Instructions

The following planning guidelines have been assembled in an effort to assist your group in the process of preparing Terms of Reference.  By responding to each of these questions, your group will have established a first draft of the Terms of Reference for your feasibility study.  It should be noted that these guidelines only represent the minimum requirements in preparing terms of reference and do not necessarily cover all aspects of a particular study.  Further, they do not necessarily reflect the sequence in which prospective consultants will respond in a given proposal.

Part I: Background

In order to provide the consultant with sufficient background respecting your project, review and answer questions 1, 2 and 3.

1.

What do we know about our community's history and its social, economic and demographic make-up that will serve to place our proposal into context?  What organizations are represented on our study team?

Example: "Municipality 'X' is situated... with an estimated population of..., etc…."

2.

What do we know about our organization's/facility's/project's history that will serve to place our proposal into context?

Example: "Organization 'M' was created in... with a board membership of... to..."

3.

What are the specific community issues and circumstances which can be identified as having some effect on our proposal?

Example: "Facility 'Y' burned down or facility 'Z' is too small for its proposed use."

Goal of the Study 

Questions 4 and 5 will essentially provide the consultant with information respecting your group's overall expectations of this study.

4.

Q.

What do we want to learn about our proposed project that will help us to better plan its successful implementation and operation?

Example: "To determine the feasibility of establishing an art gallery for community 'X'."

5.

How can we break our study goal down into a series of parts that will assist our consultant in understanding our project and in preparing a detailed proposal?

Part II:  Needs Assessment

6.

Are there related plans and studies which have been conducted in the past that the consultants shall review in assessing need?

Example: "The consultants shall review existing community plans, round table reports on multi-cultural association 'X', society charter, etc… in order to illustrate past needs and project trends."

7.

Can we identify anyone else in our community who presently offers similar or related services who we would want our consultant to interview?

Example: "The consultant shall meet with representatives from the historical society, museum 'Y', the boys and girls club, girl guides, etc…."

8.

Can any gaps in the provision of existing programs be identified by the consultants? (Describe the level of detail that you expect the consultant to provide.)

Example: "The consultant shall identify the present level of user satisfaction with current library circulation services."

9.

Can solid, broadly based community support for our project be demonstrated?  For what market segment does the proposed project have the greatest appeal/support?  (Ask the consultant to provide a methodology to ensure this, at a level of detail that satisfies your group.)

Example: "The consultant is to conduct a random sample of the local community to assess the need for a new community theatre."

10.

Can definitive need for our project be demonstrated by the consultants' findings?

Example: "Based on the methodology and information gathered in tasks five through eight, the consultant shall recommend whether or not there is a need for a new native community centre."       

Notes: If need can be demonstrated at this point, then the study can proceed to examine alternative options.

If definitive need cannot be demonstrated, the proposal must be carefully reassessed and the consultant should be requested to provide recommendations outlining a course of action.

Part III: Programming/Administration

The information gathered in this category will establish a context for the development of the facility (Part IV) and related costs (Part V).

11.

What level of detail regarding the types of programs should the consultants provide?

Example: (a) "The consultant shall list all potential programs that would be offered by the art gallery to meet the defined needs of the community."

(b)  "The consultant shall recommend hours of operation for the library."

(c)  "The consultant shall identify types of extension services by community museum 'X' to meet the defined needs."

12.

What does the consultant recommend as the most effective and efficient approach to administering the proposed facility?

Example: "The consultant shall recommend the number and types of staff positions required for operation of the proposed native cultural centre."

Part IV: Preliminary Space Requirements and Location

The information outlined in this category will provide an overview of anticipated facility space requirements and pertinent location factors.

13.

In view of the consultants' findings, what would be the most appropriate size of facility and the related space components?

Example: "The consultant shall determine the most appropriate size of the addition to citizenship facility 'Y' and the space program for the addition based on projected programs and the number of users."

14.

In specific circumstances, location factors are essential to determining feasibility.  What should the consultant consider in the recommendations respecting location?

Example:  

(a) "The consultant shall develop criteria upon which location is to be assessed."

(b) "The consultant shall review locations A, B and C to recommend the most suitable location for theatre 'X'."

Part V:  Financial

Information in this category will provide answers on the financial viability/feasibility of your project.

15.

According to the consultant, what are the estimated capital costs?

Example: "The consultant shall project the capital costs of facility 'X'."

16.

According to the consultant, what are the projected operating costs (over a five year period)?

Example: "The consultant shall project operating costs over a five year period for museum 'P', noting the operating budget categories of the provincial operating grant program."

17.

According to the consultant, what are the potential sources of operating dollars?

Example: "The consultant shall outline potential sources of operating revenue, including an identification of potential entrepreneurial activities for library 'C' for internal revenue generation."

18.

How can the consultant justify whether or not the project is financially feasible?

Example: "The consultant shall list all assumptions upon which projections are based for cultural centre 'B', which state the project is feasible."

Part VI: Implementation

The information in this category will assist your group in successfully implementing your project.

19.

What is required to effectively implement the project?

Example: "The consultant shall provide a series of prioritized recommendations defining required roles and responsibilities with a timetable for thenew library of community 'X'. The consultant shall identify future Planning required for this project."

Part VII: Study Management

Information in this category will outline "who is responsible for what" in the process of managing your study.

20.

Have you clearly indicated who is to be responsible for:

• Arranging and conducting meetings?

• Designing and administering survey questionnaires?

• Conducting interviews?

• Coordinating the information collection process and compiling resultant survey statistics?

• Printing and distributing interim, draft and final written reports? (Have you indicated how many copies of each will be required?)

• Establishing a study timetable? (Have you ensured that sufficient time has been allocated in the timetable for adequate review by all funding agencies?)

• Final presentation of the draft final report to all interested parties (i.e. public agencies)?

21.

Have you ensured that the level of detail that you are requesting is consistent with both the necessary information you require to make a final decision and your budget?