Draft RFP for the Operational Audit of the School District

UPDATE: 7/16/2010.....

[Click Here]

for the final version of the RFP

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Below, please find a copy of the DRAFT Request For Proposal for the Operational Audit of the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District as of June 22, 2010.

Once you have reviewed it, please consider participating in the "unofficial" poll to the left and weigh in with your views and opinions.

Thank you for your consideration
of this important matter.

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SECTION 1. Introduction and Background

The Towns of Hamilton and Wenham, Massachusetts, acting through their Boards of Selectmen, seek detailed proposals for an Operational Audit of the Hamilton – Wenham Regional School District.

At the Hamilton Annual Town Meeting on May 8, 2010, and the Wenham Annual Town Meeting, May 1, 2010, a citizen’s initiative (Exhibit A) was presented and duly adopted petitioning this effort. Pursuant to an Intermunicipal Agreement with the Town of Wenham, the Town of Hamilton will serve as lead municipality for the project and will coordinate all aspects of the work.

While the Town seeks to encourage competition and evaluate firms on a uniform basis, this solicitation is not governed by Massachusetts General Law. C. 30B. As a result, the Town retains complete discretion as to the manner by which proposals shall be evaluated and services awarded and reserves the right not to make any award underthis process.

The fee for services will be negotiated and shall not exceed a total cost of $90,000.

The Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District serves the two North Shore Massachusetts Communities of Hamilton and Wenham, located approximately 25 miles north of Boston and having a combined population of approximately 13,000 residents.

The Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District is an independent legal entity from the towns of Hamilton and Wenham, providing educational services to the two towns’ school age children, comprising approximately 2066 students. The enrollment includes approximately 102 school choice students. The schools include Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School (9-12), Miles River Middle School (6-8), Buker Elementary (K-5), Cutler Elementary (K-5), and Winthrop Elementary (PK-5), and Center School which is the location of the District’s Administrative Offices.

The Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District has agreed to cooperate with the towns and provide whatever assistance is necessary to the Contractor to complete the operational audit.

Section 2. Scope of Services

The purpose of the operational audit is to review existing policies, procedures, and practices, as well as staffing levels, to determine their adequacy, efficiency, and costeffectiveness as compared against best practices that meet the requirements of both State and Federal mandates for a public education program.

The operational audit shall be performed in the following areas and disciplines within the Hamilton - Wenham Regional School District.

1. Personnel policies and procedures including compensation and benefits.

2. Union contracts negotiations, procedures and management.

3. School District Administration, policies and procedures including professional and clerical staffing.

4. Staffing, educational staffing and other staffing. Includes an evaluation of the number, composition, and performance evaluation process for all staff.

5. Accounting system - policies, practices and procedures including payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable and the overall budget process and associated budget controls.

6. Time keeping policy, procedures, practices and controls.

7. Purchasing policy, procedures, practices and controls.

8. Inventory control procedures and practices including store minimum/maximum items and capital expense items.

9. Curriculum policies, procedures, management and controls Pre. K - 12.

10. SPED (Special Ed.) policies, procedures, management and controls Pre. K - 12.

11. Traffic policies, procedures and management including buses, cars and communications.

12. Cafeteria staffing policies, procedures, management and controls.

13. Building maintenance staffing, policies, procedures and management including Heating, AC, Electrical, Plumbing, routine maintenance, etc.

14. Information Technology (IT) systems, staffing, procedures and controls.

15. Medical / Nurse staffing policies and controls.

16. Athletic Programs - staffing, management, controls and financial reporting.

17. Misc. extracurricular programs non-athletic staffing, management, controls and financial reporting.

18. HWRSD Liaison - State and Towns (includes financial and other)

19. School Committee – Administrative costs, expenses and financial reporting.

Section 3. Minimum Qualifications.

Selection will be made by an Operational Audit Review Committee. The respondent must certify in its cover letter that it meets the following minimum requirements. Failure to include such certification in the cover letter demonstrating that these criteria have been met will result in your proposal being rejected without further consideration.

