Specifications include, but are not limited to: The scope of work is intended to describe specific expectations and services that the successful offeror will be responsible for completing once awarded. STATE is soliciting proposals for development and implementation of a comprehensive statewide needs assessment of the birth to five-years early childhood system. The needs assessment will build on the work completed in the original 2019 North Dakota PDG B-5 Needs Assessment and will be used to inform STATE early childhood strategic plan by identifying current conditions, strengths and challenges of service delivery, and desired services or outcomes. STATE’s birth-to-five early childhood priority areas, including the following: Availability, affordability, and quality of birth to five-years early childhood services and supports across the state, for all children and families. Early childhood workforce stability, preparation, and compensation. Family engagement in the birth to five-years period, as well as transition to kindergarten. The successful offeror shall conduct a comprehensive statewide needs assessment to analyze the early childhood system strengths and gaps related to access, quality, workforce, coordination, family engagement, and governance, and to explore additional elements not previously assessed or identified in the original PDG B-5 Needs Assessment. The successful offeror shall develop a report of findings, which will inform STATE’s efforts toward enhancing the early childhood mixed delivery system for children birth to five-years, with focus on building a competent and effective early childhood workforce and ensuring access to quality early childhood programs and services for all families. It is expected that the work will be conducted in multiple formats, including mail, email, phone, virtual stakeholder sessions, and in-person stakeholder sessions, and will include surveys, interviews, and listening groups which can be completed both virtually and in-person. STATE expects the successful offeror to hold a minimum of three in-person stakeholder sessions. Representation of the entire state is required, and shall include urban, rural, and Tribal communities, as well as the full range of individuals working in and served by the early childhood system in North Dakota. This will include, but is not limited to, licensed child care, unlicensed child care, including four-year-old programs, Head Start and Tribal child care, early childhood services and supports, community members and employers, and families with children using or eligible for early childhood services. Though all input is essential, STATE expects that the needs assessment will have a particular focus on the needs of the early childhood workforce and on families with children in the birth to five-years age range. The successful offeror shall deliver the following services: Project leadership and coordination. Virtual kick-off meeting with STATE team to identify the needs assessment objectives within two weeks of signing the contract. Review of 2019 North Dakota PDG B-5 Needs Assessment. Detailed action plan for conducting the needs assessment to meet objectives, and include actions steps, timelines, target audiences, measurements, data collection (both quantitative and qualitative data), and analysis. Ongoing virtual meetings and targeted support with STATE, as required, to meet action plan outcomes. Develop all materials and approaches to conduct the needs assessment. Carry out the needs assessment statewide utilizing multiple data collection formats and methods with diverse stakeholders across the state. At minimum, monthly progress reports to STATE. Detailed written draft of the final report for the needs assessment outcomes and data analysis, including both visuals and narrative, to include participant characteristics and demographics, needs assessment summary, themes, differences between responses (staff versus administrators, or program versus families), and gaps or disconnects in service delivery and supports. Conduct real-time review of needs assessment with STATE. Disseminate needs assessment to stakeholder groups and solicit feedback. Incorporate feedback and deliver final report. Summary analysis at contract close. The successful offeror shall cover the cost of in-person meetings, which includes all of an offeror’s travel costs, and shall supply their own equipment and supplies while onsite, including computer and internet service, phones, paper supplies, and so on. The successful offeror shall ensure that they will provide seamless, reliable video conferencing, ability to conduct meetings using TEAMS, technical support, and other infrastructure needs to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment across North Dakota. STATE will become the sole owner of all the marketing materials that are developed, branded, and produced under this RFP.
