Request for Proposals
Freshwater Literature Review and Data Analysis
Commencing for October 2025 to March 2026
18 July 2025
PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Monday, September 8 by 5pm EDT
PROPOSALS DELIVERED TO: Wildlife Conservation Society Canada
1.0 Background
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada is a national non-governmental organization with a mission is to save wildlife and wild places in Canada through science, conservation action, and by inspiring people to value nature. WCS Canada is affiliated with global WCS programs in more than 60 countries, and we are active at the science-policy interface in Canada and internationally.
This RFP is issued by WCS Canada’s Ontario Northern Boreal program, active since 2004 in the far north. As one of the few organizations with a continuous scientific presence in the region, we lead field-based research on large mammals, freshwater fish, and peatlands; co-develop programs with First Nations; collaborate with academic, government, and Indigenous researchers; and contribute to policy development to guide conservation decisions.
2.0 Contracting opportunity
WCS Canada producing a report summarizing multiple years of freshwater ecological data that has been collected on the water quality, water chemistry, fish contaminants, and benthic invertebrates in northern boreal rivers in Ontario.
We are seeking proposals (RFP) from qualified individuals or groups to support the completion of this report. We are requesting that individuals or groups submit a proposal outlining their qualifications, relevant experience, and proposed approach to conducting a literature review and statistical analyses of previously collected data. This work will inform and support the creation of a comprehensive and useful summary report by WCS Canada that outlines the status and trends in these northern boreal rivers.
3.0 Proposal Administration
All requests for clarification and questions concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing no later than 5 September 2025 via email to Brianna Kim, Finance and Administrative Manager bkim@wcs.org (indicate “Freshwater Literature Review and Data Analysis” on the subject line). Responses, if determined appropriate by WCS Canada, will be issued in writing to all known proposers.
Proposals, plus attachments, are to be submitted in e-form to: Brianna Kim, Finance and Administrative Manager, bkim@wcs.org.
WCS Canada may request an interview of any proposer (vendor). Such a request for an interview does not constitute a contract award.
Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 PM, 8 September 2025
Key Dates:
Last day to submit questions 7 September 2025
Proposals due 8 September 2025
Interviews of proposers 11 to 18 September 2025
Notice of Award by 25 September 2025
4.0 Scope of Services and Desired Qualifications
The services and deliverables to be provided by the proposer:
- Freshwater data analyses:
- Conduct an analysis of the spatial and temporal patterns of previously-collected data on fish contaminants, water quality, water chemistry, and benthic invertebrates in XXX (geography of the data analysis – from watersheds over X years; and
- Where applicable, compare findings to appropriate benchmarks and reference data from other relevant regions or studies; and
- Provide a clear interpretation of the data, supported by the freshwater literature review (below).
- Freshwater literature review:
- Conduct a focused review of both formally-published, peer-reviewed literature and grey literature (e.g., government reports, technical memos, unpublished studies) related to fish contaminants, water quality, water chemistry and benthic invertebrates from northern boreal river systems. The review should prioritize sources that directly inform or contextualize the interpretation of the collected data; and
- Organize identified literature into a database that includes a summary for each resource.
- Provide assistance and support for summarizing the literature review and data analyses into a final report to be written by WCS Canada staff.
The selected proposer is expected to have the following qualifications:
- Must have experience with freshwater ecological monitoring and research, including familiarity with common approaches used for: freshwater ecological monitoring, freshwater statistical analyses, and freshwater literature reviews;
- Additional preference will be given for experience with ecological monitoring and research in northern boreal rivers;
- Must be familiar with ecological analyses in R; and
- Be familiar with WCS Canada’s mission and programmatic activities.
5.0 Length of Engagement
The term of engagement is for an approximately 6-month period ending March 30, 2026.
6.0 Proposal Content
Proposals should be clear and concise and should address in detail, and with appropriate documentation, each of the items listed below. WCS Canada may request clarification of any proposal during the evaluation process, but is not bound to do so, and proposers should not assume they will have any further opportunity to clarify their proposals subsequent to the proposal due date.
Each proposer is requested to submit, on or before the submission deadline, a package containing its proposal addressing the following items in the order listed:
A. Technical Qualifications
1. Contact Information
On a single cover sheet, please provide:
- Contact information for the lead individual(s) who are anticipated to work on the project, including e-mail addresses, telephone number, and street address.
- Web address (if relevant).
- Year proposer was established (if relevant).
- Size of proposer (if relevant).
- List of proposed staff assigned to this project (if relevant).
- Signature of Principal and date of the signature.
