U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Devlopment and Research, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 8230, Washington, DC 20410

A -- EVALUATION OF THE EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES (EZ/EC) PROGRAM. SOL H-5948 DUE 101395 POC Judson James, Social Science Analyst, (202) 708-1336, ext. 130. Sources are being sought by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a projected long-term evaluation of the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/EC) Progam. HUD's research on the EZ/EC program is being conducted along two paths: 1) a short-term assessment of the initial implementation processes in the EZs and ECs in the first two years of the program will be conducted under a task order from HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development through Price Waterhouse; and 2) a five-year competitive contract for evaluation of program outcomes will be done under a RFP issued by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research. The long term evaluation, which is the subject of this notice, is designed to assess progress toward community transformation as defined by each community's strategic goals and priorities. All six Urban Empowerment Zones will be the subject of in-depth case studies linked by a small number of common themes and data items. The 65 Urban Enterprise Communities will be covered by a sample of case studies and telephone and/or mail surveys of all participating communities. An additonal option for data gathering might be panel surveys of residents and/or businesses in the zones designated by the local program. The long-term RFP is expected to require four principal products: 1) a baseline conditions report, drawing on both in-depth case studies and cross-cutting data collection, that presents and analyzes the initial conditions and trends in the study communities; 2) a long-term evaluation strategy (including data collection plans) that is consistent with local strategic plans and that addressess key cross-cutting issues of national interest; 3) at least two conferences of local and national participants in the evaluation to serve as forums for exchange of information on evaluation designs and data collection and analysis; and 4) an evaluation report of interim impacts after five years of program operation, drawing on both in-depth case studies and cross-cutting data collectins, that documents the impacts ofEZ/EC investments and analyzes progress toward local and national goals. Expressions of interest should be sent to Mr. Charles H. Taylor, Director, Division of Budget, Contract and Program Control, Office of Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 8230, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410, by October 13, 1995. It is expected that the RFP will be issued on or about October 16, 1995 to those who have submitted such an expression of interest and that a bidders' conference will be held on October 25, 1995. (0257)

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