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Work with the AFN

Strategic Communications for the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle Settlement Agreement and An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

Introduction

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations on matters of national or international nature and concern. The AFN hosts two Assemblies per year to establish mandates and directives for the organization through resolutions directed and supported by the First Nations-in-Assembly (elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations).

In addition to the direction provided by Chiefs of each member First Nation, the AFN is guided by an Executive Committee consisting of an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory. Representatives from five national councils (Knowledge Keepers, Youth, Veterans, 2SLGBTQQIA+ and Women) support and guide the decisions of the Executive Committee. 

The AFN is seeking proposals from agencies with experience in strategic communications planning, marketing and website content development to develop and implement communications, social media and advertising strategies, products and deliverables related to the First Nations Child and Family Services, Jordan’s Principle, and Trout Class Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement) and An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (the Act).

Objective

The objective of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select a Contractor to provide strategic communications planning, tools, and tactics to increase awareness of the Settlement Agreement and the Act.  In addition, the Contractor would be responsible for developing a variety of print-ready information materials, in various formats.  The information must be easy to navigate and accessible by any person, and therefore knowledge translation is a key goal of this work.

Communications efforts for the Settlement Agreement will be part of a broader collaborative approach between AFN, Deloitte (Settlement Administrator), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), First Nations, and other First Nations organizations. The Contractor will collaborate with the AFN to develop a detailed Communications Plan geared towards specific and measurable outreach goals that aligns with and enhances current communication strategies.

Proposals are due to Victoria Bird, [email protected], Director of Social Development, by September 16, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET.  Proposals submitted on time will be evaluated using the criteria provided in the ‘Evaluation Criteria’ section by a selection committee within the AFN. The project is expected to begin on September 30, 2026, and last until March 31, 2027.

Background

Settlement Agreement: In 2007, the AFN and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (Caring Society) filed a complaint under the Canadian Human Rights Act stating that the Government of Canada discriminated against First Nations children and families by underfunding the FNCFS Program, and by applying a narrow interpretation of Jordan’s Principle.

In 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) agreed with the complainants in a landmark decision and ordered the federal government to end its discrimination, immediately reform the FNCFS Program, and fully implement Jordan’s Principle.

In September 2019, at the request of the AFN, the CHRT ordered the Government of Canada to compensate eligible First Nations children and their parents and caregivers. Two class action lawsuits were also filed—one by the AFN and another by Moushoom/Trout—seeking compensation for those harmed by the FNCFS Program and Canada’s narrow application of Jordan’s Principle, beyond the compensation ordered by the CHRT.

In April 2023, the Settlement Agreement, valued at over $23.3 billion, was unanimously approved by the First Nations-in-Assembly by way of AFN Resolution 04/2023, Revised Final Settlement Agreement on Compensation for First Nation Children and Families. The Settlement Agreement was subsequently approved by the CHRT and the Federal Court in 2023.

The first two Claims Periods for the Removed Child and Removed Child Family Classes opened on March 25, 2025. Work to develop the remaining Claims Processes is ongoing, with launch dates expected in 2027 and 2028.

The Act: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families (formerly known as Bill C-92), came into force on January 1, 2020. ​The Act affirms the inherent right of First Nations to self-government, which includes jurisdiction over child and family services, and provides a pathway for First Nations to exercise their legislative authority in relation to child and family services. ​

The AFN advocates for the full and proper implementation of the Act and provides advice through the Chiefs Committee on Child and Family Services and Self-Determination on its implementation. The AFN also advocates for First Nations participation and meaningful engagement in Indigenous Services Canada’s mandatory five-year review of the Act.

Scope of Work

The successful proponent will work with the AFN to:

Project Scope: The Contractor will compile information on the Settlement Agreement and the Act, including history, implementation and timelines, to develop Communication Products such as, but are not limited to: fact sheets, frequently asked questions, web content, infographics, social media posts, and videos. The AFN will assist with any identified information gaps.

The Contractor will develop two separate outreach and communication strategies to increase public awareness and general understanding of both file areas. For the Settlement Agreement, this will also include updating and redesigning existing communication materials.

All products and materials will be accessible, with content tailored to address the specific informational needs of First Nations (e.g., linguistic, cultural, demographic, and historical considerations). Each plan will align with the AFN’s priorities and include clear, measurable objectives to support the evaluation of the strategy.

Goals:

  1. Increase awareness and understanding of the Settlement Agreement and the Act among First Nations and interested individuals.
  2. Create communication materials with special consideration for persons with disabilities, regions with limited internet access, and incarcerated, transient and homeless populations.
  3. Complete a comprehensive assessment of the AFN’s webpage on the Act, including strengths and weaknesses, and provide a detailed plan outlining the content development milestones and timelines.
  4. Provide clear and concise information on issues relating to the Settlement Agreement and the Act, including but not limited to:
    1. Clarifying key terms and definitions;
    2. Details on Class composition, Class sizes, application process, deadlines, timelines for the distribution of compensation and the phased Claims approach. Etc.;
    3. Frequently Asked Questions; and,
    4. Details, including important timelines and how to get involved in the five-year review of the Act.
  5. Dissemination strategy, including social media, mail-out, and physical resource distribution to key resource centres (e.g., Band offices, education centres, Friendship Centres, libraries, etc.) and associated budget.
  6. All communication materials and products meet the Accessibility Canada Act guidelines.

