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Contract Opportunities

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Constitutional Commitments to Community Vitality Through Economic Results

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: February 12, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: February 23, 2026 – March 31, 2026

The Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC) is the federally designated economic and labour market development organization dedicated to strengthening the economic vitality and labour market participation of the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec (OLMCQ) through applied research, the creation of public, private and civil society collaborative economic development partnerships, and policy and program development.

CEDEC strengthens the contribution of English speakers and the OLMCQ to the economic development of Quebec, while addressing economic and labour market disparities within the community. Specifically, it generates tangible economic benefits and impacts for English speakers, businesses, social enterprises, and communities, all of which contribute to the vitality of the OLMCQ and the broader Quebec society.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

CEDEC manages a large and growing body of applied research, policy analysis, program documentation, administrative data, and external evidence related to workforce development, labour market participation, economic development, and Official Language Minority Community vitality. As the scale, interdependence, and strategic importance of this knowledge base have increased, CEDEC requires an integrated, intelligence-driven system that moves beyond document storage toward active knowledge mobilization.

This Request for Proposals is issued under CEDEC’s Official Languages Economic Development and Labour Market Participation Applied Research Program (EDLMPARP).

CEDEC is advancing a multi-year applied research and system-design agenda to strengthen the economic vitality, workforce development, and labour market participation outcomes of the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec. Central to this agenda is the effective implementation of Part VII of the Official Languages Act, which imposes a positive obligation on federal institutions to take concrete and intentional measures to enhance OLMCQ vitality, including through economic, workforce, and labour market development.

At the same time, Québec’s evolving constitutional and legislative framework, including Bill 1 (the Québec Constitution Act), introduces an additional and consequential policy context that shapes how economic, workforce, and labour market development interventions are designed and delivered in Québec.

This RFP seeks to retain a seasoned policy development firm to complete three integrated components of applied policy research and formulation that, together, can strengthen policy coherence, implementation capacity, and accountability results in the area of Official Languages economic, workforce, and labour market development.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) contains specific details and timelines and should be reviewed carefully prior to submitting a proposal. Every proposal must cover all of the service requirements outlined in the RFP. Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to engage a seasoned policy development firm to design, undertake, and complete all three components of the policy work described below as a single, coherent body of work by March 31, 2026.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

Clarify how federal and Quebec legal and policy frameworks interact in practice in the area of economic, workforce, and labour market development affecting the OLMCQ.
Provide clear and actionable blueprints for a) a “Positive Measures Lab” and b) a government-wide Official Languages Results Accountability Framework with explicit Part VII alignment.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be responsible for completing the following three integrated components. Proponents must demonstrate how their approach ensures coherence and logical progression across all components.

COMPONENT 1

WHERE LANGUAGE POLICY MEETS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Comparative Policy and Implementation Analysis of Part VII of the Official Languages Act and Québec’s Bill 1

The proponent will undertake applied policy research examining alignment, misalignment, strengths, and weaknesses between Part VII of the Official Languages Act and Québec’s Bill 1 in relation to economic, workforce, and labour market development.

The work will focus on how legal obligations translate into policy choices, program design, and delivery practices, and how these choices interact across constitutional and jurisdictional boundaries.

Key activities include:

Designing research questions, scope parameters, and in-scope legal and policy instruments.
Developing an economic and labour market obligations lens grounded in Part VII duties and relevant provisions of Bill 1.
Producing a set of foundational legal and policy principles and mapping them to obligations under both frameworks
Developing an issues matrix organized around economic and labour market development pathways.
Identifying areas of convergence, synergy, tension, and potential conflict, including the legal nature of each.
Synthesizing findings and producing ranked recommendations to strengthen complementarity and mitigate risks.

Key deliverables include:

Brief on economic, workforce, and labour market development obligations under Part VII and Bill 1.
Issues matrix organized by development pathways.
Final applied policy research report.

COMPONENT 2

CREATING A BLUEPRINT FOR A COLLABORATIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSITIVE MEASURES LAB

The proponent will design a Blueprint for creating a permanent Positive Measures Lab situated within the OLMCQ Collaborative Economic Development Ecosystem. The Blueprint must enable CEDEC and its partners to create the capacity to systematically propose, assess, test, evidence, and report on positive measures in the economic, workforce, and labour market domain.

The work will include six integrated workstreams:

Development of a shared, operational definitions and concepts package.
Translation of Part VII legal obligations into a practical accountability logic.
Creation of a positive measures typology with minimum evidence standards.
Design of a controlled document register to serve as the evidence backbone.
Design of the Positive Measures Lab as a permanent operating system, including governance and workflows.
Definition of permanent capacity requirements within the Ecosystem.

The primary deliverable is a comprehensive Blueprint that includes mandate, guiding principles, operating model, governance, job functions, implementation roadmap, first-year operating plan, controlled document register, typology, and evaluation rubric.

COMPONENT 3

BLUEPRINT FOR A GOVERNMENT-WIDE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES RESULTS ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK

The proponent will develop a Blueprint for a government-wide Official Languages Results Accountability Framework with explicit emphasis on Part VII outcomes.

