Applications for this RFP have been closed.

Crossroads International

Request for Proposals – Anti-Oppression & Anti-racism consultancy

DEI Committee

 

Introduction

General Information

Crossroads International (Crossroads) is a leading Canadian volunteer cooperation agency advancing equality for women and girls and eradicating poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries in Africa. For over 60 years, Crossroads has been continuing to work to create a more equitable and sustainable world by engaging and strengthening individuals, organizations and communities through mutual learning, solidarity, and collective action. Our vision is ONE WORLD where poverty is eliminated, equality prevails, and the rights of women and girls are fulfilled.

Crossroads employs approximately 50 employees across its offices in Africa (Dakar & Kédougou, Senegal; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Accra, Ghana) and Canada (Montreal and Toronto). The organization sends approximately 100 volunteers annually to work with partner organizations in 9 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Senegal, Togo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia, eSwatini and Uganda).

 

Background

In April 2020, Crossroads launched the Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP) 2020-2027. The 2020-2027 VCP includes a significant increase in volunteers, an expansion into new countries of operation and a significant increase in the number of local partner organizations. This growth and expansion are supported by a growth in Crossroads’ staff, in both Canada and Africa, and notably the solidification of the Crossroads’ office in Senegal, plus the opening of offices in Ghana and Tanzania. Crossroads also has 10 other projects based in sub-Saharan Africa in support of gender equality and poverty elimination.

In June 2021, Crossroads carried out a comprehensive employee engagement survey, the first that had taken place in many years. The results showed that Diversity and Inclusion was one of the top 3 drivers of engagement for employees and the overall score for this category was 76, 10 points below the benchmark for the sector. While 2022 results improved significantly to a score of 90 and 4 points above the benchmark, this area remains a priority for staff (being one of the top 4 drivers of employee engagement) and fixing squarely in the organization’s four values of diversity, equality, empowerment and accountability.

As a signatory to the anti-racism framework developed by the international cooperation sector in Canada, Crossroads took part in a baseline study in March 2021 to assess the organization’s status relative to diversity and inclusion measures. Following this study, the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Group recommended the development of an anti-racism and anti-oppression policy, along with training for all staff on these topics, as key priorities. The engagement of an intern was approved by the D&I Group as a beneficial opportunity to advance these priorities.

In this context, Crossroads’ leadership is cognizant of a current and imperative need to ensure that the organization’s approaches, tools and processes reflect an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens, the new organizational structure for the VCP, organizational values and employee priorities.

 

Scope of Work

Crossroads is requesting proposals from knowledgeable, experienced consultants/consulting organizations to review the organizational context and make recommendations to support capacity-building, a more inclusive organizational culture and the development of an organizational strategy and action plan on anti-racism and anti-oppression. The Consultant will employ an approach which builds trust, ensures the confidence of staff and seeks to bolster Crossroads’ ONE WORLD vision in the process. In making recommendations, the consultant should consider the size, capacity and diversity of the organization and direct recommendations to appropriate accountable persons so that they can be actioned. The successful consultant’s responsibilities will include the following:

1. Assessment of the organizational context and Crossroads’ understanding of diversity and inclusion
   • Carry out a landscape review to find examples of best practice both within and outside the international volunteer cooperation
   • Run a listening exercise or other recommended and relevant techniques with current staff to understand current organizational culture.
   • Review Crossroads baseline study responses to understand the current status of organizational processes, tools and approaches (notably exploring attitudes and beliefs including unconscious bias on diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as identifying levels of support and/or resistance to embrace change).

2. Development and/or review of key strategies, tools and trainings on diversity and inclusion
   • Review and provide input on Crossroads existing anti-racism and anti-oppression policy.
   • Work with D&I committee to facilitate the D&I committee to design an anti-racism and anti oppression strategy and action plan for the organization detailing accountabilities and measurable outcomes as they pertain to culture, recruitment and selection, communications and fundraising, programming, and operations.
   • Develop a foundational anti-racism and anti-oppression training toolkit for all staff.
   • Develop and deliver differentiated capacity-building sessions for diverse stakeholder groups including:
     1. Crossroads’ Senior Leadership,
     2. Crossroads’ staff & volunteers including train the trainer sessions for later capacity building of partner organizations
     3. Crossroads’ board of directors
3. Provide a report with a gap analysis and recommendations on, among other items:
   1. Best practices for an inclusive, equitable and actively anti-racist culture at Crossroads,
   2. Best practices for an anti-racist approach to the recruitment and selection of employees and volunteers,
   3. Best practices in communications, fundraising, advocacy, and knowledge management,
   4. Best practices in programs and operations,
   5. Understanding of Crossroads’ situation as it pertains to approaches, tools, processes, and culture at the end of the consultancy in comparison to sector benchmarks.

