Consultant

Summary

Project Overview: Hispanic Federation (HF) seeks multiple consultants to provide expert individualized and small-group technical assistance and training to Latine community-based organizations (CBOs) that are current or potential HF subgrantees under federal or other public sector grants and need support to develop and implement policies and procedures for meeting funder requirements. HF needs consultants with documented knowledge, skills, and experience to provide culturally competent training and technical assistance in compliance and fiscal management in a manner that genuinely builds the long-term capacity of CBOs to manage public sector funding.

HF expects to select individuals and entities with whom we will enter into a Master Services Agreement, as prequalified vendors, starting in January 2025 and on a rolling basis as new funded initiatives come online. HF will then contract from among those prequalified vendors for specific training and technical assistance assignments based on CBOs’ needs and consultants’ qualifications.

Funding Period: Contracts will range in duration from 6 to 18 months depending on the particular funded initiative, beginning as early as January 2025. Agreements may be extended based on consultant performance and HF needs.

Eligibility: Individuals, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations in the continental United States and Puerto Rico.

Expectations: HF will be contracting with individuals and organizations with demonstrated knowledge, skills, and experience in assisting nonprofit organizations, including small nonprofits (budgets below $250,000), in developing and implementing policies and procedures that enable them to successfully manage federal and other public-sector grants. HF expects to pair consultants with CBO cohorts and individual CBOs based on their location, size, capacity, and needs. We welcome consultants located in various parts of the country, particularly NY, CT, NC, FL, IL, CA, DC and Puerto Rico, and require some individuals who can prepare materials, lead trainings and provide services in both English and Spanish. Demonstrated capacity to work successfully with small and community-of-color-led nonprofits is essential.

RFP Questions & Briefing: Questions about the RFP may be submitted to HF Senior Director of Capacity Building at mborn@hispanicfederation.org until December 15, 2024. A briefing answering select questions will be held on December 17, 2024 at 2pm ET. Register here.

Due Date and Submission: Priority consideration will be given to proposals submitted by January 5, 2025. Apply here.

Background

Organizational Background

Hispanic Federation (HF) is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in New York that works to build power and advance the Latine community and its institutions through nonprofit capacity-building, grantmaking, programs, advocacy, and emergency relief and recovery. Since its inception in 1990, HF has focused on supporting and strengthening Latine-led community based nonprofit organizations as a key instrument for social justice and economic empowerment. HF’s network includes more than 700 Latine nonprofits in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. HF currently has offices in seven other states and territories: Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida, California, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.

HF Public Funding Capacity-Building Initiative

Hispanic Federation receives a substantial amount of public sector funding, some as direct federal, state, or local grants and others as federal funds provided through state or local governments. HF implements most of these grants partially through subgrants or contracts with Latine-led, Latine-serving CBOs that are part of its network. HF expects to have over 100 different subgrantees in 2025 alone.

In selecting and monitoring its subgrantees and potential subgrantees, HF has become aware that many of them have limited experience meeting the otien-demanding requirements of public – especially federal – grants, and they may lack policies and procedures needed to ensure compliance with the Uniform Guidance (Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards), 2 CFR Part 200 and other major requirements. Some also lack policies, procedures, and systems needed to meet state and local grant and subgrant requirements. This may reflect little or no prior public funding because of traditionally limited access to such resources by Latine CBOs, or experience with grants or subgrants where compliance was less rigorous. Some organizations were unaware that federal requirements apply when federal funding is awarded through state or local government agencies. Organizations also vary in their familiarity with state and local requirements.

HF is committed to ensuring subgrantee compliance and positioning HF network members for ongoing success as public-agency grantees and subgrantees. We have established this Public Funding Capacity-Building (PFCB) Initiative to assist current and potential HF sub awardees in first assessing their current policies and procedures for managing public (especially federal) awards or subawards with HF assistance, and then in developing, adopting, and fully implementing needed policies and procedures with the help of expert consultants. This includes both fiscal and other aspects of compliance.