1. The firm must be well versed in performing similar such audits in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a minimum of 7 years.

2. The firm must have knowledge of and experience in evaluating educational program requirements.

3. A poor reference may be a basis for a determination that the respondent is not a responsible bidder.

Section 4. Rule for Award

It is the Towns’ intent to award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, but the Towns reserve the right to as set forth in Section 1 to make no award at all or choose a service provider through any other method permitted by law.

Applications will be assessed with regard to the following factors:

1. Relevant experience of proposed and proposed project staff;

2. Staffing plan and methodology;

3. Proposer’s demonstrated ability to complete projects on a timely basis;

4. Clarity and comprehensiveness of proposed plan;

5. If submitted, evaluation of written product.

Hamilton will determine whether to award the contract to a responsive bidder pursuant to this Request for Proposal or to choose a provider through another process at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Hamilton Board of Selectmen after the date on which applications are opened by the Operational Audit Review Committee.

Section 5. Meetings

Attend work and review meetings as necessary with the Hamilton Town Manager and Wenham Town Administrator, the Hamilton Board of Selectmen and the Wenham Board of Selectmen, individually or jointly, and the Operational Audit Review Committee to provide progress updates.

Section 6. Communication

Maintain a high level of communication with the Towns’ representative during the study. Present, in comprehensive format, a minimum of two presentations, to the Boards of Selectmen of Hamilton and Wenham, HWRSD Administration and School Committee, and the general public within 45 days of completion of the operational audit.

Section 7. Final Report

Prepare a final written report documenting both positive and negative findings and observations. In areas where a negative finding or observation is recorded, provide recommended corrective action and estimated cost savings upon implementation of the corrective action.

All work must be completed and the Final Report must be submitted to the Towns’ representative no later than November 1, 2010.

Provide twelve (12) black and white copies of the final report and an electronic copy.

The RFP will be appended to and become part of a Contract for Services. At the time of contract execution, the successful respondent will be required to provide a certificate of professional liability insurance indicating minimum coverage of $1,000,000.

Section 8. Proposal Requirements

1. Please provide the name and location of your firm.

2. Please provide a summary of the ownership and organizational structure of
your firm.

3. Provide a summary of the expertise, capacity and resources of your firm. Identify all of your municipal government/regional school district clients for which you have provided services of similar scope and size to those contemplated by this Request for Proposal. Include a contact name and telephone number for each such client.

4. Provide a business information report or business profile from a credit reporting agency dated no earlier than 60 days prior to the bid submission date.

5. Discuss any potential conflicts of interests the firm or any individual within the firm might have representing the Town of Hamilton and the Town of Wenham.

6. Include the basis by which the fee for services shall be assessed, whether by an hourly rate with an amount not to exceed, a flat fee, or some other fee structure.

7. Include an executed Certificate of Non-Collusion.

8. Applications (two (2) originals and five (5) copies) must be received on or before 2:00 PM, on ___________, July ___, 2010, at which time all applications will be opened and reviewed by the Operational Audit Review Committee.

Responses should be printed double-sided and bound in such a manner that the pages lie and remain flat when opened.

9. Applications must be accompanied by a concise cover letter that is a maximum of two pages in length that describes why the applicant is the best candidate to complete the operational audit in a timely manner.

10. Proposals and questions or clarifications shall be addressed to:

Michael A. Lombardo
Hamilton Town Manager
577 Bay Road, P.O. Box 429
Hamilton, MA 01936

"Unmasking The Anonymous Online Loudmouth"

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how annoying it can be to receive outrageous, ridiculous, and sometimes downright mean and false comments from individuals that hide their identities behind their diatribe by posting as "Anonymous" or using a fake name.

It appears I am not alone in my distaste for these nameless commentors.

The cover story in this week's Boston Globe Magazine, written by Neil Swidey, is about the very same issue. It's titled "Unmasking The Anonymous Online Loudmouth" (I wish I had thought of that) and it reaches just about the same conclusions that I did in my blog titled "Anonymity Cause For Animosity" [Click Here].

