Comprehensive Strategic Planning and Organizational Support Services

The vendor is required to provide expertise and consulting resources on an as-needed basis for management consulting services supporting overall strategic planning and organizational development for the organization.
- Include services:
• Strategic planning, benchmarking and performance measurement, monitoring and management
• Business process review, technology optimization, and organizational alignment
• Organizational structure, design, and alignment
• Capital/construction project and program management and structure
• General advisory consulting services
• Change and growth management
• Customer experience and data analytics
• Strategic and crisis communications
• Performance management and performance review processes (individual and departmental)
• Board of directors strategic planning and governance
• Staff development and training
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Leadership and executive coaching
• Conflict resolution
• Succession planning  
- Strategic planning, benchmarking and performance measurement, monitoring and management
• The primary purpose of this activity is to work collaboratively with organization leadership and staff to develop and implement strategic plans, projects, and performance measurement systems that are aligned with the organizational mission, are grounded by relevant best practices, and are highly actionable.
• Overall enterprise strategic plan, mission, vision, core-values development
• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis
• Workshop facilitation
• Goal setting
• Identification and selection of agency priorities
• Development of strategic plans, business plans, and action plans
• Research and application of industry best practices, peer benchmarking, and innovation
• Use of surveys, questionnaire’s, interviews, and other internal and external engagement tools
• Development and prioritization of effective performance metrics at multiple scales organizational, departmental, individual, project-based
• Development of performance monitoring tools and systems at multiple scales - organizational, departmental, individual, project-based
• Implementation support, including project management metrics, program management metrics, general analytics, trend analysis, predictive analytics, meeting cadence, training and coaching, evaluation, and assessment
• Development of an internal and external communication plan to support organizational success
1. Plans will focus on the key concepts to all audiences, encourage participation in the process, and generate enthusiasm around an understandable organizational, departmental, and individual performance plan and reporting system.
2. Communication plans will ensure that results are disseminated rapidly and effectively, both internally and externally.
- Business process review, technology optimization, and organizational alignment
• The primary purpose of this activity is to identify and optimize business processes, technology, and internal resources to ensure alignment with the organizational mission and goals; improve operational efficiency, safety, and customer satisfaction; reduce spending and/or raise new sources of revenue. this task may include the following activities:
• Review, documentation, categorization, and prioritization of current business processes and governance structures, including through direct observation, review of data and documentation, interviews, workshops, and other methods for gaining an understanding of existing processes and performance levels
• Evaluation of process silos and opportunities to eliminate functional redundancies
• Identification of legacy systems to be replaced
• Assessment of onboarding and off boarding processes review of innovative solutions and practices through best practice research and peer benchmarking
• Facilitation of workshops and interviews across a cross functional group of stakeholders to assess the current and desired business model, identify areas for improvement, solicit requirements, and share ideas
• Development of actionable recommendations that are scalable across departments
• Analysis of policy and procedural changes and/or new policies and procedures
• Identification of tools and technology solutions that can be used to support and enhance each business process
• Development of solution architecture and technical business requirements
• Identification of alternatives to integrate various interrelated business systems such as finance/accounting, procurement, asset management, and project management.
• Establishment of effective service level agreements and performance targets
• Use of performance measurement to improve efficiency
• Development of implementation plans and methods, including milestones, timelines, prioritization, and resource requirements for implementing change
• Presentation of the case for change at various levels of the organization.
- Organizational structure, design, and alignment
• The primary purpose of this activity is to assist agency in assessing its workforce, developing a performance-based culture, and preparing the workforce to achieve success.
• Assessment of overall alignment with agency mission, vision, and goals
• Identification of organizational structure/design limitations that may impact agency’s ability to achieve goals and priorities
• Organizational assessment of structure, skills, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and needs of teams -- across the entire organization or within specific departments or units
• Benchmarking organizational structure, capacity, and staffing against similarly complex organizations
• Identification and gap analysis of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for new functional roles
• Assessment of organizational risk related to human resource management (turnover, retirement, bench strength, diversity, etc.)
