Response to RFP Questions 6/30/16 1. Is it considered a conflict if one of the strategic planners is a participant on a MHTF workgroup? If so, what if only a colleague at the same organization is a member, even if they are not bid on the project? Conflict of interest questions should be raised with the State Attorney General s Office. 2. Given the size of our organization, we would like clarification on the required listing of current projects and listing of all projects conducted in the past 5 years, with client contact information. We have conducted 211 projects over the past 5 years. Would it be appropriate to provide a listing solely of those relevant projects conducted by staff who will be working on the strategic planning for Lawrence? A respondent should list all projects for the time period requested. 3. Is there a page limit for the proposal? (This was asked by two different consultants) If there are no page limits listed in the RFP then there are no page limits.
Request for Proposals Strategic Planning Consultant - Mayor s Health Task Force Proposals DUE: July 18, 2016, 3:00 PM at 225 Essex Street, 3 rd Floor, Lawrence, MA 01840 City of Lawrence Office of Planning & Development Daniel Rivera, Mayor James H. Barnes, Community Development Director 1
I. Introduction PURPOSE The City of Lawrence ( the City ) seeks proposals from an experienced qualified strategic planning consultant or organization to work with the City of Lawrence s Mayor s Health Task Force (MHTF). The MHTF is a diverse coalition uniquely situated within the City s Community Development Department which is the backbone organization and fiscal agent for the Task Force. The MHTF is charged with improving the community s overall health and well-being with a particular emphasis on addressing health inequities and social determinants of health in this majority Latino immigrant city. We intend to hire a consultant to facilitate a strategic planning process that will result in an actionable strategic plan designed to guide the future work of the MHTF. Based on research undertaken as well as a facilitated participatory process, the consultant will make recommendations on organizational structure, governance, staffing capacity, future policy and community health initiative direction, and budget requirements needed to implement the plan and to position the MHTF to successfully meet current and future community health needs. The five-year strategic plan should be developed through a comprehensive, data-driven and participatory planning process and include benchmarks to measure progress and evaluate the work. We are interested in retaining the consultant beyond the planning phase to provide technical assistance during the implementation and evaluation. BACKGROUND The Mayor s Health Task Force (MHTF), established in 2002, is a broad based collaborative of health care, social service providers, environmental groups, academic and research institutions, local businesses, community leaders, city planners and visionaries whose mission is to develop healthy public health policies and activities that accommodate the changing conditions of the total community, and promote improvement in the quality of life of its community residents. The MHTF serves as an advisory board to the Lawrence mayor by placing public health issues high on the municipal agenda of the city and establishing new partnerships that build community capacity to address health disparities. The Task Force is a well-established and comprehensive effort by community activists to move Lawrence forward as a healthy city in the broadest possible terms. Because of its exceptional work engaging regional partners on health issues, its management capacity and broad scope of work, the MA Department of Public Health requested that the MHTF assume the responsibility of administering CHNA (Community Health Network Area) 11 in July 2010. With this charge, the MHTF s reach expanded to include the communities of Methuen, Andover, North Andover and Middleton. This testament to the MHTF s transformative work in the community means that the MHTF now has a dual role: 1) promoting healthy public 2
policies and addressing health disparities on a regional level and 2) advising the Lawrence mayor on healthy policy initiatives in the City. In 2014 the MHTF was named a MA DPH Mass in Motion grantee and in 2015, the MHTF was part of a coalition that received a Robert Wood Johnson s Culture of Health Award prizerecognized for creating powerful partnerships with deep commitments to prioritizing health and for making great strides toward better health. Thus, the MHTF/CHNA 11, while situated within a municipal department and functioning within a governmental system, also acts as a quasi- non-profit promoting health from a broad perspective and addressing the health disparities and the social determinants of health. The MHTF has three full-time staff: a Project Coordinator, a Project Officer, and a Community Health Specialist. The work of the task force is accomplished by eight Working Groups focused on the following areas: Behavioral Health Healthy Active Living Men s & Women s Health Lawrence Mammography Services Oral Health Initiative Community Based Participatory Research Initiative Youth Network Lawrence Coalition on Teen Pregnancy An eleven-member Executive Committee comprised of academia, community based organizations, community members, healthcare