The Advocacy Center Announces Request for Proposals

To Whom It May Concern:

The Advocacy Center is accepting proposals to establish contract agreements as Core Community Partners under the Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) program, contingent upon The Advocacy Center receiving funding from the US Department of Education.

Contract agreements will cover the following regions:

Capital Region (Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington counties)

Hudson Valley Region (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties)

Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties)
 
North Country (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Oswego, and St. Lawrence counties)

Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties)

Our model of collaborating with Core Community Partners across the state ensures that New York families and professionals receive accurate, high quality and relevant services from those who are familiar with local needs and resources. 
 
We will contract with one organization in each region with the capacity to implement services in five areas:  1) parent training; 2) information, referral and individual support services, 3) volunteer advocate training, 4) outreach to target populations, and 5) collaborations with community organizations. 
 
All interested organizations must have a 501c (3) nonprofit status.  Preference will be given to parent-based organizations.
 
The Advocacy Center’s Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of the program is to provide training and information to families of children with disabilities and to the professionals who serve them. PTICs serve families of children of all ages and all disabilities to help them better understand their children’s disabilities and education needs, communicate more effectively with school and related professionals, understand their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, and obtain appropriate services for their children. The Advocacy Center’s service area is all of New York State except the 5 boroughs of NYC, with a priority on serving unserved and underserved communities, particularly urban and rural populations.   

Contracts will be for a four year period, commencing October 1, 2011, contingent upon The Advocacy Center receiving funding from the US Department of Education. 
 
To find requirements of the RFP, a detailed request for proposal, a description of the process that is being used to select contractors, and requirements for the organizations looking to apply, please use the following links:

Capital Region
Hudson Valley Region
Long Island
North Country
Western New York

Please feel free to distribute this information to other organizations that may possess the capacity and interest to put forth a proposal.

Questions about the RFPs may be submitted by e-mail only to shew@advocacycenter.com 
 
Interested organizations must submit a completed proposal that is received via US mail at The Advocacy Center office, located at 590 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620, on or before September 1, 2011 at 5:00 PM.  Submit proposals Attn: Paul J. Shew, Executive Director. 
 
PLEASE BE SURE TO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS, AND INCLUDE ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
 
Sincerely,
 
Paul J. Shew
Executive Director