To address complex social issues in its downtown core, the City of Prince George funds a Council approved multi-department service enhancement package designed to augment safety, cleanliness, and social inclusion. The $1,422,795 service enhancement package consists of six interrelated areas including Police, Bylaw Services, contracted security, social inclusion services (including the operation of a Community Safety Hub supporting multi-jurisdictional service coordination and integration), parkade cleanliness and safety, as well as comprehensive cleaning services to reduce community concerns about public health and safety. For a one year period (August 15, 2021 – August 15, 2022), the City will be utilizing grant funding to further enhance its efforts to improve the health and safety of unsheltered homeless people and address associated impacts. This will be achieved through the implementation of several new initiatives. 

While some quantitative data like the number of calls for service is collected and monitored over time, the City has not completed a robust evaluation of its current service enhancement package. This is due in large part to the absence of agreement with all involved about desired outcomes in relation to a safe, clean and inclusive community and little understanding as to how to appropriately evaluate progress and/or change in complex environments with multiple players where progress is not linear, predictable, or controllable.  Given the substantial boost in service provision that will be enabled through additional grant funding, the City wishes to proceed with a thorough evaluation process. 

As such, the City is seeking the services of a qualified consultant team that can demonstrate they are capable, experienced, have a record of accomplishments, and the resources necessary to provide external expertise to design and implement a comprehensive evaluation process. The evaluation process will reflect the need to utilize a blend of evaluation methods and processes that are responsive to complexity, community context, and reporting timelines. Project activity should allow an assessment of three broad types of results including strategic learning, systems change, and desired outcomes (agreed to by those with a vested interest).  It is also expected that project activity will be carried out in a manner that supports capacity development within the City to design and implement comprehensive evaluation processes. The project must be completed by August 15, 2022. 

The maximum budget available, including disbursements and associated PST, is $96,000.