The PFCB Initiative will first prioritize the following groups of sub awardees, with others to be added as initiatives receive funding:

Funding Agency Small Business Administration (Federal)

Location of Subwardees Southern Connecticut & New York

Estimated # Orgs 8

Approximate Timeframe of Training and TA Through April 2025

Language Needed English

Funding Agency Office of New Americans (State of NY)

Location of Subwardees New York City metro area

Estimated # Orgs 24

Approximate Timeframe of Training and TA Through August 2025

Language Needed English

Funding Agency NC Dept of Information Technology (State of NC)

Location of Subwardees North Carolina

Estimated # Orgs 10

Approximate Timeframe of Training and TA Through December 2025

Language Needed English & Spanish

Funding Agency Department of Energy (Federal)

Location of Subwardees Puerto Rico

Estimated # Orgs 10

Approximate Timeframe of Training and TA 2025-2026

Language Needed Spanish

Funding Agency National Telecommunications & Information Administration (Federal)

Location of Subwardees Various U.S. states and territories

Estimated # Orgs 30

Approximate Timeframe of Training and TA 2025-2026

Language Needed English & Spanish

Needed Consulting Services

HF needs expert consultants with demonstrated skills and experience in providing technical assistance and training in the development and implementation of policies and procedures that meet federal, state, and local grant and subgrant requirements in two major areas:

1. Fiscal compliance/policies and procedures: These include the various provisions of the Uniform Guidance, with emphasis on financial management system and internal controls such as accounting manuals; use of GAAP; tracking of project expenditures; allowable and unallowable costs; time and effort tracking; employees vs. contractors; exempt vs. non exempt employees; benefits, payroll and other taxes; property standards and equipment inventories; budgeted vs. actual project expenditures; direct and indirect costs; procurement; and audits or annual review by a Certified Public Accountant.
2. Other compliance/policies and procedures: These include administrative and national requirements related to such topics as nondiscrimination; the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); sexual harassment; work authorization for non-citizens; protection of personally identifiable information (PII); conflict of interest; whistleblowers; fraud, waste and abuse; records retention and destruction; records access; and requirements for prior written approvals.

Consultants may be asked to provide training sessions, small group work sessions, or individualized assistance to sub awardee organizations. HF expects consultants who provide training to have skills and experience in designing and delivering training sessions and preparing training materials (agendas, objectives, hands-on learning activities, session assessments). HF will provide a resource bank of sample materials and templates for use as handouts to support training and technical assistance. Additional materials may need to be developed. All materials and planned content for trainings must be approved by HF. Some trainings, work sessions and individual TA will need to be provided in Spanish, depending on the CBO staff participating.

Scope of Work and Timeframes

HF expects the Public-Sector Capacity-Building Initiative to be implemented as described below but reserves the right to adjust these plans as needed to best meet CBO and HF needs.

