Grant Writing Services

Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ESBOCES) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP #26S-12-0417) seeking comprehensive grant writing services for its organization and component school districts in Suffolk County, New York. The procurement aims to identify and secure vendors capable of providing expert grant writing support across multiple educational domains, including adult education, technology, special education, and workforce development programs. Vendors must demonstrate extensive experience in identifying, applying for, and securing grants from federal, state, nonprofit, foundation, corporate, and private funding sources. The contract will run from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, with potential renewal for four additional one-year terms. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. on April 17, 2025, and will be evaluated using a detailed scoring system across seven criteria: documented grant acquisition experience (25 points), knowledge of grant processes (20 points), experience with grantors and grantees (15 points), references (15 points), and cost (10 points). Vendors must score at least 80% to be considered for award, and they are expected to provide services including grant searching, proposal development, technical assistance, on-site training, and periodic usage reports.

The RFP does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Vendors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including $1 million in general liability, $1 million in automobile liability, $3 million in excess liability, and $2 million in professional errors and omissions insurance from an A.M. Best A- rated or better insurer licensed in New York State. While specific budget ranges are not definitively stated, the organization's 2023-24 grant portfolio totaled $33,236,902 across 35 distinct grant allocations, suggesting significant potential contract value. The cost proposal requires vendors to submit hourly rates for various grant writing services and document their historical grant procurement performance, including total funds secured and number of grants applied for across 36 diverse educational grant categories. Successful vendors will be expected to tailor their services to meet the specific needs of ESBOCES and its 51 component school districts, which serve nearly 145,120 students across almost 1,000 square miles in Long Island.