2021-2022 NASCA Call For Signature Research Partner

Each year, NASCA selects up to two corporate partners to collaborate on research deliverables to disseminate leading practices and industry trends. This is an in-kind project and there is no cost to participate in the collaborative opportunity.

Together with our corporate partner, NASCA will collaborate on national research to identify and prioritize key issues, determine trends, and understand the perspectives of state leaders. NASCA conducts research with the following goals:

Curate and disseminate best practices. The final product will provide government leaders with data they can use to compare state practices and inform leading practices. NASCA is looking for practical findings and clear recommendations, not theory and concepts that cannot be applied to state government.
Elevate the role CAOs have in driving state government operational excellence.
Assist CAOs in advocating for the strategies and resources necessary to modernize state government operations with public stakeholders and private sector partners.

The selected research partner will collaborate with the NASCA Research and Policy Committee and staff to further develop the research direction, develop questions, and initiate peer communications which comprises state CAOs and corporate partner volunteers. Each element of the research project will be co-developed with NASCA staff.

Proposals must be submitted via an online forum by July 15, 2021 at 11:59 PM ET.

After review and analysis, a recommendation by NASCA’s Research and Policy Committee will be given for final approval by NASCA’s Executive Committee. A Memorandum of Understanding will be developed upon selection to define the Partner’s and NASCA’s responsibilities.

2021-2022 Research Themes:

The research and policy committee has highlighted the below research priorities for FY 2021-2022.

Employee Engagement and Experience, with additional consideration to embedding diversity, equity and inclusion
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in State Government Operations
Workforce Adaptations, with an emphasis on flexible and hybrid workplaces/conditions
Procurement Modernization, breaking down barriers to diversify vendors
Digital Transformation, including data management and analytics

Call for Proposals Timeline:

Target Dates	Event
May 24, 2021	Call for Proposals Released
June 14, 2021	Deadline for receiving written questions for the Pre-Proposal Conference Call is 4:00 PM ET Deadline to register to participate in Pre-Proposal Conference Call is 4:00 PM ET
June 15, 2021	Pre-Proposal Conference at 11:00 AM ET
July 15, 2021	Proposal responses due by 5:00 PM ET
July 16, 2021	Initial Evaluation of Responses distributed to Research and Policy Committee, Interviews with NASCA Staff
July 23, 2021	Evaluations Due to NASCA staff
July 26, 2021	Research and Policy Committee selects finalist
July 28, 2021	Final selection recommendation to the Executive Committee

NASCA conducts two collaborative research projects each fiscal year. NASCA will begin one project in August and one project in November.

For detailed information on the project, evaluation criteria, considerations and proposed project timeline download the Call for Research RFP below.

Deadline:

Proposals must be submitted via an online form by July 15 at 5:00 PM ET.
A representative will have to sign in or create a NASCA profile to submit an application. Please allow time to reset your password or create a NASCA profile.