1. Selection of consultant contractors: HF expects to select individuals and entities with whom we will enter into a Master Services Agreement, as prequalified vendors, starting in January 2025 and on a rolling basis as newly funded initiatives come online. A review panel of HF personnel will assess the submissions. Staff will first review RFPs for completeness, identify those that appear to meet minimum requirements, and identify any missing information that HF may, at its sole discretion, decide to request. The panel will review proposals using a review and rating form. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, HF will decide which entities to contract with, and whether to recontact any of the groups for more information to inform its decision. HF expects to contract with several entities and individuals. Contracts are expected to specify a minimum level of work assuming competent performance and an “up to” maximum level of work.
2. Assignment of consultants for specific tasks: HF will identify CBOs in need of assistance; prepare a concise but specific summary of their needs; review resumes, skill matrix information, and other materials submitted by consultants under contract; and contact one or more consultants to determine interest, availability, and fit.
3. Training and small-group sessions: Once the need for a training or small-group session is identified, HF will work with consultants with needed expertise and language ability and, if relevant, who are in or near the area, to ascertain availability and fit. HF will explain the assignment and request a brief scope of work, including a list of proposed tasks and a cost estimate from the individual or entity. HF will then select the consultant to work with HF to provide the group session. Once confirmed, the individual or entity will develop the agenda and specific content and prepare the required materials, submitting them for review to HF in advance of the session. A specific timeline will be determined for each engagement to ensure sufficient time for preparations, including translation of materials if necessary.
4. Individual assistance: Individual assistance may be provided in-person after a group session, through on-site work, and/or remotely, or as a combination of these. HF expects to identify a group of CBOs in need of such assistance based on its own assessment, specify objectives and focus areas for the assistance, and then work with contractors to identify appropriate consultants to pair with each of them. HF will provide the individual consultant or entity with information about the CBO including its assessment of needs. HF will arrange a call with the CBO to help the potential consultant better understand its needs. Then the consultant/entity will be asked to provide a brief list of proposed tasks and a cost estimate and timeline for assistance. Please note that consultants are expected to help client CBOs learn to develop and implement fiscal, administrative and operational policies and procedures, rather than doing it for them. For example, the consultant may provide sample policies and procedures to a client CBO and work with staff to develop a plan and timeline for tailoring, adopting and implementing such policies, but must not do the implementation for the client. This approach should be reflected in the proposed plan and cost estimate for assistance.
5. Development and use of materials: Consultants may be asked to develop sample policies and procedures, as well as training materials, and to use existing materials provided by HF, sometimes adapting them. When HF pays for the consultant to develop sample policies, procedures or training materials, they must be made available to HF for its ongoing use (the consultant may also use the materials, crediting HF and this initiative).
6. Reporting: Each provider will be asked to submit to HF a concise but specific report using a standardized template that asks for a summary of assistance provided, with dates, hours, and methods of providing assistance, success in reaching stated objectives and addressing key focus areas, challenges encountered, and any additional capacity-building needs. In the case of group trainings, providers will be asked to create, and collect CBO responses to, an evaluation of the training. A debriefing call may be requested by HF.
7. Assessment of assistance: HF will solicit feedback from recipients of capacity-building assistance to assess the relevance, quality, and value of the assistance, based on agreed upon objectives and focus areas.

Locations for Assistance

Services will be provided both on-site and remotely, using Zoom or similar technology. Onsite assistance locations are expected to include the following:

• In and near HF office locations: Trainings, small-group sessions and individual assistance in some or all of the following locations: New York, NY; Hartford, CT; Chicago, IL; Charlotte and Mount Olive, NC; Orlando, FL; Los Angeles, CA; and San Juan, PR.
• Other locations: Sessions and opportunities for individual assistance for CBOs in other locations where HF does not have offices.

Budget

HF has allocated an average of $5,000 per CBO in direct capacity-building assistance, including all necessary preparations and reporting. Additional funding is available for preparation and delivery of training and small group sessions, in or near HF office locations and in other places as appropriate. Providers may need to refine existing materials of their own or made available by HF, or prepare new ones, in English or Spanish. HF will typically be responsible for translating existing materials into Spanish, if necessary.

Requirements and Preferences

1. Requirements
   • Consultants must:
     • Meet all federal contractor requirements, including the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200) and other federal requirements.
     • Align with HF’s mission, values, and principles.
     • Have direct professional experience in the topics for which they will be providing consultation, ideally both in doing such work directly – e.g., developing and implementing fiscal policies and procedures within a nonprofit organization – and in transferring that knowledge to others through formal or informal training or individual capacity-building assistance.
     • Have specific knowledge of and experience with the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200) and other major federal requirements.
     • Bring direct experience working with small community-of-color-led nonprofits that may have limited resources, a high level of demand for their services, and various operational challenges.
     • For entities, provide a specific agreed-upon consultant for each assignment. HF will work with the entity to identify the most appropriate consultant for each CBO and must approve each pairing.
2. Preferences
   • HF prefers to contract with some consultants and entities that:
     • Are MWBE certified in New York State
     • Can provide bilingual English and Spanish services. Some of the work will be done in Spanish, and some knowledge of Spanish is helpful even when the work is done in English.
     • Have experience writing policies, procedures, and training materials using “Plain Language.”

