University of the District of Columbia
Request for Proposals
Projects for Institutional Change
Contact Person:
Marie Racine, Ph.D.
Telephone: 202.274.5633
e-mail: u
Table of Contents
Introduction and Overview 3
Format of the Proposal 3
Section 1. Statement of the Problem 4
Section 2. Vision for Change 5
Section 3. Project Plan 5
Section 4. Transition Plan 6
Section 5. Communications Plan 9
Section 6. Assessment and Evaluation Plan 9
Section 7. Plan for Securing External Funding 11
Scorecard 11
Exhibits
Exhibit 1. / Tasks and Major Milestones……………………………………………... / 7Exhibit 2. / Staffing Plan……………………………………………………………... / 7
Exhibit 3. / Budget…………………………………………………….……………… / 8
Exhibit 4. / Assessment and Evaluation Plan.………………………………………... / 10
Exhibit 5. / Scorecard for Institutional Change Proposals…………………………… / 12
Introduction and Overview
This is a Request for Proposals (RFP). It is a solicitation for proposals for projects to conduct needed changes at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). These changes fall into the categories of the working groups at the Administrators’ Institute conducted at the University by Pacific Crest on October 12 and 13, 2006.
This RFP is open to the six working groups, each of which is invited to submit a proposal. A committee appointed by the Provost will determine the awardees, and each will receive seed funding of up to $7,000 to initiate the proposal. Clearly, this funding will not be sufficient to complete the winning projects, and part of the effort will be to develop the rest of the required funding from internal and external sources. Opportunities for further funding from this office will be made available during the next academic year.
Other projects may also be implemented, but must be funded wholly from outside sources during 2006/2007 academic year.
Format of the Proposal
The format of the proposal should be as follows, and each proposal should contain all of these sections. The anticipated lengths of each section are indicated; in no case should the entire proposal be longer than 3,000 words, including attachments.
Executive Summary (maximum 300 words)
Section 1: Statement of the Problem (maximum 500 words)
1.1 Concise statement of problem
1.2 Forces driving change
1.3 Measuring what changes
1.4 Benefits to be realized
1.5 Issues that must be addressed
1.6 Alignment to Strategic Plan
1.7 Literature search
Section 2: Vision for the Change (maximum 400 words)
2.1 Present the future vision
2.2 Gap analysis of the differences
2.3 What values will be changed or improved
Section 3: Project Plan (maximum 500 words)
3.1 Goals and objectives
3.2 Personnel
3.3 Staffing plan
3.4 Risk analysis and readiness for change
3.5 Project budget – short-term and long-term
3.6 Benefit/cost analysis
Section 4: Transition Plan (maximum 400 words)
4.1 Groups and individuals impacted
4.2 Strategies to support these people
4.3 Professional development efforts
4.4 Clarifying the change roles – sponsor, advocate, and agent
4.5 Long-term efforts to support change
Section 5: Communication Plan (maximum 300 words)
Section 6: Assessment and Evaluation Plan (maximum 300 words)
6.1 Project outcomes
6.2 Performance measures
6.3 Assessment process
6.4 Evaluation plan and standards
Section 7: Plan for Securing External Funding (maximum 300 words)
Section 1. Statement of the Problem
The proposal must first make a clear and concise statement of the problem that the proposed change project will address. In particular, it must provide:
§ 1.1 Concise statement of the problem. A brief section should state in a very direct way the statement of the problem to be addressed by the proposed activities. This section should make the issues to be addressed clear to all readers, whether or not they are members of the professions knowledgeable of the problem’s fields. Clearly describe how this problem affects the university mission.
§ 1.2 Forces driving change. Ordinarily, every event or condition has precursor events or conditions – call them causes or variables – that explain its existence. To the extent possible, this section should identify the known and hypothesized forces that are the precursors of the event or condition to be addressed by the proposed activity. It should then identify those forces (causes or variables) that will drive the desired change, generating the new state. Highlight the three most significant contributions to helping advance UDC’s effectiveness.
