Request for Proposals: Emergency Preparedness Training

November 4, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Creation of Online Emergency Preparedness Training for Métis Women, Youth, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People

ISSUED: November 4, 2025
DUE: November 14, 2025

Azra Ahmad MEnv., MES, BA (she/her)
Policy Strategy Lead
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak / Women of the Métis Nation
Email: azraa@metiswomen.org
Subject Line: Proposal – Emergency Preparedness Online Training

Table of Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………………………………. 3

2.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

4.0 TRAINING MODULE EXPECTATIONS………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

5.0 TIMELINES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

6.0 REPORTING AND COLLABORATION…………………………………………………………………………………… 6

7.0 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

8.0 INQUIRIES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

9.0 CLOSING DATE……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

10.0 EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA…………………………………………………………………………… 7

10.1 HOW BIDDERS MAY DEMONSTRATE THEIR QUALIFICATIONS……………………………………………….. 7

11.0 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND OWNERSHIP……………………………………………………………………… 8

12.0 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8

13.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) is the recognized national voice of Métis women, committed to advancing their rights, safety, and well-being across all stages of life. We support grassroots-led and culturally grounded approaches that honour the lived experiences of Métis women, youth, and gender-diverse people.

Our Empowering Métis Women, Youth and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People in Emergency Preparedness project emerged in response to widespread calls for training that speaks directly to our realities. Following a series of engagement sessions and a national online survey, a clear message was heard: mainstream emergency resources do not reflect who we are, how we live, or what we carry.

LFMO is now seeking a consultant to bring this vision to life through the development of online, accessible, trauma-informed training rooted in Métis culture and knowledge.

2.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this RFP is to identify a qualified consultant or team to co-design, develop, and test a series of online emergency preparedness training modules for Métis women, youth, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. The modules should reflect:

Métis identity, language, teachings, and lived realities
Trauma-informed and gender-based lenses
Culturally safe and accessible delivery methods
Real-life scenarios that go beyond theory and into action
Community-driven, intergenerational solutions that uplift capacity

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

The selected consultant will:

Co-Design Training Content
Work collaboratively with LFMO, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, youth, and community members to ensure cultural accuracy and relevance. Honour Indigenous research and design principles throughout the process.

Develop 4–5 Online Training Modules
Each module should be brief, interactive, and focused on key areas such as:

Personal and Family Safety
Focused on practical home and personal safety planning through a Métis lens. Includes kinship-based emergency kits, culturally relevant evacuation plans, and family preparedness rooted in land-based knowledge and intergenerational communication.

Métis Community Emergency Preparedness
Explores how Métis communities can prepare together. Covers traditional systems of mutual aid, roles of Elders and youth, land-based hazards in Métis regions, and grassroots response strategies grounded in Métis community structure and relationships.
Emotional and Cultural Wellness
Centers Métis ways of healing in times of crisis. Includes teachings on collective grief, cultural continuance through emergency, grounding with song, language, jigging, and the use of medicines and prayer in safety and recovery.

Navigating Services and Advocacy
Helps learners navigate emergency systems while maintaining cultural integrity. Includes culturally safe ways to access housing, shelters, and health services, and how to advocate for Métis-specific needs within emergency and social support systems.

Gender-Based and Climate Emergencies
Examines the specific ways Métis women, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people experience increased risk during fires, floods, and housing crises. Includes safety planning informed by Métis history, modern Métis realities, and culturally anchored community protection practices.

Embed Accessibility and Flexibility
Ensure content is adaptable for low-bandwidth users, accessible to diverse abilities, and suitable for multiple learning styles.

Facilitate Pilot Testing and Revisions
Lead a community pilot, gather feedback, and revise training accordingly to ensure high relevance and usability.

Develop and Deliver Online Training Platform

The consultant will be responsible for identifying and implementing a secure, user-friendly online training platform where all modules and related materials can be accessed on an on-going basis. The platform must:

Allow self-guided access to each module and its components
Be compatible with LFMO’s existing web environment and branding
Meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) AA accessibility and mobile-first design standards
Function independently with minimal ongoing technical support post-project
Enable simple updates or edits to content by LFMO staff after project completion

The consultant will provide all technical documentation, administrator access, and instructions required for LFMO to maintain the platform beyond the contract term.

4.0 TRAINING MODULE EXPECTATIONS

Each module must be concise, culturally grounded, and adaptable to a range of learning environments. Content should be delivered in short, flexible segments suited for remote and low-bandwidth users. Modules should be accessible, trauma-informed, and support both self-guided and group-based delivery. Above all, the content must align with the project’s core objectives: to empower Métis women, youth, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people with culturally relevant tools and strategies for navigating emergency preparedness.

