"Feasibility
Studies" 101:
Developing
Your RFP
By Jane Mackey, Vice
President
Topeka, KS
Selecting
a consultant to conduct a feasibility
study – or Community Readiness AssessmentSM
-- is a critical first step in preparing
for your capital campaign. Many times
it is the organization’s first experience
with a consultant and an important test
of the “chemistry” between
the consultant, staff and volunteers.
While the feasibility study – or
Readiness Assessment
SM–
is a preliminary step and is less of a
financial commitment than campaign consulting,
the selection process should not be taken
lightly. Thorough and thoughtful consideration
of consultant options are imperative since
many times the consultant performing the
assessment study will continue in a campaign
consulting role.
Step One: Identify
Potential Consultants
Search websites and ask
for referrals from colleagues or your
own organization’s network, if you
have one. Check listings in well-respected
publications like the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Two excellent sources are AFP’s
consultants’ directory (www.afpnet.org)
and the American Association of Fundraising
Counsel (www.aafrc.org).
Step Two: Pre-Screen
Consultants
You may opt to call potential
firms, or send them mailed or electronic
communication to solicit their interest.
While written communication is less time
consuming, a pre-screening call is an
ideal opportunity to get an early indication
of the firm’s culture, responsiveness
and the potential chemistry between the
firm and your organization. In either
case, you should be prepared to provide
enough information about your organization,
your project, your objectives and your
anticipated timeline for the firm to be
able to fully respond.
Step Three: Issue
a Request for Proposal
Once you have identified
a group of consultants, an outline of
a Request for Proposals – or RFP
– will be a useful tool in evaluating
the firms. This can be a detailed document,
or a general outline of items to which
you wish the firms to respond. At a minimum,
you should consider the following key
information in issuing an RFP:
- Background on your organization
including your mission, size, budget,
general description, location and
any comparative information related
to your competitors.
- The scope of the project including
phases (if appropriate), priorities,
timing, total cost, and fundraising
goal (if you have developed this at
this stage.)
- History about any prior campaigns,
if any, including dates, goals, amounts
raised, and purpose.
- Detailed schedule for the selection
process, including the date the RFP
is issued, due date for proposals,
date for selection of potential consultants
for interviews, dates for interviews,
expected start date for the assessment,
and when you hope to complete the
assessment, if you have this information
at this time.
- Contact information for the organization
including an individual who can answer
questions and serve as the point of
contact regarding the RFP.
Some organizations specify
a format to use for the RFP with specific
questions to address, page limits and
font size. Be sure to include this information,
as well, if you are seeking standardized
responses.
The questions most frequently
asked either as part of the RFP or the
interview include:
- Scope of services provided by the
firm relative to the feasibility study
and to a capital campaign
- Experience with similar projects
- Qualifications of the firm and consultant
to perform the study
- Membership status in the American
Association of Fundraising Counsel
- Process used in conducting the assessment
- Deliverables. What information and
recommendations are provided as part
of the assessment? A comprehensive
Community Readiness Assessment
SM
should include a detailed response
to a recommended campaign goal, community
reaction to the case for support,
potential major donors, prospective
campaign leadership, prospective campaign
volunteers, competing campaigns, assessment
of the strength of the organization’s
board and leadership to conduct a
successful campaign
- Duties and responsibilities of the
staff versus the consultant during
the assessment
- Information to be tested and reported
as part of the assessment
- Documented success rate with other
campaigns
- Fees for conducting the assessment,
including estimates of expenses
- Ownership of the results of the
study
- References from past clients
The Process
Most organizations form
a committee to serve as a representative
group of the board to conduct personal
interviews. Typically, organizations select
two to three firms for personal interviews.
Because each interview lasts from 45 minutes
to an hour, the committee members need
to be willing to commit the time necessary
to participate in all the interviews in
order to form a basis for comparison.
The responses to the
RFP will all vary according the approach
used by the consulting firm and the needs
of the organization. Many times, selection
committees are amazed at the myriad of
approaches to the same project, which
makes it very difficult to compare consultants.
Fees should not be the sole determining
factor in selecting a consultant. The
selection committee should think long-term
not only about the feasibility study but
also the capital campaign and select the
right firm and the right individual to
represent the organization in the community.
A Final Word
Remember that the organizations
that you are approaching are investing
time and resources in responding to your
request. While the entire process can
be a valuable tool to compare styles and
learn the key ingredients that will make
for a successful campaign, be sure to
provide a prompt reply to all firms that
respond to your request, including those
that are not selected.
A step-by-step guide
for selecting and retaining counsel is
available through the American Association
of Fundraising Council’s website
at www.aafrc.org,
“How to Choose Counsel.” AAFRC
is an excellent starting point as all
member firms have been selected for their
exemplary standards of practice and fundraising
ethics.