professionals, and researchers, guides the work of the MHTF and advises the mayor, city elected officials and policymakers on policies and practices to improve the health of Lawrence and residents of the CHNA 11 service delivery area. The MHTF budget has increased significantly since 2014 as a result of Department of Public Health funding under the Massachusetts Determination of Needs (DoN) process, with a current operating budget over $500,000, and continued DoN funding through 2020.The two area hospitals, Lawrence General Hospital and Holy Family Hospital, together with the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, will have recently completed Community Health Needs Assessments which will continue to inform the work of the MHTF. The MHTF has engaged a Resource Development Consultant to assist with researching and obtaining grant funds and resources to address community needs, expand the work of the task force, and develop long term sustainability. II. General Information and Proposal Submission Requirements For any substantive questions regarding the proposal documents contact the City of Lawrence Office of Planning and Development, Attention: Susan Fink, by email at sfink@cityoflawrence.com at least five working days prior to the date and time for receipt of proposals. 3
Proposal Delivery All proposals must be delivered to the City of Lawrence, Office of Planning and Development, 225 Essex Street, 3 rd Floor, Lawrence, MA 01840, Attn: Susan Fink. Proposals must be delivered by Monday July 18, 2016 at 3:00PM. One original and three (3) copies of the proposal should be submitted. Proposals must be sealed and marked as follows: MHTF Strategic Planning Consultant, Sealed Proposal. All proposals must include a non-collusion form, tax compliance certificate, proposal pricing sheet, and reference form as provided in this RFP. Separate, sealed non-price and price proposals are required. Changes and Addenda If any changes are made to this RFP, an addendum will be issued electronically to all those who registered on the web site to download the RFP. Proposal Signature A proposal must be signed as follows: 1) if the proposal is done by an individual, by her/him personally; 2) if the proposal is done by a partnership, by the name of the partnership, followed by the signature of each general partner; and 3) if the proposal is done by a corporation, by the authorized officer. Time for Responses Acceptance The contract will be awarded within 45 days after receipt of the responses. Questions about the RFP Questions concerning this request for proposal must be submitted to Susan Fink at the Office of Planning and Development via email at sfink@cityoflawrence.com. Written responses will be emailed to all parties on record as having picked up the RFP, and on the City web site http://www.cityoflawrence.com/. Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals, Mistakes, and Minor Informalities A party who submits a proposal may correct, modify, or withdraw a proposal by written notice received by the City of Lawrence, prior to the time and date set for the receipt of the responses. Proposal modifications must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly labeled Modification No._ to the address listed in part one of this section. Each modification must be numbered in sequence and must reference the original RFP. 4
After responses are received, a party may not change any provision of the proposal in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the City or fair competition. Minor informalities will be waived or the party will be allowed to correct them. If a mistake and the intended proposal are clearly evident on the face of the proposal document, the mistake will be corrected to reflect the intended correct proposal, and the party will be notified in writing; the party may not withdraw the proposal. A party may withdraw a proposal if a mistake is clearly evident on the face of the proposal document, but the intended correct proposal is not similarly evident. Right to Cancel/Reject Bids The City of Lawrence may cancel this RFP, or reject in whole or in part any and all proposals, if it is determined that cancellation or rejection serves the best interests of the City of Lawrence. Proposal Prices to Remain Firm All proposal prices submitted in response to this RFP must remain firm for 60 days following the bid opening. Unforeseen Office Closure If, at the time of the scheduled proposal due date, City of Lawrence, Office of Planning & Development is closed due to uncontrolled events such as fire, snow, ice, wind, or building evacuation, the proposal deadline will be postponed until, the next normal business day at the same time. Responses to proposals will be accepted until that date and time. Budget There is a budget of $100,000 to $150,000 for this project. Contract Term Length The contract term will be for two (2) years with the option to renew for one (1) year at the City s discretion. Price Submission All proposals must provide hourly rates. The Contractor should invoice on a monthly basis. 5
