Strategic Planning: Consulting Services

Request for Proposals (RFP)
Strategic Planning Consulting Services
Issued by: RochesterWorks, Inc
Issue Date: Monday, March 30th, 2026
Proposals Due: Friday, April 24th, 2026, 5pm EST
1. INTRODUCTION
RochesterWorks, Inc (hereafter, "RochesterWorks", "RW") seeks a consultant to guide a focused
strategic planning process, including stakeholder engagement and strategy development. The
process should result in a clear 3-4 year strategic direction (through approximately 2029) and an
actionable plan to arrive at that envisioned state.
The organization is specifically looking for a right-sized, practical approach that:
* Leverages internal capacity
* Avoids unnecessary complexity
* Produces a concise, usable plan
RochesterWorks anticipates a planning process of approximately 4- 6 months.
All communications relating to this RFP should be sent to dseeley@rochesterworks.org with the
Subject: RochesterWorks RFP Strategic Planning
2. BACKGROUND
Created in 2000, RochesterWorks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the Monroe County-
Rochester Workforce Development Board and serves as a leader in the region's workforce system.
It is the largest provider of employment-related services in the Greater Rochester area, filling a
specific role of connecting job seekers with in-demand career pathways.
The organization adopted its first Strategic Plan in 2022 and has since experienced significant
growth and evolution. RochesterWorks is seeking to develop an updated strategic plan that reflects
current conditions, organizational learning, and future priorities.
RochesterWorks brings strong internal knowledge, data, and context to this work and intends for
this to be a collaborative and efficient process, not a consultant-driven research effort.
3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
RochesterWorks is seeking a process that is:
* Focused and efficient
* Collaborative, not consultant-driven
* Grounded in real organizational capacity
* Oriented toward clear, actionable outcomes

Proposals that reflect these principles-and avoid unnecessary complexity-will be viewed
favorably.
4. SCOPE OF WORK
Proposers should outline an approach that is streamlined, high-value, and aligned with a moderate
project budget.
A. Planning & Discovery
* Review existing materials (strategic plan, data, internal documents)
* Align with staff on process, scope, and key questions
* Define a clear and efficient workplan
B. Stakeholder Engagement
* Work with RW leadership to identify and facilitate engagement with priority stakeholder
groups, including
RW Staff,
Board members,
community partners and
customers (job seekers and employers)
* Design and conduct a targeted set of engagement activities (not large-scale research).
* Facilitate sessions and synthesize key themes
C. Strategy Development
* Facilitate working sessions with staff and/or board
* Support development of:
Strategic priorities
Goals and high-level objectives
* Build alignment and decision-making clarity
D. Plan Development
* Produce a concise, actionable strategic plan, not a lengthy report
* Include priorities, goals, and high-level strategies
* Incorporate feedback and finalize document
* Work with RW Senior leadership to identify a small set of performance measures and
provide a simple framework for tracking progress
E. Optional (Clearly Scoped)
* Light implementation guidance
* Dashboard development to track and report performance
* Presentation to Board leadership
5. DELIVERABLES
* Project workplan and timeline
* Summary of stakeholder input
* Facilitated strategy sessions
* Draft and final strategic plan document
Deliverables should be practical and right-sized, not overly detailed or academic.
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6. BUDGET & COST PROPOSAL
RochesterWorks is seeking a cost-effective, high-value engagement.
Proposals should include:
* Total cost and fee structure
* Clear description of included scope
* Key assumptions
* Optional scope elements or phased approaches (if applicable)
Proposers are encouraged to recommend efficient approaches that align effort with impact, and to
clearly differentiate between core and optional components.
7. QUALIFICATIONS
* Experience leading strategic planning for nonprofits or public-sector organizations
* Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills
* Ability to translate input into clear, actionable strategy
* Collaborative and flexible approach
8. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
* Cover letter
* Approach and methodology
* Scope and deliverables
* Relevant experience
* Timeline
* Budget
(Recommended length: 10 pages)
9. EVALUATION CRITERIA
* Approach and clarity (30%)
* Relevant experience (30%)
* Value relative to cost (30%)
* Organizational fit (10%)
10. TIMELINE
* RFP Release: Monday, March 30th, 2026
* Questions or Request for Clarification due: Friday, April 17th 2026, 5pm EST
* Proposals Due: Friday, April 24th, 2026, 5pm EST
* Short-List Interviews: Week of May 4th - 8th, 2026
* Contract Award: Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 (tentative)
11. CONTACT:
All questions, requests for clarification and final proposals must be sent to:
Dave Seeley at dseeley@rochesterworks.org
Subject: RochesterWorks RFP Strategic Planning
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