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Work with the AFN

Fire and Life Safety App – Graphic Artist for Educational Prevention App for First Nations Youth

Introduction

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations.

The AFN hosts at least two Assemblies each year where mandates and directives for the organization are established through resolutions directed and supported by the First Nations-in-Assembly, (elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations.)

The AFN is also guided by an Executive Committee consisting of an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory.

The AFN invites qualified individuals and firms to submit proposals to collaborate on the development of a fire and life safety app designed for Indigenous youth. The AFN is specifically seeking Indigenous artists and illustrators to contribute artwork for the app, which will cover topics such as emergency preparedness, personal safety, and community wellbeing.

Objective

The objective of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select a bidder to provide a high quality of professionalism, integrity and confidentiality in carrying out the work for the Fire and Life Safety App – Artist/Illustrator for Educational Prevention App for First Nations Youth; and adhere to AFN’s mandate by First Nations-in-Assembly Resolution 09/2022 Targeted Support to Improve First Nations Fire Protection. 

 

The selected artist/illustrator will work closely with the project team’s Art Director and AFN to develop a cohesive visual language for the app, including graphical elements that align with Indigenous cultural aesthetics and values. The AFN seeks an artist who can visually translate the above concepts in a way that resonates with Indigenous children aged 6-12 while incorporating Indigenous knowledge, symbols, and stories. The design must be vibrant, engaging, and easy for children to understand and interact with.

 

The selection process will involve a comprehensive evaluation of submitted proposals based on overall experience, budget approach, and strategic planning. The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) requires that all proposals be submitted electronically by October 31, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Submissions will be reviewed promptly, and only those received by the deadline will be considered. Proponents are encouraged to ensure their proposals are complete and submitted on time, as late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Background

In alignment with AFN mandates, an educational tool is being developed to reduce the risk of fire fatalities among First Nations youth.

AFN is mandated by First Nations–in-Assembly Resolution 09/2022 Targeted Support to Improve First Nations Fire Protection. The resolution directs the AFN to urge the federal government for funding and resources for the National First Responders Gathering, aimed at improving fire protection for First Nations. It urges the federal government to invest in firefighting equipment to address capacity issues and climate change-related incidents. The AFN is also directed to advocate for sustainable funding for First Nations-led fire protection services and improved community infrastructure. Additionally, it calls for immediate targeted funding support for First Nations under evacuation orders and the establishment of an expedited emergency relief fund for future evacuation events caused by extreme weather. 

The Joint First Nations Fire Protection Strategy, 2016 to 2021 concluded on March 31, 2021. The renewed strategy sets out a vision of priorities and identifies specific goals for2023 to 2028. It is intended to better inform program policy and guide federal investments to promote fire protection on reserves and reduce the risk of fire-related deaths and injuries and infrastructure losses. 

The strategy outlines priorities and specific goals under six pillars: 

  1. Partnership for First Nations fire protection
  2. Fire prevention education
  3. Community standards
  4. Fire service operational standards
  5. Climate change
  6. Critical infrastructure 

The purpose of this strategy is to improve fire and life safety for all First Nations through a series of strategic objectives. Some of the pillars are already in progress and have well established funding streams, while some areas require renewed attention and improved funding. 

Fire prevention education is by far the most efficient and effective measure to enhance fire safety. Preventing the incident from occurring in the first place is the best solution. The next solution is educating people on what to do if a fire occurs, with tools like a fire escape plan or building fire safety plan. The final line of defense is the provision of the highest achievable level of fire response. This includes: 

  • Promoting fire prevention programs nationally.
  • Wherever good fire programs are developed, they should be shared and promoted nationally. Assembly of First Nations, National Indigenous Fire Safety Council and the First Nations technical organizations should collaborate to build and promote First Nations fire safety initiatives as well as support non-First Nations initiatives like the Government of Canada Fire Safety Week and other provincial programs.
  • Supporting elected officials in adopting fire safety initiatives at administrative level.
  • Promoting fire safety at the Chief and Council level is crucial to developing a fire safety culture. Leaders who understand the importance of fire safety will promote good programs and ensure appropriate funding is allocated.
  • Educating and supporting local and regional fire safety managers.
  • First Nations that have identified a fire safety manager see the best results in building and maintaining effective fire safety programs.
  • Smaller First Nations may not be able to support their own fire safety manager so regional fire safety coordinators should be established to ensure they have the same level of focus on fire safety.

Scope of Work

Scope of Work

In follow up to the First Nations Fire Protection Strategy’s main goal is to reduce the risk of fatality in First Nation Youth, an educational tool is being developed. This tool aims to utilize modern technology by creating an interactive application designed for smart phones and tablets. The application will focus on teaching fire prevention strategies that are tailored to the types of buildings commonly found in the lives of First Nations children, particularly in rural and remote areas.  

 

To ensure the effectiveness of the application, a consultant will be hired, specifically one who has experience in producing artwork/illustrations for First Nations children/youth or non-First Nations children/youth. By combining innovative technology and expert guidance, this initiative seeks to empower First Nations children/youth with vital fire safety knowledge. 

Proponent Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for illustrating graphics for the First Nations Youth fire and life safety awareness game application tool under development and will include but not be limited to:

  1. Collaborate with the AFN and project team to develop illustrations and graphical elements for the app.
  2. Create culturally relevant designs that align with the safety topics and Indigenous storytelling traditions.
  3. Ensure the visuals are accessible to the target age group (6-12 years old) and reflect the cultural diversity among Indigenous communities.
  4. Provide digital assets that can be easily adapted across multiple platforms (mobile, tablet, etc.).
  5. Attend regular project meetings with the AFN and project team to discuss progress, provide updates, and gather feedback.
  6. Deliver all final files in formats suitable for mobile app development (vector and high-resolution digital formats).