Modules must:

Reflect Métis identity, teachings, values, and lived experiences
Use plain language and be trauma-informed, inclusive, and culturally safe
Incorporate real-life scenarios, reflections, and grounded teachings
Be accessible across diverse abilities and technology limitations
Include optional interactive or printable activities

All digital content must meet the WCAG 2.1 Level AA, in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act and related standards. Training materials should be tested with accessibility tools such as screen readers and designed to avoid large file sizes or embedded media that could limit access for users with older devices or slower internet connections. In addition, training materials will reside on a stand-alone platform, requiring no ongoing technical support, and allowing the learning modules to remain on LFMO’s website as a legacy resource after the project ends on March 31, 2025).

Each module must include the following materials, which can be adapted for online, print, or hybrid delivery:

Learning Objectives

A concise statement of what learners will know, feel, or do after completing the module. Objectives should link directly to building capacity, safety, and advocacy in line with LFMO’s project goals.

Digital Learning Slides

A culturally grounded visual presentation
Includes speaker notes and aligns with LFMO branding and Métis visual design. Visuals and language should reinforce cultural safety, wellness, and Métis-centred approaches to emergency planning.

Companion Guide

Step-by-step instructions for delivery
Cultural grounding and safety tips
Circle prompts and reflection questions
Approximate timing for each section
Designed to support relational, intergenerational delivery spaces that promote Métis values of care, community, and kinship.

Participant Toolkit

Printable and fillable tools such as:
- Checklists
- Personal safety planning templates
- Guided journaling or reflection exercises
- Visual aids or mini-posters
These tools should be strengths-based and action-oriented, reinforcing knowledge retention and real-life application.

Self-Guided Online Version

Designed for mobile-first and low-bandwidth use
May include:
Self-check or review questions
Embedded video or audio clips
Click-through slides or scenarios
All elements should align with inclusive design principles and reinforce the capacity-building intent of the project.

Community Practice Activity

Real-world, applied learning such as:
Mapping emergency contacts
Building a personal or family safety kit
Practicing cultural wellness routines in emergencies
Activities should emphasize community care, Métis-specific knowledge, and hands-on skill development.

Reflection and Readiness Check

Short feedback form (digital and printable)
Accessible language and visuals (e.g., emoji scale, narrative prompts)
Optional group reflection format
Must be framed to capture how well the content strengthened confidence, cultural connection, and readiness among participants.

5.0 TIMELINES

Contract Start: November 2025
Community Pilot: January 2026
Final Deliverables: March 2026
Total duration: Approximately 4 months

6.0 REPORTING AND COLLABORATION

The consultant will report to LFMO’s President or designate with bi-weekly virtual check-ins and collaborative reviews of content. A working relationship built on trust, reciprocity, and cultural respect is expected.

7.0 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Please submit the following:

Cover Letter
Introduce your approach, values, and alignment with the project’s intent.

Profile and Experience
Outline your qualifications, team bios (if applicable), and relevant experience. Emphasis will be placed on experience working with Métis or Indigenous communities, trauma-informed practices, and inclusive training design.

Work Plan and Timeline
Include a detailed implementation plan with deliverable timelines, methodologies, and engagement approach.

Budget
Provide a detailed project budget, including consultant fees, content development, testing, revisions, and accessibility features. The startup costs for the platform of the delivery of training materials will be included. Travel as required, will be reimbursed.

Tax Compliance Statement
The total proposed fee will be considered all-inclusive, and separate tax billing will not be accepted. Bidders must clearly state whether they are registered to collect GST/HST. If registered, the proposal total must include all applicable taxes, and the bidder must provide their CRA registration number. If not registered, this must also be clearly indicated. This ensures compliance with LFMO’s procurement policy and avoids payment delays.

References
Include two professional references with names, titles, and contact information.

8.0 INQUIRIES

All inquiries must be submitted in writing to:

Azra Ahmad, MES, BA (she/her)

Policy Strategy Lead

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak / Women of the Métis Nation

Email: azraa@metiswomen.org

9.0 CLOSING DATE

All proposals must be submitted by Friday November 14, 2025 at 4:00 PM ET. Late submissions will not be considered.

10.0 EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA

All proposals will be assessed using the following weighted criteria:

Evaluation Area	Weight (%)
Alignment with LFMO values and project goals	25%
Relevant experience and qualifications	20%
Cultural safety, trauma-informed and accessibility approach	20%
Feasibility of work plan, methodology, and timeline	20%
Cost-effectiveness and clarity of budget	10%
Innovation or added value	5%

10.1 HOW BIDDERS MAY DEMONSTRATE THEIR QUALIFICATIONS

LFMO values diverse forms of knowledge, including lived experience, cultural teachings, and professional expertise. Bidders are encouraged to use the following as a guide when preparing their submission:

Alignment with LFMO Values and Project Goals (25%)