• Assessment of the readiness of the organization to move forward with new processes and/or technology implementation and significant business expansion
• Recommendation and implementation support of effective practices to engage stakeholders, foster a sense of ownership, and build momentum, including but not limited to focus groups, surveys, open houses, interviews, and other methods
• Development of succession plan and/or workforce transition plan that identifies the strategies, trainings, and/or other developmental support required to successfully support the organization over the long-term and/or transition to a new organization/function as a result of a change initiative
• Review and recommend the organizational/governance structures taking into account labor and/or civil service requirements
• Review of existing salary structures and job descriptions and development of recommendations based on benchmarking and research through multiple lenses (local, regional, national, industry and non-industry peers, etc.)
• Develop work streams with specific milestones, timeframes, and resource requirements for accountable individuals (e.g., project team leader or department supervisor or division manager) for reaching each milestone
• Development and provision of coaching for mid to senior and executive-level management
• Training/developmental services and resources required to implement change (e.g. train the-trainer, coaching support, etc.)
• Development of effective employee performance management processes, including performance evaluation redesign and support, performance-based compensation programs, and other tools
• Implementation of organizational change and development of metrics to measure progress
• Identification of workforce development strategies for recruitment, retention, and advancement of agency workforce across functions
- Capital/construction project and program management and structure
• Assessment of current project management practices within the agency
• Review of existing documentation, procedures, and organizational structure related to capital, construction, and technology projects
• Identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats with respect to current practices
• Engagement of key stakeholders, including project managers, engineers, and administrative staff through interviews and workshops
• Engagement of external entities (i.e.: NDOT, TDOT, metro codes, planning, utilities, etc.) through interviews and workshops
• Identification of project and program management structures, best practices, and tradeoffs, including best practice guidance of the FTA and us dept. of transportation
• Development of tailored strategies for establishing effective project management structures and processes
• Definition of roles and responsibilities for project managers, stakeholders, support staff and departments
• Establishment of clear project governance frameworks and decision-making protocols
• Establishment of templates and procedural guidance for specific project processes such as project charters, work breakdown structures, risk assessment, risk management and mitigation plans, project tracking tools and project management plans meeting the requirements of the federal transit administration and department
• Development of standardized processes for project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure
• Assessment of structures for cross-functional project delivery teams across departments within agency, and outside agencies
• Creation of standardized forms, templates, and processing for project monitoring activities such as change order management and project progress reporting
• Facilitation of training sessions and workshops for agency and outside staff on new processes and tools
• Implementation of new project management technique pilots on selected projects for feedback and refinement, and scaling up to larger and more complex projects
• Development of metrics and key performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of new structures and processes
• Completion of periodic reviews and evaluations to assess progress and success and identify areas for improvement
- General advisory consulting services
• Advisory services with respect to organization management, economic development, value capture, partnerships, risk mitigation, policy creation, or solution design
• Program or project management support for agency initiatives, which may include monitoring progress, managing operating model changes, managing stakeholders, and monitoring benefits realization
• Product or program implementation services with respect to new programs or initiatives such as testing, quality assurance, and executing business processes
• Development and implementation of tools and approaches to facilitate the review, prioritization, and selection of agency transformation projects/activities
• Development of cost benefit analyses, project cost estimates for all project types, alternative cost models, annual operating costs, and other financial analysis
- Change and growth management
• Assessment of current organizational, staff, facilities, procedures, and systems for adequate capacity in the areas of transit service delivery, fleet maintenance, facilities maintenance, safety and security, financial, and administrative processes for a potential major expansion in the organizational mission
• Review of the capacity of similarly situated organizations in similar operating environments for organizational competencies, skillsets, structures, technologies, and processes
• Assessment of recommendations from the agency’s ongoing multimodal mobility master plan against existing and foreseeable agency capacity
• Assessment of key organizational functions (it, finance, security, etc.) and readiness for potential growth
• Development and implementation of assessment tools such as surveys, workshops, and other engagement tools
• Identification of risks and opportunities associated with various growth scenarios and assessment of the adequacy of various risk management/mitigation strategies
• Assessment of organizational structure and identification of staff skill sets and gaps
• Development of a “roadmap” with appropriate milestones and schedules for organizational change
• Creation of a template for assessing future growth of organizational capacity against benchmarks for service
- Customer experience and data analytics
• Facilitation of surveys, focus groups, and other outreach to customers of fixed route bus, commuter rail, or paratransit modes of service
• Development of a tool based on the survey results comparing customers’ impressions of agency performance in high priority areas to actual operational performance in those exact same elements of service – thereby informing agency if a problem exists or if there is merely a perception that a problem exists
• Facilitation of performance management scorecard creation/workshops
• Facilitation of frontline employee customer service training/workshops
• Development of communication/marketing plans to enhance employee support for organizational success
• Development of communication/marketing plans to address customer and stakeholder perceptions
• Facilitation of business process training/workshops where there is an identified opportunity for improvement (bus cleanliness, on-time performance, call handling, etc.)
