CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO FACILITATE
AEA's LEARNING CIRCLE EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING PROGRAM
Deadline Friday, May 30, 2008

The American Evaluation Association (AEA) is seeking a vendor to lead a pilot program employing learning circles as an avenue for professional development among mid-career professionals. The program is broken down into two tracks and the vendor plays a specific role for each track.

Track 1 will begin with a vendor-led two-day training retreat on learning circles as an adult education methodology for a diverse group of 10-12 mid-career evaluators who will be selected as Learning Circle Fellows. The training will be held November 3 and 4, 2008 in Denver, Colorado in conjunction with the AEA annual conference. The retreat will be followed by 2 or more Learning Circles facilitated by the vendor and conducted via distance technologies over a period of six months with the Learning Circle Fellows who participated in the two-day training retreat.

Track 2 will begin shortly after the Track 1 retreat and will involve implementation of Learning Circles during the period January through September 2009 with 10-12 circles facilitated by the Learning Circle Fellows with a second group of 60-100 mid-career evaluators. It is anticipated that some of the Track 2 Learning Circles will also be conducted remotely using distance technologies.

The vendor contracted for this twelve-month initiative will organize and implement significant components of both Track 1 and 2. Major responsibilities as part of Track 1 for approximately twelve days over the period of September 2008 to September of 2009 include:

• Develop materials to include (a) a retreat orientation package, (b) handouts for use during the retreat, and (c) a guide, specific to the AEA context, for facilitating follow-up circles (3 days);

• Provide a two-day on-site training retreat in Learning Circles including facilitation of a minimum of two parallel Learning Circles with the participants based on individual and collective interests determined prior to the training (6 days);

• Summarize training process and outcomes and submit this document to the AEA office to assist in the initiative’s evaluation (1 day);

• Provide six months of sustained facilitation via distance technologies (phone, web, etc.) for two Learning Circles with the Fellows initiated during the retreat (phone, web, etc.) (2 days).

Major responsibilities as part of Track 2 for approximately four days over the period of December 2008 to September of 2009 include:

• Provide six months of email and phone follow-up support to the Learning Circle Fellows as they start up and facilitate additional Learning Circles with Track 2 participants (2 days);

• Research and distribute resources to support facilitation of Learning Circles as needs are identified during technical assistance and facilitated Learning Circles (1 day);

• Summarize Track 2 implementation activities and observations from consultation and sustained Learning Circles and submit report to AEA office to assist in the initiative’s evaluation (1 day).

Selection of participants for Track I will be administered by AEA and conducted by a task force of AEA’s professional development committee via a transparent, competitive process that seeks to maximize the diversity of expertise and backgrounds represented among the Fellows. Selection of participants for Track II will be overseen by the individual Fellows using guidelines established by AEA and the vendor. Administrative and logistical support throughout the process will be provided by the AEA office.

Process for Submitting a Proposal: Proposals should be submitted as a single electronic file, via email, to Susan Kistler, AEA Executive Director, at susan@eval.org, on or before Friday, May 30, 2008.

Proposal Components: Proposals should (a) include all information needed to review the proposal without linking to outside sources that represent required reading, and (b) be no more than 10 pages in length, including any and all appendices, letters of support, and other documentation. AEA, at its discretion, may contact vendors for additional information or for interviews. Each proposal should include the following items in the order identified:

1.       Capacity: Description of capacity to provide a two-day Learning Circle experience for 10-12 mid-career evaluators from diverse backgrounds, including the capacity to train others in conducting learning circles. Details should include vendor’s experience, credentials, and outcomes achieved in similar contexts.

2.       Model: Description of the Learning Circle model used by the vendor including anticipated processes and outcomes, its applicability in parallel contexts among groups comprised of those previously unknown to one another, and the format for online and face-to-face options.

3.       Diversity: Description of how the model facilitates peer-to-peer learning in ways that are inclusive and build upon the professional backgrounds and lived experience of diverse participants.

