YDO Evaluations

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking external grant application evaluation services for its Youth Development Oregon (YDO) program. The RFI aims to identify vendors capable of providing comprehensive evaluation services, including application question development, scoring rubric creation, reviewer recruitment and training, review process administration, and score tabulation. Respondents must demonstrate expertise in managing complex grant application review processes, particularly in educational or youth development contexts. The solicitation specifically targets entities with experience in working with government agencies and managing large-scale application evaluations. Key deliverables include a detailed methodology for managing grant application reviews, cost structures, and evidence of past performance in similar governmental evaluation projects. The RFI was posted on July 15, 2024, with responses due by August 15, 2024. ODE is seeking to address increased demands on staff capacity resulting from significant growth in grant application volumes.

The RFI does not represent a guaranteed procurement opportunity and does not restrict participation based on specific enterprise designations. No incumbent vendors are explicitly mentioned, and no specific budget range is provided in the documents. Respondents should note that cost information is generally not considered a trade secret under Oregon Public Records Law, and blanket exemption claims will not be accepted. The solicitation is open to a broad range of evaluation service providers, with no apparent limitations on organizational size or type. Interested parties are advised that this RFI is purely an information-gathering exercise, and ODE reserves the right to proceed with a future Request for Proposal (RFP) for discrete services outlined in the document. Potential respondents should carefully review the Attachment A - Disclosure Exemption Affidavit, which provides guidelines for claiming confidentiality of specific proposal elements.