• Development of insights for advertising and targeted marketing campaigns
- Strategic and crisis communications
• Communication of agency mission, vision, and goals
○ Streamlining of all communications channel in messaging, promotion, and advertising
○ Identification of recent and future trends to proactively shape messaging
○ Strengthening working relationships with media outlets
• Development of communications strategies to support program and initiatives
○ Provision of strong media and public relations strategic insight and message development to assist with proactive campaigns
○ Optimization of all communications channel in messaging, promotion, and advertising
○ Identification of recent and future trends to shape messaging
○ Strengthening working relationships with media outlets
• Build engagement, trust, and advocacy through strategic communications
• Enhance the credibility of the organization in its effectiveness to increase customer satisfaction
○ Increase the level of positive impressions of the organization to mitigate potential negative issue and detractors
• Crisis communications planning
○ Rapid response services
○ Brand reframing and satisfaction building
○ Scenario preparedness, potential responses, and staff/board media training
• Graphic design support
○ Design services; collateral and copy development: (including, but not limited to: press release, editorials, brochures, and infographics)
○ Photography
• Prepare graphic materials, modelling, maps, and other visualization tools for public meetings
• Public involvement
• Other active transportation safety analysis services as requested
- Performance management and performance review processes
• Assessment of performance management and review processes
• Identification and implementation of improvements to processes
• Review of the processes and tools used by peer organizations
• Develop job competency model within the performance feedback reviews and documentation for each position and framework to support career pathways, promotions and successions.
• Develop an industry centric performance evaluation calendar for the enterprise as a whole.
- Staff development and training
• Organizational cultural assessment tool – to understand purpose, process/plan with a cultural pre-assessment at the managers and supervisor levels.
• Development of training tracks on leadership with focus around strategic thinking and implementation.
• Development of curriculum for various staff training needs
• Specific focus on development of supervisory staff (particularly in the areas of bus operations, facilities and fleet maintenance, and customer service)
• Development of targeted training for the transition of line level employees (i.e.: bus operators, customer care representatives, technicians, and cleaning staff) into supervisory and leadership positions
• Development and delivery of a “leadership academy” to prepare mid-level staff for promotional opportunities
• Creation of interactive exercises for all participants (i.e. exercises around EQ and SQ)
• Development of evaluation methods to assess the skill competency level of individual employees based upon the level of proficiency exhibited in the training session.
• Development and deployment of employee surveys and other engagement tools
• Facilitation of public focus groups and survey development around customer service training
• Analysis and reporting of customer service data
• Facilitation of train the trainer teaching sessions
• Staff recruiting
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Assessment and analysis of the current maturity of the organization with respect to agency initiatives, including examinations of culture, policies, practices and employee and customer demographics; tactics might include surveys, interviews, focus groups, and analysis of data such as compensation, hiring, and representation metrics.
• Review governmental (USDOT), industry and community standards and best practices.
• Include community inclusion initiatives with respect to service and infrastructure deployment, and engagement of diverse groups of customers and community stakeholders.
