Background:
CMAS was funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to develop a new childcare model. The proposed Care for Newcomer Children (CNC) model and associated requirements incorporate options and flexibility of care to meet the varying needs of organizations and the newcomer families they serve.
Within the CNC model, it has been proposed that organizations will have the option of offering Combined Care – care that is available to children requiring both long-term and short-term care in the same program. Because this is a unique and relatively new approach, a Combined Care pilot is currently under way to determine its effectiveness and feasibility. Two Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) have adopted this new model for the pilot; one in Halifax, Nova Scotia and another in Hamilton, Ontario.
Project Description:
CMAS is looking for a third party to evaluate the system in three categories:
Effectiveness of Combined Care (Requirements, Program Delivery, Health and Safety, Target Groups)
- Design of CNC (menu of options) and impact on SPO services
- Effect on settlement service uptake by newcomers
- Impact on child well-being and level of satisfaction with combined approach (SPO/parent perspectives)
- Adequacy of health and safety measures
- Adequacy of risk mitigation strategies
- Staff training and Requirements
Efficiency of Combined Care (Costs and time associated with space, staff and volunteers, supplies)
- Impact on overall childcare budget (staff, equipment, space, other)
- Anticipated impacts on the future of continuing CNC (high/neutral/low)
- Evidence of streamlining versus additional burden in relation to new administrative practices/operational requirements (e.g., staffing, space use, volunteers, scheduling with settlement programs, etc.) streamlined by the combined pilot model?
- Suggestions by SPOs for more efficient means of CNC delivery
CNC-Combined Care: Sustainability
- SPOs ability to maintain new Requirements, e.g. training for childcare workers and administrators, hiring under new qualifications, etc.
- Identification of Regional differences in CNC implementation
- Risks or barriers to implementation of full CNC model in future
Data collection methods could include: document review, key informant interviews, client focus groups.
Deliverable: A report documenting findings and recommendations in the three evaluation categories. The report should be delivered in a PDF format.
Project Duration: All work must be completed between February 1, 2012 and March 23, 2012. A final report based upon the findings and recommendations must be submitted to CMAS by 4pm on March 23, 2012.
RFP Submission Information: All interested parties must submit a completed RFP package by 4:00pm, December 9, 2011 to Susan Hoo at susanhoo@cmascanada.ca and Tricia Doyle at triciadoyle@cmascanada.ca.
RFP Submission Contents:
1. Cover letter including company name, title of proposal, date and contact information.
2. Corporate profile including years in business and years of related experience.
3. Description and proposed approaches of data collection and findings.
4. Estimated cost of the proposal, including an indication of hourly and daily rates and estimated expenses.
5. Qualifications and a minimum of three (3) references (with complete contact information, name, title, company, company address, telephone number and e-mail).
Selection Criteria:
- Previous experience as a program evaluator
- Previous experience with CIC funded services
- Ability to complete the contract on time and on budget. For complete budget information please contact Susan Hoo at 416.395.5027
Schedule:
1. Release of RFP
Friday November 25, 2011
2. Submission Deadline
Friday, December 9, 2011
3. Project Start Date
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
4. Project End Date
Friday march 23, 2012
For further information regarding this Request for Proposal, or CMAS, please contact Susan Hoo at 416.395.5027
