Discovery, Design, and Prototyping Support for Network Solutions Lab at Ipas
Open State & local contract opportunity Posted
- Solicitation number
- NET-RFP-0234
- State
- North Carolina
- Responses due
Opportunity facts
Opportunity details come from ipas.bonfirehub.com. Updated .
About this opportunity
Ipas, a global nonprofit organization headquartered in North Carolina, is requesting proposals for discovery, design, and prototyping support to address three priority challenges within its Network Solutions Lab (Fixer Teams initiative), with proposals due October 30, 2026 and questions due October 23, 2026.
The scope requires user-centered discovery, co-design, prototyping, and validation activities targeting high-friction operational workflows, decision visibility and feedback follow-through, and cross-node collaboration across Ipas's interconnected Impact Network. The design partner will conduct user research and stakeholder engagement, analyze current experiences and workflows, facilitate co-design sessions, develop and test solution concepts, and validate findings with users and stakeholders. Specific challenges within each priority area will be refined during project inception.
Required qualifications include strong experience in user-centered design, service design, systems thinking, or organizational development; demonstrated expertise in leading discovery, facilitation, co-design, and prototyping processes; and proven ability to work with geographically distributed, multi-stakeholder organizations. Preferred experience includes supporting international NGOs, improving operational processes and employee experience, translating systems insights into practical interventions, and working in multicultural and multilingual environments.
The anticipated project start date is November 16, 2026, with expected completion by April 30, 2027. Proposals must include a technical proposal outlining understanding and approach, a detailed work plan and timeline, descriptions of relevant experience with comparable organizational challenges, CVs or profiles of key personnel, and a financial proposal with professional fees, anticipated expenses, applicable taxes, and cost breakdown by phase or deliverable. Evaluation criteria include bidder understanding of the assignment, methodology relevance and feasibility, demonstrated experience with comparable challenges, team qualifications and availability, and overall value for money. Consultant selection and notification will occur by November 6, 2026. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Ipas procurement portal. Direct questions to Yinka Abiola Adojutelegan at AbiolaA@ipas.org.
Opportunity text
Ipas is a global organization working through an interconnected Impact Network of country and regional nodes, service nodes, Network teams, leadership bodies, and communities. As part of its commitment to shared leadership and continuous improvement, Ipas regularly gathers feedback from staff (Netizens) on their experiences of working across the Network. Recent Network Evaluation findings highlighted several recurring challenges that affect day-to-day work, including operational processes, access to information, visibility into decisions, follow-through on feedback, and collaboration across nodes. To respond to these challenges, NetCARE is inviting proposals to support a Network Solutions Lab referred to internally as the Fixer Teams initiative. The initiative is designed to routinely address a small number of high-priority, recurring issues that create friction and limit productivity across the Network through time-bound, quick action teams. Using a user-centered and participatory approach, Fixer Teams bring together people closest to a challenge to better understand the problem, explore solutions, test ideas, and recommend practical improvements. For FY27, three priority areas identified through Netizen feedback require support that combines human-centered design methods with a systems-thinking lens to co-create, test, and recommend practical solutions for implementation. They include: 1. High-friction operational workflows 2. Decision visibility and feedback follow-through 3. Cross-node collaboration Ipas is seeking an experienced design partner to lead the discovery, co-design, prototyping, and validation of practical solutions for three priority challenges identified through Network Evaluation feedback. The specific challenge to be addressed within each priority area will be refined and agreed upon during inception. The partner will work with Netizens, process owners, and NetCARE to develop user-informed recommendations that can be implemented across the Network. Interested design partner are encouraged to review the detailed RFP enclosed with this publication and submit a proposal if their experience, expertise, and qualifications align with the requirements and objectives of the assignment.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Request for Proposals- Fixer Teams initiative.pdf |
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