Healthcare Education and Outreach Consultant

Request for Proposals

Healthcare Education and Outreach Consultant

Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, MD

Project: Strengthening Healthcare Engagement and Lifespan Support for Individuals with Down

Syndrome

Proposal deadline: November 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Anticipated engagement: December 2026–December 2027

Location: Hybrid, with selected in-person meetings and training activities in Montgomery County,

Maryland

About DSNMC and the Opportunity

Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, MD (DSNMC) empowers and supports individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the broader community through education, partnerships, resources, and advocacy.

DSNMC is seeking an experienced consultant to help build a sustainable healthcare education and

outreach initiative. The project will connect community knowledge with clinical expertise to

strengthen the information, resources, and support available to healthcare professionals serving

people with Down syndrome across the lifespan.

The consultant will help DSNMC identify its most useful opportunities for healthcare outreach,

develop a phased strategy, pilot provider education, and prepare staff to continue the work. This

is an opportunity to shape a new initiative with practical benefits for individuals with Down

syndrome, their families, and the professionals who care for them.

DSNMC brings established family and healthcare relationships, community knowledge, and staff

support. Recruitment of a multidisciplinary Healthcare Advisory Team is underway. We seek a

consultant who can contribute healthcare education expertise, exercise sound judgment, and

independently move agreed work from planning through completion.

This project is supported by the Foundation for Children with Intellectual and Developmental

Disabilities (FCIDD).

Scope of Work

1. Focused Needs and Resource Review

Conduct a focused review of healthcare education and outreach needs in Montgomery County, MD using

existing DSNMC information, relevant evidence and resources, and targeted input from staff, the

Healthcare Advisory Team, individuals with Down syndrome, and family

members.

Consider prenatal and diagnosis-related care, pediatric and adolescent care, adult care and aging,

and mental health. Identify priority provider audiences, gaps in information or referral pathways,

potential partners, and cultural and linguistic considerations, including

Spanish-language access.

Review existing educational resources before recommending new materials. Assess their accuracy,

currency, intended audience, practical usefulness, and permissions for reuse or adaptation.

Deliverable: A concise findings summary and resource inventory identifying recommended initial

priorities. This is a focused planning exercise, rather than a comprehensive countywide healthcare

assessment.

1. Phased Healthcare Outreach Strategy

Work with DSNMC and the Healthcare Advisory Team to establish and document

outreach-prioritization criteria by December 2026. Criteria may include provider specialization,

care setting, geographic reach, patient volume, and identified community needs.

Apply the criteria to recommend initial focus areas. Develop a strategy that considers the full

lifespan while selecting a manageable set of priorities for the pilot.

Deliverable: A written phased Healthcare Outreach Strategy, completed by April 2027, identifying:

• Priority audiences and the rationale for their selection.
• Near-term outreach activities and recommended partnerships.
• Responsibilities and measures of progress.
• Longer-term goals and recommendations for sustaining and expanding the initiative.

1. Provider Resources and Pilot Training

Develop or adapt the priority educational resources agreed upon with DSNMC. Use reliable clinical

sources and incorporate Healthcare Advisory Team review.

Coordinate translation of at least one DSNMC resource into Spanish, including review by a qualified

translator or reviewer familiar with healthcare terminology.

Design and lead or co-lead one pilot training for healthcare professionals during May–August 2027.

Select the topic and audience based on the agreed outreach priorities. Training should be practical

for healthcare settings and incorporate respectful communication, relevant healthcare needs, and

appropriate resources and referral connections.

Develop a brief evaluation addressing knowledge gained, confidence in providing care, and

likelihood of referring families to DSNMC. Review participant feedback and revise the training

accordingly.

Deliverables:

• Agreed priority resources, including at least one Spanish-language DSNMC resource.
• One pilot provider training, with a project attendance target of at least 10 participants.
• A reusable training package containing learning objectives, slides, facilitator notes, participant resources, and an evaluation tool.
• A brief summary of pilot feedback and resulting improvements.

DSNMC will lead participant recruitment and event logistics.

1. Advisory Team Facilitation and Staff Preparation

Support planning and facilitation of the Healthcare Advisory Team meetings remaining during the

engagement. The project calls for a multidisciplinary team of at least six healthcare professionals

and four meetings overall. Build on work already completed and use the team’s expertise to inform

priorities and review clinical content.

Prepare designated DSNMC staff to co-lead future provider education through a walkthrough of the

training package, practice delivery, and feedback. Explain how to maintain the materials and when

additional clinical review is needed.

Deliverable: Staff preparation and a final handoff of editable materials, supporting resources, and

practical instructions for future delivery and updates.

Working Relationship and DSNMC Support

The consultant will manage their own work plan, methods, and day-to-day delivery within agreed

milestones. We expect proactive recommendations, concise progress updates, and early identification

of decisions, dependencies, or risks requiring DSNMC input.

DSNMC will designate a primary project contact and provide existing materials, relevant project

information, and introductions to established partners. DSNMC will manage:

• Grant administration and reporting.
• Meeting and training scheduling, logistics, invitations, and registration.
• Routine provider follow-up and maintenance of the Healthcare Contact Tracker.
• Graphic design and printing arrangements.
• Collection of family feedback and narrative examples for grant evaluation.

