Introduction:

The Tribe manages a growing portfolio of health and social services, youth and elder programs, education, scientific research, housing, transportation, economic development, and conservation projects in what are now Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis and parts of King, Pierce, Skamania and Wahkiakum Counties. Tribal membership is dispersed, with the majority living within Washington State. In 2019, the Tribal Council completed a comprehensive plan. The Tribal Council is planning quarterly retreats to work through organizational development specific to the Council (see below). We are requesting proposals for facilitation to help guide tribal officials through this process.

Project background:

• The Tribe has a 22-member Tribal Council.
• The Council is working on its strategic governance and organizational development goals including:
  • Working Better Together as a governing body;
  • Develop a Tribal Council Governance Manual and job descriptions defining roles and responsibilities of Tribal Council members and officers;
  • Work to identify gaps and prioritize professional trainings for Tribal Council; and
  • Improve communications amongst Tribal Council members, between Tribal Council and tribal membership, and between the Tribal Council and tribal government operations.

Scope of work:

• Meet and coordinate with the Tribe’s Planning Committee to customize an approach that aligns with the Comprehensive Plan and Tribal Council’s specific needs.
• Entrance meeting with Tribal Council.
• Facilitate 4 Planning retreats/workshops with Tribal Council in calendar year 2020.
• Document the results of the retreats/workshops.
• Assist in outlining a process to ensure follow-up and implementation on next steps.
• Coordinate with planning staff on the completion and submittal of the written summaries of the retreats and other deliverables.

Proposals should include:

• Proposer’s organizational information, name and contact information for the lead consultant, and team members, along with their curriculum vitae.
• Portfolio of past facilitation and organizational development work with tribal governments.
• References specifically highlighting work with conflict resolution.
• Proposed timelines and deliverables.
• Proposed price for each deliverable with total project cost including details about how travel and incidentals will be billed.

Ideally, this series of retreats should assist the Tribal Council with moving towards tangible deliverables to include a Governance Manual, job descriptions for Tribal Council members and officers, a summary of skill gaps with a prioritized list of specific trainings for Tribal Council, and Tribal Council level input into the Tribal-wide Communications Plan.

If you have any questions regarding this RFP please contact the Tribal Planning Committee Chair Jerry Iyall at j.iyall@ctgc.cowlitz.org or (360) 485-7143 for more information.

Submitting Proposals: Proposals must be received at the Tribal office on or before 4:00 pm on Monday February 17, 2020. Bidders requesting Indian Preference must include verification of enrollment in a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe. Proposals may be delivered to our physical address, mailed to our P.O. Box, faxed, or emailed (preferred) to:

Cowlitz Indian Tribe
Tribal Council Planning Retreat Proposals
Attn: Tribal Planning
1055 9th Ave., STE B
P.O. Box 2547
Longview, WA 98632

Fax: (360) 577-7432

Email: cmyers@cowlitz.org

The Cowlitz Tribe’s Indian Preference policy for contracting is: (A) Preference shall be given first, to businesses 100% owned by tribal members; second, businesses 51 % or more owned by tribal members; and third to other Indian businesses residing within the Tribe's general service area. (B) Contracts shall be awarded under preference to a qualified business when its bid is responsive to all other conditions and does not exceed the lowest bid by the following percentages, when the lowest bid is; (a) between $0 and $10,000; 10%; (b) between $10,001 and $50,000; 7%; (c) between $50,001 and $100,000; 5%; (d) $100,001 or more 2%.

Preference is not required to be afforded businesses having a poor record of performance.