The Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Information Guide for Applicants

SECTION 1: FACTS AT A GLANCE
SECTION 2: OBJECTIVES AND OVERVIEW OF CALL FOR PROPOSALS
SECTION 3: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
SECTION 4: GENERAL INFORMATION RELATING TO DEVELOPING AND COMPLETING THE PROPOSAL, AND DETAILED INFORMATION RELATING TO COMPLETING THE BUDGET SECTION
SECTION 5: OVERVIEW OF CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Appendix A: Procedures with respect to Bill M-30  
Appendix B: Strategic Communications Framework Including Recommendations for Implementation
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Required Forms and Formats for Proposals
Download: Adobe PDF ·  RTF (Most word processors)

SECTION 1: FACTS AT A GLANCE

1. What is the purpose of the Call for Proposals?

This is a call for proposals to design, develop and deliver the Canada Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative funded by the Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP), Social Development Directorate (SDD), Social Development Canada (SDC), under the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI)

The SDPP is a nationally delivered program that supports activities of the social non-profit sector in line with Social Development Canada's mandate. These activities are designed to promote the generation and sharing of knowledge, and strengthen the capacity of the social non-profit sector.

2. When was the Call for Proposals posted/distributed?

It was distributed on July 28, 2004.

3. What is the closing date?

The closing date is September 15, 2004, 4 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).

(Please note that proposals received after this date and time will not be accepted.)

4. How do I know if my organization is eligible?

There are three mandatory criteria for this call for proposals. To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization must meet all three of the following criteria:

• The organization must be an incorporated not-for-profit organization;

• The activities of the organization must be related to social development; and (see note: 2)

• The organization must demonstrate that it has the capacity to deliver a national communication campaign.

5. What information and documentation do I have to submit?

A proposal must be completed, signed and submitted in response to this call for proposals. Your proposal¹ should, in order to be included in the Assessment and recommendation Process, include the following sections of the "Required Forms and Format for Proposal" (PDF version, RTF (rich text format) version) :

• Part A: Mandatory Criteria

• Part B: Application for Funding

• Part C: Executive Summary

• Part D: Description of Proposed Project

• Part E: Workplan

• Part F: Knowledge Dissemination and Evaluation Plan

• Part G: Capacity to Complete the Project

• Part H: Budget

• Part I: Supporting Documentation

6. How do I submit my proposal?

Please send:

Two (2) hard copies of the proposal (One copy must be the originally signed version. The signature block is included in the Application for Funding Form ( (PDF version, RTF (rich text format) version))

And

One (1) electronic version (see: note 2) either on disk enclosed with the hard copies or by e-mail to  kyle.cyr@sdc-sdc.gc.ca

The two (2) hard copies of the proposal are to be sent to:

Please note that both the hard copies and the electronic copy must be received by the department prior to the closing date and time of September 15, 2004, 4.p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time)

7. What if I have any questions about the Call for Proposals or developing my proposal?

You may submit questions to Kyle Cyr by phone (819) 994-1440. SDC will make every effort to respond to all questions up until the closing date and time.

8. What is the anticipated timing for processing proposals?

Our anticipated timeline (See note: 3) is:

Receipt of Proposals:    September 15, 2004 Assessment of Proposals:    September 16 to September 30, 2004 Notification of successful and unsuccessful applicants:   October 2004 Negotiation of agreement with successful applicant:    November 2004

9. If your organization is located in Québec, you may be subject to the Act Respecting the Conseil exécutif (L.R.Q., chapter M-30).

Under this provincial law, The Government of Canada cannot enter into an agreement with an organization subject to the Bill until approval is received from the Government of Québec.

Please see Appendix A: Procedures with respect to Bill M-30 (PDF version,

RTF (rich text format) version) for more information.

10. Information Teleconference

All applicants intending to submit a proposal under the Canada Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative are encouraged to participate in an information teleconference which will provide applicants with an opportunity to ask questions and clarify issues related to the call for proposals.

