Strategic Planning: Consulting Services

Location:	New York
Posted:	Apr 7, 2026
Due:	Apr 24, 2026
Agency:	RochesterWorks
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Request for Proposals (RFP)

Strategic Planning Consulting Services

Issued by: RochesterWorks, Inc

Issue Date: Monday, March 30th, 2026

Proposals Due: Friday, April 24th, 2026, 5pm EST

1. INTRODUCTION

RochesterWorks, Inc (hereafter, “RochesterWorks”, “RW”) seeks a consultant to guide a focused

strategic planning process, including stakeholder engagement and strategy development. The

process should result in a clear 3–4 year strategic direction (through approximately 2029) and an

actionable plan to arrive at that envisioned state.

The organization is specifically looking for a right-sized, practical approach that:

• Leverages internal capacity

• Avoids unnecessary complexity

• Produces a concise, usable plan

RochesterWorks anticipates a planning process of approximately 4- 6 months.

All communications relating to this RFP should be sent to dseeley@rochesterworks.org with the

Subject: RochesterWorks RFP Strategic Planning

2. BACKGROUND

Created in 2000, RochesterWorks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the Monroe County-

Rochester Workforce Development Board and serves as a leader in the region’s workforce system.

It is the largest provider of employment-related services in the Greater Rochester area, filling a

specific role of connecting job seekers with in-demand career pathways.

The organization adopted its first Strategic Plan in 2022 and has since experienced significant

growth and evolution. RochesterWorks is seeking to develop an updated strategic plan that reflects

current conditions, organizational learning, and future priorities.

RochesterWorks brings strong internal knowledge, data, and context to this work and intends for

this to be a collaborative and efficient process, not a consultant-driven research effort.

3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

RochesterWorks is seeking a process that is:

• Focused and efficient

• Collaborative, not consultant-driven

• Grounded in real organizational capacity

• Oriented toward clear, actionable outcomes

Proposals that reflect these principles—and avoid unnecessary complexity—will be viewed

favorably.

4. SCOPE OF WORK

Proposers should outline an approach that is streamlined, high-value, and aligned with a moderate

project budget.

A. Planning & Discovery

• Review existing materials (strategic plan, data, internal documents)

• Align with staff on process, scope, and key questions

• Define a clear and efficient workplan

B. Stakeholder Engagement

• Work with RW leadership to identify and facilitate engagement with priority stakeholder

groups, including

▪ RW Staff,

▪ Board members,

▪ community partners and

▪ customers (job seekers and employers)

• Design and conduct a targeted set of engagement activities (not large-scale research).

• Facilitate sessions and synthesize key themes

C. Strategy Development

• Facilitate working sessions with staff and/or board

• Support development of:

▪ Strategic priorities

▪ Goals and high-level objectives

• Build alignment and decision-making clarity

D. Plan Development

• Produce a concise, actionable strategic plan, not a lengthy report

• Include priorities, goals, and high-level strategies

• Incorporate feedback and finalize document

• Work with RW Senior leadership to identify a small set of performance measures and

provide a simple framework for tracking progress

E. Optional (Clearly Scoped)

• Light implementation guidance

• Dashboard development to track and report performance

• Presentation to Board leadership

5. DELIVERABLES

• Project workplan and timeline

• Summary of stakeholder input

• Facilitated strategy sessions

• Draft and final strategic plan document

Deliverables should be practical and right-sized, not overly detailed or academic.

6. BUDGET & COST PROPOSAL

RochesterWorks is seeking a cost-effective, high-value engagement.

Proposals should include:

• Total cost and fee structure

• Clear description of included scope

• Key assumptions

• Optional scope elements or phased approaches (if applicable)

Proposers are encouraged to recommend efficient approaches that align effort with impact, and to

clearly differentiate between core and optional components.

7. QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience leading strategic planning for nonprofits or public-sector organizations

• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills

• Ability to translate input into clear, actionable strategy

• Collaborative and flexible approach

8. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

• Cover letter

• Approach and methodology

• Scope and deliverables

• Relevant experience

• Timeline

• Budget

(Recommended length: ≤10 pages)

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Approach and clarity (30%)

• Relevant experience (30%)

• Value relative to cost (30%)

• Organizational fit (10%)

10. TIMELINE

• RFP Release: Monday, March 30th, 2026

• Questions or Request for Clarification due: Friday, April 17th 2026, 5pm EST

• Proposals Due: Friday, April 24th, 2026, 5pm EST

• Short-List Interviews: Week of May 4th – 8th, 2026

• Contract Award: Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 (tentative)

11. CONTACT:

All questions, requests for clarification and final proposals must be sent to:

Dave Seeley at dseeley@rochesterworks.org

Subject: RochesterWorks RFP Strategic Planning

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Strategic Planning: Consulting Services

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