2025-01-RFP - Strategic Planning Consulting Services

Request for Proposals (RFP) - Strategic Planning Consulting Services

1. Key Information

General Information

The Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board (hereafter referred to as “DSB”) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a consulting service to facilitate the development of a strategic plan.

The strategic plan will be leveraged to guide the Board and management team with priority setting and decision-making, to focus resources and work towards stated goals, and to support adjusting the organization's direction in response to a changing environment. In addition, the organizational strategic plan will guide related work to develop program specific strategic plans (i.e., Ontario Works, Children’s Services, Community Housing, Homelessness and Paramedic Services).

While price is an important element in the evaluation process, other evaluation criteria will be considered.

Submission of Proposals
To be eligible for consideration, proposals must be received by 4:30 pm on January 28, 2025.

Responses must be mailed, couriered, or hand-delivered. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Email responses will be accepted at hr@msdsb.net  provided that original documents are received within 72 hours of the closing date/time.
Please address envelopes to: Donna Stewart
Chief Administrative Officer
Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board
210 Mead Boulevard, Espanola, P5E 1R9 Private & Confidential
Inquiries
Questions regarding this proposal should be submitted by email to Donna Stewart at cao@msdsb.net between January 20, 2025, and January 27, 2025.

 

 

2. Description of Consulting Service Sought

DSB is seeking a consulting service to work with the board and management team to facilitate the development of a strategic plan to guide the organization over the next five years (i.e., 2025 – 2030).

Specific services should include:
 

1. Collaborative work with organization and engagement/consultation with partners and community stakeholders to develop a community-informed strategic plan. A hybrid model may be leveraged for collaborative work and engagement/consultation (i.e., in-person and by videoconferencing).

 

2. Development of a proposed strategic plan and recommended implementation plan that includes an organizational specific change management approach.

 

3. Recommendations to inform the development of program-specific strategic plans (i.e., Ontario Works, Children’s Services, Community Housing, Homelessness and Paramedic Services).

 

4. Presentation of the proposed strategic plan, implementation approach and recommendations to inform the development of program-specific plans to the board. Presentation may be made in person or by videoconferencing.

3. Submission Requirements
Proposals

Respondents are asked to submit a proposal of no more than twelve (12) pages in addition to standard corporate documentation and resumes of key personnel who will be leading the work. The proposal shall include:
 

1. An executive summary

 

2. A detailed submission including a description of the respondent’s ability to satisfy all the requirements of the RFP.

 

3. A work plan with concrete timelines that includes a detailed description of:
   1. The respondent’s approach for working collaboratively to develop a strategic plan including building on existing direction and completing a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.
   2. How the respondent proposes to engage/consult with key contributors, partners, and stakeholders to inform the strategic plan.

 

1. 3. The recommended approach for working with key contributors to develop and finalize the strategic plan.
   4. Associated recommended implementation steps including an organizational specific change management approach.

 

4. Description of the respondent’s relative experience with developing strategic plans in the municipal sector, human service and/or health care sectors or similar government-funded organizations.

 

5. A list of the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of the individuals who participated in the development of the proposal.

 

6. Identification of the individual who would be accountable for delivering on the RFP and key personnel proposed to work with the DSB with a concise description of their background, relevant experience, time available to complete this project, and an indication of how they will work with the DSB (i.e., in-person and/or virtual for what pieces of work and when).

 

7. Names and contact information for at least two (2) references from current or former clients who received similar services.

 

8. A fee proposal with an estimated budget for the proposed service identifying any discounts that apply to public sector or government funded agencies.

Respondent Information
The respondent must state whether the respondent is a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other legally recognized entity.

If the respondent is a corporation, partnership, consortium, sole proprietorship, or joint venture, the respondent must state the legal name and any other names under which the respondent carries on business.

The respondent must state whether the respondent and any applicable persons as set out above, is a Canadian citizen and/or a permanent resident of Canada.

4. Selection Criteria
Objective

The objective of the evaluation process is to identify the proposal which most effectively meets the requirements of the RFP in the most cost-effective manner.

 

Expectations
Respondents are expected to submit a clear, easy to read, and comprehensive proposal. If there is evidence that the proposal contains incomplete, false, or misleading information, the DSB at their discretion, may reject the proposal.

Selection Criteria
In selecting the respondent, the following factors will be considered:
 

1. Quality and credibility of the proposal
   1. Demonstrated understanding of the service requested with a practical and feasible approach.
   2. Realistic work plan with time frames that are appropriate to meet the requirements of the proposal.

 

2. Relevant experience of respondent and key personnel that will be completing the work on behalf of the respondent.
   1. Specialized experience in leading organizations to complete strategic planning exercises.
   2. Experience with non-profit agencies funded by government in human services and/or health care sectors.
   3. Proven track record of developing sound strategic plans that have been successfully implemented within organizations.

