REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
EXPERT COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING SERVICES
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
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
