CIO and CDO Search and Recruitment Firm Services

The Vendor is required to provide search and recruitment services for a chief information officer (“CIO”) and a chief data officer (“CDO”).
- Time is of the essence as the permanent CIO position is currently vacant, and the University is seeking a new CDO position.
- Firm will be expected to assist and advise the Search Committee and other University stakeholders in all matters pertaining to the searches.
- Service include:
•    Consult with the search committee, key university constituency groups and other stakeholders as needed to gain an understanding of the history, structure, culture, information operations, and needs of the university.
•    Support the search committee in the development of selection criteria.
•    Conduct focus groups to aid in establishing the desired qualities and/or selection criteria for the next CIO and CDO.
•    Identify key issues and challenges the university faces in filling the position, including various ongoing it projects such the new ERP system, student facing systems, and other system issues and challenges.
•    Evaluate the competitive strengths and weaknesses of the national market for the positions.
•    The firm will provide market intelligence regarding salary and other compensation necessary to attract the best qualified candidates.
•    Develop and execute a comprehensive recruitment strategy to identify a qualified candidate pool for each position.
•    Prepare communications and collateral materials including position description, search profile, announcements, and supporting materials that will be used in marketing the searches.
•    Provide university the current market trends and general salary expectations for a university CIO and CDO for similar land-grant, r1 research, and comparable sized universities.
•    Qualify, evaluate, and screen applicants to develop a list of leading candidates to present to the search committee.
•    Obtain references and verifications of professional qualifications and certifications for the applicants.
•    Assist the search committee with the evaluation of the candidates and providing summative evaluations of perceived strengths and weaknesses of top qualified candidates.
•    Assist the search committee in determining which top candidates to recommend in-depth consideration and interviews.
•    Support and assist the search committee during all candidate interviews, including arranging candidate interviews, designing recommended interview questions, preparing the search committee for interviews, executing the interview process, and assisting in the assessment process.
•    Manage all search-related administrative services, schedules, timetables, and logistics for the recruitment and selection process.
•    Develop a “landing page” or “dashboard” to host candidates’ complete questionnaires and resumes that is password protected and accessible to designated staff.
•    Assist university in developing and negotiating an offer of employment and transition plans for each position.
•    Provide professional notification to all candidates of decisions made, including candidate notification for those who have been eliminated from consideration.
•    Guarantee each placement for a period of eighteen (18) months, beginning on the start date of the appointment. If a placed candidate is terminated by the institution during the first eighteen (18) months of employment, firm will conduct a new search to replace the candidate with no additional fee to university, charging only actual expenses incurred.
•    The placed candidates will be considered “off-limits” for future recruitment by firm during the placed candidate’s initial contract term at university.
•    Maintain confidentiality of communications with candidates, the search committee, and any other university representatives or personnel.
•    Provide these services in accordance with industry’s best practices and in a fair, impartial, and structured manner to ensure that university receives the best candidates for the positions. 
•    Provide a plan for mitigating a failed search (es).
•    Provide other customary and/or necessary services the university may require in connection with the searches.
•    Firm shall maintain all documents relating to the search efforts according to the university retention schedule and shall make those documents available to university upon its request.

- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: December 17, 2025