2. Overview (1-page maximum)
Proposers should provide a summary of their understanding of the services and deliverables that will be their responsibility and a description of the methods they will use to achieve those objectives, including technical quality assurance, and general management practices for comparable projects.
3. Qualifications
Proposers are requested to provide detailed information that demonstrates the following:
- Experience providing the services requested in this RFP;
- Proficiency with projects of comparable size and complexity; and
- Demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusion of staff and subcontractors.
4. Timetable/Schedule
Proposers should produce a draft schedule that outlines critical milestones for the work.
5. Resume(s)
A resume/CV of the individual(s) proposing to conduct the work should be attached, which must outline and explain the relevant experience of the individual(s) with similar previous projects. Upon award of the contract, substitutions of personnel will not be allowed without the prior written consent of WCS Canada.
6. References
Proposers are requested to provide examples of up to three (3) similar projects, recently completed or in progress, with the following information for each:
- Description of the work
- Name of a contact person who can provide a reference
References may be contacted directly by WCS Canada.
B. Fee Proposal
Maximum Fee
The total proposal fee shall not exceed $35,000 CAD, inclusive of all applicable sales taxes, administrative expenses, and any other project-related costs.
- Base fee $ __________
- Additional fees (e.g., information technology
infrastructure costs, administrative support charge) $ __________
Total $ __________
3.Other services
Provide information regarding how any requested additional services will be charged
(e.g., personnel with titles and hourly or per diem rates).
7.0 General Conditions of Proposal Submissions
The following general conditions apply to all proposals submitted in response to any RFP issued by WCS and WCS Canada (collectively referred to below as (“WCS Canada”):
- Non-Binding:
WCS Canada’s solicitation of proposals in response to any RFP does not commit WCS Canada to award a contract, and
this RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract for the services to be provided as described herein.
- Proposal Materials and Costs:
WCS Canada is not liable for any costs incurred in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a response to its RFP
or incurred for any other purpose or reason in connection with the RFP. No materials submitted with this RFP will be
returned.
- Confidentiality:
All information and material contained in any WCS Canada RFP or issued by WCS Canada or any of its agents as part of
any WCS Canada RFP process is confidential and is the exclusive property of WCS Canada.
- Modifications:
As a condition of award, WCS Canada may request any proposer to make revisions, additions, or deletions to its
proposal.
- Subcontractors:
After award of contract, WCS Canada will have no obligation, financial or otherwise, to any subcontractor of the
awardee. Nevertheless, any subcontract will be required to be subject to and consistent with the prime contract
between WCS Canada and the awardee, and WCS Canada may require any subcontract to include specific terms and
conditions.
- Reserved Rights:
WCS Canada at any time in its sole discretion may, without notice and without liability to any proposer or any other
party for their expenses incurred in the preparation of the responses hereto or otherwise, do any and all of the
following:
- Amend or withdraw this RFP;
- Accept or reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFP;
- Award the contract to a proposer other than the proposer offering the lowest fee;
- Request additional materials and clarification or modification of any submitted proposal;
- Extend the time for submission of all proposals after notification to all prospective proposers;
- Terminate negotiations with a selected proposer and select another proposer;
- Take such action as WCS Canada deems appropriate if negotiations fail to result in a signed agreement within a reasonable amount of time; and/or
- Terminate or modify the solicitation and selection process at any time and re-issue the solicitation to whomever WCS Canada deems appropriate.
The selected vendor will be required to execute a written agreement with WCS Canada, including terms generally consistent with those set forth in Appendix A hereto, effective upon the date the written agreement is executed by both WCS Canada and the selected vendor.
8.0 Evaluation and Selection Criteria
Selection Process:
- WCS Canada will review and evaluate all proposals to determine each proposer’s rating. This evaluation may include a request to interview proposers and for proposers to virtually present their proposals for purposes of clarification.
- The proposal offering the most advantageous terms based on the criteria below will be selected for the award. WCS Canada may reject any and all proposals if, in its sole opinion, no proposal satisfies its criteria.
Evaluation Criteria:
The evaluation criteria and weight will be as follows:
- Demonstrated technical capability to provide the services (50%);
- Project-related experience (25%); and
- Client references (25%)
APPENDIX A
CONTRACT, INSURANCE, AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
1. Payment
Contractor will submit invoices for its work, in a form acceptable to WCS Canada, to its contact for review, who will submit the invoices for payment. Payment is subject to acceptance of the services. Contractor will be paid without deductions for income taxes or other sums which employers in Canada are required to deduct from employee’s wages. Even though income tax and other deductions are not made by WCS Canada, Contractor should be aware that WCS Canada may be obligated by Canadian regulations to report to Canada Revenue Agency total annual amounts paid to Contractor. Contractor will be solely responsible for the payment of all withholding and other taxes, of whatever type or nature, arising out of or related to its engagement under this Agreement and agrees to and hereby does indemnify and defend WCS Canada and its directors, officers, employees, independent contractors and agents against any claim relating to such taxes. WCS Canada will pay approved fees and expenses within thirty days after receipt of acceptable documentation.