The Framework must move beyond procedural compliance toward an outcomes-oriented system that supports decision making, learning, transparency, and continuous improvement.

The work will define, without executing, the design requirements for:

A government-wide Official Languages results framework
Departmental results protocols
Program logic and performance models.
OLMC-level results protocols
An integrated results and accountability dashboard

The work is organized into seven phases covering design requirements, outputs and outcomes, sequencing, interdependencies, governance, dashboard architecture, and synthesis.

The primary deliverable is a single, coherent Blueprint and integrated roadmap suitable for implementation by the Government of Canada and its partners.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

A detailed methodology and integrated work plan covering all three components.
Interim technical memoranda as required.
Component-specific reports and analytical products.
Blueprint-level deliverables corresponding to Components 2 and 3.
One integrated synthesis report.
Executive summaries suitable for non-technical audiences.

All deliverables must be provided in English, with clear structure, documented assumptions, and transparent discussion of limitations.

TIMELINE

The full assignment must be completed by March 31, 2026.

Proponents must include a detailed timeline with milestones, dependencies, and review points.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with extensive government expertise in:

Applied policy research and legal policy analysis.
Economic, workforce, and labour market development systems
Official Languages Policy and OLMC contexts
Results frameworks, accountability systems, and evaluation design
Complex, multi-component research and system-design initiatives.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and relevant experience.
Understanding of the research context and objectives.
Proposed methodology and analytical approach.
Work plan and timeline.
Project team composition and roles, including resumes.
Detailed budget and cost breakdown.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Quality of team qualifications and experience.
Demonstrated understanding of objectives and scope.
Quality and coherence of methodology.
Relevant expertise and experience.
Feasibility of work plan and timeline.
Integration across components.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by February 12, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

As we anticipate a high volume of responses to this Request for Proposals, we are unable to address questions prior to the submission deadline. Additional information and the opportunity to seek clarification will be provided to the firms selected to advance to the next stage of the procurement process.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENTS TO COMMUNITY VITALITY THROUGH ECONOMIC RESULTS in the subject line of all inquiries.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) has been prepared by the Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC). CEDEC considers the material in this RFP to be proprietary and confidential. The contents of this RFP must be held in confidence by recipients and used only to prepare a proposal for consideration by CEDEC.

Design, Build, and Implement the EASCDI Provincial Talent Placement Platform

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: March 2, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: March 9, 2026 – March 31, 2026

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The Employment Assistance Services Capacity Development Initiative (EASCDI) is designed to strengthen the capacity of the English-speaking community of Quebec to participate fully in the provincial labour market. Achieving this objective requires a coordinated provincial system that connects employers, workforce developers, and job seekers across regions, sectors, and institutions.

The Provincial Talent Placement Platform is the operational backbone of this system. Its purpose is to enable the development and operation of a coherent, scalable, and accountable provincial employment assistance ecosystem that delivers measurable placement outcomes while supporting learning, adaptation, and long-term labour market inclusion.

CEDEC functions as the provincial owner and system integrator of the Platform, with responsibility for coordination, performance monitoring, reporting to funders, and continuous system improvement.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to retain a qualified proponent to design, build, populate, and operationalize the Provincial Talent Placement Platform as a single integrated assignment by March 31, 2026.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

Establish a province-wide digital Platform that increases successful job placements for OLMCQ job seekers.
Improve employer engagement, matching quality, and retention outcomes.
Provide EASCDI Partners with a shared operational infrastructure that supports collaboration, accountability, and performance management.
Embed evaluation, learning, and compliance directly into daily operations.
Ensure bilingual accessibility, privacy protection, and trust by design.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be responsible for completing all components described below in an integrated and coherent manner.

COMPONENT 1 – PLATFORM FOUNDATIONS AND SYSTEM DESIGN

The proponent will design the overall Platform architecture, operating model, and system logic.

This component includes:

Translation of EASCDI outcomes into Platform design requirements.
Design of the end-to-end employment lifecycle supported by the Platform.
Definition of roles, permissions, and interaction models for CEDEC, EASCDI Partners, employers, workforce developers, and job seekers.
Design of bilingual, accessible, and mobile-first user experiences.

Key deliverables include a system architecture blueprint, user journey maps, and a functional requirements specification.

COMPONENT 2 – MATCHING, PLACEMENT, AND CASE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES

The proponent will design and implement core operational capabilities. This component includes:

AI-assisted skills parsing, transferable skills inference, and job clustering.
Hybrid matching with explainability and human in the loop overrides.
Case and service management workflows covering intake, action planning, referrals, placements, and retention.
Employer vacancy management, talent pools, and outreach sequencing.
Training and micro-credential referral functionality.

Key deliverables include configured workflows, matching logic, explainability panels, and role-specific interfaces.

COMPONENT 3 – PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION, AND REPORTING ENGINE

The proponent will embed performance measurement and learning directly into the Platform.

This component includes:

Standardized indicators aligned to EASCDI outcomes.
Cohort tracking and post placement follow-up at multiple intervals.
Real-time dashboards for CEDEC and Partners.
Automated quarterly reporting packs and early wins summaries.
Anonymized data outputs to support labour market intelligence and research.

