REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Belonging Organization Development

Edmonton Heritage Council

INCORPORATION

Edmonton Heritage Council (EHC) was established in 2009 as an independent not‐for‐profit charitable organization. The City of Edmonton is the primary strategic partner of EHC and played a significant role in its formation.

MISSION

We connect people to the stories of our city through our leadership, support, and programs. We help Edmontonians research, preserve, interpret, and advocate for their heritage.

MANDATE

To serve as a leader in advancing Connections & Exchanges, Edmonton’s 10-year arts and heritage plan.

CONTACT

Ann Mary Babu, HR & Operations Manager

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SUBJECT LINE: IDEAB RFQ

Please submit any initial inquiries via email

BID AND APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE

This information is current at the time of writing and may be adjusted by EHC if warranted. RFQ Release Date

September 1, 2023

Submission Deadline

Selected Vendor Notification Date

Target Project Kickoff

September 21, 2023

October 16, 2023

October 23, 2023

Target Project Completion

March 31, 2024

PURPOSE OF THE RFQ

The Edmonton Heritage Council (EHC) seeks the support of a consultant who specializes in Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Belonging to work with EHC staff and board members on policy development and training.

BACKGROUND

• EHC adopted and began implementation of an organization-wide Equity policy in 2019. Earlier work aimed at addressing systemic inequity within the organization resulted in a 2016 Cultural Inclusion audit of EHC programs and operations.
• Most recently, management undertook a consulting contract with an external HR firm to assess current operations and programming. The results of that work include 2 reports: an HR audit and an Employee Engagement survey report.
• Key findings of those reports include the need for an assessment of EHC’s policies and procedures to identify and address gaps relating to inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and belonging.
• In addition to this, we require training for board and staff to educate and inform on best practices, an achievable roadmap for areas in need of further development, and a critical assessment of current program messaging and structures to address barriers directly.

SERVICES NEEDED

• Review of current processes and materials
• Training for staff, with a focus on coaching, supervision, communication, and recruitment/retention practices
• Training for board of directors, with an emphasis on developing an action plan to increase diversity on the board, i.e., delivery of a values into behaviours activity
• Review of board governance framework, with recommendations for continued evolution as a strong, diverse and inclusive board.
• Equity policy review and recommendations for implementation throughout operations
• Co-creation of a set of inclusive practices for heritage organizations and practitioners
• Preparation of an achievable roadmap to support continuing organizational development

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Consultant will:

• Be accountable to and work collaboratively with EHC management
• Report to BEHC staff as needed

EHC staff (led by the Executive Director) will:

• Coordinate project administration and activities between the Consultant and EHC staff
• Provide reports and related background materials
• SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
• Submissions to be clearly written and concise. Where appropriate, use of point‐form format is welcome.
• Only submissions received before 4:00 PM (MT) September 21, 2023 will be considered.
• The Proponent is responsible for obtaining all information required for the preparation of its Submission. The EHC shall not be responsible for any costs, expenses, losses, damages, or liability incurred by Proponents in responding to this RFQ.
• Packages included as part of a submission should be clearly identified and submitted as a single electronic PDF to the email address provided above. Electronic submissions will be confirmed by EHC as received. SUBMISSION FORMAT AND CONTENT
• Please organize your submission in the following format in terms of sequence and included information. This helps us in evaluation and ensures each submission receives full consideration:

Part 1: Qualifications

• Provide a summary of your qualifications and resources available to do this work, demonstrating your understanding of our organization and this type of project.

Part 2: Consultant Services

This RFQ is specifically aimed at the assessment and planning stage of work, with future phases and payment to be discussed at a later date. Services outlined in submissions should include:

• The process the client service team will follow to acquire an understanding of EHC’s needs, noting related programs and services;
• Brief description of the process the firm uses for such projects;
• Minimum of two (2) examples of related previous work by the firm;
• Provide a broad Project Work Plan in the submission and draft a delivery schedule for consideration, with an end project completion of no later than March 31, 2024.
• Possible factors that may impact budget and schedule, as well as how the consultant may respond to related challenges.
• List of individuals (if more than one) who will be involved in the project work, and a summary of their qualifications.

PART 3: Proposed Fees and Costs

PROJECT BUDGET

• Submissions are encouraged to consider the work in a phased approach. The initial phase (assessment and planning) should ideally be carried out with an associated fee of no more than $20,000 CAD and with a completion date of March 31, 2024. Later phases of work may be estimated in submissions for further refinement.

SUBMISSION EVALUATION

All aspects of the submissions will be taken into consideration during the evaluation process, including:

• The background and experience of the consultant in providing similar services as well as relevant experience of key personnel to be assigned to the account.
• The completeness and timeliness of submission.
• The consultant’s ability to commit time to the project.
• The overall best interests of the EHC.
• Proposed fees and costs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Edmonton Heritage Council website: https://edmontonheritage.ca/
• Edmonton Heritage Council values: https://edmontonheritage.ca/about/ehcs-values/
• Edmonton Heritage Council’s current Equity Policy: https://edmontonheritage.ca/about/edmonton-heritage-councils-equity-policy/
• Connections & Exchanges 10 Year Plan: https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/Connections_and_Exchanges_Final.pdf
• Edmonton Heritage Council 2022 Annual Report: https://edmontonheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/EHC_AR_2022_FF.pdf