Communities large and small are grappling with the COVID pandemic and civil unrest related to police violence. Deep, historical inequities have been laid bare. Once again, our most marginalized neighbors are bearing the heaviest burden.
As you contemplate future community engagement -- as part of a planning process (comp, transportation, sustainability, resilience, climate action plan, etc.), piloting a new program, or spreading the word about assistance opportunities -- equity must be at the core of your approach. Your RFP can help set that expectation and ensure you get more than checking the box style engagement.
"Integrating Equitable Engagement Into Your RFP Process" is a cheat sheet for local governments to set clear expectations for, ask the right questions of and effectively evaluate consultants on the ability to deliver equitable community engagement.
KLA developed this resource partially in response to a webinar on equitable engagement we did in the summer of 2019 and partially given our experience responding to RFPs from local governments where we noticed a lack of specificity around engagement expectations.
If that need was profound then, 2020 has only made it more critical. Local governments must integrate equity into every aspect of a planning process *and* now must do so with a great deal of engagement now taking place virtually or in small group settings.
"Integrating Equitable Engagement Into Your RFP Process" is *not* an exhaustive list of the tools, tips and best practices -- but it *is* a simple checklist to make sure you hire a consultant that truly know how to deliver equitable engagement processes.
