Project Name: Improving Settlement Outcomes Through Digital Transformation, Service Coordination, and Systems Integration

RFP Issued By:

Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC)

1200, 910 7 Ave SW

Calgary, AB T2P 3N8

RFP Issued on: March 7, 2023

Proposal Due Date: March 29, 2023

Award Date: Until suitable candidate is found.

Person of Contact:

Vibha Kaushik

Director, Research & Policy Development

Immigrant Services Calgary

research@immigrantservicescalgary.ca

Project Overview

Immigrant Services Calgary, YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, and Archway Community Services, Abbotsford, are partnering together to evaluate and refine a suite of digital tools to support better service coordination in the newcomer serving sector. This project is funded by Immigrant, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Service Delivery Improvement (SDI) grant.

Despite the need for the digitization of service delivery, an individual approach to digitizing services will not focus on the complex coordination that is required to meet a wide range of newcomer needs. Investment in technological infrastructure for access, assessment, coordination, matching, and referral is required to ensure that newcomers are getting connected to the right services, at the right time.

A foundational component of moving to digital delivery of direct settlement services will be to invest in technological infrastructure that supports an effective, person-centered assessment of client needs and goals, matching to appropriate services, and coordination of complex service delivery. The project will evaluate the existing gap between organizational digital maturity, client digital readiness, and current market-ready technological solutions to co-develop and validate a digital transformation roadmap that will meet the variable needs of newcomers and Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) and will increase the digital maturity and technological infrastructure of SPOs.

Project Objectives

The overarching objective of this project is to determine the extent that digital transformation of service coordination and systems integration can be scaled to improve settlement outcomes. Across all partner sites, this project will test existing digital solutions and processes using a mix of client administrative data, client surveys, and solution design labs to:

1. Understand the barriers and opportunities for the adoption of technology within SPOs to facilitate digital transformation within the sector.
2. Understand the barriers and opportunities for technology adoption from the perspective of those with lived experience to ensure that a digital transformation remains person-centered and does not lead to increased inequities.
3. Understand the competitive landscape of digital solutions that are currently being applied within the settlement sector to explore whether current solutions are truly addressing sector pain points.

Scope of Work

The tasks for the selected vendor across all partner sites will include but not limited to:

• Collection of local data throughout the developmental evaluation and development of the tools required to inform the digital transformation roadmap.
• Knowledge mobilization activities, monitoring of fidelity to the evaluative approach, and the development of data collection tools and analysis.
• Comparison of the substantive digital implications across sites and against client outcomes
• Creation of digital solution inventory, digital maturity model development, and evaluation framework.
• Development and implementation of service blueprints and digital transformation roadmap.
• Multimethod evaluation of the implementation of a digital transformation roadmap across all partner sites.
• Final reporting of tools, evidence, and recommendations

Project Timeline

Project start date: ASAP

Project delivery date: March 31, 2024

Project Budget

$25,000 until March 31, 2023

$325,000 from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024

Proposal Requirements

All proposal must include:

• Names, credentials, job title, and a brief description of relevant expertise/ authority of implementation team.
• Description of the firm that includes a general overview and number of full-time employees.
• One-page narrative outlining the firm’s strengths and distinguishing skills or capabilities as they might relate to our project.
• Representative selection of projects (brief summaries) for current and past clients.
• Comprehensive cost estimation of the total project

Selection Criteria

As the successful vendor, you will have:

• Experience in evaluating projects/programs including development of data collection tools and analysis.
• Experience with digital transformation projects.
• An understanding of and experience with projects related to the settlement sector.
• An understanding of the non-profit sector.
• Familiarity with databases, technology, and client management systems.
• Competitive cost of services.
• Familiarity with projects involving AI (Artificial Intelligence) is an asset.

Submission Information

Submit completed proposals to: research@immigrantservicescalgary.ca (Attn: Vibha Kaushik)

Terms and Conditions

ISC reserves the right to reject and accept submissions in response to this RFP, clarify and verify information from proponents, negotiate with proponents, waive or modify procedural and administrative irregularities due to honest or unintentional mistakes as identified in submissions received, after discussion with the proponent and cancel this RFP at any time for any or no reason. If cancelled, ISC is not responsible for any costs incurred by the proponent(s).

This RFP in no way obligates ISC to enter into a contract with any proponent. Except as expressly and specifically permitted in this RFP, no proponent shall have any claim for any compensation of any kind whatsoever as a result of participating in this RFP and by submitting a proposal, each proponent shall be deemed to have agreed that it has no claim.

Any negotiations, understandings and agreements resulting from this RFP are preliminary unless and until a contract is executed.

Once opened, submissions and accompanying documentation become the property of ISC and will not be returned.