2. Relationship of the Parties
Contractor’s relationship to WCS Canada under this Agreement is that of an independent contractor. Nothing in this Agreement will be deemed to constitute a relationship of employer-employee, joint venture, partnership, agency, or legal representative between Contractor and WCS Canada for any purpose. Neither Contractor nor any of its employees, independent contractors or agents will receive the health insurance, sick leave, vacation, pension, retirement savings plan or other fringe benefits, or severance or termination pay, associated with regular employment at WCS Canada.
3. Termination
Either party may terminate this Agreement without cause by furnishing at least 30 days’ written notice to the other. In such event, Contractor will be paid only for services actually rendered to the date of termination. With reasonable cause, either party may terminate this Agreement immediately upon written notice to the other. Contractor shall not incur any additional expenses between the date of notice of termination and the date of termination without the prior written consent of WCS Canada.
4. Confidentiality
Contractor warrants that it will maintain in strict confidence WCS Canada’s Confidential Information (as defined below) to which it has access during the term of this Agreement. Contractor will treat WCS Canada’s Confidential Information with the same standard of care that it uses in maintaining its own Confidential Information, provided that that standard is not negligent. Contractor will use WCS Canada’s Confidential Information only as is required by this Agreement, and will not reveal it to a third party without the prior written consent of WCS Canada, or unless it is required by law to reveal it.
“Confidential Information” means information concerning each party’s affairs, activities, research, proposals, projects, finances, property or method(s) of operation, trade secrets, know-how and similar information. Confidential Information does not include information which (a) is already known through lawful means to the receiving party before the other party’s disclosure, (b) after disclosure, becomes generally known to the public through no breach or fault of the receiving party, (c) a party receives from a third party who is free to make such disclosure without breaching any legal obligation to the disclosing party under this Agreement, (d) the receiving party develops independently as evidenced by its own written records, or (e) is required to be disclosed by judicial or administrative process, in which case the party required to make that disclosure will notify the other of the obligation and cooperate reasonably with that party’s effort to bar or seek a modification of the order.
The term “Contractor” for purposes of this section shall include Contractor, its subsidiaries and affiliates, and their respective current and former partners, directors, officers, employees, independent contractors, representatives and agents.
5. Warranty
Contractor warrants that it will perform services hereunder in good faith with qualified personnel in a competent and workmanlike manner in accordance with applicable industry standards.
6. No Assignment
The Agreement may not be assigned by Contractor without the prior written agreement of WCS Canada, and any purported assignment made in violation of this prohibition will be null and void.
7. No Consequential Damages
IN NO EVENT SHALL WCS CANADA BE LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE TO THE CONTRACTOR FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS OR LOST SAVINGS, EVEN IF THE CONTRACTOR IS INFORMED OF THEIR POSSIBILITY.
8. Force Majeure
Neither party shall be in breach of this Agreement if its performance is materially and adversely affected by acts of government, civil unrest, terrorism, riots, military actions, border closures, labor disputes, major infrastructure disruptions, environmental disasters, extreme natural phenomena, public health crises or other causes beyond the reasonable control and without the negligence or fault of the non-performing party (each, an “Event of Force Majeure”). The non‑performing party shall give prompt written notice thereof to the other party, including a description of the Event of Force Majeure. For the duration of the Event of Force Majeure, the affected requirements of this Agreement shall be suspended; provided, however, that the non‑performing party shall use reasonable efforts to mitigate the effect of the Event of Force Majeure on its performance under this Agreement. After the Event of Force Majeure, the parties shall resume performance as soon as reasonably practicable, unless they agree otherwise in writing. If an Event of Force Majeure lasts over 30 consecutive days or severely undermines the primary purpose for entering into this Agreement, either party may terminate this Agreement without penalty by written notice to the other. In the event of such a termination, payment will be made for services satisfactorily performed and goods delivered and accepted. To the extent any deposit has been paid in advance in respect of services that have not yet been satisfactorily performed or goods that have not yet been delivered and accepted, such deposit shall, upon written agreement of the parties, be retained as a credit toward future services or goods or, failing such agreement of the parties, refunded in full within 30 days of the termination.
Additional note regarding Agreement terms and conditions:
WCS Canada will not enter into an Agreement for services in which WCS Canada indemnifies Contractor for claims arising out of Contractor’s performance of professional services.
