City seeking applications from qualified organizations to host town hall meetings on diverse community needs

SAN DIEGO – The City of San Diego’s Office of Child and Youth Success is planning a series of community-based meetings to collect public input that will help inform the city’s first Child and Youth Master Plan. In order to ensure feedback is collected equitably and accurately, the city is seeking bids from qualified organizations to assist in data management and collection.

Focus groups and town hall meetings will be held both virtually and in-person and will encourage participants to discuss their ideas, objectives and goals regarding existing child and youth services and programs in San Diego. This data will then be used to develop a master plan to support the city’s youngest residents.

“A Child and Youth Master Plan is the intentional roadmap that will create a shared vision of services, programs and resources,” said Andrea O’Hara, Executive Director of the City’s Office of Child and Youth Services. “The plan will support equitable cross-generational solutions for sustainable goals by lifting up the voices of children, youth and families in San Diego. The city has done great work in studying equity in our communities, and the Child and Youth Master plan will compliment these efforts.”

The city issued a request for proposals (RFP) on Oct. 5 for qualified organizations to bid on facilitating focus groups. Proposals must include plans to create a space of trust and encourage open dialogue to promote meaningful engagement. Applicants must also include how they will ensure the outreach and registration efforts are diverse and equitable. Eligible organizations must have experience in researching, organizing and reporting on diverse and complicated child, youth and community needs, preferably within the City of San Diego.

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting was held via Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 19, which was attended by potential bidders.

Once an organization is selected, focus groups will begin approximately 30 days after a signed contract has been executed. Applications must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. through the city’s Planetbids (https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/17950/bo/bo-detail/98560) system.

As part of the City’s fiscal year 2022 budget adoption process, Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council approved funding to establish the Office of Child and Youth Success. In April 2022, Executive Director Andrea O’Hara was hired to lead this new office. The office is dedicated to prioritizing San Diego’s children and youth by safeguarding current and future policies.

(City of San Diego Release) n