Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., seeks proposals to provide external evaluation services to international fraternity. This Request for Proposals (RFP) provides project background and
describes needed support and specific tasks to be accomplished by the external evaluator.
These must be discussed and priced by all respondents according to the instructions given in this
RFP.
 
I. Background
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity is a 95-year old organization that was established at Howard University in Washington, DC.  The organization's mission is to be the leading proactive community service organizations focused on issues that impact the youth and community.
As one of the largest and oldest historically black Greek-letter organizations, Phi Beta Sigma
has over 700 collegiate and alumni chapters across the United States and several foreign countries. Its membership of over 125,000 men is dedicated to brotherhood, academic excellence and most importantly, community service. The Fraternity is headquartered in Washington, DC with a staff of nine individuals. The organization is governed by a national board that is elected every two years at a national convention (referred to as the Conclave). Individual collegiate and alumni chapters carry out the organization's programs on a local level.
 
Recently, the organization was awarded its first Federal contract from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to raise the awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS is having on the African American community.  
 
 
II. Evaluation Needs
The Fraternity is responsible for providing a monthly report in addition to a comprehensive annual report to the funding source.  The reports are to communicate to the funding source the impact the Fraternity is having on the community relative to the outlined objectives in the contractual agreement between the Fraternity and the funding source's agent.  The evaluation process is designed to do the following:
 
A. Measure the Fraternity's effectiveness in carrying out the objectives outlined in the performance plan.
 
B. Compile data reported by participating chapters.
 
C. Address the success of the Fraternity relative to its ability to raise the awareness of the impact HIV/AIDS is having on the African-American community.
 
2. Product/Deliverables:
 
A. The contractor retained will be responsible for assessing and reporting established measures of effectiveness of the organization relative to the outlined objectives in the performance plan and contract between the Fraternity and the funding source's agent, CDC specific to the Heightened National Response.
 
B. The contractor retained will be responsible for providing to the Fraternity an Evaluation report that addresses the aforementioned. 
 
III. Proposed Services
The Contractor will be selected on the basis of responses to this RFP. The Contractor will
be responsible for the services as described above.  In addition, the contractor will serve as a response for Phi Beta Sigma as it relates to the evaluation process for the Federal contract.
 
IV. Instructions for Submission of Proposals
Bidders must submit their proposal no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009. Late
proposals and proposals delivered by facsimile will not be accepted. Bidders must submit a
signed original and 3 copies of their proposal. Proposals should be mailed or delivered to: 145 Kennedy Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011. The bidder's approach should reflect the needs described in this RFP, which are subject to further development and refinement based on feedback from those who respond to this RFP, as well as the practical experience gained as the program and process evolves.
 
Please use the following outline to organize your response to this RFP.
 
1. Work Plan. Provide a concise description of how you would accomplish the general tasks
described in this RFP.
 
A. Begin with a discussion of how you or your firm generally evaluates programs and projects.

· Be as specific as possible in your discussion. For example, in describing how you will analyze the data, and the like.

· For each task, include a brief discussion about challenges and possible problems you would anticipate, and how you would propose to handle them.
 
B. Bidder's Suggestions. Please give your suggestions for better and/or additional ways
to address the evaluation process set forth for this document which is not otherwise described. Describe advantages and disadvantages of the approaches you recommend, and specify the cost implications, if any.
 
2. Bidder's Qualifications and Experience
Begin with a brief summary of the Bidder's overall capabilities and experience in evaluating projects and programs. This summary should briefly describe the Bidder's organizational
structure, experience, cultural/language sensitivity, and its capability to support a
community-based program's evaluation process.
 
Next, describe how your organization meets the specific requirements for this contract as are described below. Please be as specific and informative as possible in responding to each point. Include supporting documents (such as sample materials), if any, in an appendix to your proposal.
 
A. Substantial experience in evaluating community-based programs is directly relevant to the requirements of this project.

 

B. Demonstrated knowledge of the metropolitan area.

 

C. Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in the research and analytic skills required by
this project, including sampling, consumer testing and market research, methodology
(surveys, focus groups, individual interviews, use of secondary data), health care and
consumer issues.