REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) – Audio-Visual Services/Platform for the Regional Focus Group Series and National Knowledge Circle Event on Long Term and Continuing Care

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. The AFN hosts two Assemblies a 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).

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 Health and Social Development Sectors are hosting a regional focus group series on July 25, 26, 27, August 1, 2, 3, 2023 and national knowledge circle on September 14, 2023 to discuss a Long-term and Continuing Care (LTCC) Framework. The AFN is mandated by Resolution 44/2022, Co-development of Policy Options with Indigenous Services Canada for a Memorandum to Cabinet on the Wholistic Long-term and Continuing Care Framework, to develop policy recommendations for a wholistic LTCC Framework under the Assisted Living (AL) and First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care (FNIHCC) Programs that were developed to provide long-term care services for First Nations residing on-reserve. AFN is hosting a series of culturally appropriate regional focus groups to engage First Nations on the themes of reform to ultimately inform policy recommendations to develop a wholistic LTCC Framework. The AFN invites qualified individuals, firms, or organizations to submit proposals to provide Audio/Visual (A/V) and Platform Services to support AFN’s virtual event series.

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 the provision of A/V Services and Platform coordination services for this AFN virtual event series.

The events scheduled for the following dates;

July 25 – 8:45am – 4:15pm EDT

July 26 – 8:45am – 4:15pm EDT

July 27 – 8:45am – 4:15pm EDT

August 1 – 8:45am – 4:15pm EDT

August 2 – 8:45am – 4:15pm EDT

August 3 – 8:45am – 4:15pm EDT

September 14 – 10:45am – 3:15pm EDT

The work is expected to commence July 3, 2023, and be completed by September 29, 2023.

Following receipt of proposals, a committee will be set up to select the top proposal and a recommendation made to the AFN event planning leads.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The role of the AFN is to advocate on behalf of First Nations as directed by First Nations-in-Assembly. This includes facilitation and coordination of national and regional discussions and dialogue, advocacy efforts and campaigns, legal and policy analysis, communicating with governments, including facilitating relationship building between First Nations and the Crown as well as public and private sectors and general public.

In 2019, Indigenous Services Canada’s (ISC) committed to reforming both Assisted Living (AL) and First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care (FNIHCC) Programs to develop a LTCC Framework. In response, the AFN First Nations-in-Assembly passed Resolution 19/2019, Developing a Seven Generations Continuum of Care for First Nations, by First Nations of Health, Economic and Social Services, calling for a wholistic approach to develop a continuum of health, and health-related supports and services, which will provide a vision and a way forward to improved health and wellness for First Nations across the country.

Therefore, the federal government has commenced engagements with First Nation regions, gathering feedback to produce a final report of policy recommendations and options to improve on-reserve Long-Term Care. Following this, AFN Resolution 44/2022, Co-development of Policy Options with ISC for a Memorandum to Cabinet on Wholistic LTCC Framework, was passed to support the AFN and the AFN’s Technical Working Group on Social Development to co-develop policy recommendations on the LTCC Framework to improve and address the shortfalls with the AL and FNIHHC programs.

SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUIRED

The work of the Audio-Visual services and platform coordination services may include the following:

Custom webcast platform (landing page/livestream page in French and English, document translations) to host up to 500 participants, including a virtual green room for chair and speakers and bilingual video feed, for each day of the session.
Technical support to set up and operate all equipment (including phone dial in accommodations) for all parties for the entire Symposium.
Equipment, set up and technical support for English and French interpretation booth and equipment.
Equipment, set up and technical support for American Sign Language and la langue des signes Quebecoise interpretation booth and equipment.
Set up and technical support for closed captioning services in English and French
Provide AV and technical support, orientation during a pre-event onboarding (AV orientation)
All labour required for the above activities.
Provision of analytical reports of log in times, email addresses, questions/answers mechanism text and chat text for the entire Symposium.
Recording and archiving of the entire Symposium.
Regular meetings as required with the AFN Health and Social Development Sectors.
Work with AFNs Information Technology team for registration coordination.
Hosting of plenary sessions during the entire events (dates listed in the Objective section).
Technical support during the entire event (dates listed in the Objectives section).

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

All proposals shall be received by electronic mail (email) to [email protected] no later than 5:00pm EST on June 30, 2023. Proposals must be submitted PDF.

All proposals will clearly identify the name of the proponent and note ‘RFP for AFN LTCC Engagement Series – A/V Services Provider’ in the subject line.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIRMENTS

All proposals shall include the following information:

Name
Address
An Executive Summary outlining the background information of the proponent’s company, including contents of the proposal.
Qualification: provide a description of the proponent’s capabilities/experience specifically related to the AFN’s environmental scan requirements.
A statement and description of the physical and human resources required to complete the research project (environmental scan) including software and intellectual material.
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 First Nations skills and capacities in the area of First Nations health services.
Client References: the names of three (3) references who have used the services of the bidder in a research capacity, References to include the client’s name, title, contact information.
Cost Breakdown: The proponent shall provide a detailed cost breakdown for the prosed 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.

RIGHTS OF THE AFN

The AFN reserves the right to:

a) reject any or all proposals received in response to this Request for Proposals;
b) enter into negotiation with one or more Consultants on any or all aspects of their respective proposals;
c) accept any proposal in whole, or in part;
d) cancel and/or re-issue the modified version of a given RFP requirement at any time;
e) award one or more contracts;
f) verify all information provided with respect to a given RFP requirement, including the right to request a confirmation of the Consultant’s legal status and signed documentation; and
g) award contracts without competition for follow-up work, if any, to the selected Consultant 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:

1. Expertise of Firm/Organization submitting the proposal, including relevance of the proponent’s experience for the project content	20%
2. Experience working with First Nations and First Nations organizations during research and/or needs assessments	20%
3. Proposed Work Plan and Approach, including allocation of time to tasks and activities identified in the proposal	20%
4. Experience in research, problem solving, project planning, strategy development, relationship building, facilitation, communications, and budgeting	20%
5. Total Price associated with proposed tasks and activities	20%

TIMELINE

The following dates are identified for informational and planning purposes and may be changed at the AFN’s sole discretion.

RFP released/posted	June 16, 2023
Deadline for questions	June 23, 2023
Deadline for proposal submission	June 30, 2023
Completion of proposal evaluations	July 4, 2023
Final selection	July 5, 2023
Expected contract start date	July 7, 2023

The regional focus group series breakdown:

	July 25 – Tuesday	July 26 – Wednesday	July 27 – Thursday
9:00am – 12:00pm EDT	Region One	Region Three	Region Five
1:00pm – 4:00pm EDT	Region Two	Region Four	Region Six

	August 1 – Tuesday	August 2 – Wednesday	August 3 – Thursday
9:00am – 12:00pm EDT	Region Seven	Region Nine	Region Eleven
1:00pm – 4:00pm EDT	Region Eight	Region Ten	Region Twelve

The national knowledge circle date: September 14 – 11:00pm – 3:00pm EDT

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

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Price

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

Confidentiality

Responses to this RFP will be considered as confidential information by the AFN and will be used solely for the purposes of selecting the successful bidder.

Clarifications/Questions

All proposals will be acknowledged. Requests for clarification and/or questions regarding this RFP should be directed to:

Jonathan L. Dunn

Senior Policy Analyst, Health

[email protected]

Assembly of First Nations

55 Metcalfe Street, Suite 1600

Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5

Responses/Submission

Only those submissions that meet the deadline will be considered.

Response to this RFP must be received by the close of business date July 7, 2023

Response must be sent by e-mail to: