Request for Quotes for Facilitator and Training Services for a Two-Day Development Workshop for a Nonprofit Management Team, #RFQ 2024.2025-0002

1. Purpose

This Request for Quotes (RFQ) seeks to identify and contract with a Training Facilitator (“Facilitator”) who has a minimum of five (5) years of experience delivering high-quality training services to nonprofit management teams. The selected Facilitator will design and lead a two-day, intensive, hands-on workshop focused on strengthening participants’ ability to apply practical strategies that enhance organizational performance and effectively lead high-functioning teams.

1. Background

The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region, Inc. (ELC) is accepting Quotes for a Facilitator to plan and conduct a Two-Day Development Workshop for its Management Team. This workshop will strive to enhance the development of ELC’s Management Team, emphasizing enhancement of key management skills, quality customer service, project management, and strategic alignment.

ELC operates as a not-for-profit corporation and incorporated as the Leon School Readiness Coalition in 2001 as required by the School Readiness Act of 1999 (411.01 F.S.). In response to legislative requirements, ELC has gone through several transitions, mergers as well as name changes, and expanded its service area in 2005 to encompass the seven counties it serves today.

Headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, ELC currently has 47 employees and serves Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties. A contracted partner with the Florida Department of Education’s (DOE) Division of Early Learning (DEL), ELC is responsible for the administration of the School Readiness (SR) and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs.

1. Target Audience

The training is intended for ELC’s Management Team, which includes the Provider Relations Manager, Procurement and Contracts Manager, Early Care and Education Manager, Community Relations Manager, Communications Director, and two (2) Family Services Managers. This team is committed to advancing their leadership skills and preparing for future workforce demands and organizational growth through focused professional development.

Additionally, members of the leadership team may join specific segments of the training as their schedules allow and when appropriate.

1. Scope of Work (SOW)

The selected Respondent (Contractor) will plan, design, and facilitate a two-day management training workshop. The Contractor is encouraged to bring at least one additional Trainer who is a qualified Subject Matter Expert (SME). The program should include hands-on activities and intensive, interactive sessions that foster the professional development and leadership growth of ELC’s Management Team.

Term: The anticipated Term of the Contract resulting from this solicitation will begin on May 5, 2025, or the date the last required party signs the Agreement (Execution Date) and will end on September 30, 2025. No contract renewals or extensions will be offered.

Training Dates: Wednesday, May 28 – Thursday May 29, 2025

Location: Tallahassee, Florida

1. Training Objectives

The Facilitator and their Subject Matter Expert(s) (SMEs) will design, develop, and deliver an interactive and engaging two-day program that challenges and empowers ELC’s Management Team to apply newly acquired skills and knowledge. The workshop should be outcome-driven, supporting participants in achieving the following objectives:

1. Key Management Skill Development
2. People Management Skills
3. Courageous Conversations/Empowering Teams
4. What’s Your Why? (Acting with Purpose)
5. Effective Employee Engagement
6. Leading Under Pressure/Managing Emotions
7. Building Trust and Integrity/Cultivating Ethical Leadership/Building Trustworthy Environments
8. Running Effective Meetings/Meeting vs. Email/Action Items/Agendas/Structure
9. Leadership Presence as both a Leader and a Participant
   1. Quality Customer Service
10. Ensuring Customer Satisfaction
11. Improving Customer Service Skills Within Constraints, Optimizing Available Resources
12. Resolving Issues
13. Fostering Professional Relationships
    1. Project Management
14. Setting shared goals/Management and Leadership Cohesion**

• Time Management/Power of effective delegation
• Simplifying and Achieving Project Goals
• Enhancing Team Collaboration
• Effective Planning Tools for Project Management
  • Strategic Alignment
• Change Management/Achieving a Mindset Shift
• Strategic Thinking and Planning/Incorporating Data into Decision Making** 
• Goal Setting for Success/Incorporating Data into Decision Making/Establishing Organizational Goals for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026)**

**Note – ELC would like the Facilitator to include its Leadership Team for some conversations, such as the training topics marked with two asterisks (**), to enhance cohesion between the Management and Leadership Teams.