III. Scope of Work The Strategy Consultant shall, at minimum, accomplish the following: Phase I: Develop Strategic Plan A. Planning Activity Working with task force partners (primarily as represented on the Executive Committee), the consultant will: 1. Design and execute a strategic visioning and comprehensive planning process. 2. Facilitate group meetings with partners to create consensus regarding a strategic vision and strategic plan (including goals, objectives, strategies, and activities) B. Conduct Research 1. Conduct market analyses of current and future trends in public health and building community resiliency. 2. Research other similar coalitions and present available data on partner strategic plans, organizational structure and best-practices. 3. Develop recommendations regarding the plan s implementation and support structure. C. Strategic Plan Approved 1. Develop an actionable five-year strategic plan, including a projected budget, evaluation plan, measurable outcomes and organizational structure for its implementation. Phase II: Technical Assistance with Implementation and Evaluation 1 Provide technical assistance during the implementation phase. 2. Monitor progress of the plan s implementation and provide recommendations for process improvement and plan modifications. 3. Lay the platform for sustainability and incorporation of growth based on iterative feedback cycles. ANTICIPATED PROCESS FOR STRATEGIC PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION While the MHTF partners seek the consultant s recommendations regarding the best process to develop an actionable strategic plan, the partners envision the scope of work being conducted in 5 steps. PHASE I: Develop Strategic Plan (6-9 months) Step 1. Visioning 6
This stage includes reviewing the current MHTF vision, mission and value statements and building consensus among the task force partners to create a shared strategic vision that: is clearly stated is compelling is timely describes a clear and present need motivates people to act is a worthwhile challenge is ambitious Step 2. Research - Needs assessment, gaps analysis, SWOT analysis, research, etc. This stage should produce the substantive documentation and solutions needed for informing the strategic planning process. The research should include the identification and analysis of information centered on the following considerations: 1. What is an effective organizational structure? The consultant should look at all parts of the structure: Working Groups; Executive Committee; Staffing; Operating Principles and By-laws and compare to similar organizations and consider them in relationship to other internal departments and external partners. 2. What is the appropriate balance between community health initiatives and policy? 3. Should we continue with the current areas of focus or are there other areas we should consider? 4. How does the MHTF select priorities? Include an analysis of decision-making structure. 5. How should MHTF and partner organizations decide on what grants to pursue or community health initiatives to implement? 6. How do we complement/amplify what s going on with other CHNA participants and how best to integrate Methuen, Andover, North Andover, and Middleton into a realistic regional perspective among very different municipalities? 7. Benchmarking best practices and identify measurements and tools for performance measurement. Step 3. Writing the strategic plan Utilizing information from the first two steps, this step will include the development of an actionable strategic plan that will serve as the overall blueprint for the MHTF s work. This plan should include: a) An Executive Summary b) A comprehensive, detailed plan that identifies: 1. Shared vision 2. Goals 7
3. Objectives 4. Strategies 5. Activities 6. Responsible Partners and their Roles 7. Evaluation and Measurable Outcomes PHASE II: Technical Assistance with Implementation and Evaluation (9-24 months) Step 4. Developing implementation recommendations This step includes the development of recommendations regarding the implementation phase of the strategic plan. Included within this phase should be recommendations regarding: Resources and infrastructure needed to implement the plan (financial, people, other) MHTF Leadership and Working Committees structure needed to act on the plan Launch event and initial communications strategies (What are the key messages? Who are the targets for those messages? How are the messages delivered? Who delivers the messages?) Resource development strategies Most effective and strategic organizational structure needed to support the Plan s implementation phase and sustain the MHTF s work. Step 5. Plan implementation and evaluation The technical assistance during this stage will include capacity building for Executive Committee members, working group chairs and general membership. This stage includes plan implementation and monitoring outcome measures to evaluate process and community health initiative outcomes. Performance Measurement should take into consideration the following: Best methods to evaluate outcomes and process improvement Dashboard or other tracking mechanism How to interface with 3 medical facilities (Lawrence General Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and Greater Lawrence Family Health Center) and Home Health VNA (Visiting Nurses Association) which all have performance measurement systems and data How do we differentiate real data/results/change vs informal feedback from partners/participants 8
