Purpose of Consulting Services
CSH seeks to contract with one individual with lived experience of homelessness and supportive housing who is willing to use their expertise to inform a collaborative initiative with the National Alliance to End Homelessness. This initiative is intended to focus on supporting additional research on supportive housing, understanding the opportunities and challenges providers are facing, and advancing policy solutions to strengthen and scale supportive housing.
The individual selected will serve as a consultant to CSH from approximately May through December 2024. The consultant is expected to provide approximately 70 hours of consulting services at $100/hour worked through December 31, 2024. Up to four trips may be included as part of this initiative, and travel costs and time will be covered.
Please note that much of the communication and work for this consultation will take place virtually. Consultant must have regular access to a computer and be comfortable using virtual meeting technology such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
Planned Activities
CSH has several staff members that are also working on this initiative who will coordinate with the consultant on a regular basis in order to divide tasks, clarify the scope of work and adjust tasks as requested by the consultant.
Task 1: Focus Group Planning – May 2024 through October 2024
Consultant will support the planning for a series of 8 focus groups, 4 in person and 4 virtual, to be conducted from May through October 2024. The purpose of the focus groups is to understand challenges and opportunities across the country related to supportive housing. Planning will include reviewing and providing feedback on focus group questions, people to be invited, and agendas. Planning will take place via phone calls with CSH and NAEH staff. Consultant will also communicate regularly with CSH staff via text, email, and phone, as necessary.
Task 2: Focus Group Attendance and Support – May 2024 through October 2024
Consultant will attend selected focus groups (anticipated to be 2 in person and 2 virtual) and support facilitation. Consultant will attend follow up discussions with NAEH and CSH to debrief the session and make any necessary changes to future sessions.
Task 3: Publications – October 2024 through December 2024
Consultant will support the development of:
- Brief report summarizing focus group findings.
- Brief document summarizing policy goals and recommendations.
This support may include drafting sections of these documents and/or reviewing and providing feedback on drafts.
Project Timeline
Consultant activities for this project will begin on or before May 1, 2024 and will be reimbursed through December 2024.
Project Budget
CSH estimates a total cost for the tasks described not to exceed $7,300 including hours spent traveling. The hourly pay for consultant activities is $100/hour. Consultant will share their availability with CSH for this work and the total amount billed will not exceed $7,300. Travel costs will be billed and reimbursed separately.
Application Process and Vendor Requirements
To apply for this opportunity, please complete this interest form by April 26, 2024. Applicants may be asked to participate in an interview with CSH staff. Each interview will not be more than one hour. Any applicants not selected will be informed by phone call and/or email.
Required Qualifications
Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The willingness and ability to use lived expertise of homelessness and supportive housing to inform this project.
- Experience and/or interest in supportive housing.
- Experience and interest with developing agendas and/or leading small group conversations (focus groups).
- Experience and interest with writing and/or documents that summarize discussions.
- Interest in participating in discussions designed to develop recommendations based on focus group conversations.
- Demonstrated ability to work well with a variety of individuals and/or agencies.
- Ability to track and report hours worked.
- Ability to commit to the minimum number of hours.
CSH encourages individuals with a diverse array of experiences and backgrounds to apply.
Please note: CSH aims to be a responsible partner to the people we pay for time-limited work who are receiving public benefits by providing them with as much support as possible and appropriate to help them make informed choices about how much they want to work for us and/or for other organizations. Due to the highly specialized and individualized nature of this work, however, CSH does not currently have the expertise to provide benefits counselling to individuals but will provide as much support as possible to connect individuals with outside partner benefits counselling, so they can make the most informed decision as it relates to their ability to commit to this position.
Please note that CSH requires subcontractors, including individuals and sole proprietors, to carry workers' compensation insurance and general liability insurance while performing work under a CSH subcontract. CSH subcontractors cannot have existing, pending or expired debarments that preclude them from doing business with the United States government and cannot have convictions for, nor have any pending indictments for, fraud or a criminal offense in connection with a public contract or subcontract.
Please contact Stephanie Mercier, Director—Strategy, Impact and Evaluation, with any additional questions regarding this opportunity (stephanie.mercier@csh.org).