4.       Track 1: Detailed description of the Track 1 Learning Circle experience:

·         Retreat experience: Including organization, process, proposed agenda, content, success measures

·         Follow-up Learning Circles: Including organization, process, anticipated agenda, content, success measures, and plan for sustaining Learning Circle skill development

5.       Evaluation: Description of evaluation plan including what feedback is collected from participants to inform the development and/or effectiveness of the on-going process, and to what extent would this information, if collected, be available to AEA?

6.       Suggestions: Suggestions for improving the proposed Learning Circle pilot project to meet the learning needs of mid-career evaluators.

7.       Budget: AEA will provide a travel stipend of up to $1000 per facilitator for up to two facilitators for the retreat plus a stipend of up to $15,000 for the one-year vendor contract to include both personnel and technology costs associated with facilitation of the Track I follow-up Learning Circles via distance technology. A detailed budget should identify personnel costs including a daily rate and number of days allocated by Track I and Track II activities, technology costs, and any other costs to be assumed by the vendor within the $15,000 allocation.

AEA will pay for meeting room rental and audio-visual for the retreat, food and beverages for retreat participants, and reasonable Track I participant materials costs. AEA will not pay for sleeping rooms, air or ground travel for participants?

8.      References: At least two references from groups that have used the vendor’s services

Please note that the materials developed for this program, such as non-copyrighted content in the orientation packet, handouts, and guide, remain the property of AEA after the contract and AEA retains the right to use, modify, and distribute them.

Questions: Questions should be directed to Susan Kistler, AEA Executive Director, at susan@eval.org.

Background on the Anticipated Experience for Track 1 and Track 2

Track 1. The Learning Circle Fellows will represent intermediate to advanced level mid-career evaluators with strong interest in LCs as an educational method, existing facilitation skills, and a desire to experience a LC as a means for renewal and professional development. Their participation in the two-day retreat involves approximately 30 hours of focused professional development on designing, developing, leading and documenting LCs. In effect, the Track 1 training experience will model the LC experience and evolve into an LC for participants. Participants also receive follow-up technical support as they implement LCs in their own locales. They must be willing to sustain their involvement and commitment by extending their LC experience at the vendor-led retreat by facilitating a “real-time” or online learning circle over a period of approximately six months, committing 3 hours monthly, with a group of six to ten mid-career evaluators.

The Track 1 retreat experience has three primary objectives:

1. Enable participants to be able to facilitate a learning circle – content will focus on the knowledge and skills necessary for LC facilitation
2. Enable participants to develop knowledge and skills in an area of evaluation interest through a learning circle – topical content will be determined by the participants themselves
3. Help participants connect with other experienced evaluator

The actual retreat experience (e.g., advance reading materials, workshop agenda, specific learning objectives and activities) will be further developed by the selected vendor. The vendor will work closely with the AEA staff who will serve in a support role to arrange logistics for the retreat. 

Once the retreat has taken place, Learning Circle Fellows will continue as a LC communicating with the contracted vendor through monthly conference calls designed to review facilitation skills, discuss LC recruitment and retention strategies, and continue their substantive dialogue around their LC topic of interest.  Conference calls will be conducted, one each month for six months.

Track 2. Track 2 consists of the 10-12 LCs (facilitated by the Track 1 participants) each with 6-10 mid-career participants. These participants represent AEA mid-career evaluators who want to grow professionally through peer learning. While each LC will form and develop according to the interests of its members, it is expected that the LCs will mirror the interests expressed by mid-career evaluators who participated in 2007 AEA focus groups. These interests included a focus on practical content around such topics as working with stakeholders; managing evaluation projects; navigating complex organizational issues; building leadership; sharing results in meaningful ways; practical evaluation applications; and tool swapping.

Each Track 2 LC is expected to meet for three hours monthly over six months, providing a minimum of 18 hours of intense, interactive learning. There is no stipulation that these Track 2 LCs disband at the end of the pilot. In fact, the hope is that if this initiative serves as a successful catalyst, they can become self-organizing and sustaining, spinning-off additional LCs and professional networks. 

During Track 2, AEA administrative staff will assist in the recruitment of LC members (both online and place-based). AEA administrative staff will coordinate with the Learning Circle Fellows to schedule LCs operating during Track 2 as needed.