Request for Proposal (RFP) for Community Connector Services

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The Prescribe Outside Partnership is seeking proposals from qualified firms, organizations, or individuals to provide community engagement consulting services. The selected consultant will work closely with the Partnership to engage with communities throughout Philadelphia to:

  • Establish key community connections throughout Philadelphia’s 10 districts 
  • Identify the needs, wants, opportunities, and barriers (specifically to accessing nature) within each community
  • Understand what may/may not be motivation to fill a nature prescription
  • Create a positive and engaging first impression of Prescribe Outside
  • Convey an open invitation to inform Prescribe Outside’s strategic growth

 

About Us

The Prescribe Outside Partnership (the Partnership) convenes a network of diverse partners who understand the health benefits of nature and the outdoors and believe that it should be accessible to all people. The Partnership trains and supports Philadelphia pediatric and family health providers in prescribing time in nature to their patients who are able to safely access nature and the outdoors for improved health. The Partnership prioritizes support to communities with a lack of access to greenspace. As part of our ongoing efforts to engage with and serve the residents of Philadelphia, we are seeking expertise and guidance from an experienced community connector who can establish key connections, facilitate community sessions that are engaging, informative, and fun, as well as inform our strategic growth as a Partnership.

 

Scope of Work

The community connector will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following tasks:

  • Attending virtual meeting(s) with the Prescribe Outside Partnership
  • Attending a limited number of Prescribe Outside programs
  • Facilitating connections with Philadelphia District community leaders (i.e. teachers, social workers, parent leaders)
  • Coordinating logistics for in-person and/or virtual community engagement
  • Co-design community engagement format (i.e. Listening Circles) and supply list (i.e. participant incentives, food)
  • Facilitating incentivized community engagement sessions
  • Evaluate and develop comprehensive report
  • Deliver formalized report with recommendations
  • Other tasks as needed

 

Qualifications

The ideal consultant should possess the following qualifications:

  • Demonstrated community engagement experience in the Philadelphia Area.
  • Expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) best practices and methodologies.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including various ages.
  • Track record of delivering high-quality, results-oriented consulting services and project management skills.

 

Proposal Guidelines

Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal that includes the following:

 

  • Overview of your firm/organization or individual qualifications and relevant experience.
  • Approach to conducting the assessment and developing recommendations.
  • Proposed timeline for completing the project six months from start date.
  • Detailed budget, including all fees and expenses (budget range: $10,000-$15,000)
  • References from past clients (if available).

 

Evaluation Criteria

  • Demonstrated experience and qualifications of the consultant.
  • Clarity and feasibility of the proposed approach.
  • Responsiveness to the scope of work and objectives.
  • Overall cost-effectiveness of the proposal.

 

Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted electronically to Grace Parker at [email protected] no later than AUGUST 1. Late submissions will not be considered.

 

Selection Process

After the submission deadline, proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview or presentation. The final selection will be based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this RFP.

 

Confidentiality

All information submitted in response to this RFP will be treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of evaluating proposals.

 

Contact Information

For questions or further information regarding this RFP, please contact:

Grace Parker, Prescribe Outside Project Manager ([email protected])

 

The Prescribe Outside Partnership reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received, to negotiate with any qualified consultant, or to cancel this RFP in part or in its entirety, if it is in the best interest of the organization to do so.