announcements

INTRODUCTION

The Community Action Program concept was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson with the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. When created, Community Action Programs were charged with eliminating the causes and conditions of poverty.

Today, over 1,100 Community Action Agencies (CAAs) continue to support this mission throughout the nation. In New Mexico, six CAAs serve all thirty-three counties in the state. These agencies have been in operation for over fifty years offering a vast array of services designed to address the symptoms and causes of poverty. Funding for these CAAs and their programs comes from various local, state and federal sources, as well as from private organizations and foundations. The primary funder for this project is the State of New Mexico CSBG office who works closely with all the CAAs and the State Association. The state CSBG Office Program Manager will serve as a member of the CNA committee.

New Mexico Association of Community Partners (NMACP) is a statewide membership association whose mission is to build and strengthen the Community Action Agencies of New Mexico through resource development and partnerships.

NMACP supports the six Community Action Agencies in their efforts to provide services to low-income families in New Mexico. These services include emergency assistance services, employment training, Head Start programs, food banks, GED programs, youth programs, and housing assistance. The CAAs also advocate on behalf of low-income individuals promoting legislation and community programs that improve the lives of individuals living in poverty.

 

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Community Action Agencies (CAAs): CAA shall refer to a non-profit agency that has been designated as an agency eligible to receive CSBG funds in New Mexico.

Community Action Program: A program founded within the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act to fight poverty.

Community Needs Assessment: A process conducted by all Community Action Agencies every three years to determine the underlying causes and conditions of poverty within the community they serve and identify the available resources to address the unmet needs of the community’s most vulnerable residents.

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG): The Community Services Block Grant provides federal funding for Community Action Agencies and other programs that seek to address poverty at the community level.

Contractor: Individual or organization submitting a proposal and potentially entering into a contract with the requesting party.

INVITATION TO BID

New Mexico Association of Community Partners (NMACP) invites interested parties to submit a proposal to conduct and prepare a comprehensive Statewide Community Needs Assessment of the six service areas (covering all 33 counties) served by the CAA network in New Mexico. The selected contractor will gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources, integrate primary and secondary data, match causes and conditions of poverty, assess community service gaps, and complete a professionally finished document to be published by the Community Action Agencies of New Mexico.

PURPOSE

The Community Needs Assessment will assist the CAAs with prioritizing the needs in each of their individual communities. The Community Needs Assessment will also direct the strategic planning of the CAAs regarding service delivery and design, resource allocation, and geographic distribution of services.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Release of RFP: August 30, 2021
Deadline for Submission: September 30, 2021
Notice of Award: October 21, 2021

INQUIRIES

Questions regarding this RFP are to be submitted by email to noelia@nmacp.net with “Community Needs Assessment” in the subject line. Responses to all questions will be posted to NMACP’s website, nmacp.org

INFORMATION REQUIRED WITH PROPOSAL

Contractor’s response must include the following information in the
following order and format sequence:

1. Cover Sheet

2. References

3. Cost to complete the project

4. Written description of the anticipated process approach of the project based on Description of Services

5. Prior experience and qualifications

6. A work sample(s) or a web-link to a related piece(s)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The qualified Contractor must satisfy the following requirements:

• Experience in providing a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment
• Familiarity with Community Action and New Mexico demographics, human services, and the community development industry
• Expertise in gathering qualitative and quantitative data, interpretation, analysis, and communication of findings

PROPOSAL SELECTION AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

A contract will be awarded to the responsive Contractor whose proposal represents the combination of merit and cost most advantageous to NMACP. Contractors are advised that NMACP may make awards to a Contractor(s) other than the lowest cost Contractor. NMACP reserves the right to determine which proposal demonstrates the requisite competence and offers the greatest value.

The following criteria will be considered to evaluate each Contractor’s proposal:

• Qualifications and experience of Contractor (35%)

-Organizational experience
-Quality of references
-Quality and relevance of past work
-Experience of identified team members

• Demonstrated knowledge of scope of work and suggested approach to project (45%)

-Demonstrated knowledge of projects phases and tasks
-Clear outline for completing project phases and meeting designated timelines
-Feasibility of approach
-Proposed approach is compatible with CAAs needs and abilities

• Capacity to perform and complete project according to timeline (10%)

• Budget approach/cost effectiveness (10%)

PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL

Proposals must be submitted to New Mexico Association of Community Partners via email with “Community Needs Assessment Proposal” in the subject line by 4:00 PM (MST) on September 30, 2021. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered. The proposal offer acknowledges the right of NMACP to accept or reject any or all proposals and to waive any informality in any proposal received.