Key deliverables include dashboards, reporting templates, and evaluation logic models.

COMPONENT 4 – DATA, PRIVACY, SECURITY, AND GOVERNANCE

The proponent will ensure that trust, compliance, and accountability are foundational. This component includes:

Compliance with applicable federal and provincial privacy legislation.
Role-based access controls, consent management, and audit trails.
Data lineage, retention schedules, and security controls.
Governance tools to support oversight, stewardship, and escalation.

Key deliverables include a privacy and security architecture, governance framework, and compliance documentation.

COMPONENT 5 – IMPLEMENTATION, ENABLEMENT, AND CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION

The proponent will support implementation and long-term sustainability. This component includes:

Phased implementation and rollout planning.
Training, onboarding, and user support materials.
Product management and continuous improvement processes.
Support for a multi-stakeholder steering and delivery model.

Key deliverables include an implementation roadmap, training materials, and a continuous improvement plan.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

An integrated methodology and work plan.
System architecture and design documentation.
A fully operational Provincial Talent Placement Platform.
Configured AI-assisted matching and placement capabilities.
Dashboards, reports, and evaluation outputs.
Governance, privacy, and security documentation.
An executive summary for senior and non-technical audiences

All deliverables must be provided in English, with clear structure and documented assumptions.

TIMELINE

The assignment must be completed no later than March 31, 2026.

Proponents must include a detailed timeline with phases, milestones, and deliverables.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with demonstrated expertise in:

Employment and labour market Platforms.
AI-assisted matching and case management systems.
Public sector or regulated data environments.
Accessibility, bilingual systems, and inclusive design.
Complex multi-stakeholder program delivery.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and relevant experience.
Understanding of the EASCDI context and objectives.
Proposed technical and delivery approach.
Work plan and timeline.
Project team composition and roles.
Examples of comparable platforms or systems.
Detailed budget and cost breakdown.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Understanding of objectives and scope.
Quality and feasibility of the proposed approach.
Technical and domain expertise.
Ability to deliver an integrated system.
Feasibility of timeline.
Value for money.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by March 2, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: Design, Build, and Operationalization of the EASCDI Provincial Talent Placement Platform in the subject line of all inquiries.

Expert Communications and Markerting Services

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: February 23, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: March 9, 2026 – March 31, 2026

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

CEDEC’s mandate requires the organization to generate and steward a growing body of applied research, policy analysis, collaborative economic development initiatives, and program outcomes related to workforce, venture, and labour market development for the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec.

As CEDEC’s work has expanded in scale and complexity, so too has the need for strengthened third-party communications and marketing support to consistently translate this substantive work into clear, credible, and decision-relevant narratives.

Communications and marketing are treated not as promotional activities, but as enabling infrastructure that supports policy influence, partnership development, funding alignment, and ecosystem coordination. This RFP seeks expert services to operationalize that capacity.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to retain a qualified communications and marketing firm or consortium to design and deliver all service and product components described in this RFP as a single, integrated assignment by March 31, 2026.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

Strengthen CEDEC’s ability to translate complex research, policy, and economic development work into accessible, persuasive, and evidence-based narratives.
Bolster a coherent and recognizable CEDEC voice across initiatives, platforms, and audiences.
Enhance the demonstration of CEDEC’s results and contributions through credible storytelling linked to outcomes.
Fortify CEDEC communication assets to support ongoing outreach and future growth.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be responsible for delivering all communications and marketing services and products described below in an integrated and coordinated manner.

COMPONENT 1

COMPREHENSIVE CEDEC COMMUNICATIONS AND MESSAGING FRAMEWORK

The proponent will develop a unified communications and messaging framework that defines how CEDEC communicates across audiences and channels.

This work includes:

Clarification of CEDEC’s core positioning, value proposition, and narrative architecture.
Definition of consistent language, tone, and voice across research, policy, program, and partnership communications.
Development of audience-specific message adaptations for governments, funders, ecosystem partners, employers, and communities.
Guidance on translating evidence, data, and outcomes into clear narrative form.

The framework will function as the authoritative reference for all CEDEC communications activities.

Key deliverable:

Comprehensive CEDEC Communications and Messaging Framework document

COMPONENT 2 – FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS

Building on the messaging framework, the proponent will develop a suite of foundational communications tools to support consistent, efficient content development. This component includes:

An updated CEDEC overview brief articulating mandate, approach, and impact
A concise executive summary tailored for senior decision makers and funders
A structured key message house supporting rapid deployment across initiatives

Key deliverables:

Bilingual CEDEC overview brief
Executive summary
Key message house

COMPONENT 3 – EVIDENCE-BASED SUCCESS STORIES

The proponent will develop a set of short, high-quality success stories that illustrate CEDEC’s impact in practice. Each story will be grounded in evidence and structured to demonstrate:

The challenge or opportunity addressed
CEDEC’s role and contribution
The collaborative or systemic approach applied
Tangible outcomes and early results
The initial focus will be on workforce development, venture support, and collaborative economic development initiatives.

