Summary and Background

The ArQuives seeks proposals for a consultant to guide the organization in selecting a new name that better reflects our mandate to support the archives of LGBTQ2+ people. This consultant will design and oversee a community consultation process on the organization’s identity. The consultant will synthesize results from this process and make a recommendation for a new name to the organization’s Board of Directors before May 2018.

Proposal Guidelines

This Request for Proposal represents an open and competitive process. Any questions about the RFP can be sent to The ArQuives Executive Director until September 22, 2017 @ 16:30. Proposals will be accepted until 16:30 EST September 29, 2017. Any proposals received after this date and time will not be considered. All proposals must be submitted electronically to the Executive Director. All costs in the proposal must be all-inclusive and include any outsourcing and contracts. Any proposal that calls for outsourcing or contracting must include information of the third parties in the description and budget. A proposer may withdraw their application in writing at any time before the closing date and time. The ArQuives may not necessarily accept the lowest priced proposal.  Contract terms and conditions will be negotiated upon selection of the proposal. Proposals must be signed by an employee who is authorized to bid on behalf of the company.

Project Description + Objectives

The ArQuives seeks proposals for a consultant to guide the organization in selecting a new name that better reflects our mandate to acquire, preserve, organize, and give public access to information and materials by and about LGBTQ2+ people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada. This consultant will design and oversee a community consultation process  that reflects consultation with a range of LGBTQ2+ communities from across Canada, including Francophone and other minority language, Bisexual, Trans, gender non-conforming, Indigenous, Black, and people of colour communities under-served by the archives. In addition to designing in-person opportunities for community groups to provide input, the consultant will also oversee online consultation that extends the reach of this project. With administrative support from The ArQuives staff, the consultant will design and implement an online process through which members of LGBTQ2+ communities in Canada can have input on the high-level values, ideas, and imagery that the organization’s new name should represent. The ArQuives does not have a preferred tool  for this online community consultation. The consultant should be prepared to make a recommendation for online consultation that allows for the anonymity and privacy of participants in data collection.   The consultant will make recommendations for diverse community groups across Canada that The ArQuives can approach for support in distributing this online “survey.” In addition to this online process, the consultant will make recommendations for an in-person community consultation/ workshop events, to take place in Toronto, at an accessible, off-site venues. The consultant should be prepared to facilitate these meetings. Following the community consultation processes, the consultant will synthesize data gathered in a written report, to be presented to The ArQuives’s Board of Directors. This report should analyze, synthesize and present results of the overall consultation process, including the survey. The report will also include a name-change recommendation to the Board that reflects these consultation results,  consistent with an understanding of best practices in organizational change management, marketing and fundraising. The report will be due April 15, 2018.

Project Scope

Included

  • Project plan/process/workflow
  • Research on other name changes (particularly in the LGBTQ2+ community)
  • Facilitate 3 group meetings with various LGBTQ2+ constituencies in Toronto
  • Prepare online survey
  • Establish guidelines for choosing a name
  • Review and compile data gathered in survey/town hall
  • Propose possible names (being aware of intellectual property issues)
  • Final Report to the Board of Directors

Excluded

  • Asking The ArQuives staff and volunteers if we should change the name (already done)
  • SWOT (already done)

RFP Timeline

Activity Target Date
Deadline for questions September 26, 2017 @ 16:30 EST
RFP Closing date and time September 29, 2017 @ 16:30 EST
Estimated award date October 13, 2017
Estimated contract start date November 6, 2017
End of contract May 8, 2018

Project Timeline + Deliverables

Activity Target Date
Work Plan and consultation with The ArQuives November to December 2017
Community consultation January to March 2018
Compile data April 2018
Final Report due April 15, 2018
Present at The ArQuives AGM 2018 May 7, 2018

Budget

All proposals must include proposed costs to complete the tasks described in the project scope. Costs should be described as ‘one-time’ or ‘non-recurring’ costs or ‘recurring costs.’

Bidder Qualifications

The bidder should include how they meet the following qualifications as part of their proposal package:

  1. Knowledge and/or experience working with the Canadian LGBTQ2+ community
  2. Experience with organisational change
  3. Experience working with marketers and fundraising
  4. Experience working with social movements and/or not-for-profits
  5. Experience with anti-oppression, anti-racist, and de-colonial work

All proposals will be evaluated on their overall merit, as set out in the criteria below. The ArQuives particularly encourages applications from those who identify as members of bisexual, trans, Francophone, minority language, Black, Indigenous, and people of colour communities.

Proposal  Evaluation

The proposal will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  1. Overall proposal suitability
  2. Organizational experience
  3. Relevant experience
  4. Value and cost

Disqualification of Proposal

The ArQuives may disqualify a proposal at any time in the RFP process if one or more of the following events occur:

  1. The proposal includes incorrect information or is incomplete.
  2. The proposer misrepresents themselves in any way.
  3. The proposer fails to cooperate with The ArQuives.

Submit your proposal by October 4, 2017 @16:30 EST to: Raegan Swanson Executive Director executivedirector@arquives.ca 416-777-2755