Deadline: 4:00 PM (MST), September 30, 2021
NO LATE PROPOSALS ACCEPTED

E-Mail to: noelia@nmacp.net

Subject: Community Needs Assessment Proposal

Contact: Noelia McNew, Associate Director
New Mexico Association of Community Partners
noelia@nmacp.net 

All addenda issued prior to date of receipt of proposals shall become a part of these specifications, and all proposals are to include the work therein described.

Should any such changes be made to this RFP, an addendum will be issued on the NMACP website. It is the responsibility of each Contractor to check the website and verify that he/she has received all Addenda prior to submitting a proposal.

ERRORS, OMISSIONS, AND/OR DISCREPANCIES

Contractor shall not be allowed to take advantage of errors, omissions, and/or discrepancies found in these specifications.

RIGHT TO REJECT AND WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

NMACP reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part and to waive any informality therein or accept any proposal it may deem in the best interest of the association and CAAs.

A withdrawn proposal may be re-submitted up to the submission deadline. Negligence or error on the part of the Contractor in preparing his/her proposal confers no right for withdrawal of the proposal after it has been received.

OFFER PERIOD

Proposals will remain firm for a period of 90 days upon receipt. This RFP and Contractor’s response will become part of the Contract Agreement. The intent of this RFP document is to include all items necessary for proper execution and completion of the work described in this document.

EXECUTION OF CONTRACT

NMACP reserves the right to consider proposals based on their relative merit, risk, and value to the organization, and reserves the right to negotiate with all service providers. Contracted service offers will be based upon the Contractor’s responsiveness to the RFP and total price quoted for all items covered by the RFP. The successful Contractor may be asked to participate in negotiations and may be asked to make revisions to their proposals based on negotiations. In submitting a proposal, each Contractor acknowledges that they have read and understand these requirements.

TERM OF SERVICE

The term of contract will begin on November 1, 2021, and end on September 30, 2022.

SALES AND EXCISE TAXES

New Mexico Association of Community Partners (NMACP) as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit agency, is exempt from sales taxes on goods and federal excise taxes.

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The Statewide Community Needs Assessment will be a collaborative effort between the Contractor, the State Association (NMACP), the State CSBG Office and the six Community Action Agencies. Contractor will be required to coordinate data collection efforts with the six CAAs and participate in regular updates and reviews with designated representatives from each of these entities. Contractor will be responsible for producing reports summarizing the data collected and for providing oral presentations of the report.

PROJECT PHASES

Part 1 – Project Introduction

1. Meetings with CAA Leadership, NMACP staff and State CSBG Office staff to:

-Define the broader framework of community needs and assets the CAAs wish to assess
-Discuss organization of data
-Outline the process for compiling this information

2. Date of research and assessment during which Contractor will communicate with CAAs regarding existing Agency derived data (from community needs assessment questionnaire) and secondary data sources.

Part 2 – Community Profile

As Community Action Agencies, each CAA is required to complete a comprehensive needs assessment every three years. A Community Profile will need to be created for each of the 33 counties in New Mexico.

Each county assessment must include the following elements:

• Current data specific to poverty and its prevalence related to gender, age and race/ethnicity for the county
• A combination of qualitative and quantitative data for the geographic service area
• An analysis of the demographic data, economic trends and their effect on the residents of each catchment area including but not limited to:
  • Poverty analysis
  • Basic needs trends (such as food, housing, utilities, etc.)
  • Access to health care, including mental health care
  • Educational attainment
  • Employment, including labor trends
  • Household composition
  • Aging trends
  • Legal needs
  • Community engagement/isolation
  • Digital technology access and gaps
  • A summary of the key findings on the causes and conditions of poverty and the needs of the community for each CAA
  • An analysis of the services available to address poverty issues, including identifying gaps in service

Part 3 – Survey

The CAAs are required to solicit information and feedback regarding community needs from community members. This is typically done through a survey. The Contractor will be responsible for:

• Survey Design & Questions
  • Contractor will work with all six CAAs to establish a survey instrument to be used throughout the state. The Contractor will assist the group with determining the length of the survey and organization of questions. They will advise the group on distribution and collection methods for the survey.

