Office of Financial Empowerment - Consultant

The City of Pittsburgh's Office of Management & Budget is soliciting proposals for a consultant to support the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) through RFP #2023-RFP-271. The selected consultant will work directly with the Financial Empowerment Manager to launch strategic initiatives, develop key performance metrics, and establish infrastructure for expanding financial services access across Pittsburgh. The project has a proposed six-month timeline from January to June 2024, with key deliverables including comprehensive assessments, strategic plan development, implementation strategies, and evaluation frameworks. Proposal submissions are due by December 15, 2023 at 11:30 pm, with a pre-proposal meeting scheduled for December 1, 2023. The evaluation will be points-based, with 35% weight on firm qualifications, 30% on project team qualifications, 25% on project approach, and 10% on cost proposal. The consultant's responsibilities will encompass sustainability planning, data analysis, strategic infrastructure development, and supporting the OFE's mission of empowering underserved Pittsburgh residents through financial education and services.

The RFP emphasizes equal opportunity participation with specific goals for minority-owned (18%), women-owned (7%), veteran-owned (5%), and LGBTQIA+ (3%) business involvement. While no specific budget is explicitly stated, proposers are expected to provide comprehensive cost breakdowns including hourly rates and potential reimbursable expenses. The initiative targets six city neighborhoods across 90 total neighborhoods, focusing on improving financial access, asset building, consumer protection, and financial education for communities with high and extreme need. The project will involve collaboration with community-based organizations, banks, and credit unions to expand financial services and education. Target populations include youth, immigrants, and returning citizens, with a strategic ecosystem vision aimed at increasing banking access, promoting homeownership, reducing debt, and protecting consumers from predatory practices. The ultimate goals include developing targeted strategies, obtaining public input, presenting to city leadership, creating a fundraising strategy, and officially launching the Office of Financial Empowerment.