Deliverables

  1. Compiled and synthesized information on the Settlement Agreement and the Act, including relevant history, implementation details, key terms and definitions, processes, deadlines, timelines, and other information required to support strategic outreach and communications activities.
  2. Produce strategic outreach and communication plans that include clear, measurable objectives, target audiences, key messages, proposed approaches and activities, timelines, and measures to support evaluation. In addition, plans should include general timelines and milestones, evaluation criteria, and a budget.
  3. Risk Management assessment to identify and overcome specific obstacles that impact the level of engagement with and success of communication activities.
  4. New and/or updated communication products, as required, including, but not limited to, fact sheets, frequently asked questions, web content, infographics, social media content, videos, and other supporting materials.
  5. Dissemination strategy, including social media, mail-out, and physical resource distribution to key resource centres (e.g., Band offices, education centres, Friendship Centres, libraries, etc.).
  6. Provide all final design elements in text (e.g., Word) format and designed versions (e.g., PDF, PNG, etc.) to the AFN upon completion of the contract.

Contractor Qualifications

  1. Expertise in website content development, graphic design, and experience developing communication materials, including infographics, posters, and social media posts.
  2. Demonstrated knowledge in research, analyzing and compiling resources, and resource mapping.
  3. Knowledge and understanding of the Settlement Agreement and the Act.
  4. Knowledge of Jordan’s Principle and the unique needs of First Nations children.
  5. Knowledge of First Nations, tailored knowledge translation, and experience communicating with a wide array of audience members.
  6. Ensure all work is compliant with OCAP® principles.

Due to the privileged nature of the Settlement Agreement, the successful Contractor and any relevant staff may be required to sign and adhere to a non-disclosure agreement, and must abide by the AFN’s confidentiality provisions.

Proposal Submission Instructions

Proposals should be submitted by e-mail to Victoria Bird, Director of the Social Development Sector, at [email protected], in PDF form, no later than 5:00 pm ET on September 16, 2026. Submissions by mail or fax will not be accepted.

All proposals must clearly identify the name of the candidate Contractor and the phrase “Strategic Communications for the Settlement Agreement and the Act” in the email’s subject line.

Only electronic proposals will be accepted. Proposals that are late or not submitted by email will not be considered, without exception.

Proposal Submission Requirements

  1. An Executive Summary outlining the proponents’ company’s background information, including the proposal’s contents.
  2. Qualifications: A description of the proponent and project team’s education and qualifications, including training, research, and experiences that relate specifically to communication and social media strategies, especially with First Nations communities, families, and leadership. Additionally, provide a description of the proponent’s knowledge of and experience with OCAP® Principles, and how the proponent embeds OCAP® Principles in their work. The successful bidder may receive information that must be handled with sensitivity and stored, analyzed and reproduced with care, in alignment with the OCAP® principles. 
  3. Project Organization: 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 this project;
    4. The allocation of tasks to individuals, and the number of days needed per individual; and
    5. Proposed methodology.
  4. Project timelines and methodology: Identify the proposed approach and methodology, including the anticipated timeline for completing the work, key milestones, and major phases of the project. The proposal should also outline the anticipated timeline for implementation and identify key deliverables and expected outcomes.
  5. References: at least three (3) references which have used the services of the proponent related to a First Nations and/or Indigenous communications project, with preference for experience relating to class action or settlement communications. References will include the client’s name, title, and contact information.
  6. Cost Breakdown: The detailed cost breakdown for the proposed services, including the daily (or hourly) rate charged for each person and the days (or hours) and any other associated costs and expenses, including travel, translation, print, postage, web hosting fees, etc. Total cost shall be in Canadian dollars and inclusive of HST.

 

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 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:

Expertise of firm/organization submitting the proposal, including relevance of the proponent’s experience for the project content 20
Experience working with First Nations and First Nations organizations 20
Proposed work plan and approach, including allocation of time to tasks and activities identified in the proposal 20
The total price associated with proposed tasks and activities 20
Overall impressions of the proposal 10
Indigenous organizations or individual 10

Timetable

Description of Deliverables Due Date
1. The project will be conducted during the period from September 30, 2026, to March 31, 2027. The timeframe for the project depends in part on the rate at which the Contractor completes tasks and spends project funding. The following dates are set forth for informational and planning purposes and may be changed at the AFN’s sole discretion. The milestones and key dates are set out below. Date TBD
2. RFP released/posted Sep 02, 2026
3. Deadline for Questions Sep 11, 2026
4. Deadline for proposal submission Sep 16, 2026
5. Completion of proposal evaluations Sep 23, 2026
6. Final selection Sep 25, 2026
7. Expected contract start date Sep 30, 2026
8. Expected contract end date Mar 31, 2027

The timetable is tentative only and may be changed by the AFN, at its sole discretion, at any time before the Proposal Submission Deadline.

Miscellaneous Provisions

Price

Contractors must provide a fixed price, including administrative fees, travel, material costs, translation, the printing of draft concepts and HST. The price must include translation of materials and content into French.

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

Requests for clarification and/or questions regarding this RFP must be received by 5:00 pm ET on September 11, 2026, and should be sent by email to Victoria Bird, Director of Social Development, at [email protected].

Responses/Submission

All on-time proposals will be acknowledged. Only those submissions that meet the deadline will be considered. Responses to this RFP must be received September 16, 2026, by 5:00 pm ET.

Responses must be sent by e-mail to Victoria Bird, Director of Social Development, at [email protected].

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