§ 1.3 Measuring what changes. The proposal should indicate how all of these forces/causes/variables will be measured. This includes whether and how they have been measured in the past; and it should include how they will be measured in the course of the projected activities. It should also indicate what measurable condition (Level of Performance) of the system in question will constitute success. It is extremely important to do this at the outset.
§ 1.4 Benefits to be realized. This is the real core of the project, but it must also be measured. What measurable benefits will result from the projected activities? And indeed, how will they be measured, and what will constitute success? It is critical to show how these benefits improve student learning and student success.
§ 1.5 Issues that must be addressed. Here, the most important elements of the projected activities must be presented – this in four ways. First, what are the elements of the problem? Second, how is each to be addressed? Third, what is the most useful writing on the problem and its parts, and what does it say? Fourth, looking at this literature, what are the apparent best practices for dealing with the problem and its parts?
§ 1.6 Alignment to UDC Strategic Plan. Looking at the several UDC strategic planning documents, how do the projected activities advance the strategic goals indicated? (The following documents will be on reserve in LRD by Friday, November 3 for your consideration under the heading “Academic Affairs RFP”: University Strategic Plan, Academic Affairs Vision and Goals, Office of the Provost Assessment Plan. Other documents, such as the Self Study Report, The Student Retention Plan, and The National Survey of Student Engagement, will also be available.)
§ 1.7 Literature search. Identify documents reviewed in the team’s literature search.
Section 2. Vision for Change
Now, backing away from the current condition of the University, how do the proposers – through the lens of the strategic planning documents – view the desired future state of the University?
§ 2.1 Present the future vision. Describe this state in a brief but terse section.
§ 2.2 Gap analysis of the differences. What are the most notable differences between the present condition of the University with respect to the problems to be addressed by the proposed activities and the desired University future?
§ 2.3 What values will be changed or improved. In an effort to be as self-conscious and transparent as possible, state the values that are imbedded in the visionary thoughts articulated in this section. What difference do they make?
Section 3. Project Plan
Now, turning to the actual concrete activities, lay them out in such a way that they provide implementable instructions for those who will have the responsibility to execute this project.
§ 3.1 Goals and objectives. The major project goals and objectives should be specified and laid out in a system of tasks and subtasks, following the framework in Exhibit 1[1] following.
§ 3.2 Personnel. Describe each project position, its responsibilities, fraction of time devoted to the project, and required background. To the extent possible, briefly present the background of each person to occupy each position. Extra points are awarded for interdisciplinary teams and cross functional teams that utilize resources from across the university.
§ 3.3 Staffing plan. Lay out the persons in a staffing plan, similar to the one presented in Exhibit 2.1 It should show the level of effort for each person for each task.
§ 3.4 Risk analysis and readiness for change. Included in the project plan should be an assessment of obstacles, including the downside and risks of project activities, as well as of the readiness of the institution and/or its parts for change.
§ 3.5 Project budget – short-term and long-term. A one year project budget should be developed by activity (or task), together with an indication of the personnel and non-personnel costs, following the format in Exhibit 3.1 Develop a budget for the initial award (short-term) which is estimated to be approximately $7,000, as well as for extended (long-term) funding for the whole project.
§ 3.6 Benefit-cost analysis. Having assembled all of the above items, a consideration should be given to the benefits of the proposed activities set against their monetary and non-monetary costs. Do not manipulate this to make the project look more feasible than it would otherwise. If project costs outweigh benefits initially, you may want to rework the project so that it is more feasible in this regard.
Section 4. Transition Plan
When projects involving significant change in any human organization are undertaken, it is important to be fully aware that a transition is involved in any such change, and that such a transition ordinarily involves uncertainly, anxiety, and outright hostility among its members. Consider and address the following aspects of this phenomenon in the Transition Plan section of the proposal.
§ 4.1 Groups and individuals impacted. There may be a number of groups – sometimes overlapping in membership – that may be significantly impacted by any organizational change. Identify these groups, note the specific impacts that each may experience, and specify the new behaviors that may have to be demonstrated for the probable success of the change to be enhanced.