Key deliverables:

A curated set of reusable evidence-based success stories suitable for presentations, reports, funding discussions, and digital use

COMPONENT 4 – STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT FOR KEY INITIATIVES

The proponent will provide targeted communications services and edit and produce materials to support priority initiatives and moments of influence. This component includes, for example, supplementary support for:

The 2026 Flagship Workshop
The Collaborative Economic Development Roadmap
Policy outreach and engagement with governments and institutions

Deliverables may include edited and updated materials as well as original content such as speaking notes, media and announcement texts, and partner toolkits that enable consistent amplification by CEDEC and its collaborators.

Key deliverables:

Strategic communications content packages aligned to priority initiatives

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

A detailed communications methodology and work plan.
The CEDEC Communications and Messaging Framework.
Foundational communications tools.
Evidence-based success stories.
Strategic communications content for key initiatives.
An executive summary describing outcomes achieved through the assignment.

All deliverables must be provided in English, with clear structure, documented assumptions, and transparent linkage between activities and outcomes.

TIMELINE

The assignment will be delivered over a multi-year period, with an initial foundation phase and subsequent annualized delivery.

Proponents must include a detailed timeline identifying phases, milestones, and deliverables.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with demonstrated expertise and experience in:

Developing strategic and senior-level communications and marketing advisory and support services in public policy and economic development contexts.
Translation of research and complex policy materials into accessible narratives.
Evidence-based storytelling and results communication.
Working with public, nonprofit, and multi-stakeholder organizations.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and relevant experience
Understanding of CEDEC’s mandate and communications context
Proposed methodology and service approach
Work plan and timeline
Project team composition and roles
Examples of comparable communications work
Budget proposal and cost breakdown

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Senior-level communications and marketing advisory and support services in public policy and economic development contexts.
Demonstrated understanding of objectives and scope.
Quality and coherence of the proposed approach.
Relevance and depth of experience.
Feasibility of the work plan and timeline.
Value for money.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by February 23, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

As we anticipate a high volume of responses to this Request for Proposals, we are unable to address questions prior to the submission deadline. Additional information and the opportunity to seek clarification will be provided to the firms selected to advance to the next stage of the procurement process.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: EXPERT COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING SERVICES in the subject line of all inquiries.

Expert Research Services – Building a Baseline Labour Market Framework for the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: February 23, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: March 9, 2026 – March 31, 2026

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

This Request for Proposals is issued as part of CEDEC’s Official Languages Economic Development and Labour Market Participation Applied Research Program (EDLMPARP).

The proposed research initiative will establish a coherent, evidence-based baseline for understanding how labour markets function in Canada and Quebec, and how English-speakers and the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec (OLMCQ) participate within them. The research will also generate core analytical content to support CEDEC’s education, stakeholder outreach, and communications activities.

The initiative follows a cumulative research logic that moves from foundational definitions, to measurement, to system mapping, to gap identification, and finally to contextual and population-specific analysis.

This RFP seeks expert services to design, build, and operationalize a CEDEC AI-assisted Knowledge Base that will function as a central repository, analytical library, and intelligence engine supporting the continuous development of new research, policy, and program products.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to retain an expert research firm or institution to design, undertake, and complete the research required to build a baseline labour market framework for the OLMCQ by March 31, 2026.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

Establish standardized labour market definitions and performance indicators relevant to the OLMCQ
Map labour market and labour market information systems across federal, Quebec, and regional levels
Assess the performance, strengths, gaps, and frictions of existing labour market information
Analyze Canadian and Quebec labour market performance and governance structures.
Produce an integrated labour market portrait of the OLMCQ grounded in standardized indicators

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be responsible for completing the following interconnected research components.

COMPONENT 1

FOUNDATIONAL DEFINITIONS AND LABOUR MARKET PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The research will define labour markets and labour market performance, their core functions, dynamics, and indicators. It will establish standardized definitions and validate indicators used across the EDLMPARP, including those related to labour supply and demand, participation, employment status, skills, job quality, mobility, system performance, and OLMCQ visibility.

This component will also:

Inventory key federal and Quebec labour market actors, institutions, and mandates
Document their policy and programming roles and real-world interactions
Provide a comprehensive inventory of labour market data and information sources
Analyze alignment and differences between federal and Quebec definitions and indicators

COMPONENT 2

LABOUR MARKET AND SYSTEM MAPPING

Using the standardized definitions and indicators, the research will produce:

A Labour Market Structure Map illustrating supply, demand, intermediaries, rules, incentives, and constraints
A Matching and Placement System Map illustrating interactions among employers, workforce developers, employment assistance providers, and jobseekers
A Labour Market Information Production and Flow Map identifying producers, products, users, and information bottlenecks

COMPONENT 3

BASELINE ANALYSIS OF CANADA’S AND QUEBEC’S LABOUR MARKET PERFORMANCE

This component will provide an overview of national and provincial labour markets, including historical trends, recent performance, forecasts, and structural interdependencies. It will identify strengths, constraints, and long-term strategies to improve labour market functioning.

