Agency Health Department

Contractor Creation in Common

SWIFT Contract Number 198397

Project Name Help Me Connect

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: Conduct a third, evaluative round of diverse community engagement sessions and user testing for the new early childhood navigator website – Help Me Connect – with statewide early childhood service providers serving families (prenatal to age 8),
through virtual focus groups, individual interviews, and large audience surveys with previously engaged and newly selected providers; Conduct comparison data analysis of the website user interface from previous two rounds of testing in 2019 and 2020 to confirm requested improvements have been completed and identify unresolved areas of need; Provide data review synopsis and recommendations for website improvements with a specific focus on culturally-focused resources that support families that identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); and Reconvene community engagement stakeholders after website modifications are made to conduct user satisfaction reviews and obtain final recommendations for website improvement.

Project Duration

Start Date Sun, 08/15/2021 - 00:00

Original end date Thu, 03/31/2022 - 00:00

Actual end date Fri, 06/30/2023 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $83106

Amendments $7128

Contract total $90234

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? Federal funding, 93.434– ESSA Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five

Is this a sole source contract? Yes

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) The proposed contractor, Creation in Common (CiC), was under contract with MBA to conduct the first two rounds of diverse community engagement activities and website testing during 2019 and 2020 for the Help Me Connect project. They developed a data collection and analysis process that could be built upon over a multi-year timeframe to support the Help Me Connect project that included several phases of community engagement and website site testing. CiC has access to and knowledge of the quantitative data set that will be used during the third round of testing to compare and contrast findings. They also have in-depth knowledge of the Help Me Connect goals and priority audience, well-established key relationships with statewide research subjects, and conducted multiple sessions over the past two years of community provider engagement.

Evaluator Name Shawn Holmes

Evaluator Email Address shawn.holmes@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness All timelines were met and the vendor had to adapt to new timelines when the interviews were difficult to schedule.

Evaluate the contractor's quality We have a very good relationship with the vendor, they listened to our goals and responded with alternatives when their expertise was able to guide our project in a better direction. We really appreciated their mid- and end-project summaries and continue to use them to stay on course with improvements.

Evaluate the contractor's cost Their hourly rate is comparable to others and their estimated time to achieve our goals was realistic.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance We would work with Creation in Common in the future for the same purposes of conducting community engagement sessions (focus groups, interviews) to understand what is and isn't working well with the intended audiences of MN Help Me Connect. They are honest in their constructive feedback and supportive (even passionate) in the intent of our project.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): n/a

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 5 - very satisfied