Best Start Communities: Request for Vendors

PLACE-BASED APPROACH - BEST START COMMUNITIES
In June 2009, the First 5 LA Board of Commissioners adopted its 2009-2015 Strategic Plan entitled Strengthening Families and Communities in L.A. County. This new approach will allow First 5 LA to focus on strengthening families, while fostering the communities' abilities to create and sustain safe and nurturing places for children to grow and thrive. In order to maximize the potential for success, it is essential that place-based efforts be driven by the communities themselves. Participants will determine and prioritize the changes they want to see in their communities, and First 5 LA will work with them over a period of years to create a plan to achieve these changes.

Each Best Start community will engage in planning activities through December 2011, including a community visioning process, a community assessment, on-going capacity building and trainings, development of a community governance structure, community-driven research and technical assistance.

Through this Request For Vendors (RFV), First 5 LA seeks to develop a pool of pre-approved vendors that are eligible to provide services in a number of areas including: audio/visual, catering, child care, event coordination, facilities/venues, interpretation/translation, graphic recording and transportation. A potential vendor may apply for each area for which they are qualified.

REQUEST FOR VENDORS
First 5 LA will identify a pool of vendors to provide services in the 14 Best Start Communities in Los Angeles County.

• Best Start Communities Vendor Pool RFV - Cover Letter
• Best Start Communities Vendor Pool RFV
• Board Approval

HOW TO APPLY
To provide a response to this RFV, applicants are requested to submit a complete application online to First 5 LA no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, March 30, 2012. No hard copy submissions will be accepted. For online application and instructions, please click here.

For those applicants that are having difficulty accessing the online application, please click here to download the document. Once completed, the application and all required documents must be postmarked before Friday, March 30th to:

Craig A. Steele, Interim Chief Executive Officer
Attn: Marsha Ellis, Best Start Assistant Director
First 5 LA
750 N. Alameda St., Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90012 

A list of frequently asked questions received will be compiled and can be accessed here.

All questions and requests for additional information regarding this RFV must be received in writing by First 5 LA via mail, fax, or email. First 5 LA reserves the sole right to determine the timing and content of the responses to all questions and requests for additional information. Questions and information requests may be submitted to mellis@first5la.org.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
• Appendix A: Application Checklist
• Appendix B: Cover Page
• Proposed Fee Rate/Schedule
• Language Description
• Promotional Materials
• Appendix C: Agency Involvement in Litigation (pdf)
• Appendix D: Contractor Signature Authorization Form (pdf)
• Business License
• Appendix E: W-9
• Appendix F: Qualification Review Tool
• Appendix G: Sample Vendor Agreement (pdf)

* No First 5 LA form is required. Please see RFV for document instructions.

** In addition to the electronic version of the RFV Package Checklist (Appendix A), Signature Authorization form and Disclosure Regarding Involvement in Litigation and/or Contract Compliance Difficulties, please mail original copies signed in blue ink.

Craig A. Steele, Interim Chief Executive Officer
c/o Marsha Ellis, Best Start Assistant Director
First 5 LA
750 N. Alameda Street, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Attention: Best Start Communities - RFV

Documents must be received no later than 5:00pm on Friday, March 30, 2012.

CONTACT US
For additional information or further questions, please contact Marsha Ellis, Assistant Director for Best Start Communities at (213) 482-7547 or mellis@first5la.org.