Criteria for Selection

Selection criteria will include the following:

1. Skills and Experience: Documented knowledge, expertise, and experience in doing related work, particularly in providing capacity-building assistance in development and implementation of policies and procedures, in a manner that engenders trust with organizational leaders. This includes content expertise as well as experience working with organizations similar to HF’s network – Latine-led nonprofits, other community-of color-led non-profits, very small nonprofits, and nonprofits providing a range of social services. For entities, HF will give preference to entities whose proposed consultants are staff members or regular consultants to the entity rather than individuals identified for this project with no prior link to the entity.
2. Specific Skills Related to Public-Sector Grants Compliance: Specific skills of an individual consultant bidder or of each consultant proposed by an entity that are relevant to public-sector grant compliance, based on resumes and completed Skills Matrix.
3. Past Performance: Information on other, similar work to that described in this RFP, and the feedback provided by the contacts identified for past projects.
4. Costs: Reasonableness of the hourly loaded rates to be charged and other proposed costs, such that HF will be able to accomplish the work within the budgeted parameters.
5. Availability: Includes the extent to which the contractor can commit to sufficient availability of at least 20 hours per month on this initiative; quick-response ability, in cases where assistance needs to be provided within 1-3 weeks to respond to immediate needs; and ability/willingness to travel to various locations to provide assistance.

Proposal

The proposal should be submitted via our online application and must include the following:

1. Contact Information including applicant name and contact, and an individual authorized to make commitments on behalf of the entity, if applicable.
2. Affirmation that (1) you are authorized to make any commitments on behalf of the entity that are inherent in the proposed services and rates included in the proposal, (2) you/the entity meet(s) all federal contractor requirements, including the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200) and any other applicable federal requirements, and (3) the information submitted in the proposal constitutes a firm offer for a period of 90 days following the date of submission.
3. Summary of Experience, providing a description of your/the entity’s experience and capacity to provide the proposed consulting services. In addition to general experience providing training and technical assistance in the aforementioned subject areas, HF particularly values the following:
   1. Understanding of and experience with small nonprofits (budgets under $250,000).
   2. Experience with Latine-led and -serving nonprofits.
   3. Capacity to provide training and technical assistance in both English and Spanish.
   4. Familiarity with specific federal, state and local government funding agencies: in particular National Telecommunications & Information Administration, Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, and NYS Office of New Americans.
   5. For engagements in Puerto Rico, familiarity with Puerto Rico regulations relevant to nonprofit operations and compliance.
4. Scope of Work, a specific description of how you will approach the assignment as it is described in this RFP. Please specify in particular how you will build the capacity of CBOs to manage public sector funding in the future, long atier your engagement with them.
5. Specific Skills and Experience, uploading a resume and completed Skills and Experience Matrix for the consultant(s). If you are applying as an entity, please indicate in the Matrix the relationship of each proposed consultant to your organization (e.g., full-time staff, part-time staff, contractor). Entities may include up to five consultants in their proposal.
6. Previous Clients, focusing on related assignments. Provide specific information on at least three prior related assignments, including the following: (1) the client; (2) the funder, if the client was a sub awardee or grantee of the entity funding the work; (3) period of performance; (4) brief description of the work, including how it prepares you for this assignment; and (5) a reference HF may contact about your work, including name, relationship to the project; and contact information.
7. Geographic preferences: If you as an individual consultant or any consultants being proposed by an entity wish to provide assistance only in a particular geographic area (e.g. Northeast, Midwest, Florida, Puerto Rico), please specify.
8. Budget Information, including the following:
9. Expected level of effort: Approximate number of hours you can devote to the project over the next 18 months. Please note the average monthly hours, and any periods of the year when that average may vary substantially.
10. Hourly rates: The expected hourly rate or (for entities) the range of rates for the identified consultants, and show how the rate was calculated and what is included. Note that HF expects providers to bill preparation time at the same hourly rate as direct consulting time.
11. Other projected costs: If you are applying as an entity, please describe and justify any other direct or indirect costs you will charge in addition to the hourly consultant rates, such as personnel, facilities, or communications expenses.

Note that HF will reimburse separately for long-distance travel costs, including air or train fares, lodging and per diem, and necessary on-site transportation. HF will also reimburse reasonable local transportation costs, including mileage reimbursement where practical, for training or technical assistance provided within or near the consultant’s metro area. Such reimbursements will be based on the funding agency’s approved rates.

RFP Questions & Briefing

Questions about the RFP may be submitted to HF Senior Director of Capacity Building at mborn@hispanicfederation.org until December 15, 2024. A briefing answering select questions will be held on December 17, 2024 at 2pm ET. Register here. A recording of the briefing will be shared with all who register.

Due Date and Submission

Priority consideration will be given to proposals submitted by January 5, 2025.