Ways to communicate results to the community and effectively include feedback to inform ongoing Strategic Plan implementation IV. Non-price Proposal Contents The following must be submitted: 1. Cover Letter A letter signed by an officer of the firm, binding the firm to all comments made in the proposal is required. Include a primary contact person for the proposal. 2. A description of the history, experience and qualifications of your firm and any proposed subcontractors to perform the Scope of Work. Please provide: a. Names and addresses of all firms involved on the project (including subcontractors) b. History, size and structure of firm(s) c. Name(s) of principals in firm(s) d. Identification of Principal in Charge, the Project Manager and the roles of other key personnel. Include relevant project experience and copies of resumes of all personnel assigned to project. e. Describe other similar projects your firm has undertaken with contact information. f. Listing of contracts currently under contract; g. Contact information for references from similar projects 3. Consultant Qualifications and Roles MHTF understands that the scope of work requested may be conducted by a single consultant, a consultant group, or by a partnership of consultants. The proposal should provide the name, title, address, telephone number, fax number and email address for each person engaged in scope activities. Further, if a consultant group or partnership of consultants is proposed, the proposal should indicate who will serve as the point person for the purposes of this RFP and the engagement. The proposal must describe the consultant s qualifications to conduct the RFP scope of work activities, including his/her expertise, knowledge, and experience. Experience should include examples of conducting similar or related work with similar organizations. If a consultant group or partnership of consultants is proposed to conduct the RFP scope of work, the proposal must indicate which activities each consultant will conduct as well as information about their level of expertise, knowledge and experience to conduct those specific activities. To accomplish the scope requested, the consultant will need to possess the following qualifications: 9
Experience at successfully developing consensus-based strategic plans Strong facilitation skills and comfortable working collaboratively with diverse internal and external partners Knowledgeable of multi-sector coalitions and experience with community-based change efforts Able to apply creative, strategic thinking to complex needs Knowledge of organizational structure and strategic change Experienced at gathering and utilizing data to inform the strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation process Able to translate complex ideas and recommendations into practical terms with understandable outcomes Knowledge of current and future trends in public health and health policy from a broad perspective Knowledgeable of culturally diverse populations, new immigrant culture and immigrant health issues Knowledge of social determinants of health and health inequities Experience with cities similar to Lawrence in size and demographics Experience working within municipal government systems Team member(s) who speak(s) Spanish; familiarity with Latino culture 4. Work Plan The work plan should contain a detailed description of the activities to be conducted by the consultant in order to complete the requested scope of work, including: the specific activities to be conducted at each step a timeline for the activities at each step milestones and deliverables tied to those activities 5. References The proposal should include three references of individuals who can speak to their experience with the consultant in conducting projects of similar scope. Information regarding each reference should include the individual s name, address, telephone number and email address. 6. Previous Work Products The proposal should include at least two examples of written work similar to the scope of work requested within this RFP, e.g., a strategic plan, (or an electronic link address to the documents intended as examples). 7. Available start date The proposal should include a proposed start date and projected schedule for each phase and step. 10
8. Plan of Services/Timeline The Plan of Services must include the elements to be performed by the consultant, the number of hours and other resources required to complete each task, and the expected time to complete each step. The Plan should include time schedules and milestones, personnel assignments, and other information as necessary to demonstrate the consultant s ability to complete the project on time. Our goal is to have the Five Year Strategic Action Plan completed in 6-9 months. 9. Form for Non Collusion The consultant must sign the form that is part of this RFP. V. Price Proposal Contents The price proposal must be in a separate sealed envelope marked as follows: Price Proposal. 1. Detailed Description of Costs Provide a total not-to-exceed fixed fee. The total funding available for this contract shall not exceed $150,000. The contract may be renewed at the City s option for 1 additional year. The City seeks proposals that demonstrate maximum value, innovation, effectiveness, and total work to be performed within the funding available. 2. Detailed Cost Breakdown Include rates per hour and time and total cost broken down by the following strategic planning steps: PHASE I: Develop Strategic Plan Step 1 - Visioning; Step 2 - Research; Step 3 - Writing Strategic Plan; PHASE II: Technical Assistance with Implementation and Evaluation Step 4 - Developing Implementation Recommendations; Step 5 - Technical Assistance during implementation and evaluation. VI. Minimum Qualitative Evaluation Criteria Proposers submitting proposals must address plans to provide all of the services described in Section III: Scope of Work and comply with all Proposal Submission Requirements listed in Section IV. The following must also be submitted: 11
