Basic Information

Reference Number

0000287400

Issuing Organization

CEDEC

Owner Organization

Not-for-Profit / OBNL

Solicitation Type

RFP - Request for Proposal (Formal)

Solicitation Number

RFP20250212

Title

Planning, Policy, Communications Advice and Support

Source ID

PP.CO.QC.864485.C87422

Details

Location

Canada, All of Canada, All of Canada

Delivery Point

contracts-contrats@cedec.ca

Description

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:
Provision of Integrated and Coherent Strategic Planning, Policy, and Communications Advice and Support

Issue date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Closing date and time: February 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period:
- Immediately to March 31, 2026
- Renewal Option at the full discretion of CEDEC.

The Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC) is based in the Province of Quebec. It is requesting proposals from experienced experts who can provide integrated and coherent strategic planning, policy, and communications advice and support on an ongoing basis.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) contains specific details and timelines and should be reviewed carefully prior to submitting a proposal. Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.

ABOUT CEDEC
CEDEC is the federally designated and financed Official Language Minority Community in Quebec (OLMCQ) organization responsible for economic development, including business, labour market, and employment assistance service development. Its mission is to strengthen the contribution of English-speakers and the OLMCQ to growing and developing Quebec’s economy, while leveraging their participation in it to address economic disparities and disadvantages experienced by these. It specifically seeks to generate tangible economic impacts for English-speakers, businesses, social enterprises, and their communities, as well as the broader Francophone community in which they exist and thrive.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS
CEDEC wishes to hire an experienced expert who can provide strategic planning, policy, and communications advice and support on an ongoing basis. The selected expert must be able to provide integrated and coherent strategic and operational.

Planning advice and support.
Policy advice and support, including the formulation of policy positions and support regarding their promotion and implementation.
Communications and marketing advice and support, including the development of key initiatives and related tools and materials. This will include the design of a new organizational website.
Stakeholder relationship and issues management advice and support.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Planning Advice and Support
Working with CEDEC’s Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vice Presidents, and operational groups, the selected expert will assist CEDEC in:

Continual environmental scanning and the identification and assessment of trends and issues which could impact CEDEC’s ongoing development and its day-to-day Collaborative Economic Development work.
The formulation, alignment, and coordination of CEDEC’s strategic and operational planning on an annual and pluri-annual basis.
Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of organizational performance and impact with regard to the achievement of CEDEC’s key strategic and developmental objectives.

Policy Advice and Support
Working with CEDEC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, the selected expert must provide strategic policy and positioning advice and support in the context of (a) Canada’s Official Languages environment, (b) Quebec’s French Language policy environment, (c) contemporary economic development, and (d) community development, with an emphasis on the participation and collaboration of the public, private, and civil society sectors in CEDEC’s Collaborative Economic Development work. The selected expert will assist CEDEC in:

Framing and conducting policy research and analysis.
Formulating and promoting policy positions and recommendations.
Framing and addressing specific policy issue/problem definition and solution, especially as it relates to language and economic development policies in Canada and Quebec.
Designing and conducting policy consultations.
Advocating for policy adoption, especially by government and community groups.

Communications and Marketing Advice and Support
Working with CEDEC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, the selected expert must provide ongoing and coherent strategic communications and marketing advice and support. The selected expert will assist CEDEC in:

Elaborating, implementing, coordinating, and renewing as required, the organization’s communications and marketing strategies and tactics.
Conducting communications and marketing research; supporting key narrative and message development; advising on creative development, especially with regard to CEDEC storytelling; designing and carrying out communications campaigns; redeveloping and keeping up to date the organization’s website; promoting CEDEC’s presence on social media platforms, and; enhancing the organization’s digital communications.
Building its long-term communication and marketing capacity.

Stakeholder Relationship and Issues Management Advice and Support.
Working with CEDEC’s President and Chief Executive Officer the selected expert must provide ongoing and coherent stakeholder relationship and issues management advice and support.

The selected expert will assist CEDEC in:

Identifying, qualifying, and designing targeted stakeholder outreach strategies.
Building mutual understanding and collaboration with stakeholders and mobilizing them to work with CEDEC to achieve shared economic development objectives.
Strengthening CEDEC’s reputation with stakeholders.
Balancing CEDEC’s interests with those of its key stakeholders.
Aligning policy advocacy, stakeholder relationship management, and communications and marketing strategies and activities.

QUALIFICATIONS
The selected expert must possess and be able to demonstrate the following:

Over 10 years of executive leadership experience working directly in the fields of Official Languages policy development, economic development, community development, communications and marketing, and stakeholder relationship development and management.
Over 10 years of executive leadership experience in providing strategic policy advice to government and the not-for-profit sector.
Over 10 years of executive leadership experience working in or providing advice to the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec.
Over 10 years of executive leadership experience in providing integrated planning, policy, communications and marketing, and stakeholder relationship management advice and support.
Fluent bilingualism (English - French), both in oral and written communication.

CRITERIA FOR THE EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
Proposals received in response to this RFP will be evaluated using the following criteria:

Demonstrated expertise and experience in the areas outlined above under Qualifications.
Ten years of experience working with not-for-profit and mission-based organizations.
A full understanding of CEDEC’s mission and its business.
A clear demonstration of the ability to deliver services and products on time and according to client expectations and specifications.
The competitiveness of the quote provided, i.e., value for money.
Positive references from three past and current clients.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals responding to this RFP must contain the following elements:

A cover letter summarizing your proposal.
A professional curriculum vitae or business prospectus demonstrating that you have the experience and qualifications necessary to undertake this contract as per the evaluation criteria noted above.
A quote for the professional services described above.

Please note that all expenses associated with this work are the responsibility of the contractor and should be reflected in the professional fees quoted.

Proposals must be sent by email to the following address: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca

All proposals must have RFP: Provision of Integrated and Coherent Strategic Planning, Policy, and Communications Advice and Support in the subject line, be complete as per the requirements of this RFP, and received by the closing date (see above).

NEXT STEPS
CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

All candidates that have responded to this RFP will be informed about the status of their proposal after the closing date.

Questions about this RFP are welcomed. All questions should be received no later than February 17, 2025, and should be sent by email to contracts-contrats@cedec.ca. Please use RFP: Provision of Integrated and Coherent Strategic Planning, Policy, and Communications Advice and Support in the subject line of all inquiries. Please keep your questions brief and to the point. Do not phone.

This Request for Proposals has been prepared by the Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC). CEDEC considers the material in this RFP to be proprietary and confidential. The contents of this RFP must be held in confidence by recipients and used only to prepare a proposal for consideration by CEDEC.

Dates

Publication

2025/02/12 04:48:15 PM EST

Bid Intent

Not Available

Question Acceptance Deadline

2025/02/17 05:00:00 PM EST

Questions are submitted online

Closing Date

2025/02/19 05:00:00 PM EST

Bid Submission Process

Bid Submission Type

Electronic Bid Submission

Pricing

Lump sum

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