Content Area Specialist
Request Submissions and Contracting

Engaging a Content Area Specialist is hiring an outside consultant to assist you with a defined area such as human resources, board development, financial management, etc. either because the organization doesn’t have the staff experience or time to do the work. Below are a few guidelines and suggestions to consider as grantees move forward to preparing, selecting, and engaging with Content Area Specialists (CAS).

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While Grantees do not need to submit full proposal to request TA funding, we strongly encourage them to request full proposals from multiple Content Area Specialists when they are seeking technical assistance. Coaches should provide support to Grantees as they navigate this process (if support is desired).

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Preparing to Engage a CAS:

A few things for grantees to consider prior to engaging with a CAS:

• Allocate staff time to meet and work with the CAS throughout the project/tasks. Who will be the lead contact with the CAS?

• Craft a clear set of goals and/or expectations that should be achieved as a result of the engagement.

  • What are you trying to change and/or improve?

  • What problem are you trying to solve?

  • How will the CAS report progress?

  • Are their cultural nuances important for the CAS to understand?

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Outreach, Recruitment, and Selection of a CAS:

There are several approaches to selecting a CAS to engage that grantees can take that range from informal to very formal. How a grantee approaches selection can depend upon the subject matter, specialization, and timeline. Many grantees may have established relationships with local consultants that could influence the selection process.

As grantees are deciding how they will conduct their selection process, consider the benefits of working with a consultant you have never worked with before:

• neutral third party with no previous experience with the organizational

• expands the organization’s network to a new person/s and their circle of influence.

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The Accelerator team has provided a CAS Directory as a starting point for identifying potential consultants who may be able to assist.

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There are many ways that organizations may choose to gather information and select a CAS. Here are three commonly used approaches to serve as examples:

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1. Research and Interview: Grantees can research and compile a prospect list of consultants and conduct interviews based on this research. Prospects can be found by using the CAS Directory, contacting peer organizations or national/state coalitions or networks. While not all consultants will have website content, for those who do, it can provide insight on who they are and their experiences.
   
   Once a list of 2-4 potential consultants are compiled, interviews can be conducted to get a sense of their style, assess organizational fit and confirm they understand the project. Once a grantee decides they would like to move forward with a consultant, a scope of work should be developed (and is a requirement for Accelerator TA funds) as a part of the consulting contract.
    

2. Request for Qualifications (RFQ): The RFQ approach is a more formal approach that focuses on consultants providing their experiences and qualifications rather than responding to a specific project. This approach can be useful if grantees are looking for consultants who have experience in the area needed but the grantee hasn’t decided about the details of their project or grantees would like a set of prescreened consultants ready for consideration.
   
   An RFQ asks for 1) a resume, 2) services description or marketing materials and 3) references. An interview can be added to this process as well.
   
   Once a grantee decides they would like to move forward with a consultant that has responded to a RFQ, a scope of work should be developed (and is a requirement for Accelerator TA funds) as a part of the consulting contract.
    

3. Request for Proposal (RFP): The RFP proposal is also a more formal approach that focuses on a specific scope of work for consultants to respond to. In general, an RFP includes the following elements:
    

   • About Your Organization

     1. Background information about grantee, including mission and brief description of programs/services (or make reference to your website if you have one).

     2. Specific description of the project/services that consulting is needed

     3. Parameters such as proposal deadline, project timeline, scope and budget.

     4. Other requirements such as maximum page count, format or anything that may be a disqualifying factor.

   • About The Consultant

     1. Contact information and business name (if applicable)

     2. Describe their background and expertise

     3. Demonstrate capacity to complete the project

     4. Plan for completing the project, including a timeline

     5. Proposed fees and explanation of fee structure (hourly or project based, for example)

     6. References (recommend at least 3)