ITGA Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

Overview

The International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) invites expressions of interest and qualifications from professionals, experienced practitioners, and organizations with demonstrated expertise in community-university relations or related fields to join ITGA’s roster of consulting experts.

This roster will support ITGA’s Consulting Program, which provides facilitation, planning, advisory, and training services to campuses, municipalities, community partners, and nonprofit organizations. Inclusion on the roster does not guarantee work but creates eligibility for future project opportunities based on alignment with client needs.

About ITGA

ITGA is the world’s leading organization committed to strengthening relationships, partnerships, and communities shared by higher education institutions and their host cities.

The association serves more than 200 members worldwide, including universities, cities, government agencies, nonprofits, and private partners. Through its conferences, Certificate Program in Town-Gown Relations, research, and professional services, ITGA advances best practices and supports collaborative approaches to shared challenges affecting campuses and their surrounding communities.

Scope of Consulting Services

Respondents may be invited to participate in ITGA-led projects across the followingservice areas:

• Strategic Facilitation - Partnership summits, town–gown retreats, leadership convenings, collaborative planning workshops.
• Policy & Planning - Housing and neighborhood strategies, public safety frameworks, shared governance, engagement models, community impact studies.
• Organizational Development - Structure and staffing assessments, governance reviews, interagency coordination models.
• Training & Capacity Building – Workshops, certificate programming, leadership development, curriculum design, professional learning sessions.

Specific scopes, timelines, and deliverables will be defined individually for eachengagement.

Purpose of this RFQ

This RFQ seeks to build a diverse, multi-disciplinary roster of qualified individuals, teams, and organizations that ITGA may draw upon as consulting opportunities arise. The roster will help ITGA align client needs with the appropriate expertise while ensuring high-quality, consistent service delivery. Respondents may include independent professionals, academic or administrative practitioners, community-based experts, nonprofit partners, or established consulting entities. 

Qualifications and Expectations

Qualified respondents should demonstrate:

• Relevant professional experience, applied expertise, or subject-matter knowledge aligned with one or more of the service areas.
• Understanding of town–gown relations, community engagement, higher education administration, public-sector collaboration, or related fields.
• Commitment to ITGA’s mission, values, and ethical standards.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with ITGA staff and client partners.
• Active ITGA membership prior to engagement on any project.

Selected respondents will be required to sign ITGA’s Independent Contractor Agreement,which governs confidentiality, intellectual property provisions, indemnification, and related requirements.

Submission Requirements

Interested individuals or entities must submit the following materials as a single PDF file:

1. Letter of Interest (1–2 pages) summarizing expertise, preferred service areas, relevant experience, and motivation for partnering with ITGA.
2. Résumé, CV, or Organizational Profile detailing professional background, qualifications, and areas of specialization.
3. Up to three examples of recent, relevant projects or initiatives (short narrative summaries acceptable).
4. Two or more professional references including name, organization, email, and phone.
5. Optional: Links to published work, reports, training materials, presentations, or case studies.

File naming format:

Lastname_Firstname_ITGA_RFQ2026.pdf (or organization name as applicable)

Email submissions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday, June 12th, 2026. 

Selection & Next Steps

Submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the ITGA Consulting Committee based on:

• Demonstrated experience and subject-matter expertise (applied or academic);
• Quality, clarity, and completeness of submission materials;
• Diversity of perspectives and representation within the roster;
• Alignment with ITGA’s values, priorities, and service areas.

Selected respondents will be notified of roster inclusion by August 7 and may be invited to participate in scoping discussions as client needs arise. Roster placement is valid for two years, with renewal options based on performance, continued membership, and program needs.