I recommend reading Neil's article [Click Here] and seeing why anonymous commentors that write shameless replies have given rise to a new Internet term, or "handle". They are now known as TROLLS...slang for people behind inflammatory posts.

From the article:

"The pros of hostng a robust, free-wheeling conversation
had become outweighed by the cons of all the venon and
nastiness,by people who are allowed to name-call without
any obligation to reveal their own names."

"After years of letting anonymity rule online, many media
heavyweights...have begun to modify their policies. The
goal is to take the playground back from the anonymous
bullies and give greater weight to those willing to offer,
in addition to strong views, their real names."

"...that freedom can be abused and manipulated to spread
lies or mask hidden agendas. With all that in the balance, the
thinking goes, shouldn't we know who's saying these things?"

This blog is dedicated to the troll "REMaven".

A Gentle Reminder...For Hamilton Residents

HAMILTON SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

Monday, June 21st at 7:00 PM at the Winthrop School

Please plan to attend...A quorum is necessary to

approve the single warrant article (30 minutes)

B/T/W...Be sure to read recently elected Selectman Jeff Stinson's new blog:

http://www.openhamilton.org/

Can You "Pass The Buck"?

We've all heard the term. It means blaming someone else rather than accepting responsibility yourself. We see a lot of that kind of activity in politics, especially on the national level.

At least one Hamilton Selectman has shown us that he too knows how to "Pass the Buck".

That's exactly what he did, as reported in a recent article in the Hamilton/Wenham Chronicle, when he stated that:

"the operational audit (of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District) was approved pursuant to a citizens' petition, so the approval of funding should have been part of the citizens' motion but was not".

Excuse me?

The truth is that the citizen petitioners negotiated in good faith with the Selectmen of both Hamilton and Wenham, as well as the Finance and Advisory Committees of both towns, and they were assured at public meetings that the towns were going to step up and and fund the Operational Audit of the HWRSD. That placed the responsibility squarely on the town leadership...not the petitioners. And the Selectman mentioned above knew that, at least two weeks prior to the Annual Town Meeting, and said and did nothing.

The truth is that all that was left for the citizen petitioners was to see to it that the motion for the audit was approved at both the Wenham and Hamilton Town meetings. They did that.

The truth is that the motion passed overwhelmingly in Wenham with the FULL support of the Wenham Board of Selectmen and the Wenham FinCom and the Wenham FinCom addressed the issue of their portion of the funding for the Operational Audit at the Town Meeting and how the appropriation would take place.

The truth is that the IDENTICAL motion was made and overwhelmingly approved by the voters one week later at the Hamilton Annual Town Meeting.

The truth is that there was only ONE Selectman in both towns that consistently opposed the motion for the Operational Audit from day one to the day the voters approved the motion.

Guess who?

And now that same Selectman has the audacity to suggest that it is the petitioners' fault that a Special Town Meeting is necessary in order to appropriate Hamilton's share of the cost of the audit.

That's called "passing the buck".

The petitioners and the voters did their part. Even Town Manager Michael Lombardo has graciously stepped up and accepted responsibility for the unexpected need of a Special Town Meeting. But Michael is not to blame.

Apparently the only elected official not willing to accept responsibility, despite nearly six years as a Selectman and with more than two weeks notice in which to address the appropriation issue, is the sole dissenter from both towns' Boards of Selectmen...the only one who voted against the operational audit.

Hmmmm...imagine that.

Pricing Myths That Slow the Sale of Your Home

Putting your house on the market can be an emotionally exhausting task. You have to confront questions that involve not only big money, but also an intensely personal asset - your home.

Questions like: What's my house really worth? Should I sell on my own to save the agent's commission? How can I be certain I'm getting the right advice about listing, negotiating, and selling smart in today's market?

