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Work with the AFN

Development of a Project Implementation Plan for an international Indigenous climate partnership

Introduction

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern.

Within the AFN, the Environment, Lands and Water (ELW) Branch (hereafter ‘the Branch’) works on issues related to land and territorial rights, redress mechanisms, climate change, biodiversity conservation, and freshwater and marine stewardship, among others, based on mandates by the First Nations-in-Assembly.

The Branch is looking to develop a Project Implementation Plan for an international partnership project between the AFN and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), an Indigenous Peoples Organization in the Indo-Pacific Region. The ultimate outcome of the project is to improve Indigenous climate resilience, with a focus on nature-based solutions. We are inviting qualified individuals and organizations to submit a proposal focused on supporting the development of this Project Implementation Plan in a short time frame.

Objective

The objective of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select a contractor(s) who will support the Branch in developing a comprehensive Project Implementation Plan (PIP) for the international partnership project, building on previous discussions between AFN and AIPP. The PIP will include related documents such as the annual workplan, environmental and gender-based analyses and strategies, performance measurement framework, project management and governance plan, and results-based monitoring and evaluation plan.

The successful candidate will be required to work closely with AFN and AIPP project leads to develop the PIP within a short four-month timeframe, with the potential to continue with the actual implementation of the project.

Scope of Work

This work is intended to be completed by a contractor, such as a consulting firm, research institute, or organization. The contractor must have a solid understanding and experience implementing GAC’s international assistance projects. The contractor must also have experience in participatory approaches to designing PIPs, working with Indigenous Peoples, and with climate and biodiversity issues. Experience working in the Indo-Pacific Region with Indigenous Peoples is an asset.

This work includes two components: i) Gather information for the Project Implementation Plan (PIP), ii) Draft and Finalize PIP in collaboration with AFN and AIPP.

  1. Gather information for the Project Implementation Plan

The first component will require the contractor to work with AFN project leads to gather existing information from supporting documents and identify a list of necessary information for the development of the PIP and required documents, in accordance with requirements for GAC international assistance funded projects.

Next, the contractor will organize virtual meetings with AFN and AIPP project leads to seek input on the various components of the PIP, including a 3-day facilitated in-person discussion between AFN and AIPP project leads scheduled for end June/early July in Chiang Mai, Thailand. To support this outcome, the contractor will require expertise in implementing GAC-funded international assistance projects (climate adaptation, biodiversity, gender-equity focus) and be familiar with developing Project Implementation Plans.

2. Draft and Finalize the Project Implementation Plan in Collaboration with AFN and AIPP
Once the necessary information has been gathered through supporting documents and discussions with AFN and AIPP project leads, the contractor will draft the PIP and submit a first draft for review, amendments, and comments. The contractor will develop a second draft of the PIP and seek feedback in an iterative fashion. Lastly the contractor will finalize the draft PIP, including any feedback from AFN and AIPP project leads into a final draft for submission to AFN. To support this outcome, the contractor will require experience in participatory approaches to designing PIPs and experience working with Indigenous Peoples.

Deliverables

  1. A comprehensive workplan that details how the deliverables will be met with key milestones, objectives, and outcomes.
  2. A final Project Implementation Plan which includes but are not limited to the following main components:
    1. Annual Workplan with deliverables, timelines, and budgets
    2. Environmental and Gender-based Analyses and Plans
    3. Results-based Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
    4. Project Management and Governance Plan
    5. Performance Measurement Framework (incl. Baseline Report)
  3. Meetings:
    1. Regular meetings with AFN project leads to draft the PIP.
    2. Regular virtual meetings with AFN and AIPP to collaboratively develop and design components of the PIP.
    3. An in-person meeting with the AFN and AIPP project leads (see timeline below) to discuss information necessary for development of PIP.
    4. Any others as needed.

AFN will cover travel for all in-person meetings.

Proposal Submission Instructions

All proposals shall include the following information:

  1. Executive Summary: Summary outlining the background information of the proponent’s company, including contents of the proposal.
  2. Draft Workplan Summary: Summarize the project proposal’s objectives, project tasks, overall approach, milestones, timelines, and the roles and responsibilities of the proponent and AFN.
  3. Qualifications: A detailed description of the contractor’s qualifications and experience including training, research, and experiences working on international development projects funded by Global Affairs Canada, working with First Nations, and climate change and biodiversity issues.
  4. Project Organization: Composition of the proposed project team, if any, including:
    1. Project team members;
    2. Description of roles of the team members;
    3. Level of experience of the team members specific to this project; and
    4. Allocation of tasks to individuals, and the number of days needed per individual.
  5. References: at least three (3) references which have used the services of the contractor. References should 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. Total cost shall be in Canadian dollars and inclusive of HST.

Rights of the AFN

Despite the evaluation criteria and other terms established herein, the AFN reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and/or re-open the proposal process at its sole discretion. Further, the acceptance by the AFN of any proposal derived from the request for proposal process established hereto remains contingent on the negotiation and execution of a mutually agreeable contract, which incorporates the key components of this request for proposal. The AFN further reserves the right to consider proposals which are non-conforming with respect to the content therein, or the failure to comply with the process for the submission of a proposal as set out in the above noted instructions.

Evaluation Criteria

The AFN’s selection of the contractor will be based on a combination of considerations including the relevance of the contractor’s training and experience, the time allocated to the various tasks and the allocation of the funding for the various phases and tasks identified in the proposal.

The following considerations will be used in evaluating the proposals:

the contractor’s experience implementing GAC international assistance projects 30
the contractor’s experience working with Indigenous Peoples 20
the contractor’s experience in participatory approaches to Project Implementation Plans 10
the contractor’s experience working on climate change, biodiversity issues 10
the allocation of time to tasks and activities identified in the proposal 10
the costs associated with proposed tasks and activities 10
and overall impressions of the proposal 10

Timetable

Description of Deliverables Due Date
1. The project will be conducted during the period from May 5, 2025, to September 30, 2025.
The final deliverables will be due on or before August 29, 2025, to allow time for the completion of any required minor changes and the issuance of the final payment before September 30, 2025. The timeframe for the project depends in part on the rate at which the contractor completes tasks and spends project funding. See also the Project Costs and Payment Section above.
The key dates and milestones are set out below:		 Date TBD
2. Project commences May 05, 2025
3. List of identified information gaps in PIP requiring input from AFN and AIPP. May 30, 2025
4. (In-person meeting, Chiang Mai, Thailand): Contractor facilitates in-person meeting to seek input on information for PIP with AFN and AIPP project leads
Jun 30 – Jul 4 		Jun 30, 2025
5. Draft 1 PIP delivered to AFN and AIPP for comment Jun 30, 2025
6. Draft 2 PIP delivered to AFN and AIPP for final comment/edits Aug 10, 2025
7. Final PIP and relevant documents delivered to AFN Aug 29, 2025

Miscellaneous Provisions

Confidentiality

Proposals will be used solely for the purpose of selecting the contractor and will be treated by the AFN as confidential information.

Clarification/Questions

For any questions about this request, please contact Wanli Ou. Please expect a response to your questions within 3 working days.

The proposals must be submitted to Wanli Ou ([email protected]) before 5:00 pm ET by May 2, 2025. No proposal submitted passed this deadline will be addressed. Requests that are submitted after that time will not be addressed.

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