Request for Proposal

Requesting proposals for our BIA Business Plan

Our BIA seeks a consultant to work alongside the Board of Directors and Staff to create a Business Plan for the BIA following consultations with stakeholders.

We strive to create and sustain an enabling local economic environment by supporting our members in their operational needs and to enhance our commercial community with a vibrant, prosperous, progressive and inclusive identity – thereby contributing towards an increase in the success and economic health of our members.

The Business Plan will include components to address our BIA’s mandate as well as its own operational improvement and efficiency.

The WHBIA is located along St Clair West from Loblaws at our eastern border to Humewood/Christie Street at our western limit. The BIA has a modest budget relative to larger BIAs in Toronto. The community is experiencing modest changes and growth. It’s primarily an established, peaceful and stable neighbourhood of central downtown. It enjoys an equal mix of ethnicities, evenly spread throughout its merchants and residents.

The Board has determined the need for a strategic plan to help review their current focus and direct their short and long term efforts. They are looking for a firm that will guide them through the process and provide a complete, actionable strategic plan as the primary deliverable. This approach is expressly intended to develop initiatives which will be given allocations in our pending Budget. Said budget will be prepared for our next AGM which will shortly follow the scheduled municipal elections this Fall.

Once the new Municipal Council is elected, our AGM will follow and the new BIA Board will have the Business Plan prepared, ready for timely implementation.

Organization

The WHBIA is governed since November 2021 by a dedicated Board of Directors. With approximately 100 businesses and commercial property owners, there is a range of restaurants and shops, as well as a number of medical buildings offering health services and other professional service providers. We seek creative ideas to undertake new initiatives that meet one or more of the following goals:

  • Bring positive attention and awareness to our business district.
  • Increase foot traffic, and provide opportunities for sales and marketing to our members.
  • Support the economic recovery of our business district from the disruptions of COVID-19.
  • Introduce and/or implement progressive ‘green’ elements into the BIA which support global efforts towards sustainable ecologies and economies.
  • To welcome new potential clients and customers to the area, while maintaining a strong connection to our existing nearby residential neighbourhoods.

Scope and Project Overview

The consultant will craft a 5-year plan to guide the BIA’s operations and provide a road map to achieve the following:

Evaluate/enhance our brand as “eco-friendly progressive business community” and analyse its effectiveness, identifying (where necessary) any need for improvement or change. How best can we capitalize on that brand?

We seek initiatives with a good fit for our area, inclusive of our membership with a preference for progressive, inventive schemes new to Toronto

We seek a Toronto-based vendor (consultant/firm) to provide a Strategic Plan that will include: 

  • Formalization of the vision, mission and core values of the WHBIA
  • A review of our current programs with suggestions for improvements or new events 
  • A review of the WHBIA current advertising and promotion strategy
  • Identification of new programs and events where WHBIA can provide a greater impact for its members. The plan will include long-term goals and short-term objectives and anticipate any challenges WHBIA will face in the future.

Budget:

The budgetting of any proposed projects may range from $5,000 to $50,000 inclusive of all project costs, including but not limited to, management fees, marketing, contractor and consulting expenses, permits and other fees.

Key Deliverables

  • Assist the organization in its next integrated planning cycle, and ultimately in the development of a comprehensive and sustainable Strategic Plan to anchor and guide activities over the next five (5) years.
  • Identify a critical path with relevant timeframes for the development of the integrated strategic operational plan.
  • Facilitate planning sessions to map out WHBIA’s future.
  • Design an effective method for data gathering, synthesis, and presentation including document review, online surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder meetings.
  • Guide all stages of the integrated planning process, including meetings with WHBIA Board, association members, staff and key external stakeholders.  
  • Align and review the organization’s future operational objectives to support proposed vision, mission, goals and objectives, such as (but not limited to) those listed in our website.
  • A marketing plan must be contained in the document including a social media strategy and branding. (logo)
  • The final plan must consider both strategic and tactical/operational elements and present an execution plan that includes objectives, recommended tactics, timing/timeframes, budgets and key points for responsibility. Highlight targets and timelines to achieve goals.
  • A list of feasible projects that will help us achieve the goals outlined including ones that can be completed by individual businesses.
  • Include technical and/or capital resources to run the BIA effectively.

