Notice of Funds Available (RFP) Print Apply for this Grant

Specifications

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to raise awareness among parents, educators, and community leaders about alternatives to exclusionary discipline in Georgia. Exclusionary discipline refers to the systemic practices that push students out of schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
This campaign will educate key stakeholders on the causes, consequences, and solutions to this issue, and empower them to advocate for equitable and inclusive educational practices. It will help communities learn how to keep students on track for success and out of Georgia’s juvenile justice system.

Schedule of Events

This Request for Proposals will be governed by the following Schedule of Events:
• Applications Due By – August 31, 2025
• Contracts Due By - September 19, 2025
• Project Begins - October 1, 2025

Restrictions on Communication

All questions about this NoFA must be submitted in the following format:
Organization/Individual Name
1. Question
Citation of relevant section of the NoFA

2. Question
Citation of relevant section of the NoFA

Questions must be directed in writing to the Grants Manager, Felicia Dillon at: felicia.dillon@gcdd.ga.gov

Questions must include the company name and the referenced NoFA section.
From the issue date of this NoFA until a contractor is selected and the selection is announced, Applicants are not allowed to communicate for any reason with any State staff except through the Grants Manager, or during the Applicants' conference, or as provided by existing work agreement(s). The State reserves the right to reject the proposal of any Applicant violating this provision.
All questions concerning this NoFA must be submitted in writing by email to felicia.dillon@gcdd.ga.gov. Only written questions will be accepted. No response other than written will be binding upon the State.

The DD Council

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is one of 56 entities of its type in the United States and territories that report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration for Community Living. It is authorized under Public Law 106-402, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Amendments of 2000. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) makes funds available to fulfill its mission in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its Five-Year Strategic Plan https://gcdd.org/about/five-year-strategic-plan Through its funding, GCDD works to increase the capacities and resources of public and private nonprofit entities and others to develop a comprehensive community system that responds to the choices, capabilities and needs of persons with developmental disabilities and their families. The purpose of GCDD grants is to expand best practices and contribute to system-wide changes that support the rights of people with developmental disabilities and their full inclusion as community members. Recipients of GCDD grants are expected to be ongoing partners bringing about change. Our activities are governed by a 27-member board, appointed by the Governor and comprised of at least 60 percent individuals with developmental disabilities and family members. Other members include policymakers that represent various agencies and organizations having a vested interested in persons with developmental disabilities. GCDD serves as an advocate for all persons with developmental disabilities. We are charged with creating systems change for people with developmental disabilities and their families by increasing opportunities for independence, inclusion, integration, productivity and self-determination. Activities include public policy research and analysis, reform, project demonstrations, education and training. The GCDD is a state agency, attached to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) for administrative purposes.

Scope of Work

This campaign will educate key stakeholders on the causes, consequences, and solutions to this issue, and empower them to advocate for equitable and inclusive educational practices. It will help communities learn how to keep students on track for success and out of Georgia’s juvenile justice system. The selected vendor will:

• Increase public understanding of how exclusionary disciplinary policies contribute to student entrance into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. These should promote effective and proven alternatives to punitive disciplinary actions in schools. Potential activities include:
o Conduct focus groups or surveys with parents, educators, and community leaders to understand their awareness levels and concerns.
o Develop clear, accessible, and culturally relevant messaging tailored to each audience group.

• Highlight the disproportionate, research-documented impact on students with disabilities and students of color. Potential activities include:
o Infographics with key statistics and facts.

• Create tools that GCDD, parents, educators, and community leaders can use to support policy change and community-based solutions. Potential activities include:
• Produce a series of digital assets including but not limited to:
o Short videos and animations explaining the pipeline.
o Testimonial videos from students, parents, and educators.
o Toolkits for advocacy and school engagement.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Priority will be given to proposals that demonstrate:
• Innovative approaches to increasing awareness of School Based Exclusionary Discipline
• Unique strategies for community engagement and education
• Sustainable methods for long-term impact and awareness-building
• Measurable outcomes and evaluation plans

The awarded contractor will:
Component 1: Audience Research & Message Development
• Conduct focus groups or surveys with parents, educators, and community leaders to understand their awareness levels and concerns.
• Develop clear, accessible, and culturally relevant messaging tailored to each audience group.

Component 2: Content Creation
• Produce a series of digital assets including:
• Short videos and animations explaining the pipeline.
• Infographics with key statistics and facts.
• Testimonial videos from students, parents, and educators.
• Toolkits for advocacy and school engagement.
• Ensure all content is accessible (e.g., captions, plain language, screen reader compatibility).

Component 3: Social Media Campaign
• Launch a multi-platform campaign across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Use targeted ads and organic posts to reach parents, educators, and community leaders.
• Develop a content calendar with weekly themes (e.g., “Restorative Justice Week,” “Voices from the Classroom”).

Component 4: Community Engagement
• Partner with schools, PTAs, local nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to host virtual or in-person events.
• Provide downloadable materials for community leaders to share in newsletters, meetings, and classrooms.