Instruction to Bidders

Period of Engagement

The proposed engagement term with the successful consultant will be for a 1-year period commencing January 2023.

Delivery of Proposal Submissions

Responses to this RFP should be submitted to the attention of Gifty Volimkarime Kuug and Geralyn Klassen, (gkuug@cintl.org and gklassen@cintl.org) with “Anti Racism & Anti Oppression Consultancy” in the subject line, no later than 5 pm EST on Monday, November 14, 2022 If a proposal is not received by the deadline, it will not be accepted.

Additional Information and Communication

During the evaluation process, Crossroads retains the right to request additional information or clarification from respondents to this RFP. Crossroads, at its discretion, may also allow corrections of errors or omissions by respondents.

Inquiries or request for additional information should be submitted to Geralyn Klassen: gklassen@cintl.org. Inquiries must be received no later than Monday, November 7, 2022, 5 pm EST

Crossroads will respond to requests for additional information by Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 5 pm EST.

No oral communications will be considered binding.

Vendor Presentations

Short-listed bidders will be notified and invited to present to the Selection Committee by November 18, 2022. The purpose of the presentation is to allow the bidder to address any elements within the proposal, obtain any required clarification and allow members of the Selection Committee to interact directly with key representatives of the bidder. Presentations will be held on November 22 & 24, 2022 via Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

 

Elements of Proposal

General Information and Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent work/volunteer experience in sociology/social or cultural studies, diversity and inclusion or a related field
• Demonstrated leadership in combatting direct, systemic and adverse impact racism as well as lived experience of institutional racism and other forms of bias
• Proven experience effecting change with NGOs in their understanding and response to racism/bias
• Experience with international NGOs with a preference for experience in Canada, sub-Saharan Africa and volunteer cooperation
• Fluently bilingual in oral and written English and French
• Excellent facilitation and communication skills
• Strong knowledge of gender equality and intersectionality
• Ability to implement an inclusive approach for staff across multiple teams in Canada and Africa
• Strong knowledge and understanding of power and cultural dynamics in inter-team relationships.
• Research, analytical and advisory skills

Location:

• The consultant will be home-based.

Fees

The consultant should provide a detailed budget with all associated fees. The budget should be presented in Canadian dollars (CAD). Note the budget should be sent in a separate, clearly titled document.

Other Proposal Content

The consultant should provide:

1. An overview of how the consultant’s values align with Crossroads’ ONE WORLD vision including the consultant’s prevailing approach to combatting racism and oppression,
2. An overview of relevant qualifications and experience,
3. A description of the approach to be undertaken to complete the outlined deliverables including a workplan outlining timelines for completion of all deliverables,
4. A detailed budget outlining all associated fees in CAD, (*in a separate clearly titled document*)
5. Case studies of previously undertaken work of a similar nature,
6. A minimum of three (3) current or recent references of similar work, including the name of the organization, the reference name and position, telephone number and email address of the person who may be contacted.
7. Explanations of any situations that may present a conflict of interest including potential or perceived conflicts of interest between the consultant/consulting organization and Crossroads, and
8. Any other information that may support the proposal submission.

 

Evaluation Process

Anticipated Timelines

Action	Deadline
RFP document issued	October 28, 2022
Proponent question or clarification submissions due	November 7, 2022
Crossroads’ response requests for additional information	November 9, 2022
Proposal closing date	November 14, 2022
Analysis period	November 15-18, 2022
Notification to short-listed bidders	November 18, 2022
Presentations by short-listed bidders	November 22 & 24, 2022
Reference checks	November 25 – 30, 2022
Recommendation to Board / Award Contract	December 10, 2022
Contract Start	January 1, 2023

Methodology

The evaluation of the bid documents will be conducted by a Selection Committee. The evaluation is broken down into the following stages:

Stage	Description	Weighting
I	Technical Proposal Evaluation	40
II	Oral Presentation	20
III	Reference Verification	10
IV	Pricing	30
	Total	100

 

Proposals that do not comply with all of the mandatory submission requirements may be disqualified.

A bid document must meet the requirements of each stage of the evaluation process to proceed to the next stage.  The evaluation of the bid documents will be conducted on the basis of the members of the Selection Committee arriving at a consensus.  Where a consensus is not possible, the score will be averaged.