Details

Location: Canada, remote

Application Deadline: November 21st at 11:59PM ET

Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer: Building Connected Futures Interactive Online Dashboard

October 2025

Introduction

Indigenous Youth Roots (IYR) invites proposals from qualified firms to design, develop, and maintain a digital dashboard and web application for the Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer. Scoping of this project is expected to commence immediately after acceptance of the successful proposal and contract signing. We anticipate that the development of the minimum viable project (Phase 1) will take up to 6 months, with future phases to expand functionality to follow. Firms should propose a detailed project timeline outlining major milestones, dependencies, and review cycles. The budget ceiling for this work is $250,000.00 CAD for all phases, inclusive of applicable taxes, though IYR may adjust this if the final scope of work or funding considerations warrant it.

In addition to bringing technical expertise to this project, we also seek a partner who is in deep alignment with our purpose, values, and guiding principles: reciprocity, advocacy, resurgence, accountability, innovation, reclamation, and solidarity. The selected proponent will understand Indigenous data sovereignty, center Indigenous worldviews, and respect that data and stories are sacred.

They will also have experience working with the non-profit sector, and creating similar online, interactive tools. The expected final product is an accessible, youth-friendly, professionally designed and visually appealing dashboard (i.e., an online research tool for data visualization) that can be managed by IYR once launched.

Organizational Context

Indigenous Youth Roots (IYR) is an Indigenous youth-led non-profit and registered charity (832296602RR0001). Formerly known as Canadian Roots Exchange (CRE), the organization was established in 2008 and renamed in 2023 to Indigenous Youth Roots to better reflect our vision, purpose, and the work that we do. IYR collaborates with communities from coast-t-coast-to- coast to provide programs, grants, and opportunities that are grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being and are designed to strengthen and amplify the voices of Indigenous youth aged 14-29. IYR envisions a future where Indigenous youth are empowered and connected as dynamic leaders in thriving and vibrant communities. In the 2019 federal budget, the Government of Canada named IYR as a leading Indigenous Youth organization to support in taking up TRC Call to Action 66 for reconciliation.

Included in this contribution was support for the ongoing development of IYR as a leading national organization, funding to provide grants to youth-led groups and resources to continue to provide youth-led and youth-centered programming. Since its inception, IYR has grown exponentially, with over fifty staff members working remotely from coast to coast to coast to meet the organization’s expanding mandate.

We have seven deeply held principles that guide us in our work and in the way in which we relate to each other:

This project is being undertaken by the Centre for Indigenous Policy and Research (The Centre) at IYR. The Centre prioritizes policy development and research to support Indigenous youth in advancing their vision of meaningful reconciliation nationally. The Centre creates space for new leadership and provides resources and tools for youth voices to create impactful changes through innovative policy, research, and engagement programs and initiatives. The Centre will be acting as the decision-making authority, and lead for this project.

The dashboard will make these insights accessible in a secure, user-friendly, and visually engaging way that supports youth, communities, allies, and policymakers in advocacy, storytelling, and decision-making. Currently, Indigenous Youth Roots’ organizational website is hosted through WordPress. For this project, we are open to separate hosting arrangements for this platform, provided they:

  • Allow for consistent visual and functional branding with IYR’s main site;
  • Support data visualization integration (e.g., Tableau dashboards or embeds); and
  • Offer secure, reliable performance and accessibility across

Our goal is to ensure the project site remains visually and contextually connected to IYR’s broader digital presence while taking into consideration the potential need of the flexibility and functionality of an independent platform.

A key research project of the Centre includes the Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer 2024: Building Connected Futures. This large-scale research engaged 1,125 Indigenous youth through surveys and sharing circles, generating both quantitative and qualitative data and explored how youth (18-29) envision their futures and the futures of their communities.

Project Scope

To fully identify the project direction, IYR engaged in a detailed project scoping exercise. Now that that has been completed, we are entering the build phase and exploring the best way forward. To get a more fulsome understanding of the scope of the full project, please see the relevant components, included in Appendix A.

It is expected that the selected firm will provide expert advice, facilitation, and technical delivery of project needs. The first iteration (“Phase 1”) of the Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer Dashboard will establish the core infrastructure (a minimum viable product) for a secure, searchable, and accessible web application that can grow over time in the future phases included in the broader scope of this project.

