Submitted Questions & Answers
The below questions were submitted pertaining to the 2023 Request for Quotations on Strategic Planning. Please note that the Q&A submittal window has closed. No further follow up will be presented.
*Questions are BOLD and answers are not
Have staff and board retreat dates been set for the period of performance? Is there a set number of meetings and retreats that should be included to account for the associated cost?
Potentially three retreats not to exceed 3 hours each. The dates are currently pending.
Will the Kern County Children and Families Commission cover the cost of engagement tools to support the robust engagement of the broader community, or should the consultant build the cost into a proposal for associated tools?
It is expected that the consultant will factor this into their price.
Given that the next strategic plan period will begin July 1, 2025, and run for an as-yet-undetermined length of time, when will the Kern County Children and Families Commission make a determination on the timeline? Is it reasonable to plan for a three or five-year strategic plan with a matching funding cycle?
We do not feel this is relevant to submitting a quote for consideration, but it will be discussed with the chosen consultant at an appropriate time.
What is the scale of community engagement that the Kern County Children and Families Commission is looking to incorporate as part of its strategic planning process?
Page 3 and 4
Engage community
a) Act as, or work with, a subject matter expert to develop and implement a plan for engaging community voice. The planning process will engage families at the grassroots level, leaders of community organizations, and other stakeholder groups to accurately reflect the needs, opportunities, and strengths in communities;
b) Examples of levels of community to involve may include:
i. Parent/Caregivers with a focus on parents from diverse/underserved communities;
ii. Key Child and Family Service Providers with a special emphasis on those who serve vulnerable children and families and is inclusive of agencies who are not current First 5 grantees;
iii. Community Stakeholders include broad-based community input in order to explore emerging issues, partnerships, and potential for collective impact.
What data is available to review as part of target deliverables scheduled between June and August 2023?
First 5 Kern will work with the chosen consultant on meaningful data to be reviewed after the contract has been approved.
Can you clarify the final design and infographics task expectation under target deliverables for February 2024? What specifically is First 5 Kern looking for the consultant to do and develop as part of this workstream?
Page 4
Produce a final Strategic Plan document; Create the Strategic Plan document and present both a draft and a final version to the Commission; At a minimum, the resulting strategic plan will:
i. Provide a framework for making hard decisions and adapting to changing needs;
ii. Chart a clear future pathway that defines First 5’s priorities, investments, role, and core functions;
iii. Adopt strategic priorities that will have an impact on Kern County outcomes for children 0-5 and their families.
Who will evaluate the proposals received to support Strategic Planning for the Kern County Children and Families Commission? Will there be external evaluators supporting the selection of the final contractor?
Page 7
RFQ Review and Process
A Strategic Plan Oversight Committee will review the applications. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications set out in this RFQ may be asked to interview with the Oversight Committee. The interview will enable First 5 Kern to gather further information on any aspect of the application.
Will the Kern County Children and Families Commission share an evaluation rubric before the solicitation to better understand the selection criteria for the Strategic Planning consultant?
No. Instructions are provided in the current packet for a better understanding of the selection criteria. Please submit questions to seek clarity where needed.
Are attachments included as part of the ten-page limit for the final proposal submission, or should they be considered separate?
The required attachments are separate and should not be counted in the ten-page limit.
Who will make up the Oversight Committee, and how will they be selected?
An internal committee knowledgeable of the needs of First 5 Kern will review the applications.
How is the Kern County Children and Families Commission conceptualizing equity and anti-racist work and incorporating it into its Strategic Planning process?
First 5 Kern is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of our work, including our strategic planning process.
Have the broad array of stakeholders who will help inform the strategic plan be identified by the Kern County Children and Families Commission? If so, who are they?
Please see page 3 and 4.
Is the $50,000 (not to exceed amount) for this project firm, or can it change if additional effort is needed to accomplish goals set by the RFQ and the Kern County Children and Families Commission?
$50,000 is the “not to exceed” amount for this contract.
When will interviews take place if prospective bidders are invited to interview with the Oversight Committee for additional information?
May 2023