External Evaluation Services

This state and local contracting opportunity is a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by Bellingham Technical College (BTC) and Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) for external evaluation services for a Department of Education cooperative Title III grant. The project involves evaluating strategies to improve student access, persistence, and credential attainment through data system improvements, enhanced entry services, and piloting competency-based education models in professional technical programs. The selected external evaluator will be responsible for developing an evaluation plan, collecting baseline and project data, and providing annual evaluation reports over the 4-year contract period from November 2024 to September 2028. The RFP outlines specific performance objectives for BTC and WWCC, such as increasing application to enrollment rates, student enrollments, and credential attainment rates for part-time students in competency-based programs. Pricing will be evaluated based on the lowest responsible and responsive proposal, considering factors such as the evaluator's capacity, customer service, experience, and higher education background. The proposal is due by 4:00 pm on October 11, 2024.

The RFP includes a 2.5% proposal preference for certified small and veteran-owned businesses, as well as a 1% preference for firms that do not require mandatory individual arbitration clauses for employees. The maximum budget for this project is $80,000 over 5 years, or $16,000 annually. An external evaluator was previously hired for the project but has since departed. The colleges have created data dashboards and qualitative data that will be available for the selected evaluator, and there are no restrictions on the evaluator's own budget or the use of grant funds for student incentives.