Department of Human Resources, Center for Achievement in Public Service (CAPS) Administer and Accredit the Vermont Certified Public Manager® Program (VCPM)

Description: OVERVIEW: 1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the Vermont Agency of Administration, Department of Human Resources, Center for Achievement in Public Service (CAPS) (hereinafter the "State") is seeking to establish a contract with one (1) college or university to accredit, administer a curriculum and maintain compliance of the Vermont Certified Public Manager® Program as managed by the Workforce Development Division's Center for Achievement in Public Service (CAPS). 1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of up to thirty-nine (39) months, with an option to renew for one (1) twenty-four month period. The State anticipates the start date for such contract(s) will be April 1, 2027. 1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be addressed in writing to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted contact with any other individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification. 1.4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of this RFP or wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific questions in writing no later than the deadline for question indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions may be e-mailed to the point of contact on the front page of this RFP. Questions or comments not raised in writing on or before the last day of the question period are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all questions or comments and the State's responses will be posted on the State's web site. Every effort will be made to post this information as soon as possible after the question period ends, contingent on the number and complexity of the questions. All information provided by vendors during this process will be public and bidders shall not provide confidential information, except as described in 4.1 below. 1.5. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the State through the issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online. Modifications from any other source are not to be considered. 2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES 2.1. BACKGROUND Program Information VCPM is a two-year, multi-course learning experience managed by the Vermont Department of Human Resources, Workforce Development Division's Center for Achievement in Public Service (hereinafter, "CAPS"). Participants are current and emerging leaders in Vermont State Government agencies, departments, and municipalities and are selected through an annual application process. VCPM is designed to be both practical and intellectually challenging. VCPM provides a unique opportunity for managers and leaders statewide to learn together about their common challenges and strategies for success. Instructors include top organizational professionals and experts with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. VCPM is accredited by the National Certified Public Manager® Consortium. Graduates are eligible to join the National CPM Alumni Association; a professional association of public sector managers affiliated with the National Certified Public Managers® Association (NCPM). Through these affiliations, graduates are able to engage with similarly trained public managers across the country. Typical Schedule: The program starts in July of Year 1 and concludes in May/June of Year 2. Each calendar year there is a starting and graduating cohort of the VCPM program. VCPM cohorts typically consist of 24 participants, with a maximum class size of 32. There is no pre-requisite of academic degrees or credits. Training is designated for intermediate- and advanced-level learners. VCPM seminars begin in early to mid-July with an on-line Gallup Strengths Assessment. VCPM consists of approximately 26-30 seminar sessions and approximately ten hours per month of independent work over two years. Year 1 concentrates on classroom instruction of the seminar topics outlined under Curriculum Development. In Year 2, participants engage in a consulting project that requires a substantial investment of their time. The only classroom instruction required will be a three-day session on consulting skills, after which the Contractor will engage in ongoing consultation with the participants as needed. Participants must attend all sessions to meet the certification requirements, and they have up to two years from their original graduation date for makeup sessions to complete those they have missed. Curriculum Development: CAPS is responsible for the management and oversight of program accreditation with the National Certified Public Manager® Consortium, ensures the VCPM curriculum is aligned with best practices in management training, and provides accountability and quality assurance. Seminar topics are developed by CAPS in collaboration with the selected college or university. Seminar topics include but are not limited to: Orientation to VCPM (Opening Seminar); Emotional Intelligence (including a 360 Degree Assessment); Working Effectively in Groups; Understanding State Government; Diversity and Cultural Competence; Guiding People and Systems through Change; Ethics; Process and Project Management; Change Management; Informing and Influencing; Consulting Skills; and a Concluding Seminar and Graduation. Year 2 includes a consultancy phase of approximately 8 months during which the contractor checks in with project teams to provide guidance. Content Delivery Formats: Classroom (in-person at the CAPS conference center in Montpelier, VT), eLearning (electronic means such as a Learning Management System), Blended Learning, Hybrid Learning (face-to-face with remote access option), Synchronous virtual instructor-led delivery (Teams, Zoom, with option for phone/computer audio; sessions should be recorded), and Asynchronous on-demand delivery. The proposal should describe training formats, facilitation, self-paced options, and how assignments and interactions will be facilitated. 