IT Needs Assessment: Survey Design and Market Analysis

• Location: Washington, DC metro area or remote. While there is no in-person office requirement, meeting member organizations in person is welcomed.

• Start date: Jul 15, 2026

• Term: 6-8 weeks

• Hours: 30-40 hours over the project term

• Compensation: $50/hour

• Other compensation: Reasonable local travel expenses will be reimbursed 

About Community Purchasing Alliance Cooperative

The Community Purchasing Alliance Cooperative (CPA) is a social-purpose cooperative that leverages the buying power of community institutions to help lower operating costs, while also making investments in sustainability, worker equity, and community organizing. Our members and participants include schools, houses of worship, nonprofits, housing cooperatives, and other mission-driven organizations. Through cooperative purchasing, we strengthen the resiliency of community institutions, support the transition to climate-sustainable facilities, and leverage collective spending power to build wealth in local communities.

Background and Problem Statement

Our members have consistently identified IT support as a top unmet need. However, “IT-services” encompasses a wide range of functions — from audiovisual support and device management to network administration, telecommunications, staff training, and cybersecurity. The specific needs vary significantly across our diverse membership of charter schools, houses of worship, nonprofits, and other community institutions.  

Without a clear, research-backed understanding of what our members actually need, we cannot responsibly design or pilot an IT program.  This RFP seeks a consultant to help us bridge the knowledge gap. 

Scope of Work

The selected consultant will design and execute a research process to define the IT needs of our member organizations, culminating in a survey instrument and vendor landscape analysis that support mission-driven organizations to guide the development of an IT pilot program. 

Project Deliverables

Member Discovery Interviews (4-5 interviews)

Conduct structured interviews with a representative cross-section of member organizations to surface IT pain points, current service gaps, and priority needs. Interview subjects will include:

• 1 charter school in Washington, DC

• 1 charter school in Massachusetts

• 2 houses of worship (1 large, 1 small)

• 1 nonprofit organization

Expected Outcome: Interview summary report identifying common themes, divergent needs by organization type, and recommended areas of focus for the survey.

Listening Sessions (1-2 sessions)

Facilitate group listening sessions with members and/or staff to validate interview findings, surface additional needs, and build buy-in for the IT program. Sessions should be designed to be accessible and inclusive of participants with varying levels of technical literacy.

Expected Outcome: Session notes and a synthesis memo highlighting key themes, areas of consensus, and open questions to address in the survey.

IT Needs Survey (Final and Draft)

Design a comprehensive, member-facing survey that clarifies IT needs across key domains (e.g., device management, network infrastructure, cybersecurity, AV/telecommunications, staff training, and helpdesk support). The survey should educate respondents about IT service categories they may not be familiar with while capturing actionable data to scope a pilot program.

• Submit a draft survey for staff review and a staff listening session

• Incorporate feedback and deliver a final, deployment-ready survey

• Target distribution: late June / early July 2026

Expected Outcome: A polished, user-friendly survey instrument ready for distribution to the full membership, with an accompanying guide for staff on how to administer and interpret results.

Vendor Landscape Analysis

Conduct a landscape analysis of potential IT service vendors who could support a cooperative purchasing program. The analysis should assess vendors on:

• Service offerings and capacity to serve nonprofit community institutions

• Values alignment with cooperative and community-centered principles

• Priority consideration for locally owned, BIPOC-owned, employee-owned, and woman-owned businesses

Expected Outcome: A vendor comparison matrix with recommendations for 4–7 vendors to explore for the pilot program.

Target Market Segments 

CPA has deep relationships in Washington, DC, Boston, MA, and Cleveland, OH, primarily with houses of worship and public charter schools. We are building an IT program to support these mission-aligned community institutions based on direct member requests. However, any institution may participate in this program regardless of geographic location.

We are looking for a consultant with deep knowledge of and expertise in the IT landscape of the nonprofit sector—particularly houses of worship, nonprofits, and charter schools.

Desired Qualifications 

• Sector Expertise: Demonstrated knowledge of the IT service landscape as it relates to nonprofit and community-based organizations, including familiarity with common infrastructure challenges, vendor ecosystems, and cost-effective solutions.

•  Survey & Research Design: Experience designing surveys or needs assessments, ideally for diverse, non-technical audiences. Ability to translate complex IT concepts into accessible, jargon-free language.

• Relationship-Building Skills: Ability to connect authentically with people from diverse backgrounds—across lines of race, faith, class, and organizational culture. You find (and create) opportunities to deepen connections with members, vendors, and colleagues.

• Persistence & Initiative: Comfort building new relationships with busy people. You understand that outreach requires follow-up, flexibility, and a willingness to try multiple approaches to secure engagement.

• Commitment to Equity: Alignment with cooperative values including racial equity, economic justice, and community self-determination. Experience working with BIPOC-led organizations or in community-centered contexts is strongly preferred.