By now you have had an opportunity to review our newly formatted annual report. If not, you can conveniently download a copy of the FY 2006-2007 First 5 California Annual Report at www.ccfc.ca.gov.  I hope you find the streamlined document organized so that important information is easier to find.

In order to improve the next annual reporting process, we are revising the FY 2007-2008 Annual Report Guidelines to add clarity and make the document more user-friendly. We will also implement Web-based forms to make reporting easier for the counties and ensure seamless transmission of data. Last, we will provide Annual Report Guideline and Forms training at locations throughout the state and via the Web. I will send a letter to all First 5 county commission executive directors in May with more information.  

Good news! We have successfully secured a contractor, Eclipse Solutions, to write and manage the Request for Proposal process to hire an organization to develop the Center for Results database. Eclipse Solutions will begin work in early April. We will use the Evaluation Technical Advisory Committee to help identify First 5 county commission data needs and we may solicit input from other First 5 county commission evaluation staff. My staff and I are very excited about moving forward with this component of the Center for Results.

As for the remaining two components of the Center for Results (the Strategic Research Contractor and the Local Evaluation Contractor), we will use the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) program to hire vendors. CMAS is a leveraged purchasing arrangement through the California Department of General Services. CMAS provides us access to qualified pre-screened contractors. We hope to engage these two contractors by July.

In April I celebrate my first anniversary as part of the First 5 community. Collectively, we’ve accomplished much this year. I look forward to another very productive year.

Sincerely,

Stacie Sormano, Deputy Director                                      
Research and Evaluation Division

April 4, 2008