§ 4.2 Strategies to support these people. It is anticipated that there will be three phases of the transition: (1) an initial phase in which there is a departure from a more or less institutionalized stasis; (2) a middle phase in which anxiety, threat, and anger are all rife in the organization; and (3) a final phase in which a new more or less static condition is achieved with new behaviors, expectations, and values being institutionalized.. Give an indication of how you will deal with each of these phases.
Exhibit 1. Tasks and Major Milestones[Includes overall project schedule and deliverables]
Category / Month
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18
Tasks
Identify issues
Refine project plan
Review/redesign
Develop 3-yr plan
Extend to 5 yrs
Fac-admin-stf forums
Community forums
Conflict res exercises
Trust bldg exercises
Evaluation contract
Milestones/Objectives
3-year plan / ▲
5-year plan / ▲
Conf res implemented / ▲
Basic trust achieved / ▲
Shared governance / ▲
Pub image improved / ▲
Reports
Fincl reports / ■ / ■ / ■ / ■ / ■
Milestone reports / ■ / ■ / ■ / ■ / ■ / ■
Key:
Activities
Milestones ▲
Reports ■
Exhibit 2. Staffing Plan
]in person-hours]
Staff / Task
Identify issues / Refine project plan / Review/redesign / Develop 3-year plan / Extent horizon to 5 years / Fac-admin-staff forums / Community Forums / Conflict res exercises / Trust building exercises / Evaluation contract / Total
Director / 87 / 87 / 347 / 520 / 520 / 173 / 173 / 173 / 173 / 87 / 2,340
Deputy Director / 87 / 60 / 373 / 400 / 300 / 280 / 340 / 200 / 200 / 100 / 2,340
Student Aide / 37 / 26 / 160 / 170 / 130 / 120 / 140 / 90 / 85 / 42 / 1,000
Total / 211 / 173 / 880 / 1,090 / 950 / 573 / 653 / 463 / 458 / 229 / 5,680
Exhibit 3. Budget
[FY 20xx]
Category / Total
Personnel
Director (3/4 time) 18 mos. @$60,000 / $67,500
Deputy Director (3/4 time) 18 mos. @$40,000 / $45,000
Student Aide @ 20hr/week/50weeks/$10.00 / 10,000
FICA
Executive Director 7.65% / 5,164
Deputy Director / 3,443
Student Aide 7.65% / 765
Retirement (not for part-time employees) / -
Health Insurance (not for part-time) / -
Supplies
Consumables (paper, pens, etc.) / 520
Postage @ $25x/month / 450
Equipment
1 laptop computers and installation of lines / 1,000
1 printer / 650
1 phone line and installation / 3,805
Contractual
Consultant fee for Mediator at retreat @ $850/day + $850 for drafting report for each retreat / 1,700
Consultant fee for project evaluation beginning mo.16 and ending mo.17 / 19,000
Retreat for 350 employees / 26,500
Events
( 8 town halls in the 4 quadrants)
Space @ $175/location / 1,400
Public relations efforts (media) focused on residents / 2,000
Facilitator 16 hrs @ $125 / 2,000
Total / $190,896
§ 4.3 Professional development efforts. Are there to be any specialized professional development efforts used to make the transition more effective?
§ 4.4 Clarifying the change roles – sponsor, advocate, and agent. Explain how you will identify and encourage these three kinds of individuals who will typically emerge in any change process.
§ 4.5 Long-term efforts to support change. Once an element of an organization changes or is changed, it is important to reinforce the newly learned norms and expectations. How will you do this with the changes you will effect?
Section 5. Communications Plan
Communications are the life blood of any human organization. The creation, dissemination, and understanding of information about the organization as it changes are vital to the continuing or developing organizational transformation. What means will you use as ways of assuring that the information flow is reliable, transparent, and prompt?
Section 6. Assessment and Evaluation Plan
One of the most important efforts in any organization program is that of generating widely agreed, authoritative, evaluations of what is taking place. This is especially true of an organization undergoing significant change. Organizational members need to know what is taking place and whether or not it is in keeping with intended organizational strategic thinking. The format should follow the example in Exhibit 4.[2]