National BALLE Coordinator

Posted by on June 26, 2004

RFP-REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

NATIONAL COORDINATOR AND ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE BUSINESS ALLIANCE FOR LOCAL LIVING ECONOMIES
Dated: June 1, 2004

PLEASE FORWARD THIS RFP-REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE ORGANIZING LOCAL BALLE NETWORKS AND THAT YOU BELIEVE WOULD BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT APPLICANTS NOTIFY US BY JUNE 30 AS TO THEIR INTENT TO RESPOND. RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY JULY 12TH.

The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) is an initiative of the White Dog Foundation, which serves as the fiscal sponsor. BALLE has a Board of Directors, an Advisory Committee, Bylaws and will be filing for federal Nonprofit status before the end of 2004.

The consultant(s) will report directly to the Co-Chairs of BALLE, Judy Wicks and Laury Hammel. Duties will be carried out in coordination with the BALLE Board of Directors, Local Network Coordinators and the Advisory Board.

The six-month contract resulting from this RFQ will have the following major general objectives:
1. National Coordinator will be responsible for strategy and program development, fund-raising, partnerships, collaborating with the BALLE Co-Chairs and Board and managing BALLE?s administrative duties, Information Technology contractors and others as necessary.

National Coordination Responsibilities:
a. Develop a 1 and 3 year strategic plan for BALLE program, local network and resource development.
b. Facilitate Local First Marketplace (online directory) development with local networks
c. Resource Development – Raise funding necessary to grow services to local networks from a diverse funding base including government, business, individuals and private foundations.
d. Facilitate successful BALLE National Events such as the National Conference each spring.
e. Board Development
f. Develop a community capital or policy program
g. Support organizing of new local networks

2. General Administrative Duties Include:
a. Answer initial inquiries and ongoing questions and answers by phone and email; Mail out Information/Welcome Kits
b. Keep the Information and Welcome Kits current; Update our member networks with new additions to the Information and Welcome Kits
c. Coordinate BALLE Round-Up, Advisory Board, Board, and Executive Committee calls, agendas and minutes
d. Update BALLE website – new information, press, meetings/events
e. Gather and disseminate best practices from member networks, including updating members only section of the website (tools, templates, best practices)
f. Manage a database of BALLE ?friends?
g. Write and circulate the every other month BALLE e-mail newsletter
h. Handle book-keeping, payments and invoicing in partnership with the White Dog Foundation
i. Coordinate public appearances and writings from member networks, including: speaker?s bureau, advisory board, the BALLE Beat and the BALLE newsletter articles, and representing BALLE at regional and national conferences, etc.
j. Coordinate the creation of new BALLE collateral materials
k. Train new networks on how to use the BALLE website; Track customer support questions and requests
l. Coordinate software work and updates on BALLE marketplace

GENERAL TERMS of CONTRACT:
1. BALLE expects that the contracting entity will provide approximately 25 hours per week in National Coordination services and an additional 20 hours per week in Administrative responsibilities during the approximate period August 1, 2004 through February 1, 2005.

2. BALLE expects to pay a pro-rated monthly payment of not-to-exceed $3700 for each of the next 6 months. This contract will not include any reimbursement for local or federal taxes or other benefits.

3. BALLE will not require consultant to work at any specific location and will not provide reimbursements for office space, utilities or office maintenance. Specific expenses related to communications and travel will be reimbursed in accordance with the final contractual agreement. This contract could conceivably require significant amounts of travel and extensive telephone work.

4. Either party can terminate this consulting contract with 30 days written notice. This term is included because of both performance issues and the fact that full funding of this obligation is not currently available. It is anticipated that the consultant will assist BALLE in raising the required funds necessary to fully fund this obligation.

CONSULTANTS QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Please submit a short written proposal that summarizes the following:
a. The skills and experience that you can bring to this project.
b. Other benefits to BALLE that your participation would provide.
c. Your scheduling ability to attend an out-of-town meeting with members of the BALLE during the next 30 days.

2. Please submit your proposal to Laury Hammel by no later than July 12th via email to LFHammel@aol.com. Letters of intent to file proposals must be submitted by June 30, 2004.