By Iman Mekonen · March 20, 2023

Smart Growth America (SGA) is seeking a human resources consultant (individual consultant or dedicated individual within a small firm) to perform an update of SGA’s employee handbook and provide associated services related to the rollout of the new handbook. The deadline to submit a proposal is April 3, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

About Smart Growth America (SGA)

SGA is a national non-profit organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., that envisions a country whereno matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient.We empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize our vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity. Advancing racial equity, helping communities mitigate and adapt to climate change, and creating healthier communities are core outcomes we seek in all of our work.

Goals and Objectives

SGA is in search of a human resources consultant (individual consultant or dedicated individual within a small firm) to perform an update of SGA’s employee handbook and provide associated services related to the rollout of the new handbook. The deadline to submit a proposal is April 3, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. SGA has the following goals and objectives for the employee handbook update:

1. Comprehensive update and streamlining. There has not been a comprehensive update of SGA’s current employee handbook since it was last updated in 2015. There have been piecemeal updates based on policy changes and current events, but not an overall review and update. Update our handbook’s description of our company benefits, personnel policies and procedures, and administrative protocols. Structure the handbook to help improve our organization’s HR functions, and improve employee performance and satisfaction by making our policies, benefits and protocols clear, unambiguous, and well-organized.
2. Include best practices that reduce risks and liabilities. Reduce liability and risk of errors by incorporating into the handbook industry best practices, and language compliant with current applicable local, state and federal employment laws. Incorporate provisions that assist compliance as a multi-state employer.
3. Reflect and reinforce SGA culture and values, including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Update the handbook to reflect and reinforce SGA’s culture, as well as DEI vision and values. Incorporate specific policies and practices that provide guidance on and support the actualization of our culture and DEI vision.

Fixed Fee Scope and Deliverables

Fixed Fee Scope and Deliverables – Update and Rollout of new Employee Handbook

• Review of Current Handbook and recent supplemental policy documents (i.e., hybrid office schedule, COVID-19 protocols and general illness policies, remote work protocols, and draft DEI materials);
• Create draft new Table of Contents for Handbook, and at least one full draft and final version
• Work with SGA and SGA’s outside counsels on their review and comment on Handbook drafts
• Create Internal Rollout Plan for Handbook and assist with implementation

Deliverables shall include:

1) Internal Rollout Plan

2) Brief Summary of Key Changes to Handbook

3) Training Presentation to supervisory staff

4) General Presentation to all staff via Zoom

All deliverables must be in electronic format (suitable for ongoing customization). The Consultant shall reportdirectly to the President and CEO as well as the Director of Finance and Administration. Please see below for an estimated Project Timeline for the Employee Handbook scope and deliverables above.

Additional Services – Hourly Rate Proposal

SGA may require additional assistance which might naturally arise from the fixed-fee work identified in this RFP, or just ongoing human resources needs. This work could include, but is not limited to:

• Updated and new forms, and checklists associated with personnel procedures (onboarding, offboarding, weblinks to benefits enrolment and changes etc.);
• Updated process for posting job vacancies in-house and outside of SGA
• On- and off-boarding aids (such as presentations and checklists) for new hires and separating employees
• Assistance with employee benefit administration or compliance

All bids should include, in addition to a fixed-fee proposal for the scope above, hourly rates (good for up to one year) for identified staff who would provide these or other potential additional HR services.

Submission Requirements

RFP submissions (total pages count not to exceed 10 pages) shall include the following:

Qualifications and Work Plan

• Relevant Experience/Qualifications of Consultant including that of lead staff for fixed-fee work
• Project Approach/Work Plan for fixed-fee scope that fulfills project goals and estimated timeline
• Three (3) relevant references from similar work

Cost Proposal

This RFP seeks both a cost effective fixed-fee proposal to complete the fixed scope and deliverables above, and hourly rates for potential associated services. Please provide:

• Fixed price proposal for the Fixed-Fee Scope and Deliverables above
  • The total, aggregate, fixed fee shall not exceed Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000).
• Hourly rates (good for at least one year) for the team that will be assigned to deliver the fixed-fee scope and the other potential human resources consulting work described above.

In addition to the submitted qualifications, references and work plan, the overall cost and competitiveness of the fixedprice proposal, and hourly rates, will be factors in the selection decision.

RFP Application Process and Estimated Project Timeline

We invite interested consultants to submit a proposal immediately. SGA is accepting proposals from an individual consultant or an individual within a suitable small firm by April 3, 2023, 11:59 p.m. EST by emailonly to Calvin Gladney, President and CEO ([email protected]), and Nobue King, Executive Assistant ([email protected]). Please use the subject line “Employee Handbook Consultant RFP” in your email. Selected finalists should be prepared to do at least one interview with SGA’s senior leadership. Per the timeline below, we seek to have a consultant selected by April 21, 2023.

Application Process and Estimated Project Timeline:

Full and Open Competition Policy

SGA strives to ensure full and open competition, guarantee the objective performance of contracts, and eliminate the possibility for unfair competitive advantages, and therefore, SGA uses a competitive process for procurements that exceed $15,000.

Proposal selection shall be based on overall value to SGA considering responsiveness to the solicitation; qualifications, references, overall cost; competitiveness of the fixed price proposal and hourly rates; project timeline; fulfillment of the goals and objectives of the solicitation; and other relevant factors. SGA will also consider other benefits associated with the procurement in the selection process including, but not limited to, the opportunity to use small, disadvantaged, and minority and/or woman-owned firms or individual consultants, the opportunity to select procurements that have environmental benefits, the opportunity to support transit and walkable neighborhoods, and other factors that align with SGA’s mission. SGA may at its discretion and without explanation choose to discontinue this RFP at any time without obligation to prospective consultants.