• Training Facilitator Responsibilities
• Facilitate the Management Team Workshop by keeping the workshop on track while emphasizing the goals and objectives.
• The Facilitator is encouraged to bring in one or more SME’s who also meet the 5-year minimum experience requirement of conducting training with a diverse group of non-profit management teams in their areas of expertise.
• Must be available in person on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 (8:00 AM – 5:30 PM) and Thursday, May 29, 2025 (8:00 AM – 5:30 PM). Contractors must arrive one hour prior to the participants to prepare, set-up, and touch base with the Chief Operations Officer.
• Research participants and their roles to fully engage the target audience and determine when to adapt to the needs of the individual and group dynamics.
• Enhance the learning process by encouraging group interaction and collaboration to improve participant engagement.
• Create an inclusive and interactive environment that encourages feedback and reflection from participants. Provide adequate time for reflection.
• Balance both soft skill training (i.e., emotional triggers, well-being, and managing stress) with key leadership training topics of developing leadership brand and developing high-performing teams, as examples.
• Guide participants through their learning journey, fostering self-discovery and collaborative learning.
• Ensure participants remain engaged and understand the content presented.
• Complete all Facilitator deliverables and performance expectations included below in Section C.
• Deliverables and Performance Expectations
• Deliverables:
• Within two business days after receiving a Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA), the selected Contractor must meet, in person or via Zoom (or another agreed upon video meeting application) with ELC leaders for 60 minutes to negotiate a contract and review all workshop expectations and requirements.
• Provide detailed agenda broken out by day with topics, descriptions and any assessments and/or evaluations for the participants.
• Email electronic copies (PDF, PowerPoint, etc.) of the agenda, takeaway, and presentation documents to ELC by 9:00 AM, Friday, May 23, 2025.
• Provide all printed materials for the agenda, worksheets and/or workbooks, surveys, assessments, etc., and bring them to the Workshop
• Performance Expectations:
• Presentation and printed materials must use graphically pleasing visuals such as slides, images, and videos to enhance understanding and engagement (ELC will provide its company logo).
• Use consistent branding elements (colors, fonts, logos) for a professional look for your video presentations and take-away documents.
• Engage participants by encouraging interaction through questions, polls, discussions, and hands-on activities (Incorporate storytelling, anecdotes, or examples to make your content relatable).
• Submit information, as requested, for ELC’s project close-out report.

V. Requirements or Constraints on Vendor, Budget, Schedule, and Design

A. Vendor Requirements

1. Responsive Quotes should demonstrate Respondent and any included SMEs have at least five (5) years of experience providing Facilitator and/or Training services to non-profit leadership including Chief Executive, Finance, Operations, Program, and Compliance Officers, and their management teams. The selected finalist must submit copies of all degrees and certifications listed as credentials in their Quotes for themselves and any SME’s included in their Quote prior to executing a contract with ELC.
2. The selected finalist (Contractor) must register in MyFloridaMarketPlace, complete a W9 Form, and register in Sunbiz.org, unless otherwise exempt.
3. All Respondents who indicate they are a Certified Minority Owned Business (CMBE) must upload this documentation with their Quote showing active (not expired) government, university, or school district certifications.
4. The selected Contractor must accept ELC’s Professional Service Agreement and Purchase Order Terms and Conditions to become an approved Vendor.

B. Vendor Constraints

1. Contractor Disqualification

An entity or affiliate who has been placed on a discriminatory vendor list, pursuant to Section 287.134 F.S., is disqualified from submitting a Quote.

The Florida Department of Management Services is responsible for maintaining discriminatory Vendor information on its website. An entity or affiliate who has been placed on the Discriminatory Vendor List may not submit a bid, Quote, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity.

• Convicted Vendor List

The Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) maintains a list of any convicted vendors on its website. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the Convicted Vendor List following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid, Quote, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity.

• Suspended Vendor Lists  

DMS maintains a list of suspended Vendors on its website. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the Suspended Vendor List for contractual default may be excluded from the award of a contract unless the Vendor corrects its failure within the time frame provided by the contracting entity, pays any additional cost incurred for re-procuring the services, or is legally excused by the agency from default.

• IRS Form W-9

ELC is required by federal law to perform “Taxpayer Identification Number” (TIN) matching for all vendors with the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The selected Vendor will be required to submit a completed W-9 form.

• No Lobbying

In accordance with sections 11.062 and 216.347, F.S., no funds from the PO/Contract may be used for lobbying the state Legislature, the judicial branch, or any state Agency. Acceptance of these PO/Contract terms indicates Vendor is aware of and currently complies with the described lobbying activity restrictions. Vendor shall require all subcontracts to include this certification language, which is a material representation of fact upon which the Parties placed reliance when they made or entered into this transaction.

