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Evaluation Proposal to Asses Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Developments Determining Instructional Purposes Training

Program

Submitted To: Kevin Penn, CEO of Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development located in Santa Monica, CA Submitted By: Seraphim Hawke, Accounts Manager for Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. located in Burbank, CA

Introduction

This is a proposal wherein Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. hopes to be awarded the contract for evaluating Determining Instructional Purposes (DIP), a series of training modules created and distributed by Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development (FWL). This evaluation proposal outlines the data that will be collected to provide FWL with all the necessary information so that they may make choices about the marketing and sale of their DIP program. Program Description The DIP package is geared toward training school administrators or graduate students in educational administration on specific skill sets needed for administrative jobs. The program is made up entirely of print materials and consists of a Coordinators Handbook and three training units (Setting Goals, Analyzing Problems, and Determining Objectives). Each of the training units contains several modules with pre-determined instructional objectives. Within a typical module, the participants will find reading material, skill activities, and activity feedback. Even though three training units are offered, each unit can be purchased and used alone, giving administrators the ability to focus on only one specific area. Each training unit takes between ten and eighteen hours, so they can be completed to fit time constraints, whether that is within a short, concentrated period of time (such as a two day in-service), or over a longer duration. While the training units insist that a coordinator is present, a unique feature about them is that they only require the coordinator to have worked through the content previously, rather than having any specialized knowledge of it. Because of this, the coordinators job can solely be dedicated to conducting the modules and facilitating the participants completion of the skill activities. This feature is attractive to FWLs clients because it saves them the trouble of having to hire a specialized coordinator. Currently, each unit costs $8.95 or all three can be purchased for $24.95. The Coordinators Handbook is available for $4.50 per copy. At the time of this writing, DIP has not yet been used in real or simulated training experiences. Evaluation Method The primary purpose of this evaluation is to provide FWL with information regarding production costs, sales methods, marketing strategies, and potential customer feedback so that they can make informed decisions about the marketing and sale of their DIP training package. The evaluation will take 165 days (approx. eight months) and $49,391.40 to complete. In the end, the information acquired will aid FWL in determining if DIP is worthwhile of the companys time and money. Data will be collected from FWLs accounting department, sales department, and marketing department. In looking at the financial data, Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. will assess the manufacturing cost per unit and compare that to the selling cost per unit; the resulting difference will show the profit FWL stands to make. Using this information, Offbeat Bear Consultants will

provide FWL with a goal number of units which will need to be sold in order for the company to be profitable. Then, Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. will look to the sales department to see if the sales department uses a prescribed sales method to sell DIP to potential schools and/or graduate programs. In doing at this, Offbeat Bear Consultants will analyze how effective that method is; in other words, whether or not the methodology is based on proven, sound sales principles. Next, FWLs marketing department will be contacted to see how the company intends to market the units to potential clients. This will determine if the strategy is appropriate for DIPs content and the companys goals while also revealing if the marketing strategies are effective. Looking at the profits, sales ability, and marketing vigor will be good indicators of how well (or poorly) DIP is likely to sell, thus providing Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. with information about whether DIP is worth FWLs resources to produce. Yet, profit, sales, and marketing alone are not enough information to make a choice. To that end, Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. will seek out a total of 100 graduate programs, elementary and high schools, and school districts within the Los Angeles area to provide feedback regarding the DIP package. These stakeholders will work through the DIP program, providing valuable feedback as to how well FWL markets their product and meets their product claims. These people will also be surveyed to yield information regarding product improvement In analyzing the results from these surveys, Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. will look for the mode in responses to find patterns with how the schools/school districts feel about the information presented within program. Also, the median will be analyzed for determining the stakeholders satisfaction. Depending on the results of the data gained through FWL and the stakeholders, Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. will then appropriately write recommendations for the DIP program: continue production as-is, continue production with increased marketing efforts and/or sales reform, or discontinue production. Task Schedule* Task Key Questions to be Answered What are the company's goals for DIP? Completed By Estimated Date of Completion (with Timeframe) July 16, 2012 (5 days)

1. Meeting with FWL Representatives to create EPD

Head Evaluator

Task

Key Questions to be Answered

Completed By

Estimated Date of Completion (with Timeframe) August 6, 2012 (15 days)

