SLC INVITES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR ASSESSMENT OF PRO BONO PROGRAM.
Release Date: March 27, 2019
RFP Due Date: April 26, 2019
RFP Notification Date: May 10, 2019
Southern Legal Counsel (SLC) is issuing this Request for Proposals
(RFP) to seek an assessment of SLC’s Pro Bono Program.
1. Purpose and Description. SLC, a non-profit public interest law firm, has been awarded a Pro Bono Transformation Grant from The Florida Bar Foundation to create a Pro Bono Impact Team that will expand SLC’s capacity to file more litigation and impact more clients. Success includes having a cadre of pro bono law firms available and working on impact cases. Our road to successfully transforming and implementing a high impact pro bono team will depend upon an honest and objective assessment of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as we create this program. The focus of both the pro bono assessment is determining the best practices that SLC will implement along with the barriers in Florida that could present challenges for creating a high impact pro bono program and placing cases. An internal assessment will be conducted with SLC’s Pro Bono Director taking the lead with the guidance of the assessment consultant. The internal assessment will have an inventory component so that we can get a better handle on how our pro bono program started and where it currently lies. The external assessment will be conducted with the assessment consultant taking the lead with the assistance of SLC’s Pro Bono Director. The scope of the external assessment should not only look at the pro bono ecosystem currently in place in Florida, but also specifically as it relates to the appetite of the private bar to handle high impact litigation cases. The assessment consultant will work closely with SLC staff and a Guiding Coalition to develop the assessment process. It is expected that the assessment will include a survey of SLC staff, private bar members, the judiciary, law schools, national programs with similar programs, and other stakeholders. The assessment will conduct focus groups and listening sessions in different pockets of Florida to help determine the barriers to handling systemic change and impact cases and learn what our stakeholders and community believes works well in our current pro bono operations.
2. Services Required, Timeline, and Payment.
2.1 Services Required: The assessment consultant will provide services to include:
• Coordination of major assessment activities with SLC and key partners
• Development and administration of assessment instruments such as surveys and interviews
• Quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
• Submission of final assessment report
• It is expected that the vendor will have assessment experience and knowledge of civil pro bono legal work.
• SLC staff will have primary project decision-making responsibilities over the assessment framework.
• SLC will prepare a Memorandum of Understanding with the selected assessment consultant regarding expected activities.
2.2 Timeline for Completion: The final report is to be submitted to SLC by October 1, 2019. SLC anticipates that substantive evaluation activities will begin by June 1, 2019.
2.3 Payment: Maximum contract to be awarded will be $15,000. One-half will be paid upon SLC’s approval of a plan submitted by the consultant that includes a description of activities to be conducted and a timeline for the activities. The remainder will be paid upon submission of the final report.
3. RFP Application.
3.1 Submission Deadline: April 26, 2019
3.2 Response Format: The proposal must be sent electronically via email to slc@southernlegal.org. The email subject should be clearly marked “Pro Bono Impact Team Evaluation.”
3.3 Response Requirements and Content: Assessment consultant applicants must respond to each question below:
• Assessment consultant’s name, address, and a description of their legal status, e.g., corporation, sole proprietor, etc.
• Assessment consultant’s contact name, telephone number, fax number, and email
• Detailed description of the assessment services to be rendered
• Timeline for services to be rendered
• Fees for services, including hourly rate and estimated number of hours
• Description of anticipated costs, including travel
• Two (2) references for other projects that you have managed, evaluated or assessed.
4. RFP Notification. Assessment consultants whose responses have not been selected for further negotiations or award will be notified via email. Assessment consultants selected to provide assessment services will be expected to enter into a contract with SLC.
5. RFP Communication and Contact Information. Communications and questions must be directed to Jodi Siegel, Executive Director, at jodi.siegel@southernlegal.org. Only written statements issued by the Executive Director may be relied upon.
Organization Information:
Southern Legal Counsel, Inc.
1229 NW 12th Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352-271-8890
Organization URL: www.southernlegal.org