance with the instructions outlined in this section. Consultants, Advocates, or firms who deviate from these instructions may be considered non-responsive and may be disqualified at the discretion of CTCLUSI. Proposals should be prepared in a concise manner and provide sufficient detail and descriptions of the consultants’ capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFQ. A proposal shall constitute an irrevocable offer for 90 days following the deadline for its submission. All proposals will be confidential until selection of a vendor or final rejection of all proposals by CTCLUSI at which time all proposals will be public information.

You may submit for all or an individual position.

The ideal candidate or firm should have:

· Proven experience in home visiting or a related field

· Strong organizational and communication skills

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team

· Experience in early childhood education, and organizing events

· Experience teaching multilingual students and a demonstrated ability to adapt instructional strategies to accommodate and maximize learning for multilingual youth.

· Familiarity with the topics outline in the scope of work and the ability to apply them effectively in practice.

Please submit electronic bid proposal to:

Norbert Johnson Procurement Manager njohnson@ctclusi.org by March 12, 2025 @ 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) Any proposal received after the published time will be rejected.

3.2 Proposal Format

Responses to this RFQ should include a cover page and a signed letter of transmittal followed by a table of contents. Quotes should be organized into the following major sections and provided sufficient detail for CTCLUSI to make an informed decision and comparison of proposals. Emphasis will be given on accuracy, completeness and clarity of content.

I. Executive Summary

· A brief narrative is not to exceed three (3) pages describing the proposed solution.

Company or Contractor Background

· Provide background information including previous early childhood education experience or youth services provided, and education. Responses should address the following items and may include other information that the consultant believes would be relevant to CTCLUSI in light of the information in this RFP.

· Knowledge of Early Childhood processes & procedures: The candidate should have a comprehensive understanding of Early Childhood Education pedagogical programs, their goals, and operational requirements. They should possess in-depth knowledge of the resources, frameworks, and best practices related to building and expanding such initiatives.

· Experience in program development and implementation: The candidate should be familiar with the regulatory and compliance aspects of educational programs and have the ability to navigate and interpret relevant policies and guidelines.

· Expertise in resource identification and utilization: The candidate should demonstrate strong research and analytical skills to identify and evaluate resources necessary for building out educational programs. They should have experience in assessing community needs, identifying funding sources, and leveraging available resources effectively to support program development and sustainability.

· Familiarity with grant application processes: The candidate should possess knowledge and experience in preparing and submitting requests for proposals (RFPs) or requests for quotations (RFQs) related to educational programs. They should be proficient in navigating grant application processes, including proposal writing, budgeting, and compliance requirements.

Proposed Solution

· Provide a narrative of the proposed timelines and goals mentioned in Section 1.2. Responses should address items identified in the requirements section above as well as, in separate section, other optional features recommended by the consultant. The consultant should highlight features and capabilities that the consultant feels are the strength of the proposed solution.

· Provide a work plan including consultants methodology for implementing the proposed solution. This section should address all key phases including project planning, configuration, testing, rollout and support. Responses should include implementation plan consideration including estimated time frame and deliverables for various stages of the project. Responses should include a discussion of resources required by CTCLUSI staff including Education, IT personnel, and user training for the implementation as well as skills required to support the new system. Key areas of interest include testing procedures and project risk mitigation to help avoid downtime.

II. Client References

· Proposal must include a minimum of three (3) references for directly applicable grant projects. References should include an overview of the solution. Additional references are allowable if the consultant chooses. Include the contact person who was directly responsible for overseeing the implementation/completion for each of the referenced projects. Proposals must include the name of the client/agency, contact information (name, phone number and/or email address.) and the dates the services were provided.

III. Cost Proposal

· Proposal must include the proposed cost, including all out-of-pocket costs, broken down by major activity. Include hourly rates and number of hours for each individual that will work on the project. Consultant(s) should clearly indicate the level and type of support to be provided in detail. This should include number of hours of operation for support or available support plans with associated costs.

· Cost proposal should identify any hardware and software required to implement the project.

· Cost proposals should include the following cost components.

· Equipment (Hardware and Software)

· Implementation Services

· Training

· Support

· Maintenance

· Optional Items

· Other

3.3 Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on following criteria:

· Clarity of Proposal

· Demonstrated success in similar projects; particular attention will be paid to proposals from entities with experience implementing services for government or tribal agencies.

· Responsiveness of the proposal to CTCLUSI objectives and scope of work

· The technical ability, capacity, and flexibility of consultant(s) to perform the scope of work

· Total cost of proposal

· References and past performance

Questions should be submitted via email to jwassman@ctclusi.org. Questions along with answers will be posted on the Oregon Buys website. Questions are allowed to be emailed until February 25th , 2026 at Noon.

Award Announcement Selection decisions are expected to be announced on March 19, 2025 at 2 PM.

CTCLUSI appreciates your interest and looks forward to receiving your proposal.

image1.png