Qualifications and Experience

The consultant must have:

  • Proven experience in producing concept art for educational applications, entertainment, video games or similar interactive tools.
  • Expertise in character and environment design.
  • Proficiency in using industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite).
  • A track record of working on projects aimed at youth education, preferably with experience in First Nations.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse team and manage feedback loops efficiently.

Project Timeframe:

The work shall be completed between November 2024 and March 2025

(timeframe subject to change).

Project Deliverables

Initial Illustrations   Late November 2024

Final Illustrations     Late February 2025

Proposal Submission Instructions

All proposals shall be received by the AFN no later than submission October 31, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

All proposals will clearly identify the name of the proponent and the note “RFP for Fire and Life Safety App – Artist/Illustrator for Educational Prevention App for First Nations Youth” on the sealed envelope.

Individuals shall indicate whether they identify as Indigenous and what Indigenous community acknowledges their membership. Corporate entities shall do the same for the ownership of the entity and for those who will conduct the work under the RFP.

Late submissions will not be accepted and will be returned unopened without exception. The use of the mail or courier services for delivery of a bid will be at the risk of the bidder.

Acceptance of electronic submissions will be allowed and must be submitted to [email protected].

Proposal Submission Requirements

All proposals shall include the following information:

  1. An Executive Summary outlining the background information of the proponent’s company, including contents of the proposal.
  2. A statement and description of the physical and human resources required to complete the (summary of work e.g. research, writing, team members or regional representative engagement or other) including software and intellectual material;
  3. Project Organization: Identify the composition of the proposed project team, if any, including:
    1. Project team members;
    2. Description of the roles of the team members
    3. Level of experience of the team members specific to Graphic Art.
  1. Cost Breakdown: The Proponent shall provide a detailed cost breakdown for the proposed services, showing the total cost for the performance of all services, expenses, materials, deliverables, and software/hardware costs (if applicable), to be used for completion of the work. Total cost shall be in Canadian dollars and inclusive of HST.
  1. Qualifications/Experience

Proponents should possess the following qualifications:

    • Proven skills in illustration, with a portfolio demonstrating creativity, quality, and relevance to children’s media or Indigenous art.
    • Familiarity with digital illustration tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Procreate. Experience working on digital platforms or mobile applications is a bonus.
    • Willingness and ability to work in a team with the Art Director and other stakeholders to ensure a cohesive visual identity for the app.
    • A track record of working on projects aimed at youth education, preferably with experience in First Nations.
  1. Client References: the names of three (3) references which have used the services of the bidder as an Artist/Illustrator. References to include the client’s name, title, contact information.
  2. Portfolio demonstrating artwork/illustrations or similar work.

Rights of the AFN

The AFN reserves the right to:

  1. reject any or all proposals received in response to this Request for Proposals;
  2. enter into negotiation with one or more bidders on any or all aspects of their respective proposals;
  3. accept any proposal in whole, or in part;
  4. cancel and/or re-issue the modified version of a given RFP requirement at any time;
  5. award one or more contracts;
  6. verify all information provided with respect to a given RFP requirement, including the right to request a confirmation of the bidder’s legal status and signed documentation; and
  7. award contracts without competition for follow-up work, if any, to the selected bidder for a given project requirement.

Evaluation Criteria

The AFN will select the Proponent(s) which, in the AFN’s sole discretion, best serves the needs of the AFN. The following is a summary of the general considerations that will be used to determine the Proponent(s) that will be selected:

Cultural relevance and authenticity: How well the artist incorporates Indigenous themes into their work. 20
Artistic quality: The creativity, uniqueness, and technical execution of the portfolio 20
Experience with children’s content: Prior work on projects designed for children, especially in the context of learning or safety. 10
Digital proficiency: Ability to deliver high-quality digital artwork in formats appropriate for mobile app development. 10
Budget Approach and Cost Effectiveness 10
Indigenous Organization / Individual 20
Total 100

Timetable

Description of Deliverables Due Date
1. The following dates are set forth for informational and planning purposes and may be changed at the AFN’s sole discretion. Oct 31, 2024
2. Initial Illustrations Oct 31, 2024
3. Final Illustrations Feb 28, 2025

Miscellaneous Provisions

Price

Contractors must provide a firm fixed price, including administrative fees, travel, material costs, translation, printing of draft concepts and HST.

Costs pertaining to the retention of additional services to facilitate on-line voting (should this be necessary) do not need to be included. AFN will evaluate proposed systems and related costs in a separate process, with recommendations from the successful bidder.

Confidentiality

Responses to this RFP will be considered confidential information by the AFN and will be used solely to select the successful bidder.

Clarification/Questions

All on-time proposals will be acknowledged.

Requests for clarification and/or questions regarding this RFP should be directed to:

Alexandra Whiteduck
Policy Analyst, Housing and Infrastructure
Assembly of First Nations
50 O’Connor Suite 200
Ontario, K1P 6L2

Telephone: (613) 241-6789
Facsimile: (613) 241-5808
Electronic Mail: [email protected]

Responses/Submission

Only those submissions that meet the deadline will be considered.

Responses to this RFP must be received by the close of business (5:00 p.m. ET) on October 31, 2024.

Contact Information

Responses may be sent by mail/courier/email to:

Alexandra Whiteduck
Policy Analyst, Housing and Infrastructure
Assembly of First Nations

50 O’Connor Suite 200
Ontario, K1P 6L2
[email protected]

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