• Development of strategies for collaborating with organizational leadership on agency strategies, tactics, and plans
• Identification of actionable metrics and targets and a roadmap for achieving these targets
• Development of new policies to address identified gaps and challenges (e.g., antidiscrimination, accommodation, reporting mechanisms), as well as supporting procedures for agency -related initiatives as pertain to recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance reviews
• Assessment of alignment of policies and procedures with legal and regulatory requirements
• Facilitation of agency training programs (in “train the trainer” format) for employees, managers, executive leadership and board members and facilitate workshops and seminars on current agency topics
• Development of communications plans and strategies to promote agency initiatives internally and in the community
• Development of content and engagement materials
• Engagement with internal and external stakeholders to gather input and build support for agency initiatives, and address stakeholder concerns and feedback
• Creation of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for tracking progress against agency goals and KPI’S
• Conduct periodic reviews and assessments of organizational progress against established agency goals
• Support agency efforts in specialized areas such as staff recruitment and retention, supplier diversity, community engagement and crisis management
• Assessment of legal and regulatory compliance of agency initiatives and identification of ongoing reporting and documentation mechanisms that can be sustained on a long-term basis.
• Differentiating between agency versus civil rights laws and compliance.
- Leadership and executive coaching
• Organizational cultural assessment tool – to understand purpose, process/plan with a cultural pre-assessment at the c-suite level and director or above levels.
• Comprehensive skill development for senior management around effective EQ and SQ skills/tools, and its impact on the organizational culture.
• Assessment of leadership, including development of individual profiles and identification of leadership styles and methods
• Delivery of customized coaching curriculum for individual participant’s current management aptitudes and level of leadership
• Facilitation of regular meetings with trained executive coaches, including accountabilities and takeaway activities
• 6-Month evaluation to capture the participants’ progress over the course of the program
- Conflict resolution
• Development of survey instruments, needs assessments, and training programs to develop appropriate organizational and individual conflict resolution skills
• Creation of curriculum and training materials for ongoing staff training in a “train the trainer” format, including the development of collateral materials
• Delivery of workshops and seminars at various levels that focus on conflict resolution strategies, techniques and tools; including approaches such as role playing and simulation
• Facilitation of one-on-one and small group coaching sessions to address specific challenges
• Review of formal organizational processes for conflict resolution and recommended improvements to enhance effectiveness
• Development of metrics to assess the effectiveness of conflict resolution training and conflict resolution strategies and tactics for ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement
• Provide mediation services for particularly complex or high-stakes conflicts where an outside perspective would be valuable
• Conduct specialized training/workshops on topics such as negotiation, emotional intelligence, or diversity and inclusion as they relate to conflict resolution - Succession planning
• Assessment of the organization’s structure, key positions, and functions with identification of the key traits necessary for success in these positions
• Facilitation of interviews with key staff, board members, and impacted stakeholders to gain an understanding of the current status of leadership and future needs
• Review of any existing succession planning processes, documents or frameworks
• Assessment of the methodology deployed to fill recent key leadership vacancies and identify the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches
• Development of key objectives for a succession plan among executive leadership and board of directors
• Assessment of current and emerging risk associated with turnover and the likelihood/ impact of turnover in key positions
• Identification of the key roles essential to the organization’s future success and development of competency mapping for these roles to include necessary skills, knowledge, accomplishments, and experience
• Identification of high potential internal candidates for key positions based on performance evaluations, skills assessments, and overall qualifications
• Creation of individualized development plans for potential successors including formal training, mentoring, experiential and coaching programs
• Development of a structured succession planning framework that includes processes for identifying and preparing successors
• Integration of succession planning strategies with agency and other staff development activities
• Development of contingency plans for unexpected leadership changes or emergencies to ensure minimal disruption
• Development of an implementation and communication strategy for the succession plan in a transparent and open manner that contributes to organizational buy-in
• Establishment of performance metrics and feedback mechanisms to assure the continued effectiveness of the succession plan
• Comprehensive documentation of the process, including frameworks, policies, and individual development plans
• Facilitation of training sessions and workshops for leadership and human resources staff charged with implementing the plan
• Facilitation of training sessions for emerging leaders to support their development and readiness
• Provide periodic support to evaluate ongoing success during plan implementation
- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- The voluntary Pre-Proposal Meeting Date: March 10, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: March 14, 2025