The teleconferences will be held on the following dates:

• August 17, 2004 2 PM - 4 PM (EDT) in English;
• August 18, 2004 2 PM - 4 PM (EDT) in French.

Applicants intending to participate should contact Kyle Cyr at (819) 994 - 1440 or kyle.cyr@sdc-dsc.gc.ca for dial-in information by August 13, 2004. If possible questions should be forwared to Kyle Cyr in advance.

Notes:

1. Social Development is a broad term that encompasses the diversity of the voluntary non-profit sector.

2. All required forms and formats and requests for supporting documentation are included in the second document: Required Forms and Format for Proposal.

3. This timeline is subject to change if an unusually large number of proposals are submitted in response to the Call for Proposals.

SECTION 2: OBJECTIVES AND OVERVIEW OF CALL FOR PROPOSALS

This section provides information on the following:

• The Social Development Partnership Program (SDPP);
• Project title;
• Project background; 
• Scope of work;
• Eligible organizations; and
• Project duration and funding available.

1. The Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP)

This is a call for proposals to design, develop and deliver the Canada Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative funded by the Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP), Social Development Directorate (SDD), Social Development Canada (SDC), under the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI)

2. Project title

The Canada Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative (CVSAI).

3. Project background

The voluntary sector contributes to Canada's way of life socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. It is one of three pillars of Canadian Society along with the public and private sectors. The voluntary sector provides opportunities for people to participate in a very real way to improve the quality of life and well-being of individuals, and that of the communities in which they live.

In June 2000, the Government of Canada and the voluntary sector joined forces under the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI) to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector and improve its relationship with the federal government. The VSI is jointly led and jointly managed by the federal government and voluntary sector. Both sector and government have established structures to lead their respective work on VSI.

To carry out the work associated with these goals, the VSI established six joint tables, of which the Awareness Joint Table was one. At the end of its work in September 2002, the Joint Table approved a framework, outlining the goal, intended results, audiences, and approach for the Canada Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative (CVSAI).

The agreed objective of the CVSAI is to:

• Position the voluntary sector in Canadian society so that its contribution to Canada’s way of life is valued and supported by individuals, communities, public and private sectors.

To guide the development of messages and tools for the awareness initiative, the Awareness Joint Table commissioned EKOS Research Associates Inc. to conduct a national survey of opinion leaders (http://www.vsi-isbc.ca/eng/awareness/pdf/awareness_opinion_synthesis.pdf)  in the summer of 2002. The survey was designed to gauge opinion leaders’ knowledge of the voluntary sector; to measure their perceptions, opinions and attitudes about the voluntary sector’s role, its capacity and effectiveness; and to measure their receptivity to working with the voluntary sector. To complement this benchmark research, the Awareness Joint Table also commissioned EKOS Research to conduct a survey with a representative sample from the general public.

In fall 2002, the AJT proposed the creation of a small steering committee to provide ongoing oversight during the initiative’s implementation, taking into account the spirit of collaboration and partnership achieved to date between the government and the voluntary sector.  The committee is composed of 2 representatives each from the government and the voluntary sector with a good level of expertise in communications.

4. Scope of work

This is a call for proposals to design, develop and deliver the Canada Voluntary Sector Awareness Initiative (CSVAI) funded by the Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP), Social Development Directorate (SDD), Social Development Canada (SDC), under the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI)

The CSVAI is intended to enchance awareness of the voluntary sector in Canadian society so that its contribution to Canada's way of life is valued and supported by individuals, communities, and the public and private sectors.

Taking into account the spirit of collaboration and partnership achieved to date between the government and the voluntary sector through the VSI and the Awareness Joint Table (AJT), it is strongly recommended that a joint government/sector advisory committee be created to ensure continuity and to provide leadership to the CVSAI. The Social Development Division (SDD) is responsible for program and financial monitoring and contribution agreement administration.

