REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL- AFN Public Health Unit
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS - PUBLIC HEALTH UNIT
PART I STATEMENT of WORK
1.0 SCOPE
1.1 Title
EVALUATOR FOR A FORMATIVE EVALUATION OF YEAR 4 OF THE FIRST NATIONS
COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH PILOT PROJECT
1.2 Introduction
The First Nations Community Public Health Pilot Project (FNCPHPP), proposed by the Assembly of
First Nations (AFN), was launched in 2007/08 for a period of up to five years. The Pilot Project is
composed of three individual community-based Pilot Projects: File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council
(FHQTC) in Saskatchewan; Four Arrows Regional Health Authority in Manitoba (FARHA); and,
Kenora Chiefs Advisory (KCA) in Ontario. Each Pilot Project is to be based on a trilateral and
collaborative partnership between the pilot site, the province and the federal government and is intended
to help inform future directions in the delivery of public health on-reserve. Health Canada’s (HC) First
Nations and Inuit Branch (FNIHB) funds the Pilot Project and the AFN is responsible for coordinating
and supporting the three pilot sites.
Briefly, a contractor will be required to conduct formative evaluations of the three pilot projects for year
4 with an option to conduct a summative evaluation of the project after completion of year 5 based on a
decision of the selection committee.
1.3 Estimated Value
The candidates will summit a detailed cost analysis, including all expenses, meals, travels and applicable
taxes.
1.4 Objectives of the Requirement
The work required under this contract will result in a formative evaluation report for year 4 of the Pilot
Project. The report will consist of four components: a formative evaluation for each of the three pilots
and a single analysis of overall observations. The formative evaluation report for year 4 will be guided
by the First Nations Public Health Pilots Evaluation Framework. For the duration of the contract, the
contractor will also collect information and observations that will inform a summative evaluation after
year 5 of the Pilot Project.
A formative evaluation for year 4 of the Pilot Project is required so that the results of the individual
pilots and overall initiative can be objectively and consistently assessed and documented. This is
essential, not only for this particular initiative, but also, to provide a mechanism by which learning’s
from the pilots can be shared with other First Nations communities, provinces, First Nations and Inuit
Health (FNIH) regions, the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) and the AFN.
1.5 Background, Assumptions and Specific Scope of the Requirement
The FNCPHPP is intended to help inform future directions in the delivery of public health on-reserve,
leading over time to improved health outcomes and increased First Nations control over delivery of their
own public health services. The Pilot Project is expected to be in place for up to five years, predicated
on tripartite (First Nations, federal and provincial) collaboration and partnership. HC has provided
funding for the first four years of activity (2007/11) with funding for year 5 to be considered on the
strength of workplans, progress, and partnerships.
All three sites are required to submit the following reports to their regional office:
• Annual financial progress reports; and
• Workplan for year 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Evaluation Framework:
An evaluative framework entitled First Nations Public Health Pilots Evaluation Framework was
developed to guide the formative evaluation of the Pilot Project for years 2, 3, and 4, as well as the
summative evaluation for year 5. The Evaluation Framework is intended to examine the overarching
goals and objectives of the Pilot Project through lenses of: effectiveness, efficiency, partnerships,
relevance, impact and lessons learned. It utilizes practical questions to ascertain data that, when taken
together, will provide information regarding the overarching goals and objectives of the pilot, as well as
information specific to each of the pilots. The information provided to the pilots through the formative
evaluations supports each pilot in determining how to adjust the questions used in the Framework for
subsequent formative evaluations and the anticipated summative evaluation after year 5.
Final Evaluation Reports:
The formative evaluation report for year 4 of the Pilot Project is critical to ensuring that the individual
pilots and the overall initiative is being objectively and consistently assessed and documented. Specific
purposes of the formative evaluation report are as follows:
• to analyze the pilot projects’ efforts to achieve the Pilot Project’s overarching goal and objectives;
• to determine the pilots’ progress towards their site-specific goals and objectives;
• to provide each pilot with the opportunity for individual project improvement throughout the pilot
process;
• to develop community knowledge and to share that knowledge with others; and
• to evaluate the impact that the participation of all jurisdictions has had on the pilot process.
