Many organizations seek external evaluators –whether to gain objectivity, expertise, or capacity. They often find their external evaluator through a competition using a request for proposal (RFP). The RFP invites multiple evaluators to submit a proposal.
We see hundreds of RFPs each year at the Improve Group, and have found that, when done right, an RFP
clearly articulates what the organization wants to gain from the evaluation in the short/long term, describes the information the organization needs in order to decide which evaluator to work with, and also leaves some flexibility for the evaluator to be creative when approaching your project.
If you are looking for
advice on drafting an effective RFP, here are some resources that define what needs to be included along with some excellent samples of actual RFP’s:
- For writing an RFP specifically for evaluation, Janet Kerley has prepared a useful guide on “How to Prepare an Evaluation Scope of Work,” that outlines what needs to be included and gives a brief example of what your RFP could look like. About.com also has created an informational page for writing a more general RFP, not related to evaluation.
- A Spectrum Science blog posted by John Seng highlights the “Top 10 Tips for Writing a Great RFP.” It can be a great resource if you feel like your RFP might be missing something.
- The RFP Library at Techsoup.org also provides tips & techniques along with several samples of effective RFP’s. Though the samples are not requests for an evaluator, they can still give you ideas on how to format your RFP.
Not really sure what to look for in an evaluator? Here are a few resources that may help you identify which evaluator is the right fit for the services that you seek:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides a great tutorial detailing the steps you need to take before “Hiring an Evaluator”. It offers information on reasons to involve an evaluator, locating one, deciding what your organizations wants and what it can afford, screening candidates and then preparing to interview those candidates.
- Childtrends.org details “Five Steps for Selecting an Evaluator.” With a little less evaluation background provided than the previous resource, this page is a bit more guided and also goes into more detail on how to choose the most qualified evaluator.
- Chapter 5 of the “W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook” offers a more in depth process for planning an evaluation than the other two resources. The first section of this chapter covers four planning steps that will help you decide which direction you would like to go leading up to and then choosing the right evaluator. This chapter begins on page. 47.
By having a clearly developed RFP, and criteria in advance for choosing an evaluator, you will get higher-quality responses and will be more likely to find a good match. Once the process is complete you should feel that you have made the perfect decision!
Has this guide been insightful in your RFP process? Are there any other resources that you would like to provide for others? Please feel free to add on.
Many organizations seek external evaluators –whether to gain objectivity, expertise, or capacity. They often find their external evaluator through a competition using a request for proposal (RFP). The RFP invites multiple evaluators to submit a proposal.
We see hundreds of RFPs each year at the Improve Group, and have found that, when done right, an RFP clearly articulates what the organization wants to gain from the evaluation in the short/long term, describes the information the organization needs in order to decide which evaluator to work with, and also leaves some flexibility for the evaluator to be creative when approaching your project.
If you are looking for advice on drafting an effective RFP, here are some resources that define what needs to be included along with some excellent samples of actual RFP’s: