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Request for Proposals (RFP): Developing Tools to Monitor and Analyze Employment and Employability of English-speaking Quebecers

Request for proposal

1. Background

The Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT) is a community-based, research-driven non-profit organization dedicated to improving the employment outcomes of English-speaking Quebecers. Drawing on data from the Census of Canada, previous PERT research has established that English-speaking Quebecers experience heightened socioeconomic precarity in comparison to their Francophone peers. While the census is essential to PERT’s research insofar as it is the only source of regularly collected, linguistically disaggregated economic and labour force data, it is only administered at five-year intervals. It, therefore, may not capture the impacts of policy or economic shifts (e.g. Québec’s Law 14, American tariffs) in the intervening years. Other relevant governmental data sources, such as the Labour Force Survey, are useful for establishing broader employment trends, but do not collect linguistic data. Linking data sources, meanwhile, is resource-intensive. As such, more accessible, regular linguistic data is needed to understand the economic situation of English-speaking Quebecers and develop responsive policies and programs. PERT aims to leverage economic modelling techniques to fill these gaps.

2. Project Objectives

This project aims to capture a timely, evidence-based picture of the state of employment among English-speaking Quebecers (ESQ). Specifically, it aims:

  • Develop an index of key indicators to monitor ESQ employment trends and validate issues.
  • Establish an updated picture of the state of ESQ employment and employability, emphasizing economic analysis that answers policy-relevant questions.
  • Test methods for yearly economic and trend analysis of ESQ employment in between census years.
  • Engage ESQ community members and stakeholders around employment and employability issues, including validating evidence-based policy recommendations.

3. Deliverables

Our objective is to establish the best possible evidence on the current state of ESQ employment, using the best data available, in the short time frame of a three-month pilot project.¹ We are committed to the production of quality economic analysis and relevant findings within the timeline, with the hopes of presenting these findings at the PERT five year anniversary and AGM in September 2025. As needed, the timeline may be extended to fully develop knowledge mobilization products like a public report. 

The final scope of work will be confirmed in collaboration with the Vendor. 

The Vendors is anticipated to deliver the following:

1. ESQ Employment & Employability Index (In collaboration with PERT)
  • A measurement and trend-monitoring framework covering key themes of ESQ employment and employability, based on variables in governmental data sources (Labour Force Survey, census, etc.) and ESQ community feedback (PERT partners).
  • The index should be policy-focused and applicable to economic analysis, or other data collection techniques like future surveys.
2. An economic model of ESQ employment using: the index; the 2021 census as a baseline of ESQ employment, and publicly available Labour Force Survey data² for Québec-wide employment trends. Using this model, the core deliverables of this project are the following analytical findings:
  • An estimate of the current state of ESQ employment (2025).
  • Projected trends of ESQ employment over 3-5 years.
  • Estimated current ESQ economic contributions to Québec.
  • Ideally, across key industries.
  • Estimated return on investment (ROI) of full inclusion of ESQ in the Québec economy (situation if employment and income gaps closed).
  • Recommendations for policy and programming.
3. Presentation of findings to PERT, and ideally as timeline allows, a report on the state of ESQ employment and employability (or equivalent combination of knowledge mobilization products such as briefs and articles).
4. Methodological  documentation and recommendations for future work.
  • Detailed documentation of the above tools, methods, implementation plans, and future recommendations for continued trend monitoring of ESQ employment and employability in yearly projects of larger scope using the best data available (i.e. recommendations for future methodological approach).

4. Proposed Methods

The pilot project’s timeline and data limitations restrict PERT’s methods to accomplish in-depth economic analysis with real data (the Census is available only every 5 years and the next most relevant governmental data, the Labour Force Survey, does not collect language-related variables). As such, PERT proposes the following methods:

1. Economic modelling to estimate current ESQ employment: 
  • Develop an economic model that estimates the current state of ESQ employment (e.g. Nowcasting) using the 2021 census as baseline data on ESQ employment and publicly available Labour Force Survey data for Québec-wide trends on key indicators (the Index).

Data availability: 

  • PERT has conducted analysis of ESQ employment using data from the 2016 and 2021 Censuses of Canada, and has relevant custom data sets available to the successful Vendor. 
  • The anticipated Labour Force Survey data to be used is publicly available through Statistics Canada.

PERT invites proponents to propose alternative methodological solutions that adhere to the pilot project timeline.

5. Timeline

Milestone Date
RFP published May 20th, 2025
Deadline for questions June 6th, 2025
Proposal submission deadline June 9th, 2025
Interviews with shortlisted applicants (if necessary) June 11th, 2025
Notification of award June 12th, 2025
Project launch June 16th, 2025
Final presentation of results and/or report draft due September 1st, 2025

6. Budget and Payment

Estimated budget range: $25,000 – $40,000 CAD, inclusive of all costs and taxes.

Proposals should include:

  • Daily rates and total fees (in CAD, taxes included)
  • Administrative costs
  • Travel (if applicable)
  • Suggested cost-saving options or modular approaches, if relevant.

7. Submission Requirements

Interested applicants should submit the following:

  • A technical proposal including methodology, approach to deliverables, timeline, and presentation and report format.
  • A financial proposal, including a breakdown of fees and expenses.
  • Relevant experience and qualifications of all proponents involved (see Section 8 below).

Submissions must be emailed to PERT Policy Researcher Marlena Flick at marlena@pertquebec.ca by June 9 at 9:00 a.m. EST. Late or incomplete proposals will not be considered.

All queries relating to this RFP should be addressed by e-mail to Marlena Flick. Inquiries and responses may be recorded and distributed to all vendors. 

The Vendor shall immediately inform PERT in writing (email to Marlena Flick) of any ambiguity, discrepancy, error, omission, oversight or contradiction in this RFP discovered by the Vendor and request clarification as necessary to prepare the Vendor’s proposal. 

In order for PERT to effectively address any questions or concerns of Vendors regarding any of the terms, conditions, or requirements of this RFP, such questions or concerns must be communicated in writing to Marlena Flick according to the schedule indicated above.

It is expected that the Vendor will carry out the research within the agreed timeframe, and within the established budget. If additional delays or costs are anticipated, the Vendor must be able to communicate these transparently to PERT.

8. Evaluation and Selection

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

  • Vendor’s experience in the following areas:
    • Experience with economic modelling (such as nowcasting) for social and economic research or policy development.
    • Experience with large governmental data sets, especially the Labour Force Survey.
    • Demonstrated success in delivering clearly written, accessible knowledge mobilization products.
    • Understanding of labour market and employment-related equity issues, and the context of Québec (knowledge of ESQ issues is an asset).
  • Relevance and feasibility of the proposed methodology.
  • Clarity and quality of the deliverables.
  • Value for cost and budget clarity.

9. Other Conditions

Vendors must disclose in writing to PERT Policy Researcher Marlena Flick, no later than the date of submission for this RFP, the circumstances of any conflict of interest or what could be perceived as a possible conflict of interest then known to the Vendor between the Vendor and PERT. PERT may reject any proposal where, in the opinion of the organization, the Vendor has or may be perceived to have a conflict of interest.

All information provided by PERT or obtained from PERT in any form whatsoever in connection with this tender, whether before or after the issuance of this tender, including any confidential information, is the exclusive property of PERT and shall be treated as confidential; they shall not be used for any purpose other than responding to this RFP and the execution of any subsequent contract; they shall not be disclosed without the prior written consent of PERT; and they shall be returned by the Vendor to PERT, or destroyed if kept in electronic form, immediately upon request by PERT.

PERT reserves the right and sole discretion to:

  • Select or not any of the proposals submitted. 
  • Withdraw the tender and cancel the tender evaluation procedure. 
  • Request clarification of any elements of the proposals submitted.  
  • Modify any dates set out in this RFP.
  • Negotiate with the successful service provider the nature and scope of the resulting service contract. 

 

For more information, please contact:
Marlena Flick, Policy Researcher, at marlena@pertquebec.ca 

¹ The results and learnings from the pilot program may be scaled up to produce an annual state of employment report in future years.

²  The Labour Force Survey does not collect language-related variables.