The consultant will contribute relevant provider contacts, advise on priority engagement, and

document their own outreach activities for the tracker.

For context, DSNMC’s grant commitments include implementing the tracker by February 2027, recording

at least 75 provider contacts and 25 engagement touchpoints within the required reporting period,

targeting a training survey response rate of at least 60%, and collecting three narrative examples

of improved healthcare connections. The consultant will support these efforts through the work described above; DSNMC retains responsibility for monitoring and reporting

the overall benchmarks.

At the start of the engagement, DSNMC and the consultant will agree on deliverable specifications,

review points, and a proportionate check-in schedule. DSNMC will consolidate feedback and arrange

appropriate clinical reviews. The Executive Director will approve final deliverables and changes to

scope or fees.

Timeline

Period Principal milestones

• December 2026 Onboarding; review existing work; support Advisory Team engagement; document

outreach-prioritization criteria.

January–April 2027 - Complete the focused review and resource recommendations; deliver the phased outreach strategy by April.

May–August 2027 - Complete priority materials and Spanish-language resources; deliver the pilot

training; prepare staff to co-lead future sessions; review feedback.

September–December 2027 - Complete agreed refinements, evaluation input, and final handoff.

The detailed work plan will be finalized with the selected consultant. Applicants should identify

any concerns about the proposed sequence or deadlines. Changes must preserve applicable grant

requirements unless DSNMC obtains necessary funder approval.

Consultant Qualifications

We seek a consultant with:

• Demonstrated success designing and delivering education for healthcare professionals.
• Relevant knowledge of Down syndrome or related intellectual and developmental disabilities and the ability to address healthcare needs across the lifespan.
• Experience translating community input and evidence into practical outreach strategies.
• Skill in evaluating resources and developing or adapting accurate, usable educational materials.
• Experience facilitating multidisciplinary groups and preparing staff to deliver training.
• A record of independently managing comparable projects, meeting deadlines, and working effectively with nonprofit staff.

Knowledge of Montgomery County healthcare systems and community resources is preferred. Experience with culturally responsive education and bilingual healthcare resources is also valued. Spanish fluency is helpful but is not required.

Fees and Expenses

The maximum funding available for consultant fees is $19,000. This is a ceiling, not a target

expenditure. Proposals should reflect the time and cost reasonably needed to complete the scope.

Provide your proposed hourly rate, estimated hours by major activity, and total proposed fee.

Include preparation, meetings, resource development, training delivery, staff coaching, revisions,

and final handoff.

Identify anticipated travel and third-party expenses, including translation or licensing,

separately. Clearly state whether these costs are included in the proposed total. DSNMC will

coordinate graphic design and printing through separate project funding.

DSNMC will evaluate cost alongside qualifications, approach, and demonstrated ability to deliver

the required work. Payment will be based on actual approved hours worked at the agreed rate, up to

the contracted fee ceiling. Additional work or expenses require prior written approval.

Proposal Requirements

Submit a proposal of no more than five pages, excluding résumés, the work sample, and references.

Include:

1. Relevant experience: Identify who will perform the work and describe comparable projects, their results, and your experience delivering independently.
2. Approach: Explain how you would address the scope, use existing resources, incorporate clinical and community input, and prepare DSNMC staff to sustain the work.
3. Work plan: Identify deliverables, milestones, availability, and anticipated in-person participation.
4. Pricing: Provide the rate, estimated hours, total fee ceiling, and expenses requested above.
5. Assumptions: Identify the DSNMC support you would need, material dependencies, and any scope or timeline concerns.
6. Work sample: Include one relevant example of provider education, curriculum, or outreach strategy work. Redacted samples are welcome.
7. References: Provide two references familiar with comparable work.
8. Conflicts of interest: Disclose relationships or commitments that could affect the engagement.

Identify any restrictions on DSNMC’s future use of proposed materials. DSNMC requires editable

deliverables that it can reuse and adapt; ownership and usage terms will be established in the

consulting agreement.

Selection Considerations

DSNMC will assess proposals based on:

• Relevant expertise and demonstrated results.
• Quality and practicality of the proposed approach.
• Ability to deliver independently while collaborating effectively with staff and clinicaladvisers.
• Strength of the approach to staff preparation and long-term sustainability.
• Feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and clarity of the work plan and pricing.
• Quality of the work sample and references.

Local healthcare knowledge and experience with bilingual resources will be additional

considerations. Selection will reflect overall fit and value, rather than price alone. Finalists

may be invited to interview.

Submission

RFP issued: November 1, 2026

Questions due: November 18, 2026

Proposals due: November 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Anticipated selection: December 5, 2026

Anticipated start: December 2026

Submit the proposal and supporting materials as a single PDF to newfamilies@dsnmc.org, with the

subject line “Healthcare Education and Outreach Consultant Proposal.”

Direct questions to:

Kristi Maeng

New Family & Medical Outreach Coordinator Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County

newfamilies@dsnmc.org | 301-979-1112

DSNMC reserves the right to decline all proposals. Submission does not guarantee selection or

a consulting agreement.