 

3. Cost estimates and budgets

 

4. References

Weighting
Weighting used to assign relative importance to the selection criteria. These weights reflect the degree of importance of the criteria. This weighting should be considered by the respondent when developing its proposal:

Quality and Credibility of the Proposal40%
Relevant Experience20%
Cost Estimates & Budgets35%
References5%







Total=100

 

5. Financial

All costs associated or incurred with the preparation and presentation of the respondent’s response to this RFP shall be borne by the respondent.

The rejection of any or all proposals shall not render the DSB liable for any costs or damages.

The DSB shall not be held liable for any error or omission in any part of this RFP. While the DSB has used considerable efforts to ensure an accurate representation of information of this RFP, the information contained in the RFP is supplied solely as a guideline for respondents. The information is not guaranteed or warranted to be accurate by the DSB, nor is it necessarily comprehensive or exhaustive. Nothing in this RFP is intended to relieve respondents from forming their own opinions and conclusions with respect to the matters addressed in this RFP.

The quoted price may not be increased after the closing date of the RFP and/or during the term of the agreement unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the DSB.

All prices are to be stated in Canadian funds.
 

6. Public Communication

The respondent shall not issue any public communication pertaining to any agreement awarded under this RFP unless expressly agreed to in writing by the DSB.
 

7. Intellectual Property

All deliverables, services, and intellectual property rights derived under this RFP remain the exclusive property of the DSB.

Requests to publish or present information derived from work under this RFP to any forum outside of a DSB event must be made to the DSB and prior approval must be obtained in writing from the DSB.

 

8. Additional Information

Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board (DSB)
 

• Incorporated under Provincial legislation in 1999 and mandated to deliver Ontario Works, Children’s Services, Community Housing and Homelessness services across the district. In 2004, the DSB also became accountable for delivering Paramedic Services for the district.

 

• Governed by a Board of Directors including eleven municipal representatives appointed by their councils and three unincorporated representatives elected during the municipal elections.

 

• The Manitoulin-Sudbury District includes a population of approximately 30,000 in a geographic area of over 45,000 square kilometres. The DSB employs approximately two hundred (200) people across the district and works closely with partners and stakeholders across the district.

Services

• Housing and Homelessness Services:
  • Provides community housing with rent-geared-to-income, including affordable rent and market rent for seniors, families, and individuals across the district by directly operating approximately 295 housing units and supporting 5 non- profit housing providers:
    • Oversees the administration of funding to address local housing priorities including affordability, repair and new construction (i.e. Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI)) and to protect affordability, support the repair and renewal of existing social housing supply and expand the supply of housing that is affordable over time (i.e., Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI)).
    • Supports access to a portable housing benefit for eligible low- income households (i.e., Direct Shelter Subsidy (DSS) and Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)).
    • Provides housing support services for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness including chronic homelessness (i.e., Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP)).

 

• Children’s Services:
  • Manages children’s services through a service planning process reflecting current child care legislation, regulations and directives under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 and provincial service and funding guidelines:
    • Oversees 17 child care centres
      1. LaCloche:   Our Children Our Future (2 sites), One Tot Stop (3 sites)
      2. Manitoulin:  Gore Bay (2 sites), Manitoulin Family Resources (2 sites and Home Childcare)
      3. Sudbury East Region:  YMCA, Carrefour Francophone, West Nipissing (Home Childcare)
      4. Sudbury North Region:  Chapleau Child Care (2 sites)
    • Supports the integration of children with special needs into licensed child care with their peers (i.e., special needs resourcing).
    • Oversees the administration of the provincial child care wage enhancement grant.
    • Oversees 4 EarlyOn Child and Family Centres (i.e., Sudbury East, Sudbury North, LaCloche and Manitoulin).

 

• As per the Ontario Works Act, 1997 and related regulations, provides short- term financial assistance to help people in temporary financial need. A sector in transition, the Ontario government is in the last phase of integrating social assistance employment services into Employment Ontario. Effective March 1, 2025, the transition is expected to result in changes to the Ontario Works program delivered by the DSB.

 

• The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB Paramedic Service operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week from bases located in Espanola, Massey, Hagar, Noëlville, Little Current, Mindemoya and Wiikwemkoong.  We also operate 12 hours a day and 12 hours on call from bases located in Chapleau, Foleyet, Gogama, Killarney and Gore Bay:
  • Approximately ninety (90) full-time and twenty-five (25) part-time staff and respond to more than 10,000 calls for service a year.
  • In the vein of prevention and early intervention, community paramedicine provides opportunities for paramedics to work in the community outside of their traditional 911 emergency response role by having them work in collaboration with other health care professionals and community agencies to connect patients with needed health and community services.  We have 8 staff that provide this service.
  • Our Non-Urgent Patient Transfer Service is a shared funding model with 2 local hospitals to ensure that services are provided to patients that require non-urgent care.

Potential Partners and Stakeholders (for example only)
Community-Based Service Providers

• Not-for-Profit Housing Providers from across the district
• Children’s Services Providers from across the district
• Canadian Mental Health Association