COMPONENT 4

BASELINE IDENTIFICATION OF LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION STRENGTHS, GAPS, AND FRICTIONS

The research will develop an LMI Gap Taxonomy addressing issues such as coverage, timeliness, granularity, comparability, validity, accessibility, actionability, and OLMCQ disaggregation. The research will identify:

Existing LMI Assets and Producers.
Strengths and Limitations of Current Products.
Specific Gaps, Affected Users, Operational Consequences, and Baseline Implications.

COMPONENT 5

OLMCQ PARTICIPATION IN CANADA / QUEBEC LABOUR MARKETS

The research will produce an initial labour market portrait of the OLMCQ grounded in the standardized indicator framework. This portrait will:

Validate OLMCQ definitions and population boundaries
Establish baseline participation and employment profiles
Analyze labour demand relevant to OLMCQ workers
Profile skills, education, and human capital
Assess matching, placement, and employment outcomes
Evaluate job quality and employment sustainability
Integrate geographic and mobility dynamics
Assess system performance and OLMCQ LMI visibility

All findings will clearly identify data gaps and limitations.

COMPONENT 6

SYNTHESIS AND INTEGRATED PORTRAIT

The final deliverable will synthesize quantitative and qualitative findings into a coherent narrative explaining how the OLMCQ participates in labour markets, where outcomes diverge from provincial norms, and why. The synthesis will distinguish between structural factors, system performance issues, and data constraints, and will articulate baseline observations to inform future strategy and policy development.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

A detailed research methodology and work plan
A standardized definition and indicator framework
System maps and analytical frameworks
Interim technical memoranda as required
A comprehensive final research report suitable for policy, program, and stakeholder use
An executive summary tailored for non-technical audiences

All deliverables must be provided in English, with a clear structure, documented assumptions, and a transparent discussion of data limitations.

TIMELINE

The research must be completed no later than March 31, 2026.

Proponents must include a detailed project timeline with milestones and deliverables.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with:

demonstrated expertise and experience in labour market analysis and labour market information systems
expertise and experience with Canadian and Quebec labour market institutions and data
capacity to conduct complex, multi-component applied research
Familiarity with official language minority communities or comparable population
strong analytical, writing, and synthesis capabilities

Applications from academic institutions, research consortia, or multidisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and relevant expertise and experience
Description of the research context
Proposed methodology and analytical approach
Work plan and timeline
Project team composition, background, relevant expertise and experience, and roles, including resumes of team members.
Examples of labour market research
Budget proposal and cost breakdown

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Demonstrated understanding of the research objectives and required deliverables
Relationship to Quebec labour market.
Project team qualifications and experience.
Methodological rigour, coherence, and feasibility
Relevance and depth of expertise and experience
Feasibility of timeline and work plan
Value for money

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by February 23, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: EXPERT RESEARCH SERVICES – Building a Baseline Labour Market Framework for the Official Language Minority Community in Quebec in the subject line of all inquiries.

Expert Research Services Education-to-Employment Pathways for English-Speaking Quebecers Building a Best-in-Class OLMCQ Education-to-Work Strategy Framework

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: February 23, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: March 9, 2026 – March 31, 2026

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

This Request for Proposals (RFP) contains specific details and timelines and should be reviewed carefully prior to submitting a proposal. Every proposal must cover all the service requirements outlined in the RFP. Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.

This Request for Proposals is issued as part of CEDEC’s broader effort to refine and implement the OLMCQ Workforce Development Strategy. It will be undertaken in collaboration with the Workforce Development and Labour Market Participation Subnetwork of the OLMCQ Collaborative Economic Development Ecosystem. It is intended to inform and support the ongoing work of OLMCQ workforce developers who educate, train, and support English-speaking Quebecers in their transition from education to meaningful employment and entrepreneurship across Quebec.

This research constitutes Education-to-Employment Pathways – Part 2, building on an earlier Jurisdictional Scan. (See attached PDF – JURISDICTIONAL SCAN PART 1 associated with this RFP). Its purpose is to provide a rigorous, transferable, and publicly defensible evidence base to inform the design and implementation of a best-in-class OLMCQ Education-to-Work Strategy Framework.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to retain an expert research firm or institution to design, undertake, and complete the applied research described herein by March 31, 2026

Given Quebec’s policy, linguistic, institutional, and labour-market environment, and the lived realities of English-speaking Quebecers, the research will move beyond identifying promising Education-to-Employment Pathways to focus on Education-to-Employment practices that:

Work reliably in Quebec.
For English-speakers and the OLMCQ.
Under optimal conditions.
At an affordable cost.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be expected to:

Validate, expand, and deepen insights on education-to-employment pathways through additional Canadian and international case studies.
Identify best-in-class practices and clearly document what did not work and why.
Assess the transferability of these practices to Quebec’s policy, funding, linguistic, and labour-market context.
Engage educators, workforce developers, employers, learners, and funders through structured design labs.
Develop a practical, evidence-based OLMCQ Education-to-Employment Strategy Framework.
Propose stress-tested pilot options and a phased implementation roadmap for Quebec.

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work is organized into four integrated and sequential research phases.

