Living Wage Analysis & Recommendations
Request for Proposals
Deadline for Submission: December 8, 2021
Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA) is pleased to share this Request for Proposal (RFP) for an analysis report and recommendations related to living wages for workers across the homeless response sector in Los Angeles County. We are seeking an individual or team who can produce a living wage report that provides a cost benefit analysis to funders and providers on the need for living wage compensation across the homeless response sector. We hope this report's well-researched and informed recommendations inspire curiosity and motivate meaningful conversations for sector leaders around the steps they can take towards equity and inclusion.
Background & Context
We launched SJPLA’s Racial Equity in Homelessness Initiative to shift the culture and workforce of the homeless response sector to center racial and social justice. Through the initiative, we aim to accomplish three objectives: recruit new talent into the sector, equip existing leaders with a lens of racial equity and justice, and retain workers by changing workplace culture. When this initiative succeeds, we will see radically transformed workplaces grounded in equity and inclusion that center the wellbeing of workers and ultimately create better outcomes for our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Project Overview
This project is specifically focused on the homeless response sector across Los Angeles County. Research should focus on non-profit community-based organizations that have frontline workers who provide direct services to people experiencing homelessness. Again, our hope is that this report will be highly actionable and responsive to the needs of the sector.
Scope of Research
We want someone who can help us answer the following questions:
What is the current compensation for frontline workers in the sector? How has this changed over time, year after year?
What is the current compensation for executive leadership in the sector? How has this changed over time, year after year?
What, if any, are the disparities in pay between
Positions (executive-level leadership and frontline workers)
Race/ethnicity
Gender
Small, medium, and large organizations
What is a living wage for LA County? What criteria were used in determining this wage?
How much would it cost the sector to pay living wages to all workers?
What is the cost of not paying a living wage? (Tangible and intangible - burnout, turnover costs, health costs, etc.)
As it relates to turnover, what is the average length of stay for different levels of positions? Is there a way to measure increased rate in turnover during the pandemic by different levels of positions?
What are the implications to public and philanthropic funding sources and structures if we pursue living wages for the sector? What, if anything, would need to shift or change?
Deliverables
The consultant should deliver a report with an analysis of the above data and questions, and a set of recommendations for the sector. The consultant(s) should produce a report (long-form and a 1–2-page executive summary) detailing answers to the research questions that will speak to three audiences: (1) public funders, (2) philanthropic funders, (3) non-profit community-based organizations who provide direct services to people experiencing homelessness. The report(s) should contain recommendations for each audience on moving toward more equitable and just pay structures and contracting.
Eligible & Ideal Consulting Partners
Our ideal partner for this project will know how to research, analyze and turn complex data into digestible information. Equally important is that they will be able to build strong relationships and trust across a variety of audiences. Talking about salaries, pay equity and compensation disparities is awkward and uncomfortable. To that end we need a partner who can build relationships and have connected and confidential conversations to understand some of the nuances in the data and challenges across the sector.
We believe in teamwork and shared leadership and recognize, and highly encourage, that this project will include multiple consultants/partners. Ideally the project lead will compile a team of experts with lived experience of housing insecurity and knowledge of the field, as well as BIPOC individuals who are expert researchers.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit the following primary proposal questions in one PDF document that is no more than four pages total. Please answer the following:
Primary Proposal Questions:
If applying as a firm please include staff size, focus areas, and annual budget. If applying as a collective of consultants please share the size of the team, focus areas and experiences.
Describe your experience with compensation, wage and/or organizational data analyses? Please share names of clients you’ve worked with. How has your work in this area impacted implementation in the field?
What is your firm’s experience working with both qualitative and quantitative data analysis?
How would you approach this project? Please include a project timeline.
Do you foresee any conflicts of interest that would create challenges in completing this analysis objectively?
Based on the scope of work, do you anticipate any challenges? How would you mitigate any challenges that arise?
Additional Materials (not included in page limit) Please attach these as PDFs, separate from the primary proposal questions:
Proposed project budget. Please submit a holistic budget that, in your expert opinion, will fully realize the outcomes of the project.
Resume/CV for project lead and any additional team members that will be primary consultants on this project.
Two references, including relationship, title, and contact information
Please send all application materials via email to racialequity@sjpla.org.
Application Timeline
Proposals Accepted: November 15, 2021-December 8, 2021
Interviews with selected applicants: December 13-21, 2021
Consultant Chosen & Notified by: December 21, 2021
*It is our hope to identify our final consultant/consulting team before the end of this year and take care of all the contracting details in January 2022. No funds will be disbursed in 2021.*
If you have questions about the RFP or need additional assistance please contact us via email at racialequity@sjpla.org
