RFP Open Call: Program Evaluation and Business Intelligence Consultant

BACKGROUND
Future Link (www.futurelinkmd.org) seeks to close the opportunity divide for first-generation-to-college young adults (ages 18–25) facing economic adversity in Montgomery County, Maryland. The organization provides professional development, resources, and individualized support to help students pursue higher education or career-based training, enter the workforce, and achieve lasting self-sufficiency.

Our two-phase program offers a suite of individualized services — including career coaching, mentoring, paid internships, tutoring, scholarships, and academic guidance — designed to reduce barriers, close the achievement gap, and ensure equitable access to opportunity. These efforts yield measurable outcomes in academic persistence, degree and credential attainment, and direct access to employment opportunities.

Future Link is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Rockville, Maryland. Funding for this project has been secured through a private foundation grant.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Future Link seeks a Business Intelligence Consultant(s) with nonprofit and/or higher education program evaluation experience to assess and strengthen our data collection, performance metrics, and reporting practices.

The consultant will help streamline our theory of change and logic model, ensuring alignment between activities, outcomes, and impact measures. Engagement activities include: reviewing current data systems, defining key performance indicators (KPIs), improving survey practices, and supporting the organization’s migration to a new CRM platform.

SCOPE OF WORK
Phase I: Program Evaluation and Data Collection
1. Assess Current Program Services and Stakeholder Data

• Review the full lifecycle of stakeholder data (students, alumni, volunteers, partners).
• Map data collection, tracking, and reporting processes for core services, including but not limited to:
  • Seminar
  • Mentoring
  • Career Coaching
  • Tutoring
  • Scholarships

2. Analyze Metrics and Tracking for Each Program Service

• Define and refine Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Recommend short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes.
• Identify data trends, gaps, and redundancies.
• Recommend data points to collect or retire for improved efficiency.
• Develop data documentation standards and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for reporting consistency.

3. Evaluate Survey Practices

• Review existing surveys and tools.
• Recommend improvements to content, timing, and methodology (quantitative and qualitative).

Phase II: Data Migration, Architecture, and Visualization
Following the completion of Phase I, the consultant will take on an advisory role to assist Future Link in conversation with the CRM implementation team.

• Advise on data organization and clean-up pre-migration.
• Support data architecture and design of new CRM.
• Recommend data visualizations, dashboards, and report structures to integrate into new CRM aligned with key outcomes.
• Based on Phase I’s evaluative work, create a “Thriving Index” integrating Future Link’s existing “Bridge to Self-Sufficiency” that measures student progress over time and recommend data construction in new CRM.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
1. Data Evaluation and Integrity Reporting

• Updated theory of change and program logic model.
• Comprehensive written assessment with actionable recommendations to enhance data systems, processes, surveys, and reporting
• Clearly defined short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes aligned with Future Link’s mission
• Revised “self-sufficiency” definition and “Thriving Index” framework
• Expanded measurement and reporting recommendations, to include, but not limited to:
  • Year-over-year student progress including academic persistence
  • Cost per student served
  • Quantified in-kind volunteer impact (hours and dollar value)
  • Degree and credential attainment trends
  • Program engagement and participation metrics

2. System Migration Preparation

• Recommended report structures and data visualizations for CRM construction
• Framework for ongoing performance tracking and outcome reporting

QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit program evaluation and higher education outcomes analysis
• Proven expertise in developing and applying logic models and theory of change frameworks
• Proficiency in data visualization tools
• Strong understanding of survey design, mixed-method evaluation, and nonprofit data reporting
• Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights for organizational learning and capacity building

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS
Interested parties should submit the following:

• Cover letter
• Resume(s) of consultant(s)/team
• General work timeline for entire project (discovery call to finalize timeline)
• General budget estimate (discovery call to finalize timeline)
• Proof of relevant prior experience and three (3) client references

PROPOSAL TIMELINE

• RFP Circulation Begins: Mid-November, 2025
• Proposal Deadline: December 30, 2025
• Interviews and Discovery Calls: January 2026
• Final Timelines and Budgets Due: February 2, 2026
• Phase I Project State Date: March 2, 2026

Potential Project Duration (subject to change):

• Phase I: 16-20 weeks
• Phase II: 12-16 weeks

Submit materials to resumes@futurelinkmd.org by December 30, 2025.
Questions about the RFP can be sent to resumes@futurelinkmd.org