PHASE 1- Applied Research and Jurisdictional Case Studies

The proponent will conduct in-depth case studies of five (5) additional Canadian and international jurisdictions with strong education-to-employment systems. Each case study must examine, at a minimum:

Overall system design and governance arrangements.
Education-to-employment pathway architecture.
Employer engagement, co-investment, and incentive models.
Learner supports, equity mechanisms, and access considerations.
Use of tools, technology, and data infrastructure.
Performance outcomes, limitations, and unintended effects.

Data collection may include document review, secondary data analysis, and targeted expert interviews where feasible.

PHASE 2 – Comparative Analysis and Synthesis

Findings across jurisdictions will be synthesized to:

Identify best-in-class and promising practices.
Distinguish enabling conditions from context-specific features.
Identify common barriers, design flaws, and failure points.
Assess relevance for linguistic minorities, rural regions, and non-traditional learners.
Produce a shortlist of practices with high potential relevance for Quebec and the OLMCQ.

This phase must clearly articulate why certain practices succeeded or failed.

PHASE 3 – Design Labs on Transferability to Quebec

The proponent will design, facilitate, and document three (3) Design Labs using human-centred design and systems-mapping methodologies. Design Labs must convene a balanced mix of:

Educators and training institutions.
Workforce developers and employment services.
Employers from relevant sectors and regions.
Jobseekers and workers in transition.
Government funders or policy representatives.

Design Labs must explicitly explore:

Lived experience of education-to-employment transitions.
Linguistic, regional, and sector-specific constraints and enablers.
Employer motivations, risks, and sustainability considerations.
Collaboration barriers across education and workforce systems.
Learner-centred supports, access challenges, and confidence factors.
Policy, governance, and data-sharing implications.
Conditions required for piloting, scaling, and continuous improvement.

PHASE 4 – Strategy Framework and Implementation Roadmap

Insights from the applied research and design labs will be integrated into a practical OLMCQ Education-to-Employment Strategy Framework, including:

Vision, objectives, and design principles.
Recommended governance and partnership model.
Integrated education-to-employment pathway architecture.
Employer engagement and co-design mechanisms.
Learner-centred supports and equity considerations.
Key performance indicators and success thresholds.
Data tools, feedback loops, and accountability mechanisms.
A phased implementation roadmap with pilot options and scaling considerations.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

Deliverable 1 – Jurisdictional Scan Report

Five detailed jurisdictional case studies.
A comparative analysis identifying best-in-class practices.
Documentation of failed or underperforming approaches.
A shortlist of practices with high relevance for Quebec and the OLMCQ.

Deliverable 2 – Design Lab Reports and Synthesis

Three Design Lab summary reports documenting participants, perspectives, assets, barriers, and transferability assessments.
One cross-lab synthesis report identifying shared priorities, tensions, and design principles.
Actionable recommendations for pilots, policy alignment, and system design.

Deliverable 3 – OLMCQ Education-to-Employment Strategy Framework

A comprehensive, evidence-based long-term strategy framework, broken down into short, medium, and longer-term objectives and targets.
Governance and partnership model.
Pathway architecture and employer engagement approach.
Learner supports and equity mechanisms.
Performance indicators and data strategy.
Phased implementation roadmap.

All deliverables must be provided in English and include clear documentation of assumptions, limitations, and data gaps.

TIMELINE

All research activities and final deliverables must be completed by March 31, 2026.

Proponents must submit a detailed work plan and timeline demonstrating feasibility within this timeframe.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with:

Demonstrated expertise in workforce development and education-to-employment systems.
Experience conducting comparative and applied policy research.
Strong facilitation capacity for design labs and stakeholder engagement.
Familiarity with Quebec’s labour-market and policy environment.
Experience working with linguistic minority or community-based systems.
Strong analytical writing and synthesis capabilities.

Applications from academic institutions, research consortia, or multidisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and relevant experience.
Understanding of the research context and objectives.
Proposed methodology and analytical approach.
Detailed work plan and timeline.
Project team composition, roles, and resumes.
Examples of comparable research.
Detailed budget and cost breakdown.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Contextual insights about Quebec and the OLMCQ.
Demonstrated understanding of research objectives and scope.
Methodological integration, rigour and coherence.
Relevance and depth of experience.
Quality of stakeholder engagement approach, with clear purpose and discipline.
Feasibility of work plan and timeline.
Value for money.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by February 23, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: Expert Research Services Education-to-Employment Pathways for English-Speaking Quebecers Building a Best-in-Class OLMCQ Education-to-Work Strategy Framework in the subject line of all inquiries.

Expert Services in Developing an AI Assisted Database of Economic, Workforce and Labour Market Development Investors and Funders

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: February 12, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: February 23, 2026 – March 31, 2026

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

This Request for Proposal is issued as part of CEDEC’s Official Languages Economic Development and Labour Market Participation Applied Research Program.

Building on CEDEC’s 2026–2028 Collaborative Economic Development Roadmap, CEDEC seeks to establish a structured, intelligence-driven capability to identify, assess, prioritize, and engage potential sources of investment capital and funding to support the development and operation of its Public, Private, and Civil Society Collaborative Economic Development partnerships.

