---
tags:
  - edge/followup
  - edge/evaluation
  - edge/source-note
source_context: email text pasted by Carlos after the 2026-06-26 Elizabeth mentorship meeting
---
# 2026-06-26 Christine Evaluation Follow-up Email

Artifact type:
- follow-up email text from Christine after the Elizabeth meeting

Why it matters:
- gives reusable evaluation-plan language already used in a recent AACC NSF IUSE proposal
- confirms the internal procurement constraint Elizabeth and Christine discussed live
- provides safe wording for the current EDGE package so the evaluation section does not overpromise a pre-identified external evaluator

Key extracted points:
- Evaluation can be framed as a collaboration between AACC's Office of Planning, Research, and Institutional Assessment (PRIA) and a future external evaluator.
- The evaluation structure should explicitly include both formative and summative components tied to project objectives.
- AACC policy requires external contracts to be awarded through competitive bidding after funding.
- That same policy means an external evaluator cannot be consulted pro bono during proposal development.
- Therefore the proposal should not imply that a named external evaluator has already been selected or directly shaped the current evaluation plan.
- A defensible interim claim is that the current evaluation plan was developed from previously successful NSF projects plus conversations with the PRIA team.

Working implication for Monday:
- use this language as the default answer to Elizabeth's evaluator concern unless Angelo or Christine want a tighter EDGE-specific variant
- keep the proposal honest: internal PRIA support now, external evaluator contracted after award
- make sure the logic model, resource planner, and any evaluation section stay aligned with that procurement reality

## Email text

Hello All,

As a follow-up to our conversation today around an Evaluation plan/Q’s. Below is language we used in our most recent NSF IUSE grant:

Evaluation will be a collaborative effort involving both AACC’s Office of Planning, Research, and Institutional Assessment (PRIA) and an external evaluator. This approach ensures a comprehensive assessment of the project's effectiveness and impact. Evaluation will be conducted in a formative and summative framework, guided by a set of questions closely linked to our project's objectives. It is the policy of AACC that external contracts must be awarded by competitive bidding; this process may not begin until after the award of funding. This policy additionally precludes external evaluators from being consulted pro bono. Thus, an external evaluator has not yet been identified and was not directly involved in developing the evaluation plan. If funded, our first step will be contracting an external evaluator who will then play an integral role in all components of evaluation. This evaluation plan was developed based on previously successful NSF projects and conversations with the PRIA team.

Let’s discuss further next week!

Thanks all and have a great weekend.