Grants Contractor RFP

Request For Proposals

Nonprofit and Government Grants Compliance Contractor

The purpose of this request for proposal (RFP) is to identify and contract a qualified professional or firm to assess the current condition of ASHwell’s grants tracking and compliance systems and practices and to produce a detailed report that outlines the infrastructure and personnel needs required to consolidate and centralize our grants tracking and compliance practices.

Background

ASHwell is a mid-sized nonprofit organization with a mission to end the HIV and Hepatitis C epidemics in Central Texas. We manage over $2 million in government contracts, including key grants such as Ryan White Part A, the Minority AIDS Initiative, the Ending the HIV Epidemic grant, as well as contracts from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Along with an additional $1 million per year in private foundation grants that come with various deliverables and necessitate regular billing for reimbursements, our grants management involves multiple departments across our organization and requires meticulous tracking and reporting.

As ASHwell grows, we seek to assess our current systems and implement the infrastructure needed to support and sustain our growth effectively and efficiently. This includes considering new platforms, personnel needs, and training for the set-up, implementation and ongoing management of a new, centralized grants tracking and compliance system and program.

We intend to manage this work as outlined in the following phases:

• Phase 1: Assessment and Recommendation - the selected contractor will make a thorough assessment as outlined in the scope of work.
• Phase 2: Choice points and system implementation mapping - The Executive Team will make the necessary decisions to move forward with recommendations and implementation.
• Phase 3: Implementation and staffing - the selected contractor will project manage the setup, migration and implementation of the new system.

Scope of Work

The selected contractor will be responsible for the following:

Assessment of Current Grants Tracking and Compliance Processes

• Review and analyze the current processes and systems used for managing all ASHwell grants including government contracts, particularly Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants, as well as private foundation grants.
• Evaluate the tracking and reporting of deliverables for government contracts and the process of billing for reimbursements from private foundation grants.
• Assess the involvement and coordination of multiple departments in the grants management process.
• Assess the internal communication and workflows of current systems and practices.

Identification of Compliance Needs

• Identify gaps and risks in current compliance with the individual specific requirements of Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants, as well as other government and foundation grant requirements.
• Determine the specific individual compliance needs related to tracking, reporting, and billing for each respective grant.

Recommendations for Centralizing and Streamlining

• Provide a report on recommendations for improving grants management processes to enhance compliance, efficiency, and effectiveness, with a focus on the particular needs of Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants in the interim.
• Provide feedback for software, platforms, or tools that are currently being researched and considered by ASHwell staff.
• Provide new recommendations for software, platforms, or tools that could streamline tracking, reporting, and billing.
• Develop a comprehensive plan to prepare for migration or integration of current systems and practices into a single stream.
• Offer input and feedback to the existing staffing plan for 2025 to meet capacity needs for the recommendations.

Development of a Compliance Plan

• Assist in the development of a comprehensive grants compliance plan that addresses identified gaps and incorporates best practices, particularly in relation to Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants for immediate use during phases 1 and 2.
• Document and outline the roles and responsibilities of various departments and staff members in maintaining compliance.

Training and Capacity Building

• Propose a training plan for staff involved in grants management to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, with emphasis on the specific requirements of Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants as well as other government and foundation grant requirements.
• Provide guidelines for ongoing monitoring and improvement of grants compliance processes.

Optional

• Project manage the implementation of new systems including a migration plan, IT liaison/point of contact, collaboration with appropriate departments including Operations and Finance, staff training and SOP on new systems for implicated staff.

Deliverables

The contractor is expected to provide the following deliverables:

• Assessment Report: A detailed report on the current state of our grants compliance systems, including identified gaps and risks, with specific attention to Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants as well as other government and foundation grant requirements.
• Recommendations Document: A document outlining specific recommendations for improving grants compliance immediately and suggested software platforms or tools to centralize our systems.
• Compliance Plan: A comprehensive grants compliance plan tailored to the organization's needs.
• Training Recommendation: A plan for training staff on best practices in grants management and compliance, with a focus on key government grants.
• Optional: Build and set up a new system including SOP and staff training.

Proposal Requirements

Interested contractors must submit a proposal that includes the following:

• Company Profile
  • Overview of the contractor's business, including experience in grants compliance assessments for nonprofits, specifically with Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants.
  • Examples of similar projects completed, including client references.
• Approach and Methodology
  • A detailed description of the approach and methodology the contractor will use to complete the scope of work.
  • A proposed timeline for completing the assessment, including key milestones.
• Team Qualifications
  • Information on the team members who will be involved in the project, including their qualifications and experience, particularly in managing compliance for Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants.
• Cost Proposal
  • A detailed cost proposal, including a breakdown of costs associated with each phase of the project.
  • Any additional costs that may be incurred during the project.
• References
  • Provide at least three (3) references from previous clients for whom the contractor has conducted similar assessments, with preference given to projects involving Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevant experience and qualifications, especially in relation to Ryan White Part A, Minority AIDS Initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic, SAMHSA, and CDC grants.
• Approach and methodology
• Understanding of the scope of work
• Cost proposal
• References and past performance

Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted by November 8, 2024, in PDF format to Cynthia “Cy” Herrera, Executive Director at cherrera@ashwellatx.org. Please use the subject line "RFP for Grants Compliance Assessment.”