The vendor is required to provide expert assistance to support the 2025-2029 state plan for higher education in both the initial engagement phase and groundwork for strategic planning.
- This process must address emerging post-secondary challenges, evolving workforce needs, and the imperative to enhance equity and access.
- Higher education commission (MHEC) requires expert assistance to support both the initial engagement phase and the groundwork for strategic planning.
- Goals:
• Stakeholder engagement planning and support
• Steering committee work plan and preparatory materials
• Strategic advising and technical assistance for the 2025-2029 state plan for higher education, including ad hoc technical assistance documentation
- Responsibilities:
• Payment information (reference to standard terms)
• Work orders (reference to standard terms)
• Security requirements (reference to standard terms)
• Stakeholder engagement planning and support:
o Collaborate with agency staff to design a series of virtual and/or in-person stakeholder sessions.  this includes defining meeting objectives, developing agendas, and creating facilitation materials.
o Produce slide decks, guiding question frameworks, pre-session briefing documents, and feedback collection instruments (e.g., surveys, structured comment forms).
o Provide on-call or remote support during stakeholder sessions to assist with notetaking, content facilitation, and ensuring key themes are captured.
o Analyze and synthesize stakeholder input, preparing summary memos that highlight emerging themes, recommendations, and implications for strategic planning.
• Steering committee preparation:
o Conduct a comprehensive review of relevant data sources, policy trends, and best practices at the state and national levels related to postsecondary attainment, credentials of value, and equity.
o Draft an annotated outline or framework for the 2025–2029 state plan that is aligned with statutory requirements and informed by early stakeholder feedback.
o Develop a detailed project roadmap for steering committee activities, outlining roles, responsibilities, meeting timelines, and key deliverables to support a successful kickoff in July 2025.
o Prepare briefing packets, talking points, and reference documents for use during the steering committee kickoff and subsequent sessions.
• Strategic advising and technical assistance
o Provide ongoing expert guidance on content organization, priority-setting, and alignment with policy imperatives.
o Identify and document best practices from peer states and national organizations that can inform the structure and content of the final state plan.
o Offer consultation to agency staff throughout the engagement and preparation phases as needed.
o Analysis memos or presentations addressing relevant policy trends, data insights, and best practices to support the strategic planning process.
• Project schedule, including key deliverables and milestones.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: May 21, 2025