• Collation of Data
  • Contractor will be responsible for compiling the data collected and making it available to the CAAs in a format they can filter as needed.

• Analysis and Reporting
  • Contractor will be responsible for analyzing the results and incorporating the results into the final project document.

Contractor will be responsible for coordinating with each of the CAAs and facilitating meetings to accomplish the above tasks.

Part 4 – Community and Client Input

Convene at least one focus group/community forum in each county, as well as other forms of feedback, or interviews with key community stakeholders. (CAAs will provide templates for focus groups/community forums and data.)

1) Convene focus groups with low-income participants, Advisory Council members, funders, community partners, other service providers, local government, law enforcement, health care providers and other interested citizens in communities served by the local CAA.

2) Compile and present feedback from focus groups to each CAA.

3) Summarize key findings to develop recommendations that can be implemented through a strategic planning process.

4) Presentation and refinement, during which Contractor will meet with each CAA to present drafts of the report, discuss potential changes, and refine the reports based on the feedback received from the CAA.

Part 5 – Final Document Delivery

Provide full draft of document, followed by internal review and editing within designated timeline. After the final edits have been submitted by NMACP, the final version of the document will be submitted by agreed upon completion date and time. The final document will be presented to CAA leadership, NMACP staff, and CSBG State Office staff on the designated date and time.

The draft and final documents shall include:

1) Executive Summary
2) Key findings by county
3) Strategic recommendations by county
4) Customer, staff and community input of the impact of poverty (including an in-depth explanation of how the causes and conditions of poverty impact the residents of each county), needs within the communities and recommendations for further addressing  those needs
5) An analysis of demographic, data and economic trends in each county
6) Process approach
7) Conclusions
8) Additional sections as agreed upon by NMACP

Each CAA will:

• Secure adequate space or platform for community forums
• Recruit clients and partners for project participation
• Provide meeting locations, supplies and materials
• Provide local statistical data except as detailed above/indicated in Contractor contract
• Support dissemination of surveys and collection of results
• Provide data/reports from local sources as requested/available
• Provide template for questions to be used in focus groups/community forums
• Provide stock and/or other photos for use in the report

The Contractor will be required to:

• Meet with each CAA’s leadership prior to the project start
• Complete all work on time as outlined in Contract Agreement
• Submit a project outline with timelines to NMACP
• Participate in regular project update meetings
• Analyze, interpret and summarize data from community assessment questionnaire
• Facilitate focus groups/community forums
• Analyze, interpret and summarize data from focus groups/community forums
• Submit ongoing drafts of work sections and the final document
• Submit the document in its entirety on or before the due date by means of an electronic copy and one (1) professional hard copy
• Share the process, content and conclusions of the final Community Needs Assessment document in a live presentation to each CAA’s leadership at times determined or a recorded video presentation
• Provide a recorded video presentation of the statewide data for each CAA to present to their Board of Directors

TIME FRAME

• Proposal submission deadline: 4:00 PM (MST), September 30, 2021
• Notice of award: October 21, 2021
• Contract begins on: November 1, 2021
• Draft document deadline: August 30, 2022
• Final document submitted electronically and in hard copy on or before/no later than: September 30, 2022 

RESOURCES

Contractors are encouraged to view the following resources:

• Community Action Partnership – CAA Community Needs Assessment Resource Guide

https://communityactionpartnership.com/publication_toolkit/community-needs-assessment-resource-guide/ 

• National Association for State Community Services Programs

https://nascsp.org/

• Community Action Program Legal Services, Inc.

https://www.caplaw.org/

• Contractors will also be encouraged to use the following on-line tools as a basis for much of the demographic data:

https://www.census.gov/data.html

https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/2021-data-book/

(Please note that this document is a large file and may take a long time to download)

https://www.communitycommons.org/search?q=new+mexico+data

Statement of Purpose

New Mexico Association of Community Partners, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in Rio Rancho, NM seeks proposals for contracted bookkeeping and accounting services. All applicants must have relevant nonprofit experience, particularly accounting for organizations receiving government funding.