1. List of all jobs performed within the last five years with contact names and telephone numbers. NOTE: The City has expressed permission to contact each reference provided either in person, phone, and/or correspondence as to past performance. VII. Comparative Evaluation Criteria A review committee will evaluate proposals according to the criteria outlined below. 1. Proposed Work Plan Highly Advantageous- Proposal provides a detailed, logical, and highly efficient scheme for addressing all of the required issues and completing all tasks. Advantageous- Proposal provides a credible scheme for addressing all of the required issues and completing all tasks. Not Advantageous- Proposal is not sufficiently detailed to fully evaluate, or does not contain components necessary to address all the required issues and completing all tasks. Unacceptable- Proposal does not address plan of services. 2. General Qualifications of the Firm Highly Advantageous- Candidate has successfully completed multiple projects of similar size and scope, and has a proven track record for completing projects on time, within budget, and on schedule. Advantageous- Candidate has completed projects successfully and timely. Not Advantageous- Candidate has experienced difficulty in completing projects successfully. Unacceptable- Proposal does not provide qualifications. 3. Personnel & Resources to be Utilized Highly Advantageous At least one individual from the proposed project staff is bilingual/bicultural in Latino cultures and has substantially contributed to the development of a similar project in a community similar to Lawrence. Advantageous - At least one individual from the proposed project staff bilingual/bicultural in Latino cultures and has contributed to or has experience with a similar project. Not Advantageous- None of the project staff is bilingual/bicultural or has substantially contributed to the development of this type of project. 12
Unacceptable - Proposal does not address project personnel 4. Experience and Knowledge of community based coalitions in the realm of public health, health equity, and the built environment. Highly Advantageous- The firm has at least 5 years of experience working with cities and community based coalitions undertaking strategic planning in the domains of public health, health equity and/or the built environment, with a specific focus on immigrant health primarily Latino and with communities of low socioeconomic status. Advantageous- Proposer has 3-5 years experience working with cities and community coalitions in the domains of public health, health equity and/or the built environment, with a specific focus on immigrant health primarily Latino and with communities of low socioeconomic status. Not Advantageous- Proposer has less than 3 years of experience with this type of project and population. Unacceptable- Proposal does not address experience. VIII. Consultant Interviews Following evaluation of the proposals, at dates and times to be announced, the City may request up to three candidates that score highest based on the comparative evaluation criteria to make an oral presentation to the City evaluation team. The presentation must be made by the project manager (and key support team members). Such presentation shall, as a general rule, be limited to approximately 30 minutes for presentation plus 45 minutes of questions. 13
REFERENCE FORM Proposer s Name: RFP Title: Reference s Name: Title: Organization: Address: Phone: Email: Dates of Service: From to Description of services provided: Reference s Name: Title: Organization: Address: Phone: Email: Dates of Service: From To Description of services provided: 14
Reference s Name: Title: Organization: Address: Phone: Email: Dates of Service: From To Description of services provided: Attach any additional sheets if necessary. 15
PROPOSAL PRICING SHEET Include Rates per hour and time and total cost, broken down by the following strategic planning steps: PHASE I: Develop Strategic Plan Step 1 - Visioning; Step 2 - Research; Step 3 - Writing Strategic Plan; PHASE II: Technical Assistance with Implementation and Evaluation Step 4 - Developing Implementation Recommendations; Step 5 - Technical Assistance during implementation and evaluation. 16
Non-Collusion Form and Tax Compliance Form CERTIFICATE OF NON-COLLUSION The undersigned certifies under penalties of perjury that this proposal has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification, the word person shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club, or other organization, entity, or group of individuals. Signature of individual submitting proposal Name of business 17
TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 62C, 49A, I certify under the penalties of perjury that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, I am in compliance with all laws of the Commonwealth relating to taxes, reporting of employees and contractors, and withholding and remitting child support. Signature of individual submitting proposal Name of business 18