Welcome to our FAQ section, designed to provide clarity on any queries you or your organization might have regarding the open Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and/or Requests for Applications (RFAs).
What is the format for references?
Please provide their contact information (Name, Email, Phone Number).
Should a resume be submitted for only key principal members or anyone who will work on the project?
Please provide resumes for all key principal members.
Are there any projects or programs that the Collaborative has an immediate need for?
We are in immediate need of HR and IT services, as well as professional development options for clients.
How large is the current pool of businesses?
We currently have 13 vendors in our network and are looking to expand.
How long has this initiative been active, and what is the current engagement level for existing vendors?
We are just getting started! This initiative started in February 2024 and is a 3-year pilot funded by the City of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas Community Foundation.
What are the determining factors for the selection process beyond being admitted into the pool?
Please see our Evaluation Criteria section in the RFP.
If selected, what is the process for project assignment? And what is the lead time from request to delivery?
It will be likely that delivery will start in late June/early July 2024 for our first cohort of nonprofit clients. After that there will be an estimated cadence of cohort launches every 3-4 months.
Who makes up the participants in the membership pool?
Currently these are solely nonprofit clients in St. Petersburg, Florida but we will expand to other areas and types of nonprofits.
How many clients does the organization serve, and on average, how many clients do the partners providing services take on?
We are just getting started so we are beginning to take on clients now. We plan to serve 10 clients in the next three months and then more once the second and later cohorts are launched.
Is there an established budget for each of the following areas? If so, what is the budget for the following areas: Leadership Development and Strategic Planning, Board Development, Program Development and Evaluation, Leadership Development, Collaboration and Partnerships, DEI Training, and Technology and Systems Integration?
The budgets are determined by client need — there are standardized service costs for vendor services.
Is there a pre-bid conference to get clarification on the proposal and allow the vendors to ask questions?
We are taking questions now, but may host a pre-bid conference in the next few weeks if we receive a large number of questions.
If we are submitting for multiple services, should we submit a proposal for each service or can we submit one proposal representing multiple service offerings?
For the open RFP (required services) please submit one proposal. However, if you are submitting for proposals for specific services (IT, HR, Accounting) please submit separately.
Are there public records requirements for sharing a winning proposal if requested? If so, should we submit a redacted proposal to be shared?
There is a possibility that these would be subject to public records requirements. We are happy to redact sensitive information for you if this happens.
Are there specific pricing models or structures you prefer (e.g., hourly, fixed, retainer)?
It’s up to you! We use mostly hourly or fixed.
Is the expectation that the serviced be provided in person/onsite or can services be provided virtually/remotely?
There is no expectation — it is up to the client.
What is the estimated daily travel for this RFP?
We do not require our vendors (who are contractors) to travel — this is something that you will have to discuss with the client.
Will all travel be in Pinellas County?
For our ARPA project, yes, specifically St. Petersburg
Will travel expenses be included in this contract?
No.
Can we invoice daily or weekly?
The most common frequency for us is monthly.
IT RFP: Would you like a portal to review daily open and resolved tickets?
We’re not sure if we will initially have clients that need this but later on, when we take on larger, paid clients, this might be a service to provide. We are currently using a custom QuickBase database to manage our client and vendor information, invoicing, and program monitoring information. I’m not sure if this is something we can eventually integrate with that.
What are the pay terms after the resolved ticket/invoice?
30 days.