Any Respondent or lobbyist (paid or unpaid) for a Respondent is prohibited from having any private communication concerning any procurement process or any response to the procurement process with any ELC board member or any employee (including officers) who has not been designated by ELC as the Single Point of Contact after the official issuance of the solicitation and until completion of contract award to the selected Respondent. A Quote from any Respondent will be disqualified when the Respondent (or a lobbyist, paid or unpaid, for the Respondent) violates this condition of the procurement process.

• Conflicts of Interest/No Prior Involvement

Vendors, Contractors, Subcontractors, and individuals that have assisted in preparation of the RFQ or with project management oversight are precluded from bidding or preparing a Quote for this solicitation. The Vendor and/or Contractor shall not compensate in any manner, directly or indirectly, any officer, agent, or employee of ELC for any act or service that he/she may do, or perform for, or on behalf of, any officer, agent, or employee of the Vendor and/or Contractor. No officer, agent, or employee of ELC shall have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any Contract or purchase made, or authorized to be made, by anyone for, or on behalf of, ELC. The Vendor and/or Contractor shall have no interest and shall not acquire any interest that shall conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of the services required under the Contract resulting from this RFQ.

Respondents shall disclose with their response the name of any officer, director, employee, or other agent who is also an employee of ELC. Respondents shall also disclose the name of any ELC employee who owns, directly or indirectly, an interest of five percent (5%) or more in the respondent’s business or its affiliates. All respondents must disclose any business or family relationships with any officer, director, subcontractor, contractor, or employee of ELC.

• Other Constraints

Vendors will be disqualified if they have:

Previously failed to adequately perform in a prior Contract with ELC, been notified by ELC of the unsatisfactory performance, and failed to correct the inadequate performance to the satisfaction of ELC; or

Had a Contract terminated by ELC, by any State agency, or by any other organization for cause.

C. Budget

The maximum budget for the two-day workshop is $20,000.00. Quotes will be evaluated on quality and price.

The Quote is inclusive of all costs for the Facilitator Services and any Trainers (SMEs) they plan to include less any discounts offered by the Respondent.

All costs incurred in the preparation of a Quote in response to this solicitation will be the responsibility of the Respondent and will not be reimbursed by ELC.

• Workshop Schedule

May 28^th: Full-Day Workshop with Facilitator and Participants (8:00 am – 5:30 pm)

May 29^th: Full-Day Workshop with Facilitator and Participants (8:00 am – 5:30 pm)

• Design

We value innovative approaches to training designed specifically for non-profit and executive leadership and management teams. As described in the deliverables, Quotes should include a detailed agenda with topics, descriptions, and any assessments provided to the participants for each workshop day. Quote content must include clear goals and objectives, and action items participants can use immediately.

Respondents should consider including additional one-hour coaching sessions for each participant before or after the workshop. If offered, these costs must be included in the workshop fees within the maximum $20,000 budget.

• Timeline, Submission Information, and Scoring:

Informal Procurement Schedule	Due Date	Time (EST)
Release RFQ	Monday, 04/14/25
Quote Due Date	Monday, 04/28/25	6:00 PM
Anticipated Email Notification Date for Vendor Selection	Wednesday, 04/30/25	6:00 PM
Anticipated Contract Start Date The actual contract will become effective on the date the last required party signs the agreement.	Monday, 05/05/25

• General Instructions to Respondents:
•  Electronic Submission
• Required Quote Template

Only Quotes submitted electronically using the required template on or before the above deadline in the above Informal Procurement Schedulewill be considered for review. The application template will not allow Respondents to submit late or incomplete Quotes.

Use the following link to complete/submit your Quote:

• https://form.jotform.com/250890395944166

Plan for possible heavy system traffic and submit your Quote at least one hour prior to the noticed deadline time to avoid having the system reject any late or incomplete Quotes.

• Sole Point of Contact (“Contact”)

Although this is an informal procurement, ELC will only respond to written communications regarding this solicitation. The Sole Point of Contact will review all communications.

Helen Giraitis, M.P. Aff., Procurement and Contracts Manager

Coalición de aprendizaje temprano de la región de Big Bend, Inc.

2639 North Monroe St., Building C-300

Tallahassee, FL 32303

Correo electrónico: procurement@elcbigbend.org

ELC will not accept any phone calls regarding this posted RFQ.