Deliverables for this phase include:

  • Secure, Canada-hosted database that stores quantitative and qualitative survey data, with structured data organization, tagging, and role-based access controls. It will be considered a strong asset if the database is hosted within, or in partnership with, First Nations and Inuit-owned data infrastructure. The hosting arrangement should actively support Indigenous data sovereignty and governance processes, ensuring that data stewardship, access, and benefits are aligned with community values and priorities.
  • Administrative tools allowing authorized users to add, edit, and manage records; approve user registrations; and assign user roles and
  • Interactive map and search functionality so users can explore data geographically and through keyword
  • Filtering and query-builder features that enable users to sort and cross-tabulate results by selected categories.
  • Front-end design implementation for a visually cohesive, user-friendly interface that meets WCAG 2 AA accessibility standards and functions across devices.
  • Foundational security and privacy measures, including secure hosting, password-protected accounts, encrypted connections, and compliance with Indigenous data sovereignty principles (e.g., CARE Principles: Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics).
  • Sustainability and hand-off: repeatable design for future additions of data, knowledge-transfer session, documentation, reliable hosting, and hosting setup that allow IYR to manage and maintain the system after launch, with available tech
  • Relational Accountability: maintain ongoing communication with IYR
    • Conduct scoping meetings outlining a clear path forward, approved by IYR
    • Provide project updates, share Information, troubleshoot issues as they arise and gain required approvals.

Future phases to expand functionality are to include:

  • Dynamic data visualizations and dashboards (charts, graphs, comparative views).
  • Content-management system for editing public-facing
  • Story and multimedia integration to display qualitative
  • Community discussion or comment
  • Advanced analytics and reporting

Proposals should outline the ability to deliver on future phases and should include costing to achieve these deliverables.

Key Deliverables

  • Kickoff scoping and project plan with IYR team
  • Wireframes, prototypes, and iterative design sessions with staff and youth reviewers
  • Functional dashboard and backend database
  • Accessibility and security testing
  • Documentation, training, and knowledge transfer plan
  • Optional ongoing maintenance and support (annual renewal option)

Proposal Requirements 

Submissions must include:

  • Executive summary
  • Firm’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenous methodologies, and Indigenous data sovereignty
  • A cultural safety plan or approach, including trauma-informed approaches, which outlines how the firm will ensure respectful engagement with Indigenous youth and their data
  • Understanding of project scope and objectives, of Phase 1, and future phases to expand functionality
  • Proposed approach, workplan, and timeline with milestones
  • Team qualifications and experience with Indigenous communities
  • References: Minimum of two references from similar, relevant projects
  • Examples of relevant projects
  • Fee structure with fixed project costs, annual maintenance, and hourly rate. IYR is providing budget ceiling for this work and encourages applicants to propose a realistic and competitive budget that reflects the full scope of deliverables. All budgets should include applicable taxes
  • The proposal length should not exceed twenty pages, excluding appendices such as the budget, examples, and references

Fee Structure

The budget ceiling for this work is $250,000.00 CAD for all phases, inclusive of applicable taxes, though IYR may adjust this if the final scope of work or funding considerations warrant it.

Project fees are to be specified by fiscal year, with a schedule of hourly rates for each of the firm’s staff members on the proposed team (if applicable). Rates for any additional services available are to be provided in the quotation. All prices bid shall include applicable taxes, insurance, and all other charges of every kind attributable to the work. All costs should reflect the full cost of Phase 1, as well as the cost associated with future phases, and annual maintenance. The cost of annual maintenance beyond two years does not need to be included in the budget but must be mentioned.

This will be a fixed-price contract, meaning the total price must include all work and costs described in this RFP. The contract amount will not be adjusted due to unknown or undisclosed conditions, increases in costs and taxes, cost of labour, unavailability of labour or materials, increases in cost of materials other than the changes in HST. Any modification to scope, deliverables, or price must be mutually agreed upon in writing by both parties before work begins on the change.