Component 5: Monitoring & Evaluation
• Track engagement metrics (reach, shares, comments, click-throughs).
• Conduct pre- and post-campaign surveys to assess changes in awareness and attitudes.
• Use feedback to refine messaging and inform future outreach.

Final Report
• Deliver a comprehensive report summarizing:
• Campaign strategy and implementation.
• Audience engagement and feedback.
• Lessons learned and recommendations for future campaigns.
• Opportunities for continued advocacy and education.

Performance Measures
PI03 - Number of distinct products created for the education of GCDD, parents, educators, and community members to support policy change and community-based solutions.
PI01 - Estimated reach of Council public education, awareness and media initiatives.
PI02 - Estimated engagements of Council public education, awareness and media initiatives.
IFA. 1.1 - The number of people with developmental disabilities who participated in Council supported activities designed to increase their knowledge of how to take part in decisions that affect their lives, the lives of others, and/or systems.
IFA.1.2 - The number of family members who participated in Council supported activities designed to increase their knowledge of how to take part in decisions that affect the family, the lives of others, and/or systems.
IFA. 1.3 - The number of 'other individuals' who participated in Council supported in activities designed to increase their knowledge.

Experience Requirements: Applicants from a variety of backgrounds are invited to apply, particularly applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Education and/or disability community
• Disability policy
• Civil Rights law
• Juvenile Justice policy research.

Application Submission & Evaluation

The Applicant must submit a complete application in DD Suite which includes a Project Outline, a Project Work Plan and a Project Budget.

Applications must be submitted online via https://www.ddsuite.org, prior to the published deadline. No hard copies will be accepted. Applicants must have or create a DD Suite user account and an organization account in order to submit an application. Go to https://www.ddsuite.org and click on "HELP TAB" for detailed instructions on creating DD Suite user and organization accounts. (See complete application process and Guide to DD Suite attached)
Additional Submission Requirements:
1) Upload of copy of the Federal W-9 (attached to this NoFA)
2) Upload a plain language summary of the submitted application. The plain language summary should be one to two pages, and should include the following headings followed by a short plain language paragraph (5 – 10 sentences):
• Executive Summary
• Qualifications
• Detailed Narrative
• Outcomes Key
• Evaluation
• Community
• Budget
• Workplan
Applications that do not include a plain language summary may be rejected.
Each proposal should be prepared simply and economically, avoiding the use of elaborate promotional materials (unless materials have been requested) beyond those sufficient to provide a complete presentation. If supplemental materials are a necessary part of the proposal, the Applicant should reference these materials in the technical proposal, identifying the document(s) and citing the appropriate section and page(s) to be reviewed.
Any proposal received after the due date and time will not be evaluated.

Evaluation Process
The evaluation of proposals received on or before the due date and time will be conducted in the following phases. Any proposal received after the due date and time will not be evaluated.

Administrative Review
The Grants Manager will screen each proposal. The screening will consist of:
(1) determining if the Applicant is eligible to receive Council funds including determining if the Applicant meets eligibility requirements and is registered to do business in Georgia;
(2) the budget is within the funding limits and includes the required match;
(3) the application is complete and all sections in DD Suite have responses; and,
(4) the required forms are attached.

DD Suite will issue an automatic reply acknowledging receipt of your proposal immediately after successful submission.

NOFA Policies

Rejection of Proposals/Cancellation of NoFA

The State reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any irregularity or informality in a proposal, and to accept or reject any item or combination of items; when to do so would be to the advantage of the State. It is also within the right of the State to reject proposals that do not contain all the elements and information requested in this document. The State reserves the right to cancel this NoFA at any time. The State will not be liable for any cost/losses incurred by the Applicants throughout this process.

NoFA Amendments

The State reserves the right to amend this NoFA prior to the proposal due date. All amendments and additional information will be posted to http://ddsuite.org Applicants are encouraged to check this website frequently.

Proposal Withdrawal

A submitted proposal may be withdrawn prior to the due date by a written request to the Grants Manager. A request to withdraw a proposal must be signed by an authorized individual.

Cost for Preparing Proposals

The cost for developing the proposal is the sole responsibility of the Applicant. The State will not provide reimbursement for such costs.

Conflict of Interest

If an Applicant has any existing client relationship that involves the State of Georgia, the Applicant must disclose each relationship.

Reciprocal Preference Law OCGA 50-5-60(b)

For the purposes of evaluation only, Applicants resident in the State of Georgia will be granted the same preference over Applicants resident in another State in the same manner, on the same basis, and to the same extent that preference is granted in awarding bids for the same goods or services by such other State Applicants resident therein over Applicants resident in the State of Georgia. NOTE: For the purposes of this law, the definition of a resident Applicant is one who maintains a place of business with at least one employee inside the State of Georgia. A post office box address will not satisfy this requirement.

ADA Guidelines

The State of Georgia adheres to the guidelines set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants should contact the Grants Manager at least 48 hours in advance if they require special arrangements when attending the Applicant's Conference. The Georgia Relay Center at 1-800-255-0056 (TDD Only) or 1-800-255-0135 (Voice) will relay messages, in strict confidence, for the speech and hearing impaired.