2. Thorough reading and understanding of DIP Materials (Units 1-3, Coordinator Handbook)

Is the content accurate Subject Matter Expert for the topic? Can someone with little background knowledge act as the coordinator? What are the production costs? How is the department trained on the sales strategies? How does the department intend to market DIP? What profit is needed in order for the company to be successful? How effective are sales and marketing strategies? Data Analyst

3. Meet with Accounting Department 4. Meet with Sales Department 5. Meet with Marketing Department 6. Analyze financial, sales, and marketing data; Sharing of this data with FWL

August 13, 2012 (5 days) August 20, 2012 (5 days) August 27, 2012 (5 days) September 18, 2012 (15 days; includes one day off for Labor Day)

Head Evaluator

Head Evaluator

Data Analyst

7. Select random sam- Which schools would ple of 100 particibe available to participants; Contact gradupate? ate programs/schools/sch ool districts 8. Schools work through DIP; Survey schools/school districts 9. Analyze survey data; Sharing of this data with FWL Does DIP meet their product claims?

Head Evaluator

October 2, 2012 (10 days)

Human Resources An- November 27, 2012 alyst (40 days, includes two days off for Thanksgiving) Data Analyst January 15, 2013 (40 days, includes ten days off for Christmas vacation)

How do customers feel about DIP? What improvements are suggested?

Task

Key Questions to be Answered N/A

Completed By

Estimated Date of Completion (with Timeframe) February 5, 2013 (15 days)

10. Writing of report

Head Evaluator

Total Time: 165 Days (approx. Eight Months) *Evaluation is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 9, 2012; work-weeks are constituted as Monday-Friday. Project Personnel The following people will be a part of Offbeat Bear Consultantss evaluation team. The members of this team have worked together before, and their previous experience has shown them be a group that works well together, offering a smooth and thorough evaluation process. Penelope Hedges (Head Evaluator) Penelope has a BA in Liberal Studies from California State University, Northridge, a M.ET (Masters of Educational Technology) from Boise State University, and fifteen years of experience working for Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. During her time with Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc., she has been on evaluation teams that have helped variety of companies and organizations such as Zamba Clothing (a local Burbank, CA store), Yankee Candle, Co., and Build-A-Bear Workshops. Penelope has been a lead evaluator for four years, and she will be leading three other team members through the DIP evaluation process. You will find Penelope to be amicable, honest, diligent, and thorough. Jim Adams (Data Analyst) Jim received his Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. During his time at UPENN, he was also a Benjamin Franklin Scholar. He has been working for Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. for seven years as a data analyst. His Economics degree and experience with Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. provides the background for understanding data trends as well as for using those trends to help make recommendations. Jim has worked on many evaluation projects, including those for Yankee Candle, Co. and Build-A-Bear Workshops. You will find Jim to be funny and easy-going, yet serious about proper data collection methods and analysis. Brad Flynn (Human Resources Analyst) Brad attained a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside in 2007. Brad has been working with Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc. since 2007 as a human resources analyst. His life experience coupled with his Bachelors degree gives him the ability to understand and read people which proves useful when interviewing or surveying stakeholders. His unassuming, quiet nature puts people at ease, resulting in a trusting rapport which helps glean more information during the evaluation process. You will find him to be quiet and calm, yet friendly and charming.

Dr. Frank Gibb (Subject-Matter Expert) Dr. Gibb is a former school superintendent with twenty years experience working throughout Los Angeles county. Because of his background, Dr. Gibb has a deep understanding of the content found within the DIP program. Dr. Gibb will be brought in as a subject-matter expert (SME) to assess the accuracy of the information found within the program.

Budget Personnel (Includes per diem)

Travel Reason Meet with FWL and their sales, marketing, financial departments Estimated Round Trip Distance 20 days @ 52.4 miles @ $0.55/mile $576.40

Total: $46,000 Cost

Travel to 100 schools/graduate 1,800 miles @ $0.55/mile programs in Los Angeles area Reading of DIP package, data analysis, school contact, writing of report Communications None; Done at Offbeat Bear Consultants, Inc.s Burbank, CA offices

$990

None

Total: $1,566.40

Total: $1,225 Supplies Total: $600 BUDGET GRAND TOTAL: $49,391.40

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