REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

STATEWIDE REFERRAL PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT

Brief Overview

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) was recently approved for a Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded Technology Initiative Grant to develop a Statewide Referral Platform. SLLS seeks the services of a technology consultant to aid in the development and the implementation of a comprehensive legal needs screening tool and an efficient standardized referral procedure. These components will significantly improve the user experience and facilitate a more efficient delivery of services across Louisiana. The primary task of the contractor is to create a user-friendly, yet detailed legal issue screening tool and an automated, efficient, referral system across the network of Louisiana civil justice partners.

Introduction to SLLS

SLLS provides free legal assistance to indigent and other vulnerable people who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. We protect their livelihoods, health, housing and families. Through legal representation, we are able to assure fairness for our clients as they navigate through the civil justice system. SLLS works to combat the inequities and disproportionate impacts faced by marginalized communities of color. We are the largest nonprofit civil legal services provider in Louisiana serving 50% of the state’s poverty population in twenty-two parishes across southeast Louisiana. Pre-pandemic, Louisiana had the third highest poverty rate in the United States, the second highest rate of women killed by their intimate partner, the highest rate of mass incarceration in the world disproportionately impacting marginalized communities, was consistently noted as one of the unhealthiest states, and had the second highest rate of food insecure seniors. We have been struck by twelve presidentially declared natural disasters since 2005’s catastrophic Hurricane Katrina, the BP Oil Spill, and the people we serve have been particularly hard-hit by the long-term impacts of COVID and Hurricane Ida.

Pre-pandemic, SLLS had about 100 team members on staff. We now have about 170 staff working from seven offices, staff embedded onsite with other partners such as hospitals, medical clinics, homeless shelters, domestic violence victim service centers, community colleges, and robust pro bono partnerships. We have almost 100 different funding sources though LSC funding is about 50% of our budget with another almost 30% from the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Purpose of RFP

SLLS seeks an independent technology consultant to assist it in transforming how community partners and low-income residents identify and address civil legal issues. The project will develop a web-based legal needs screening and referral tool within the Louisiana Civil Legal Navigator portal. Key features include a Generative AI Legal Issue Search, a Legal Issue Screening Tool, a Referral Matching Algorithm, and an Integrated Civil Legal Help Application. Each component can be used independently or as part of a connected process, creating a smooth transition from issue identification, resource identification, and legal help application. In summary, this project advances the provision of accessible, efficient, and effective legal services to low-income residents in Louisiana leveraging technology and community partnerships to enhance legal aid delivery.

Deliverables

This TIG project will be completed in accordance with the following milestones and estimated timeline beginning or around December 1, 2024 and ending November 30, 2026. Any extension must be requested and approved in writing. Project milestones and deliverables are below:

Legal Issue Screening Tool Design and Development (February 01, 2025- May 30, 2026) Discovery/design meetings will be hosted to plan interface, create application specifications, develop testing protocols, and conduct development and testing work.
Client Referral Protocol Development (February 1, 2025- May 30, 2026). Vendor will facilitate the identification of referral partners and the collection / documentation of partner eligibility and case acceptance criteria. Once documented, Vendor will facilitate the development of agreed-upon referral assignment practices across the state, and develop technology and process documentation required to implement referrals.
Partner Training and Launch Support (May 1, 2026- November 30, 2026). Vendor will support the project management of all training, and the development of partner training materials related to the use of screening and referral tools. This may include conducting live (recorded) staff training and providing written materials on the new process and tool(s) as necessary. Vendor will also support the roll out process by conducting live training at regional summits. During these months, partners may also continue to test the new process/tool(s) and request final refinements before the project’s close.
Outcome Monitoring Revisions (May 1, 2026- November 30, 2026). Vendor will support the development of qualitative survey instruments for partner feedback, monitoring and evaluation of usage data, and be available for minor technology revisions.

Proposal Requirements

SLLS seeks proposals that do not exceed five pages inclusive of three references. Attachments are not included in the page count. We request that all proposals include information on the applicable experience of the potential consultant especially in technology consultation work for comparable non-profit organizations.

Cost

Interested consultants can submit a cost proposal on an hourly rate with an estimate of hours needed to complete tasks or by using a project-based method. Please propose a payment schedule for your work under the project. Finally, SLLS requests that all candidates are prepared to provide a proposed contract for this project.

Inquiries/Contact Information

Questions about this RFP may be directed to Brittany Pastor, SLLS Intake & Outreach Managing Attorney, at (985) 893 – 0076 ext. 511 or bpastor@slls.org.

Timeline

Issue RFP: 12/13/2024
Proposals Due: 1/13/2025
Review of Proposals/Interview Process – 1/14/2025 – 1/24/2025
Approvals for Contract Selection – 1/24/2025-1/31/2025
Award of Contract: On or by 2/1/2025
Project Implementation: 12/1/2024 11/30/2026 (May Be Extended as Needed)

Proposal Delivery and Due Date

Proposals are due on or before 1/13/2025. Delivery of proposals should be made electronically to Brittany Pastor at bpastor@slls.org. with “TIG Technology Consultant” in the subject line. PDF format is preferred. If you have large file size items, please provide a file sharing link with instructions for accessing the proposed materials.

Evaluation Criteria and Award of Contract

SLLS may elect to schedule interviews by video conference with potential consultants prior to awarding a final contract. Please include contact information for scheduling purposes in the RFP.

Proposals will be evaluated upon the contractor’s responsiveness to the RFP, qualifications, demonstrated experience with similar projects, and total price quoted for all items covered by the RFP. Award of the contract resulting from the RFP will be based upon the most responsive contract that is most advantageous to SLLS in terms of cost, functionality, experience, and quality of past work.

SLLS ideally seeks a firm that understands its needs as a nonprofit and legal services organization and is invested in our missions of achieving justice and social change by fighting poverty.

SLLS reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals and to waive any minor discrepancies or technicalities in the proposal or specifications, when deemed to be in the best interest of SLLS. We also reserve the right to negotiate with all respondents to the RFP and reject any or all offers and discontinue this RFP process without obligation or liability to any respondent.