Columbus Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

The City of Columbus invites qualified consultants to submit proposals to provide strategic planning services for the Columbus Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (“Commission”). The maximum budget for this request is **$50,000**.

Established through Columbus City Code Chapter 175, the Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs was created to advise Columbus City Council & the Mayor on issues of common concern to immigrants and refugees. The purpose of the Commission is to elevate immigrant and refugee voices, provide recommendations regarding City policies and programs, and support immigrant and refugee access to and participation in Columbus’s economic, cultural, and civic life.

The Commission consists of fifteen (15) members appointed by Columbus City Council. [...] The Commission is now housed in the Department of Neighborhoods.

To support this foundational work, Columbus City Council is seeking a qualified consultant to assist the Commission in developing a strategic plan and implementation framework.

The selected consultant will provide strategic planning and organizational capacity-building services for the duration of 12 months.

The selected consultant will help the Commission establish how it works, agree on priorities, and begin acting on them. That direction will be documented in a three year strategic plan and first-year implementation road map that establish a clear direction for the Commission over the next three years.

The selected consultant will:

1. Provide project management to ensure contracted activities and deliverables are completed on schedule and within scope. This includes meeting preparation, facilitation, progress tracking, and support for commissioners in carrying out agreed-upon next steps.
2. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan and first year implementation road map in close coordination with the Commission and city staff.
3. Support the development of community engagement and policy advocacy approaches that reflect the Commission’s priorities, strengthen communication with immigrant and refugee communities, and establish practical ways to convey community perspectives and recommendations to City policymakers. This will be embedded into the strategic plan.
4. Develop the Commission’s annual report in collaboration with the Commission and City staff, building on existing draft materials and available documentation to summarize the Commission’s activities, recommendations, community engagement, and progress. The consultant will establish a repeatable reporting process to support future annual reports.
5. Build the Commission’s organizational capacity by recommending effective working practices, supporting commissioner education and public-facing communications, and establishing repeatable processes for planning, implementation, evaluation, and reporting.

Final Deliverables

• A detailed consultant project work plan describing the consultant’s strategy for their contract period.
• A strategic plan outlining the next 3 years for the Commission which includes an annual engagement event framework, a community engagement strategy, a policy and advocacy strategy, and commissioner education and identify training materials.
• An annual report. Work with an existing draft, the Commission, and City staff to develop an annual report.
• Produce an editable annual report template and provide relevant training or written instructions to support continuity between the first annual report and future versions.
• Provide all public-facing deliverables in editable source format and as accessible, publication-ready files.

The strategic plan will be the priority of this scope of work.

**Submission method:** all submissions will be made through **Bonfire**. Responding proposals will be received until **5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 13th**.

**Proposal requirements:** Each prospective contractor is **required** to formally respond to each of the listed items. Proposals shall be no longer than **10 pages**. Previous examples of work may be provided as a separate PDF document labeled as “Appendix.”

Evaluation criteria

• Who You Are (10%)
• Previous Experience (30%)
• Proposed Project & Timeline (40%)
• Budget (20%)

Timeline

• Interviews (if needed): November 16th through the 18th 2026
• Selection Announcement: December 1st through 14th 2026
• Contract Period: January 2027 – January 2028

The selected applicant must agree to the City’s standard service contract. Contractor shall carry Commercial Liability Insurance naming the City as an additional insured: Bodily Injury Liability of $500,000 each person and $1,000,000 each accident; Property Damage Liability of $500,000 each accident and $1,000,000 all accidents. Proof of Workers’ Compensation coverage is required.