INTRODUCTION

CLASP improves the energy and environmental performance of the appliances & equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world.

We serve as the leading international voice & resource for appliance energy efficiency policies and market acceleration initiatives. From off-grid solar technologies powering energy-impoverished people, to cutting the catastrophic climate impacts of air conditioning, our goal is to dramatically increase uptake of affordable, low-impact, high-quality products.

In recent years, CLASP’s portfolio has grown to include projects that are increasingly transactional in nature and thus require consistent and careful data management. While the data is not significant in quantity nor complex in structure, much of it is shared externally or integrated into communications materials, so we need it to be well organized, reliable, and easily accessible.  At an organizational level, this increase in data management needs also presents an opportunity for improving operational efficiency.

CLASP seeks to contract a qualified Consultant to conduct a data management needs assessment, document use cases, and make recommendations for improving data management tools and practices. We are particularly interested in understanding how to implement data management best practices and improve our operational efficiency in order to improve our impacts. Information on the Scope of Work, Consultants’ responsibilities, reporting, and deliverables is provided below, as well as the project timeline and application instructions.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

CLASP collects data from across the globe – including product specifications and performance test results, project monitoring and evaluation results, and stakeholder contact details – and shares it in various forms and formats with industry, government policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

As our work evolves and data volume, types, sources, and applications continue to grow, our current data management tools (primarily Microsoft Excel) and practices are becoming cumbersome and inefficient. Furthermore, our data management practices are expected to change over time as programs evolve, so reports and processes used today may not be flexible enough to accommodate future needs (e.g. new report formats, reporting via websites). Ensuring data integrity and process efficiency in the future is critical to the success of our programs.

In anticipation of these risks and opportunities, CLASP is seeking a Consultant to evaluate our data management needs, use cases, and technology options, and help to chart a path forward.

SCOPE OF WORK

CLASP is seeking a Consultant to conduct a data management assessment and make recommendations to improve data management tools and practices for individual programs and the organization as a whole. The assessment should be inclusive of our Washington, DC headquarters as well as our operations in Africa, Europe, and India.

The outcome of the project will be documentation of a data management assessment (including current practices, use cases, and needs), a list of recommended technology options and actions that CLASP can implement to mitigate data integrity risks, and increase the productivity and flexibility of CLASP’s data management process.

The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Task 1
Conduct an organizational data management assessment to identify and evaluate current data management practices and tools across the organization. Document common or priority use cases for select projects/programs and at the organizational level, as well as data management tools and resources currently available. Identify and document select project/program data management needs, including practices/processes, tools (i.e. software platforms such as Excel), and resources.

Task 2
Provide best practice recommendations for 1) an overall approach/strategy to data management across CLASP’s portfolio of programs, 2) data management tools and practices to enable data management and improve project and organizational efficiency and efficacy, and 3) a timeline and resource estimates required to implement recommendations.

REPORTING AND DELIVERABLES

The Consultant will be required to provide the following outputs over the course of the project:

• Participate in a project kick-off meeting with CLASP within one week of project inception.
• Provide timely and detailed responses to questions and comments from CLASP team members related to this project.
• Provide a draft (for comment) and final written report of current, and needed data management practices, tools, and resources for select programs and the organization.
• Provide a draft (for comment) and final written set of recommendations to improve data management for select programs and the organization.

TIMELINE

The Project is expected to commence in December 2017 and conclude by March 2018. The timeline for the development and implementation of specific deliverables will be coordinated with the selected Contractor for this project.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

To be eligible for a contract with CLASP, you must first register as a CLASP Implementing Partner. Registering is easy, and can be done here.

A committee appointed by CLASP will evaluate proposals received from respondents. Selection of qualified experts will be based upon the following criteria:

• Relevant qualifications of the project team, including experience with data management consultation for nonprofits or related international organizations;
• Expertise in project and organizational planning;
• Quality of the proposed project design, and project management and implementation approach;
• Understanding of CLASP’s programs and projects; and
• Total cost of plan.

All proposals will be evaluated using a Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method, with weights of 70 percent accorded towards project proposal quality, team, and organization experience, and 30 percent towards proposed costs. Additional information about CLASP’s selection process is available here. If necessary, CLASP may request additional information from any applicant.

SUBMITTAL

Interested parties should submit separate technical and financial proposals as electronic files. The file should be named as per the following examples:

[Contractor Name]_RFP8-17_Technical-Proposal
[Contractor Name]_RFP8-17_Financial-Proposal

Note: Do not use # or any other symbols in the filename, as this will result in a damaged file.

The qualifications should not exceed five pages and must include the following elements:

• A description of the Consultant’s experience with data management consultation for nonprofits or related international organizations, including project experience that illustrates the Contractor’s ability to carry out the scope of work and produce deliverables;
• A description of the Consultant’s process for carrying out the proposed scope of work;
• An estimate of the number of days that will be required to complete the research (inclusive of both Contractor and CLASP staff time);
• A timeline for when the project will be completed; and
• The Consultant’s daily rate schedule.

Proposals should be submitted electronically via the CLASP website using the “Submit Bid” button above and filling out all the requested information. The deadline for submissions is November 29, 2017. Any proposal not addressing each of the previously mentioned requirements can be considered non-responsive and rejected without further review. Late proposals will be rejected without being considered. Revisions or additions to the proposal will not be accepted after the due date unless specifically invited by CLASP.

All questions may be addressed to Michael Spiak at mspiak@clasp.ngo. Proposals submitted directly to this person will not be accepted, unless indicated otherwise. We request all inquiries be made by e-mail and not by phone.