New Mexico Association of Community Partners’ mission is: To build and strengthen the Community Action Agencies of New Mexico through resource development and partnerships.

New Mexico Association of Community Partners is a statewide membership association for Community Action Agencies (CAAs) in New Mexico whose primary activities include helping those in crisis or facing financial hardship. Community action agency programs are designed to provide access, opportunities and resources to children, families and communities while ultimately achieving long-term economic self-sufficiency.

We elevate the effectiveness Community Action Agencies and their missions through training, technical assistance, fundraising, capacity building, collaborating, and building strong partnerships.

Each year our member six CAAs assist over 100,000 New Mexico residents.

New Mexico Association of Community Partners is a small non-profit with 3 staff, 2 fulltime and one parttime. Our annual revenue is approximately $200,000.00. We process approximately 10 transaction per month including payroll which is paid twice monthly. Our payment/s to vendors process once monthly. The current bookkeeper/accountant spends approximately 3-5 hours monthly on transactions and reporting. Our current software is QuickBooks.

The agency is funded primarily by government contracts through the State of New Mexico and federal contracts, which have strict requirements for compliance, reporting, and internal controls. Timely reconciliation of monthly financials is of the utmost importance to ensure steady cash flow and compliance with the State and Federal contracts.

Requirements of contractor

The contractor selected will be responsible for the following:

Bookkeeping Services

• Accounts Receivable: receive and record revenue as dictated by IRS Guidelines
• Accounts Receivable: receive and record revenue as dictated by IRS Guidelines
• Maintain costs by program and/or grant designation
• Maintain costs by program and/or grant designation
• Work with Executive Director in assisting with Grant Reporting
• Review staff timesheets and proper grant allocation
• Process and enter Payroll information into accounting system
• Complete all state and federal reports related to Payroll
• Maintain Deposit and Vendor files by Fiscal Year
• Follow Accrual Accounting method for maintaining the books
• Monthly reconciliation of bank accounts as well as reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts
• Monthly reconciliation of credit card account
• Monthly reconciliation of payments made for invoicing to the grantor
• Identify areas for management review regarding process and practice to improve efficiency and ensure compliance

Financial Reporting

• Budget to Actual Summary and Detail
• Budget to Actual Summary and Detail
• Prepare monthly statements of Income & Expense (aggregated and by funder), Balance Sheet, or other reports as necessary
• Present financials to Management and Board of Directors on monthly basis (by 10th of the month)

Reporting Requirements

• Prepare periodic reports as required by Executive Team, Board, and funders
• Prepare periodic reports as required by Executive Team, Board, and funders
• Maintain fixed asset inventory and depreciation

Term of Contract Initial

a. Contract will be for 1 year with an option to extend the contract for 3 one-year contract periods
b. Contract to include an “out” clause for each party

Cost Proposal

Bidders are requested to submit a project price, include each service. Selected contractor will be paid monthly, net 10 with an approved invoice. Any adjustments, additional expenditures, or other service outside of the scope of this proposal must be pre-approved.

Proposal Contents

Please use the following format when preparing your response. Please limit the proposal to three pages, excluding attachments.

Section 1: Contractor Information: Company name, primary contact, email, phone, etc.

Section 2: Scope of work/description of services and approach to bookkeeping/accounting services, particularly as it relates to GAAP Guidelines for nonprofits, and accounting for government and restricted funding

Section 3: Firm’s qualifications: Summary of previous similar work for a nonprofit organization; proficiency with QuickBooks software (or other accounting software); experience with multi-agency funders

Section 4: Attachments:

Cost Proposal: Budget and narrative
Resumes: For key personnel working on this project
Professional References: At least 3 references for which contractor has performed similar work; include the current contact information for each

Selection Process

Proposals will be reviewed for completeness, contractor experience, experience with previous similar work, excellent references, and reasonableness of cost proposal. Interviews may be requested with select contractors.

Proposal Submission

Questions and completed proposals shall be submitted via email to Carolyn VanderGiesen, Executive Director, carolyn@nmacp.com. Complete proposals accepted through September 30th or until filled. Selected bidder will be notified in writing after review of their proposal.