Current funding and investment sourcing for OLMCQ economic, workforce, and labour market initiatives relies heavily on episodic scans, manual research, and opportunity-driven outreach. This approach is resource-intensive and limits CEDEC’s ability to act strategically, proactively, and at scale.

This RFP seeks expert services to design, build, populate, and operationalize an AI-assisted Economic, Workforce, and Labour Market Development Database of Potential Investors and Funders that will function as a living platform supporting the development and operation of CEDEC’s Public, Private, and Civil Society Collaborative Economic Development partnerships and the Collaborative Economic Development ECOSystem.

This Request for Proposals is issued as part of CEDEC’s broader effort to refine and implement the OLMCQ Workforce Development Strategy. It will be undertaken in collaboration with the Workforce Development and Labour Market Participation Subnetwork of the OLMCQ Collaborative Economic Development Ecosystem. It is intended to inform and support the ongoing work of OLMCQ workforce developers who educate, train, and support English-speaking Quebecers in their transition from education to meaningful employment and entrepreneurship across Quebec.

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to retain a qualified service provider to complete all three integrated components) of the initiative, described in the statement of work below, by March 31, 2026.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

Establish a standardized, scalable taxonomy and data model aligned with CEDEC economic, workforce, and labour market development priorities.
Create a high-quality, high-performing, validated database of potential investors and funders across sectors and geographies.
Embed AI-enabled features that reduce manual work and improve opportunity‑to‑funder/investor matching.
Integrate the platform into CEDEC’s operational workflows with appropriate governance and quality controls.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be responsible for completing the following three integrated components. Proponents must demonstrate how their approach ensures logical sequencing, data integrity, and long-term sustainability.

COMPONENT 1 – CORE TAXONOMY, DATA MODEL, AND FIELD DESIGN

The proponent will design the foundational taxonomy and data architecture that underpins the database. This component includes:

Review of CEDEC strategic priorities and funding and investment needs.
Design of a normalized, AI-ready data model.
Definition of standardized taxonomy dimensions, including sectors, funder and investor types, instruments, geographies, and venture stages.
Specification of mandatory and optional data fields, validation rules, and update cycles.
Alignment of fields with compliance requirements, including Official Languages Act Part VII and M‑30 considerations.

Key deliverables include:

Approved taxonomy and data dictionary.
Entity‑relationship model.
Field-level guidance and quality standards.

COMPONENT 2 – DATA POPULATION, VALIDATION, AND AI ENABLEMENT

The proponent will populate the database with a critical mass of high-quality, up-to-date and validated funder and investor records and design and implement relevant AI-assisted features.

This component includes:

AI-assisted identification of priority funder and investor lists across public, private, and civil society sectors.
Structured desk research and document review.
Extraction and normalization of data from multiple source documents.
Validation and confidence scoring of records.
Configuration of AI models for auto‑tagging, classification, and similarity scoring.
Design of explainability logic and human-in-the-loop review points.

Key deliverables include:

An AI-assisted database that can be populated automatically with documented confidence levels.
AI-assisted tagging and classification engine.
AI-assisted Venture‑to‑funder/investor recommendation logic with rationale.
SI-assisted documented validation and update process.

COMPONENT 3 – WORKFLOW INTEGRATION, GOVERNANCE, AND OPERATIONALIZATION

The proponent will ensure the AI-assisted database is operationally embedded within CEDEC and governed for long-term use. This component includes:

Mapping of CEDEC funding and investment sourcing workflows.
Definition of role-based access, permissions, and use cases.
Development of standard operating procedures and staff guidance.
Design of governance, stewardship, and maintenance models.
Definition of performance metrics and continuous improvement mechanisms.

Key deliverables include:

Documented operational workflows.
User guides and onboarding materials.
Governance and stewardship framework.
Maintenance and continuous improvement plan.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

An integrated methodology and work plan.
Component-level technical (AI-assisted) deliverables.
A fully operational AI-assisted funding and investment database.
Documentation covering taxonomy, data standards, AI logic, and workflows.
An executive summary suitable for senior and non-technical audiences.

All deliverables must be provided in English, with clear structure, documented assumptions, and transparent discussion of limitations.

TIMELINE

All activities and final deliverables must be completed by March 31, 2026.

Proponents must submit a detailed work plan and timeline demonstrating feasibility within this timeframe.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with demonstrated and extensive expertise and experience in:

Economic development, finance, and funding/investor ecosystems.
Data architecture and AI-enabled systems.
Applied research and structured desk analysis.
Workflow design and organizational enablement.
Official Languages or comparable public policy environments.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and description of relevant expertise and experience.
Understanding of the assignment objectives.
Proposed methodology and technical approach.
Work plan and timeline.
Project team composition and roles.
Three examples of comparable database or AI-enabled systems.
Detailed budget and cost breakdown.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Understanding project objectives and scope.
Quality and feasibility of methodology.
Technical and domain expertise and experience.
Integration across components.
Feasibility of timeline.
Value for money.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by February 12, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: Expert Services in Developing an AI Assisted Database of Economic, Workforce and Labour Market Development Investors and Funders in the subject line of all inquiries.

