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Legislative Advocacy and Legal Advisory Services

Ohio Mid-Sized Districts Leadership Collaborative(OMSDLC)
Issue Date: May 15th, 2026
Proposal Due Date: June 5th, 2026

Introduction

The Ohio Mid-Sized District Leadership Collaborative(OMSDLC) is a multi-school district educational organization currently representing 15 districts and serving approximately 50,000 students across the state of Ohio. The districts in the collaborative typically serve between 2000 - 6000 students in diverse, often middle to lower income communities across the state.

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We are seeking proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide legislative advocacy and legal advisory services to support our mission, to help develop and advance our policy priorities, and ensure legal compliance for our organization  in a complex and evolving regulatory environment.

Objectives

The selected partner will:

 

  • Advocate for the organization’s legislative priorities at the state (and potentially regional) level

  • Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on strategy, risk, and public policy

  • Provide occasional legal guidance to the organization and support to the executive director in his/her capacity of carrying out the leadership and direction of the organization

Scope of Services

A. Legislative Advocacy


The selected firm/individual will:

  • Monitor legislative and regulatory activity affecting K–12 education

  • Develop and execute a proactive legislative strategy

  • Represent the organization before legislators, agencies, and relevant bodies

  • Build and maintain relationships with policymakers and stakeholders

  • Help facilitate connections between our stakeholders and policymakers

  • Draft policy positions, testimony, and briefing materials

  • Coordinate advocacy efforts with member districts and leadership

  • Provide timely updates and strategic recommendations

 

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B. Legal Advisory Services


The selected firm/individual will:

  • Provide legal recommendations to the organization on education law and regulatory compliance

  • Review policies, contracts, and governance documents

  • Advise on legal implications of legislative and regulatory changes

  • Support risk management and dispute resolution as needed

  • Ensure compliance with lobbying, ethics, and reporting requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Respondents must demonstrate:

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  • Proven experience in education policy and legislative advocacy

  • Strong relationships with relevant policymakers and agencies

  • Familiarity with and understanding of the challenges and needs of districts typically represented in our collaborative 

  • Experience representing public-sector or education clients

  • Legal credentials (licensed attorney in Ohio) for legal advisory services

  • Understanding of multi-district or public education governance structures

  • Demonstrated success influencing legislation or regulatory outcomes

Proposal Requirements

Proposals must include:

 

A. Executive Summary

  • Overview of your firm and why you are a strong fit.

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B. Firm/Individual Background

  • History and structure

  • Relevant experience

  • Key differentiators

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C. Team Structure

  • Key personnel and roles

  • Day-to-day point of contact

  • Bios and relevant experience

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D. Approach and Strategy

  • Legislative advocacy approach

  • Legal advisory approach

  • Communication and reporting plan

  • Coordination with executive director 

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E. Relevant Experience

  • Case studies or examples of legislative success

  • Experience with similar organizations

  • References (minimum of 3)

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F. Conflict of Interest Disclosure

  • Current or past relationships that may pose a conflict

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G. Fee Proposal

  • Pricing structure 

  • Any additional costs

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:


Relevant experience in education policy (25%)
Legislative relationships and track record (20%)
Quality of proposed approach and strategy (25%)
Legal expertise and qualifications (15%)
Cost and value (15%)

Timeline

5/15/26 - RFP Issued

5/22/26 - Questions Due

5/29/26 - Responses to Questions

6/5/26 - Proposal Submission Deadline

6/18/26 - Interviews (if applicable)

7/1/26 - Selection Notification

8/1/26 - Contract Start

Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted electronically to:


Dr. Charles Keenan
Executive Director, OMSDLC
ohiomidsizeddistricts@gmail.com


Subject Line: RFP Response – Legislative Advocacy and Legal Services


Late submissions may not be considered.

Terms and Conditions

OMSDLC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
This RFP does not obligate the organization to award a contract.
Respondents are responsible for all costs incurred in preparing proposals.
Final scope and terms will be negotiated with the selected respondent.

Point of Contact

All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted to:

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Dr. Charles Keenan
ohiomidsizeddistricts@gmail.com
216-233-9300

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