Along with these tough questions, you come face-to-face with some enduring myths about the homeselling process. They're so widespread that it's wise to know about them in advance. If you make moves based on facts, not myths, you'll fare far better in the selling process.

MYTH: The real estate agent will set the price for my home.

Agents don't set any price. However, they'll suggest a price based on their assessment of not only your home but also the current state of the market. Most agents are careful to suggest a range rather than a dollar amount, and it's then up to you to accept or reject that recommendation. Their recommendation is usually based on a rigorous review of comparables - houses similar to yours that have sold in recent months.

MYTH: I should always list with the agent who recommends

the highest selling price in the Comparable Market Analysis (CMA).

Wrong. The CMA is just one of many factors on which to base a listing decision. The CMAs from several agents competing for your listing will probably all fall within a similar range. But if one agent's CMA is significantly outside that range - especially on the high side - don't make that the key reason for giving that agent your listing. Go with the agent whose total marketing presentation, track record, and rapport with you adds up best.

MYTH: If I sell my house myself, I'll net more money

because I won't be paying the agent's commision.

Many people look at the fee an agent stands to earn on a home sale and wonder whether there's a cheaper way to sell. In some red-hot real estate markets, where buyers are lining up outside your door with offers and competing for your home, it's possible to do just that. But most markets aren't anywhere near red-hot these days. Many are soft, sluggish, and slow (or steady at best) - the very worst climate for solo sellers of For-Sale-By-Owners (FSBOs).

The experience of sellers I've spoken with in the past year around the North Shore confirms the fact that when you go on your own in the current market, you stack the odds against yourself terribly. For starters, your home won't be listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the number one sales tool for marketing a home. And despite your best desire to avoid having to pay a commision, most buyers who respond to your newspaper ad will discount out the commission you hope to pocket. That is, they'll subtract it from your asking price even before they start to really negotiate with you on your list price. The result is that you will receive far more low-ball offers than if you were working with an agent.

Then there are the sheer practical aspects of selling on your own. Do you have the time or the flexibility to show the home during your regular working hours? That happens to be when many buyers want to visit properties and spend time walking through them with their agent.

Another important flaw in the I-can-save-by-selling-it-myself theory is that although you may think your negotiating abilities will stand you in good stead when you deal one-on-one with potential buyers, the odds are that you're mistaken. Face-to-face negotiating in the kitchen or living room blows up more FSBO sales than almost any other cause. Rather than having a cool, unemotional buffer - that is, an agent - between yourself and the buyer, you're all alone, and the buyer's demands almost inevitably get you steamed up. After all, the buyer's negotiating strategy will always be to knock down your price by pointing out every imperfection, real or otherwise, in your home.

The hard reality is that if you want to get maximum value for your home, it makes little sense to fly solo. That's why a lot of FSBOs come in out of the cold after a few weeks or months and list with a professional.*

*Here's an interesting note: A national survey has shown that sellers that list with a real estate agent realize nearly 3% more for their homes, even after considering the commission.

MYTH: Homes always appreciate.

Spoiled by real estate markets in which values had been going up for years, many homeowners incorrectly assume that their home will appreciate at levels far in excess of other investments. Yet real estate, like every other important segment of our economy, runs in cycles...and I think everyone knows what cycle we are in right now! If you bought a home at the top of the market cycle but sell it at the bottom, you may end up taking a loss. On the other hand, you might have bought at the bottom of the cycle and can now realize a significant gain.

MYTH: There's no need to make sure I'm setting an accurate

and reasonable price for my home because I can always lower it later.

Sure you can. But in the meantime, you've blown your chance of selling it within a reasonable time frame to buyers who would have been interested if your initial price had been realistic.

Pricing too high - leaving too much padding for later negotiating - is the surest technique for leaving your home dead in the water for months or even years. And when you finally correct your asking price to the true market level, you'll probably end up with a lower selling figure than you'd have obtained by having a realistic price from the start.

The truth is: The longer a home remains unsold and on the market, the less the seller will ultimately net.