Expert Technical Services in AI - Design Build and Operationalize an AI Assisted Knowledge Base

Cet avis d’emplois vacants est aussi disponible en français.

Issue date: February 5, 2026
Closing date and time: February 12, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Submit to: contracts-contrats@cedec.ca
Contract period: February 23, 2026 – March 31, 2026

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE NEEDS

The purpose of this RFP is to retain a qualified proponent to deliver all service and product components required to establish the CEDEC AI-assisted Knowledge Base as a single, integrated assignment by March 31, 2026.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

Consolidate CEDEC’s existing research, data, and knowledge assets into a structured, authoritative repository.
Enable conversational, intent-based access to CEDEC knowledge with synthesized, decision-ready outputs.
Automate intelligent organization, cataloging, and retrieval of research and data assets.
Increase knowledge productivity while reducing duplication and operational costs.
Establish a scalable platform that supports CEDEC’s applied research program over time.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The successful proponent will be responsible for completing all components described below in an integrated and coherent manner.

COMPONENT 1 – KNOWLEDGE ARCHITECTURE AND REPOSITORY DESIGN

The proponent will design the foundational knowledge architecture for the CEDEC AI-assisted Knowledge Base. This component includes:

Design of a standardized research and knowledge framework aligned with CEDEC priorities.
Structuring, tagging, versioning, and indexing of research reports, datasets, and related assets.
Definition of metadata standards and taxonomies.
Migration or ingestion of existing CEDEC knowledge assets.

Key deliverables include a knowledge architecture blueprint, taxonomy and metadata schema, and a populated core repository.

COMPONENT 2 – AI-ASSISTED QUERY, SYNTHESIS, AND ANALYTICS ENGINE

The proponent will design and implement AI capabilities that enable the Knowledge Base to function as an active analytical partner. This component includes:

Conversational query capability that understands user intent.
Natural language processing to interpret complex analytical questions.
Synthesis logic that draws on multiple sources to generate direct, evidence-based answers.
Clear distinction between evidence, assumptions, and data gaps in outputs.

Key deliverables include a functioning query and synthesis engine with explainable outputs.

COMPONENT 3 – AUTOMATED ORGANIZATION, LEARNING, AND RETRIEVAL

The proponent will implement machine learning capabilities that continuously improve the system. This component includes:

Automated cataloging and tagging of new content.
Intelligent linking of related research across themes and time periods.
Identification of research gaps, overlaps, and emerging patterns.
Recommendation of relevant prior work during new research and policy development.

Key deliverables include automated classification workflows and recommendation logic.

COMPONENT 4 – PRODUCTIVITY, AUTOMATION, AND COST REDUCTION FEATURES

The proponent will embed targeted automation to support CEDEC’s applied research operations. This component includes:

Automation of recurring profiling, comparative analysis, and reporting tasks.
Support for data visualization and summary generation.
Tools that reduce duplication of effort across teams.
Human-in-the-loop controls to ensure analytical integrity.

Key deliverables include configured automation workflows and productivity tools.

COMPONENT 5 – GOVERNANCE, SECURITY, AND EVOLUTION

The proponent will design governance and stewardship mechanisms for long-term sustainability. This component includes:

Role-based access controls and permissions.
Documentation of sources, assumptions, and methodological limits.
Governance model for ownership, stewardship, and updates.
Scalability and evolution roadmap aligned with CEDEC’s research agenda.

Key deliverables include governance documentation, access models, and an evolution roadmap.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

The successful proponent will deliver:

An integrated methodology and work plan.
Knowledge architecture and taxonomy documentation.
A fully operational AI-assisted Knowledge Base.
Configured AI query and synthesis capabilities.
Automation and productivity tools.
Governance, security, and evolution documentation.
An executive summary suitable for senior and non-technical audiences.

All deliverables must be provided in English, with clear structure, documented assumptions, and transparent analytical logic.

TIMELINE

All activities and final deliverables must be completed by March 31, 2026.

Proponents must submit a detailed work plan and timeline demonstrating feasibility within this timeframe.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

CEDEC is seeking proponents with demonstrated expertise in:

Knowledge management systems and data architecture.
AI, machine learning, and natural language processing.
Applied research and policy analytics environments.
Secure and governed data platforms.
Public sector or nonprofit knowledge ecosystems.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

Organizational profile and relevant experience.
Understanding of CEDEC’s research and knowledge context.
Proposed technical and methodological approach.
Work plan and timeline.
Project team composition and roles.
Examples of comparable AI-assisted knowledge platforms.
Budget proposal and cost breakdown.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Demonstrated understanding of objectives and scope.
Quality and coherence of the proposed solution.
Technical expertise and feasibility.
Integration across all components.
Scalability and sustainability of the platform.
Value for money.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted electronically to CEDEC by February 12, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

CEDEC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal and to cancel this RFP at its discretion.

NEXT STEPS

CEDEC may retain one or more proposals for consideration and conduct follow-up interviews.

Please put RFP: Expert Technical Services in AI – Design Build and Operationalize an AI Assisted Knowledge Base in the subject line of all inquiries.