Specifications include, but are not limited to: The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals to establish a contract with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for consulting services for the Office of Broadband’s Digital Equity Act Planning Grant activities ; The selected consultant will be responsible for structuring and conducting stakeholder engagement activities necessary for the development of the Commonwealth’s Digital Opportunity Plan. These activities will include work sessions with DHCD staff and Broadband Advisory Council members, community input sessions across the Commonwealth, regional focus group discussions, interviews, and survey design. Specifically, the scope of work shall include the following activities: 1. Identification of barriers to digital opportunity faced by Covered Populations in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as identified by the Notice of Funding Opportunity of the Digital Equity Act Planning Grant Program. 2. Conduct a needs assessment of the status of digital opportunity in the Commonwealth to determine the necessary starting point for digital opportunity efforts. 3. Compile an asset inventory of public, non-profit, and private digital opportunity-related efforts in the Commonwealth, including existing resources, programs, and strategies related to digital opportunity for the covered populations. Components of the activities outlined above, will include: a. Work session with DHCD staff and the Broadband Advisory Council to shape the planning process b. Meeting design and onsite facilitation for 15 community input sessions across the state (locations to be determined) c. Meeting design and facilitation for up to eight focus group discussions with regional experts