The approach recommended by the VSI Awareness Joint Table involves a two-level campaign that includes a national component that will target national opinion leaders, parliamentarians, and the major media; and a community-based campaign (local component) driven by voluntary sector organizations using tools adapted from those developed for the national campaign. The materials/tools that are to be developed will serve both purposes and can be adapted to meet the needs of specific organizations. Proposals should take into considerations cost-effectiveness, synergies between the national and community-based components, the potential to generate public debate on the role of the voluntary sector in Canadian society and strategic linkages/partnerships with key national/regional voluntary sector organizations in order to strengthen the capacity for delivering the proposed campaign.

5. Eligible organizations

There are three mandatory criteria for this call for proposals. To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization must meet all three of the following criteria:

• The organization must be incorporated not-for-profit organization;

• The activities of the organization must be related to social development; and

• The organization must demonstrate that it has the capacity to deliver a national communications campaign.

6. Project duration and funding available

The work will commence on November 1, 2004 and must be completed by March 31, 2006.

The maximum annual funding available from the CVSAI is $1,400,000 over 2 years.

SECTION 3: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. Overview of the Assessment and Recommendation Process

The Assessment and Recommendation process conducted by the Social Development Directorate (SDD) is a multi-phase process designed to ensure that the best overall proposal be recommended to the Minister.  The best overall proposal is one that will best meet the proposed communication objectives outlines in the Strategic Communications Framework document, contribute to achieving the objective of the SDD and the specific funding priorities of this call for proposals, with the greatest cost effectiveness.

To identify the best overall proposal, SDD has designed a comprehensive assessment process that includes:

• Consideration of three (3) Mandatory Criteria and five (5) categories of Assessment Criteria (See 2 and 3);

• Consideration and review by SDD Program Officers, a joint government/voluntary sector Advisory Committee, Social Development Canada (SDC) Senior Management and other relevant SDC officials; and

• Final approval by the Minister of Social Development Canada.

Table 1 summarizes the SDD Assessment and Recommendation Process. Please note that during the assessment process, SDD may seek written clarification from an applicant on technical details of complex proposals. Applicants will be expected to respond to these technical questions within a week of the request. Please note that such communication will not be made in instances where basic information has been forgotten or omitted, since it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the submitted proposal is complete.

Table 1: Overview of the SDD Assessment and Recommendation Process

2. Mandatory Criteria

There are three mandatory criteria for this call for proposals. To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization must meet all three of the following criteria:

• The organization must be incorporated not-for-profit organization;

• The activities of the organization must be related to social development; and

• The organization must demonstrate that it has the capacity to deliver a national communications campaign.

Please note that failure to meet the Mandatory Criteria will result in disqualification from further consideration.

3. Assessment Criteria

If a proposal meets the Mandatory Criteria, it will then be assessed against the following five categories of Assessment Criteria.

• Objectives and intended results;

• Capacity to complete the project;

• Approach and workplan;

• Budget; and

• Overall quality of the proposal.

2. Capacity to Deliver will be reviewed and assessed against the following criteria:

3. Approach and workplan will be reviewed and assessed against the following criteria:

4. Assessment Criteria related to Budget

Budget will be reviewed and assessed against the following criteria:

• The level of detail and accuracy of the proposed costs (including in-kind contributions), by fiscal year;

• The reasonableness of proposed costs for the overall project (including costs related to the dissemination strategy, measuring and monitoring results of the project and, if relevant, the evaluation of the project);

• The consistency of the budget with the proposed activities and intended results described in the workplan;

• The extent to which the budget reflects due regard for the economical and prudent use of contribution funds (e.g. makes use of existing resources, facilities and equipment, proposed costs reflect fair market value, etc.);

• Extent to which the costs of the proposed project will be cost-shared with other partners/co-funders; and

• Extent to which there are other federal government programs that provide significant funding to the type of proposed project.

5. Assessment Criteria related to Overall Quality of the Proposal

The Overall Quality of the Proposal will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Potential for this project to significantly contribute to the objectives and priorities of the program;

• Extent to which the proposed project is creative, innovative and or cutting edge;

• Quality, clarity and conciseness of the entire package; and

• Practicality and feasibility of the proposed project.

