Subregional Technical Assistance

Scope of Work:
Subregional Technical Assistance 

Download this page as a PDF: Subregional Technical Assistance SOW

California Jobs First | Phase I: Planning Phase

Subregional Technical Assistance – Scope of Work 

Purpose. The Kern Coalition solicits proposals from qualified consultant(s) specializing in technical assistance among socioeconomically and culturally diverse disinvested communities in Kern County to support the development of economic initiatives as part of the California Jobs First (formerly Community Economic Resilience Fund) Planning Phase I. 

The California Jobs First Planning Phase I includes Kern County divided into five (5) subregions: East, West, North, South, and Central Kern. Through the sub-regional partners and Kern High Roads Transition Collaborative (KHRTC) Governance Council, projects addressing California Jobs First objectives of equity, sustainability, job quality, economic Regional Plan Part I and Part II (Research) competitiveness, and economic resilience will be developed. These projects will be recommended for implementation as part of California Jobs First Phase II Implementation. 

Mission. The Kern Coalition’s mission is to unify and bolster local efforts that advocate for the equitable attainment of good, quality jobs that promote a resilient economy and positive health, social, and environmental outcomes in disinvested communities through diverse representation and securing direct investments for economic development strategies.

Vision. To eliminate generational poverty and promote equitable economic mobility for all in Kern County by ensuring investments dismantle systemic barriers.

INTENT. Please refer to Planning Phase I RFP pp. 12 and the Strategic Investments pps. 17-19

Based on the information gathered as part of Phase I (Planning), the intent of the Regional Plan is to develop 2-5 strategic investments or projects to enact recovery and transition to be funded in Phase II (Implementation). 

Expected Timeline.

The period of engagement begins on September 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024.

Background.

 (Planning Phase I pps. 15-17) and the Kern Coalition Proposal

The subregional technical assistance requires a high level of community engagement among the five regions in Kern County, Ca. 

• West Subregion (kccd.edu)
• East Subregion (kccd.edu)
• Central Subregion (kccd.edu)
• South Subregion (kccd.edu)
• North Subregion (kccd.edu)

The Kern Coalition has conducted community-engagement meetings since the Summer 2022 and has gathered feedback from each subregion on the localized disparities and deep-rooted barriers to obtaining meaningful employment, education, and building household wealth. To access the series of community engagement meetings and notes, access the Past Meeting Resources (kccd.edu).

In partnership with the Kern Coalition, through this work, the selected consultant(s) will help inform the development of a holistic economic development and transition roadmap with strategies that prioritize the creation of high-quality jobs, equitable access to jobs and resources, and the development of sustainable and resilient economies and industries. These industries include but are not limited to renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon removal, zero-emission vehicles, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, artificial intelligence, and climate restoration and resilience. The roadmap and strategies must refer to the findings of the analyses in the draft of the Regional Summary, which is under development and will be incorporated with the components of the subregional technical assistance work. 

Scope of Work.

A significant portion of the Phase I grant involves a high level of community engagement and sustained participation from all sub-regions. The technical assistance will be a core component in the identification of subregional industries and the development of viable projects to be presented to the Governance Council for review and determination. Data and information will be shared with community members, key stakeholders, and the general public as part of the Kern Coalition. To ensure we are responsive to all participants, within reason, the following are areas of emphasis in the subregional engagement and the development of collateral, documents, and related material.  

• Cultural Sensitivity
• Language Barriers
• Closed captioning 

As part of the technical assistance, the selected consultant(s) will be responsible for the following: 

• Providing coverage for all five (5) subregions. 
• Provide an assessment of gaps in existing research for the region and sub-regions
• Collaborate with the research entities developing the regional plan and the regional summary.
• Conducting 4-8 meetings per month at the subregional level.
• Conduct one-on-one interviews with various stakeholder groups. 
• Develop surveys that will be distributed via the CBOs and in consultation with the Kern Coalition.
• Conduct community focus groups and/or community forums.  
• Proposal development across the five subregions that adhere to Justice40.
• Develop community education,(i.e.,) slide decks, fact sheets, and guidelines of the regional research that directly relates to the California Jobs First proposal development.
• In-person engagement at various locations to maximize participation.  
• Work directly with the subregional governance council representatives on identifying projects that align with the California Jobs First and Catalyst Pre-development Phase objectives and that are specific to the region.  
• Report weekly to the Kern Coalition on findings and report status updates.
• Provide in-person and/or hybrid monthly reports and presentations to community engagement, industry, and partners.

Geographic representation of the subregions. It is expected that technical assistance will be offered in varying locations within the subregions to ensure maximum coverage of areas (refer to the subregional hyperlinks above) and remove barriers to engagement to ensure inclusive practices are being offered. The Kern Coalition can support the logistics of identifying the locations, however, the consultant(s) will be responsible for any audio and visual needs.

Geographic representation. Similar to the above, the Kern Coalition uses the hybrid model for meetings, in-person across all five subregions and virtual, during evening or mid-day hours during the work week or weekend. This will also need to be practiced by the technical assistance consultant(s). 

The Kern Coalition meets weekly. It is expected the selected consultant(s) will meet with the Kern Coalition frequently (up to weekly, however, that will be determined at another time) and be prepared to share initial findings and research.  

Proposal Submission Guidelines.

A narrative of less than 5 pages (excluding the budget) addressing the consultant(s) credentials, description of the organization’s capacity and of the project team members dedicated to completing this work, past experience and/or work in similar projects, evidence of a commitment to equity, scope of work, timeline of deliverables, and a budget.

Budget.

Proposals need to include a budget separate from the narrative. A budget can be submitted of up to $300,000 or $60,000 per subregion.