Developing Requests for Proposals (RFPs)

Writing and Preparing Request for Proposals (RFP's)
for Contracting Interpretive Services.

13 Units, 2 CEU Credits - $200.00 Tuition

As interpretation media, technology and fabrication continue to evolve with new materials and changing costs, many organizations will contract out for interpretive services that they cannot develop in-house. But a lot of RFP's we have seen or responded to ourselves are often poorly written and fail to identify the exact scope of services, qualifications of the bidders, or the format required for the requested proposals or any supporting documents required. This course will focus on RFP's for such interpretive services and media as:

* RFP for planning and designing/fabrication of interpretive panels.
* RFP for planning and design of interpretive exhibits
* RFP for contracting interpretive master planning services.

With over 40 years of experience in interpretation, working as an interpretive consultant and having responded to and developed proposals responding to RFP's, we felt that a course on how to develop a Request for Proposals would be a valuable tool to have.

This course will walk you through the RFP development, content and follow-through process, from writing the RFP, sending it out or posting it to potential vendors, analysis of proposals, and setting up and conducting vendor interviews, if required.

About the Instructor: Prof. John Veverka

- B.S and M.S in Heritage Interpretation - The Ohio State University
- Ph.D. program in Interpretation at Michigan State University.
- Adjunct Professor Heritage Interpretation (summer heritage tourism institutes) North Carolina State University,
- New York State University. Adjunct Professor, Heritage Tourism Institute.
- NAI Certified Interpretive Planner and Trainer
- NAI Fellow
- Certified Professional Heritage Interpreter (Canada).
- Author of several interpretive planning/training college text books.
- Publisher of InterpNEWS - the International Heritage Interpretation e-Magazine.
- 40 years of interpretive planning, training and writing experience.
The Units:

Unit One - Identifying the need for a consultant firm or agency. What skill sets or fabrication services are required that you cannot provide in-house or within your agency?

Unit Two - Time and completion of the contracted services requirements.

Unit Three - Your individual agency or organization legal bidding requirements.

Unit Four - The specific scope of services you are asking for.

Unit Five - Contractor qualifications to bid on your project.

Unit Six - Time line from sending out the RFP to interviewing or contractor selection to project start - and project phasing for billing purposes.

Unit Seven - Determining a realistic budget for contracted services.

Unit Eight - Invoicing and payment terms.

Unit Nine- Scheduling potential contractor interviews and interview requirements.

Unit Ten - RFP Template Examples.

* For contracting interpretive panels.
* For contracting planning/design of interpretive exhibits
* For contracting interpretive master planning services.

Unit Eleven - Putting it all together - developing your draft RFP.
Your draft RFP will be reviewed by the course instructor.

Unit Twelve - Developing your bidders list or posting your RFP on the internet.

Unit Thirteen - Final contractor selection criteria and issuing your Purchase Order or Contract based on your agency or organization legal requirements.

For our e-LIVE courses, all assignments from each unit will be sent to Prof. Veverka for review and comments or coaching. You can talk with John whenever you need to by phone, SKYPE, or e-mail. John will be YOUR personal coach for this course and will be happy to help with your RFP development and follow-up.

When will the course start? You can start this course at any time and work at your own pace. It is estimated that it will take about 20 hours to complete this course. The cost of the 20 hours of training is $200.00 USD.

If you're interested in this course or have any questions, send an e-mail to John at: jvainterp@aol.com. You can pay for the course tuition using the Pay Now button below and we can get you started right away.

Prof. John Veverka
JVA Heritage Interpretation International Training Center
Interpretive Training Division
jvainterp@aol.com
SKYPE: jvainterp