SECTION 4: THIS SECTION PROVIDES GENERAL INFORMATION RELATING TO DEVELOPING AND COMPLETING THE PROPOSAL, AND DETAILED INFORMATION RELATING TO COMPLETING THE BUDGET SECTION

1. General Instructions

a) As detailed in the Required Forms and Format for Proposals document (PDF version, RTF (rich text format) version) , your proposal should include the following in order to be included in the Assessment and Recommendation Process:

• Part A: Mandatory Criteria (Recommended length 1 page)

• Part B: Application for Funding (Recommended length 2 pages)

• Part C: Executive Summary (Recommended length 1 page)

• Part D: Description of Proposed Project (Recommended length 4 pages)

• Part E: Workplan (Recommended length 4 pages)

• Part F: Knowledge Dissemination and Evaluation Plan (Recommended length 4 pages)

• Part G: Capacity to Complete the Project (Recommended length 2 pages)

• Part H: Budget (Recommend 1 page per fiscal year, plus additional 2 pages)

• Part I: Supporting Documentation

b) Please complete your proposal electronically.

c)  Please note that all information requested is required to support the Assessment and Recommendation Process (described in Section 3). Therefore, before submitting your proposal, please check to ensure your proposal is complete and that your have answered each question and attached all requested supporting documentation.

d) Your proposal must be complete, but it must also be concise. The recommended length per section is noted above in (a). Please note that it is expected that a reasonable size font (e.g. 10 to 12 point) will be used to avoid difficulty in reading and reviewing the proposal.

e) As you complete your proposal, please ensure you refer to Section 3: The Assessment and Recommendation Process for helpful hints on what type of information to include for each assessment category and criteria.

f) Please ensure that one of the two hard copies you submit is the original signed version. (The signature block is included in the Application for Funding Form.)

2. Information related to completing Part H: Budget

When preparing Part H: Budget, please bear in mind the following:

a) The budget must include only eligible cost (See 3 below)

b) The cost related to wages must be broken out on the basis of an hourly rate.

The budget must be broken down by fiscal year, based on your anticipated need for the funds. Please note that it is very important to be as accurate as possible in determining the amount and timing of your anticipated costs since it is very difficult for the department to re-allocate approved funding from one fiscal period to the next.

c) The budget for each year must include three columns:

1. The amount to be paid for (or contributed by) the applicant and cost-sharing partner(s), if any;
2. The amount request from SDD; and
3. The total amount.

3. Eligible and Ineligible expenses

The proposed budget must include only eligible expenses. Eligible expenses include the following:

Direct Expenses

• Actual new (incremental) costs incurred directly to carry out activities described in the workplan;

• Actual new (incremental) costs incurred to provide the required operational support to personnel directly involved in delivery of the project. (for example, necessary office facilities, equipment and supplies for the direct program personnel identified in the work plan).

Indirect Expenses

• Expenses incurred by the organization's administrative functions and infrastructure to support the delivery of the project, but not related directly to the execution of the project work plan, or to the direct project personnel, may be included. Examples of such expenses might include, for example, communications (telephone, fax,) and other office expenses. The basis of determining an appropriate allocation of such costs must be reasonable.

Ineligible Expenses

• Costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal;

• Fees of any kind, including contingency fees, used to pay for third parties assisting the applicant in obtaining SDC funding (i. e., lobbyists of any kind); and

• Costs incurred before an agreement is approved and signed by the Government of Canada.

Please ensure ineligible expenses are not included in your budget.

SECTION 5: OVERVIEW OF CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Once the Minister has approved a proposal, the department will enter into negotiations to develop a contribution agreement. The contribution agreement is a legal contract that sets out such details as amount of funding to be provided, timing of payments, objectives to be achieved, etc. Much of the information included in the contribution agreement will be taken from the proposal submitted by the applicant.

The following Table provides an overview of the types of terms and conditions that will be included in a contribution agreement.