(Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada) Request for Proposals: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – Supporting Inuit Families and Communities – Environmental Scan and Research

Press Release

Background: Organization and Previous Work in FASD

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada (Pauktuutit) fosters greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women, advocates for equality and social improvements, and encourages their participation in the community, regional and national life of Canada. Pauktuutit leads and supports Inuit women in Canada in policy development and community projects in all areas of interest to them for the social, cultural, political and economic betterment of the women, their families and communities.

Through previous Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) initiatives, Pauktuutit has delivered bilingual and plain language, culturally-specific and trauma informed public health messaging about alcohol use and pregnancy through our The Choices We Make During Pregnancy bilingual poster, our Katujjiqatigiitsuni Sanngini: Working Together to Understand FASD handbook and training module, and our Before I was Born, Preventing FAS/FAE in Inuit communities video (2001).

In 2009, Pauktuutit conducted focus groups (FGs) with Inuit women to gain a clearer understanding of Inuit knowledge, attitudes and behaviours surrounding FASD. That research led to the development of Pauktuutit’s Inuit Five-Year Strategic Plan for FASD 2010-2015. Subsequently. Pauktuutit organized an FASD Strategic Planning Session in Happy Valley Goose Bay, Labrador (Nunatsiavut) to coincide with the National Inuit Early Childhood Education Gathering in March 2010. Participants of the strategic planning session were presented the results of the four FASD focus group sessions conducted by Pauktuutit, from which they identified several FASD issues. The FASD Strategic Planning Session also identified a need to conduct an environmental scan on what has been done about FASD in terms of training, awareness building and promotion, prevention, diagnosis, support and treatment to look beyond what has already been done with respect to women at risk, the prenatal period and for infants through to preschool.

Currently, there is a need for an environmental scan of FASD initiatives for school age children, youth and adults. This should include identifying existing programs, materials and promising practices, and assessing their accessibility and suitability for Inuit. The proposed future FGs will afford an opportunity to acquire unique regional and community perspectives on how Inuit view FASD. Documenting changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors is instrumental in better understanding current awareness and stigmas surrounding FASD and how best to provide information about FASD to Inuit.

Following an environmental scan, the collection of enhanced baseline data through FGs and key informant interviews will explore the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding FASD, the harmful effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy as well as identify key areas of need. FGs support the oral traditions of Inuit, such as face to face communication, engagement, and sharing with community members, all which Inuit highly value. Semi-structured key informant interviews will also be facilitated, recorded and transcribed verbatim, then analyzed using thematic analysis. The research collected will be developed into culturally-relevant and bilingual multimedia resources for public awareness campaigns and dissemination to Inuit communities. This research will culminate in a report that will be shared with communities and stakeholders and will help to inform future policy and programming initiatives and support the work of our partners and networks. The knowledge collected will then be translated into multimedia resources that will also be shared with Inuit communities

Goals of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Supporting our Inuit Families and Communities

The overall goal of this project is to foster FASD awareness and prevention in Inuit communities to improve maternal and infant outcomes and related services for Inuit women and their families, and reduce stigma associated with FASD. The project seeks to understand community knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and practices around the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy, so the effectiveness of prevention efforts may be assessed over time toward improved maternal and infant outcomes. The anticipated two-year project will map existing FASD-related prevention activities and services, identify gaps in the service landscape, and develop targeted health promotion resources to raise awareness and understanding of the risks of alcohol use in pregnancy and FASD, as well as preventing alcohol use during pregnancy.

The first phase of this project aims to enhance Inuit-specific data regarding FASD to inform project resource development, by conducting FGs and key informant interviews to inform future programming and policies to improve FASD prevention among non-pregnant women of child-bearing age, pregnant women and their partners, young adults, individuals with FASD, and related service providers and policy makers. This phase requires primarily an environmental scan of current FASD information and subsequently the conducting of research FGs through which relevant baseline information may be collected.

The focus group size will be approximately 10 participants per community, one in each region of the Inuit Nunangat including: Nunavut, Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut, and 3 key urban areas. This allows for a total focus group audience of 70 participants. We will also conduct three to five key informant interviews with service providers and policy/decision makers in every community, approximately 21-35 interviews.

Scope

This is an open call to individuals, firms, or organizations to provide a comprehensive proposal to conduct the environmental scan and research project in partnership with Pauktuutit.

Applicants must demonstrate an understanding of Inuit culture, experience in facilitation, research, and focus group means and methods, and the ability to produce culturally-appropriate work.

We encourage the submission of proposals from Inuit or Indigenous researchers and organizations.

Specifications of Work and Deliverables

• Conduct an environmental scan of current FASD information, services and supports available to and in communities across the four regions of Inuit Nunangat and specified key urban centres in partnership with Pauktuutit;
• Identify individual key informants for interviews with guidance from Pauktuutit staff and Advisory Committee;
  • Currently, the suggested communities (subject to change) are: Inuvik; Iqaluit; Kuujjuaq; Nain; Edmonton; Ottawa; Montreal.
• Work directly with local facilitators and Pauktuutit staff to develop and conduct focus groups and key informant interviews to explore knowledge, attitudes and behaviors surrounding FASD and to identify key areas of need from communities; and
• Complete and submit focus groups and key informant research report to Pauktuutit.
  Additionally, the successful applicant/s will be required to:
• participate in project meetings and teleconferences as appropriate;
• support project related work where necessary;
• provide progress updates as requested; and,
• submit all final project documents upon completion.

Timeline

The duration of the contract will be October 23rd, 2019 – March 31st, 2020.

• bids accepted until October 20th, 2019;
• contract begins October 23rd, 2019;
• delivery of environmental scan by November 13th, and all other final reports by March 18th, 2020; and
• Contract ends – March 31st, 2020.

Pauktuutit’s Roles and Responsibilities

The primary contact at Pauktuutit for this project is Reyna Uriarte, Project Coordinator (ruriarte@pauktuuit.ca). Pauktuutit commits to provide the information and materials necessary to complete the work and will respond to requests for information in a timely fashion.

Pauktuutit will provide a decision on the awarded proposal within seven business days following the close of this RFP.

Confidentiality, Privacy and Copyright

The successful applicant shall not disclose to any party any confidential information gained or resulting from activities undertaken under this project, nor shall the applicant disclose any information concerning Pauktuutit or their affairs where such information is obtained through this contract.

It is understood that Pauktuutit retains ownership of any and all materials and intellectual property created, designed, or produced as a result of activities undertaken by the successful applicant when awarded this project.

It is understood that the successful applicant will generate original work for this project.

Proposal Instructions

• Applicants must submit their company name, and confirm their incorporation, references, and/or portfolio;
• Submit by email to ruriarte@pauktuuit.ca;
• Word format or PDF;
• Estimates/budgets must remain firm until October 23rd, 2019;
• No payment will be made for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to this RFP;
• No costs incurred before receipt of a signed contract can be charged to the proposed contract;
• Travel (specify expenses AND transport) that may be required will be separate from this scope of work budget and will be paid for by Pauktuutit; and,
• Pauktuutit reserves the right not to award a contract as a result of this RFP.

Budget

The proposal must:

• Include a detailed budget not to exceed $55,000 including HST and that demonstrates that the objectives and deliverables for the project can be met;
• Indicate the billing rate;
• List any other expenses that might be applicable; and
• Total bid MUST include 13% HST tax.

Rights of the Organization

Pauktuutit reserves the right to:

• Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on any or all aspects of this proposal.
• Accept any proposal in whole or in part.
• Cancel and/or re-issue this requirement at any time.
• Award one or more contracts.
• Verify any or all information provided by the bidder with respect to this requirement.

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