2.0 REQUIREMENTS
2.1 Tasks, Activities, Deliverables and Milestones
Tasks:
The contractor shall:
• Work with the pilots to prepare a formative evaluation report for year 4 of the Pilot Project. The
report will consist of four components: a formative evaluation of each of the three pilots with a
single analysis of overall observations; and
• Collect information and observations that will inform an anticipated summative evaluation after year
five of the Pilot Project.
Activities:
Specific activities that should be conducted by the consultant in order to achieve the required tasks are
as follows:
• Review the evaluation framework and program materials as well as any relevant research literature;
• Prepare a short draft workplan and schedule for review by an selection committee;
• Submit a revised workplan which incorporates the feedback provided by the selection committee;
• With support from each pilot, collect relevant document including background documents,
correspondence, meeting minutes, annual work plans and year end reports. These documents will
inform their formative evaluation reports.
• Develop a questionnaire for the key informant interviews, community member interviews and focus
group interviews in year 4;
• Finalize the question guides with input from the selection committee;
• Set-up and arrange key informant interviews via telephone and in-person where possible to obtain
feedback from a range of partners and stakeholders involved in each pilot;
• Conduct one site visit to each of the pilot sites, allowing enough time to understand each site
characteristics;
• Analyze administrative data including budget figures and expenditures;
• Develop supportive evaluation material that outlines how each evaluation question is addressed and
identifies evidence and sources of data that support the findings (point form format); and
• Prepare a deck for presentation to the pilot sites in a face-to-face meeting or on a conference call
outlining the findings and lessons learned and to receive feedback on evaluation process.
Milestones:
• Draft workplan to be submitted by April 25th, 2011.
Deliverables:
• Submit draft final report to the selection committee for feedback by June 24th, 2011;
• Face-to-face meeting/conference with all partners to outline preliminary findings of pilots’ formative
evaluations for year 4 on July 5th, 2011 or sooner;
• Present final report to the selection committee on July 11th, 2011; and
• Final evaluation report for year 4 to be submitted by July 18th, 2011 or sooner.
3.0 TIMEFRAMES
The scope of the contract will be approximately 13 weeks in duration beginning April 18th, 2011.
4.0 INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
4.1 All applications will be assessed by:
• Experience/Competency (provide your CV as well as details on your background, knowledge, prior
experience, skills, etc…);
• Provide examples of previous work and letters of reference;
• Methodology (provide details of your proposed work approach and deadlines, challenges you can
identify and how you would plan to address them, quality and time control systems you will have in
place to monitor individual performance); and
• First Nations Awareness (indicate your experience working in First Nation communities,
understanding of cultural safety and competency and specific examples of working in culturally
sensitive environments and understanding of community protocol as well as ability to handle and
store sensitive data).
4.2 Decision Making Process:
• A selection committee composed of one representative from the AFN, one from each community
pilot site and a one from FNIHB will review all applications; and
• The selected candidate (company/firm) will be required to undergo ratification by the pilot sites and
partners through a conference call interview.
4.3 Option
The deliverables will be assessed by the selection committee and an option to extend the evaluation
process to year 5 summative evaluations may be executed if consensus is reached among all the
members of the selection committee.
5.0 CONFIDENTIALITY
Responses to this RFP will be considered as confidential information by the AFN and will be used
solely for purposes of selecting a successful bidder. The AFN mail room will date and time stamp this
package (or email package) and follow code on code procedures for the request for proposal.
6.0 SUBMISSION
Responses to this Request for Proposal must be received by 12:00 p.m. EST on Monday, March 28th,
2011. Any envelopes or emails received after this time will not be opened and considered late.
Responses maybe sent by a clearly marked envelope with CONFIDENTIAL on the front, this envelope
should be mailed to the attention of:
Kelly Whiteduck
Assembly of First Nations
473 Albert Street, 9th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 5B4
E-mail: kwhiteduck@afn.ca
Telephone: (613) 241-6789 ext. 234
Facsimile: (613) 241-5808
For information and questions related to this RFP please contact Dr. Diego Garcia, Public Health
Coordinator, Health and Social Secretariat, AFN. Dr. Garcia can be reached at: dgarcia@afn.ca
