Catawba County #27-1006

Consulting Services for the Proposed Catawba County School District Merger

Catawba County is seeking a consulting firm to guide the proposed consolidation of three school districts into Catawba Valley Schools. - Government buyer: Catawba County, on behalf of the Catawba County Board of Commissioners and the newly formed Catawba Valley Board of Education; procurement office: Catawba County Purchasing Department / Purchasing Manager. - Districts involved: Catawba County Schools, Hickory City Schools, and Newton-Conover City Schools are proposed to merge into Catawba Valley Schools. - Requested services: Merger facilitation, transition assessment, implementation planning and project management, governance and stakeholder coordination, organizational and workforce integration, financial and budget integration, policy and procedure alignment, technology and systems integration, facilities and operations planning, communications and community engagement, change and risk management, implementation readiness, and possible post-merger stabilization. - Expected deliverables include an implementation plan and schedule, engagement and communications plans, a risk and issue register, integration recommendations and plans, a readiness assessment, status reports, and a final implementation report. - Key condition: The work depends on approval of the merger by the North Carolina State Board of Education. The County will not proceed with a contract if the merger is not approved. - OEMs and vendors: No consulting firms, OEMs, or other service vendors are named. No products, quantities, or product part numbers are requested. - Reference: RFP 27-1006.

Description

Catawba County is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to support the planned merger of three school districts into the Catawba Valley Schools, contingent on approval by the North Carolina State Board of Education. Services include transition planning, project management, facilitation, stakeholder coordination, and change management, as well as support for integrating organizational structures, policies, finances, personnel, technology, facilities, and operations. The selected firm will work at the direction of the Catawba Valley Board of Education to develop and execute an implementation strategy intended to minimize disruption. Proposals are due November 6, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET; the County will not proceed with a contract if the merger is not approved.

View original listing