Art Direction and Graphic Design Services – ISO Annual Report 2025–26

SCOPE OF WORK

The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) is seeking proposals from qualified graphic design teams to provide art direction and graphic design services for its Annual Report 2025–26, ensuring strong alignment with ISO’s brand identity and brand guidelines.

The ISO Annual Report is a comprehensive document that highlights the organization’s activities, including funding allocations, visual data representations, images, and a list of funding recipients.

The Annual Report will be produced in English and French and must comply with applicable accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Vendors are encouraged to consult Accessibility Standards Canada for reference: https://accessible.canada.ca/

DELIVERABLES

The selected applicant will be responsible for delivering the following:

• Print-ready versions of the Annual Report in English and French
• Accessible digital PDF versions of the Annual Report in English and French, compliant with WCAG
• Presentation-ready digital versions of the Annual Report in English and French (e.g., PowerPoint or similar format)

PROJECT TIMELINE

Note: This is an estimated timeline for the production of the ISO Annual Report 2025–26.

• January 23, 2026: RFP opens
• February 6, 2026: RFP closes
• Mid-February 2026: Shortlisted teams contacted for interviews
• March 2, 2026: Contract awarded
• Mid-April 2026: Design concept development
• May 1, 2026: First English draft submitted to ISO
• May 11, 2026: Second English draft submitted to ISO
• May 22, 2026: Final English version and first French draft submitted to ISO
• May 29, 2026: Final English PDF and presentation; second French draft submitted to ISO
• June 5, 2026: Final French PDF and presentation submitted to ISO

Each draft milestone includes up to two (2) rounds of revisions by ISO. Any additional revisions may impact the project timeline and budget and will be subject to mutual written agreement between ISO and the selected applicant.

BUDGET

The maximum budget for this project is $9,000 CAD, plus HST. This amount must include all costs associated with:

• Art direction and graphic design for both English and French versions
• All formats outlined in the Deliverables section
• Administrative, coordination, and overhead costs
• Up to two (2) rounds of revisions per draft phase, as outlined in the Project Timeline

Vendors must submit a detailed budget breakdown that includes:

• Confirmation that the above revision rounds are included in the proposed fee
• The proposed hourly rate or per-round cost for any additional revisions requested beyond those included, which must be pre-approved by ISO in writing

The total proposed budget must not exceed $9,000 CAD + HST.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF document and include the following:

• Description of your creative team, including the proposed lead graphic designer
• Executive summary of your company or team
• Full contact information for the applicant (name, phone number, and email address)
• Links to recent and relevant work samples
• Disclosure of any scheduling conflicts or major concurrent projects during the proposed timeline
• A short (one-paragraph) description of your proposed art direction approach
• A mood board illustrating your proposed visual approach
• A draft budget, including any additional charges for revisions or scope changes requested by ISO
• A brief description of how revisions are managed, including anticipated turnaround time per revision round

Proposals must not exceed 10 pages, including appendices.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following four criteria:

1. Art Direction and Graphic Design
   Overall creative vision and alignment with ISO’s brand and objectives, including the quality and originality of the proposed concept.
2. Work Samples and References
   Quality and relevance of portfolio work; experience with similar projects; demonstrated flexibility with evolving scopes and timelines; and a clear, reliable process for delivering work in a timely manner. Availability during regular business hours is required.
3. Budget
   Clarity, completeness, and appropriateness of the proposed budget in relation to the scope of work.
4. Community Relevance
   Demonstrated engagement with the communities reflected in this work. ISO is committed to working with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis companies. This competition is open to Canadian companies and Canadian citizens or permanent residents only. All team members must meet this requirement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Indigenous Screen Office is an independent national advocacy and funding organization serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis creators of screen content in Canada. ISO’s mandate is to foster and support narrative sovereignty and cultural revitalization by increasing Indigenous storytelling on screens and promoting Indigenous values and participation across the sector.
All services performed and all work products created under this project, including intellectual property and copyright, shall be the exclusive property of the Indigenous Screen Office.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS

Questions may be submitted to communications@iso-bea.ca. No extensions will be granted. Due to the volume of applications, ISO is unable to provide detailed feedback to unsuccessful vendors.
This is an open and competitive process. ISO will shortlist up to five (5) proposals for follow-up interviews, to be conducted via Zoom in mid-February 2026.