Bidders Qualifications / Organizational Capacity

At minimum, the proposal will include the following:

1. A detailed CV/résumé/profile illustrating skills and experience, including examples of projects in similar size and scope including client references with permission to contact.

2. Identify the Project Manager and other specific people who will be performing the work and their individual experience and qualifications.

3. A critical path with recommended tasks and associated timelines.

4. A detailed outline of the deliverables to be provided.*

5. An indication of the investment and work required of the WHBIA.

6. A fee identifying the total cost of the work and price schedule breakdown. The cost must include all services and reimbursable expenses. No extras or claims will be entertained unless the scope of work changes.

Having regard for the directions set out above, a detailed description of the services to be provided and a budget/work programme for a typical month showing estimated number of hours, hourly billing rate and an estimate of reimbursable costs, if any.

*Identify the method by which progress reports will be provided to the BIA Board of Management.

Proposals may include supplemental information that strengthens submissions. Responses to this call for proposal should be addressed to WHBIA and sent to info@wychwoodheights.ca by July 31, 2022.

Quality Proposals

Should feature;

  • Demonstrated knowledge of organizational effectiveness, continuous quality improvement and efficiency in volunteer/ not for profit boards. 
  • Demonstrated experience in organizational development and enhanced performance. 
  • Relevant experience and success in strategic-operational planning facilitation, including the level of satisfaction of current and past clients.
  • Adequacy of approach and methodology.
  • Completeness of the proposal.

Board and Member support

BIA to provide;

  • Communications through our social media and developing e-newsletter channels.
  • Additional support or human resources if agreed upon in advance.
  • The consultant will report directly to the WHBIA Board of Management.
  • The consultant can expect that WHBIA will assist in the logistics related to planning for stakeholder meetings and WHBIA staff will be available to provide meeting facilitation support.

Submission Requirements/Checklist

Contact Information:

Organization – address – phone number

Name and email of the principal contact.

Background Information:

Years in business – number of team members – partners & services

Bios of Key team member(s) reflecting experiences in coordinating and facilitating plans that result in comprehensive, sustainable operational frameworks, and financial analytics experience; including any relevant academic or industrial qualifications.

References:

Able to provide two to three client references demonstrating successful delivery of a similar project/work.

A covering letter to be provided with the proposal clearly stating an understanding of the service to be provided. The letter must include names of all individuals who will be participating in the project on behalf of the consultant. The person signing the covering letter must be authorized to bind the consultancy.

It is expected the successful firm will be based in Toronto and have demonstrable experience and understanding of the non-profit sector, especially of Business Improvement Areas.

Questions

Enquiries related to this RFP, including any requests for information or clarification may only be directed in writing to Nyoko Yoshida who will respond if time permits before Closing Time. Information obtained from any other source is not official. We will be as responsive as possible to questions emailed in advance of the due date/time.

Evaluation

Evaluation of the Proposals will be based on clarity and detail of the foregoing criteria. Please note that the BIA reserves the right to schedule presentations or interviews during the evaluation process and may also request clarification where necessary.

Evaluation will include assessment of: ● Creativity ● Feasibility ● Goals Met ● Organizational capacity ● Samples/Portfolio/Experience ● Budget/Cost • Relevant, proven experience in handling assignments of similar size, scope and objectives • Working knowledge of business improvement areas and the complex environment in which our member businesses operate • Cost-effectiveness and a demonstrated capability to be cost-conscious • Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines.

Acceptance

Acceptance has only occurred once a written contract has been entered into and been duly signed by two of the BIA’s signing authorities.

Timeline Submission of Proposals

  1. Call for Request for Proposal (RFP) June 30, 2022; due July 29, 2022.
  2. Review of proposals complete and successful candidate notified August 19th. 2022.
  3. Date of Contract assignment: August 31, 2022.
  4. Date Deliverable: September 30, 2022.
  • Proposals should be submitted in .pdf format to info@wychwoodheights.ca  by Friday, July 29th. at 5:00 pm. 
    The awarded company will be notified no later than Friday, August 19th. at 5:00 pm.