2.2 DETAILED REQUIREMENTS The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids to meet the following business needs: 2.2.1 Provide administration services for the VCPM Program: The college or university selected to administer the VCPM Program will be responsible for deliverables including: - Provide a program manager to serve as a single point of contact for curriculum questions and follow-up, conduct orientation sessions onsite, attend graduation ceremonies, and review and evaluate capstone projects. - Provide an administrative coordinator to collaborate with CAPS on scheduling, identify and schedule qualified faculty for in-person seminar sessions at the State of Vermont Center for Achievement in Public Service training facility in Montpelier, Vermont (with limited virtual/hybrid delivery as needed), define and structure capstone project consultancies prior to Year 2, communicate seminar schedules and expectations to participants and faculty, address participant and faculty questions, administer a 360 degree assessment tool to all participants in Year 1, use an online evaluation tool to collect session feedback, submit bi-monthly progress reports to CAPS, and participate in quarterly meetings with the Department of Human Resources Director of Workforce Development. - Identify, engage and schedule qualified faculty to develop interactive presentations, reading lists, group exercises, homework assignments and other materials, and deliver in-person seminar sessions in Montpelier with limited virtual/hybrid sessions as needed. - Provide and host an online Learning Management System (LMS) that stores materials and assignments, facilitates discussions and interactions between faculty and participants, provides opportunities for online interaction, provides 24-hour accessibility via desktop and mobile devices, registers accepted participants and tracks attendance and makeup sessions, and provides CAPS administrators access to monitor progress and participation. The State will retain ownership and oversight of the VCPM program including program design and course content created specifically for the VCPM program. 2.2.3 Assist with Maintaining Certification and Reaccreditation Review of National Certified Public Manager Certification: To maintain certification the program must consist of at least 300 hours addressing the seven competencies of the NCPM Competency Model, with at least 250 instructor- or facilitator-directed hours. The selected contractor shall assist with the NCPM reaccreditation review including demonstration of tracking systems and security measures, drafting of review standards, performance of assessment and outcome processing, review of programmatic overview tracking systems, and meeting with the national reaccreditation review committee. Current accreditation documentation will be provided as needed. The next reaccreditation will occur in 2031. 2.3 DESIRED OUTCOMES: Organizations interested in administering the VCPM program and reviewing it for college-level credit should include responses on administration experience, curriculum vitae of instructors, details on meeting requirements in Section 2, process for determining college-level credit, experience reviewing programs for credit, frequency of re-evaluation, costs for review and per-credit costs for graduates, responsiveness and quality of proposal, experience with state government and similar organizations, adequacy of resources, cost proposal demonstrating resources sufficient for a 3-year engagement, and past performance history. 3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Pricing must be the bidder's best pricing with prices and/or rates firm for the initial term. Prices must be clearly structured, auditable, and cover all required materials and services. Cooperative agreements are allowed. The State reserves rights to evaluate, request clarifications, accept or reject bids, request BAFOs, require presentations, and make awards in the best interest of the State. Conflict of interest rules and worker classification compliance apply. Executive Order considerations regarding climate change are included for favorable consideration. Method of Award may result in one or more contracts; resident bidders and those with climate-friendly practices may receive preference. Evaluation criteria include responsiveness to the RFP (30), cost proposal (20), past performance (20), experience with state government and similar organizations (15), and overall experience and qualifications of subject matter experts (15). 4. CONTENT AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES: Responses must include a Cover Letter, Technical Response, Price Schedule, Certificate of Compliance, and follow prescribed content requirements. Bidders are directed not to include confidential information unless expressly permitted. The Technical Response must describe business organization, capabilities, relevant experience, prior State projects (if any), subcontractors, and resources. Provide at least three references from similar engagements in the last 12 months (not State of Vermont agencies). Reporting requirements and the Price Schedule are specified in attachments. 5. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: CLOSING DATE: Bids must be received by the State by the due date specified on the front page of this RFP. Late bids will not be considered. ELECTRONIC BIDS ONLY: All bids under this RFP must be submitted electronically. Electronic bids will be accepted via e-mail submission to the State contact. The subject line of the e-mail submission must reference the Project Title as indicated on the front page of this RFP. Bids must consist of a single e-mail with a single, digitally searchable PDF attachment containing all components of the bid. Multiple e-mails and/or multiple attachments will not be accepted. There is an attachment size limit of 40 MB. It is the Bidder's responsibility to compress the PDF file if necessary and to ensure their own e-mail system can send and receive messages up to this size. 6. BID SUBMISSION CHECKLIST: Cover Letter; Technical Response; References; Price Schedule; Signed Certificate of Compliance. 7. ATTACHMENTS: Certificate of Compliance; Price Schedule; Worker Classification Compliance Requirement; Subcontractor Reporting Form; Standard State Contract with associated attachments (including Attachment C: Standard State Provisions for Contracts and Grants).