Key Dates

Listed below are the target dates and times by which the events are expected to be completed:

  • RFP issued: Monday, October 27th by 11:59PM ET
  • Questions due: Monday, November 3rd by 11:59PM ET
  • Responses shared: Thursday, November 6th by 11:59PM ET
  • Proposals due: Friday, November 21st by 11:59PM ET
  • Shortlist notified: Tuesday, December 2nd by 11:59PM ET
  • Shortlist interviews: Wednesday, December 2nd- Thursday, December 11th
  • Final selection and contracts: Monday, December 15th- Thursday, December 18th
  • Project Start: Monday, January 5th
  • Target Phase 1 Completion: 4-6 months
  • Future Phases are expected to follow upon satisfactory completion of Phase 1 and would be anticipated to be completed within two years from the start of the contract.

Evaluation Process

The following evaluation framework will be applied to all eligible proposals. Mandatory requirements must be met for a proposal to advance to scoring. Each rated criterion has a weight to ensure transparency, fairness, and alignment with IYR’s values. Vendors must meet all mandatory requirements and achieve a minimum score of 75% to proceed.

  • Mandatory Criteria: Timely submission, compliance with Instructions, conflict of interest certification, Canada-based secure hosting (pass/fail)
  • Quality of the Submission: Clarity, completeness, and professionalism (5%)
  • Project Understanding and Approach: Understanding of scope, user roles, accessibility, Indigenous data sovereignty, and CARE Principles; strong methodology and realistic timeline (25%)
  • Team Qualifications and Experience: Necessary qualifications and knowledge and experience with Indigenous organizations, communities, and/or non-profits, as well as experience completing similar projects (technical expertise; references; portfolio) (20%)
  • Alignment with IYR’s Values & TRC/UNDRIP: Commitment to reconciliation, Indigenous methodologies (including data sovereignty), respectful partnership- building, and engagement methods (25%)
  • Innovation and Sustainability: Hosting strategy, scalability, user-centered design, long-term maintenance plan, with IYR audience and strategy in mind (10%)
  • Fees and pricing: Cost effectiveness, value for money, with a transparent cost breakdown (15%)

Terms and Conditions

Values & Eligibility

  • IYR will only engage vendors that are aligned with our organizational values and
  • Indigenous-owned firms are preferred.

Proposal & Selection

  • Indigenous Youth Roots will review all proposals. Vendor selection will be made at IYR’s sole discretion, and one or more vendors may be identified as preferred
  • IYR reserves the right to select multiple vendors for different components of this Request for Proposal and to engage or maintain vendor relationships outside of this process if necessary.
  • IYR reserves the right not to select any
  • Proposals will be evaluated based on weighted qualitative and financial criteria as outlined in this In the event of a tie, IYR’s evaluation team will consider all relevant factors to determine the final selection.
  • Proposals that do not meet the mandatory requirements outlined in this RFP will not be considered for further evaluation.
  • Information provided by the successful vendor(s) in their proposal may form part of the final agreement with Indigenous Youth Roots.

Ownership & Intellectual Property

  • IYR will retain full ownership of all deliverables, source code, and intellectual property created under this contract.
  • All proposals submitted will become the property of Indigenous Youth

Costs & Responsibilities

  • The submission of a proposal shall not oblige Indigenous Youth Roots to enter into a contract or be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this request.
  • Indigenous Youth Roots and its representatives are not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by vendors in preparing, submitting, or participating in the proposal

Declarations & Ethics

  • Conflict of Interest: By submitting a proposal, the vendor certifies that no conflict of interest exists or is anticipated between the vendor, Indigenous Youth Roots, or any related parties in relation to the work described. Vendors must disclose any potential conflicts as soon as they arise.
  • Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality: This RFP is a public document and may be shared for the purpose of preparing and submitting proposals to Indigenous Youth Roots. However, all intellectual property, concepts, and materials contained within this RFP, or related to this RFP, remain the property of Indigenous Youth Roots and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose without prior written
  • Fair Competition: The vendor certifies that this proposal has been prepared independently and without consultation, communication, or agreement with any other Pricing and related information will not be disclosed to competitors before or after submission.

Communications

  • All communications regarding this RFP must be directed exclusively to the contacts identified in this document.

Key Contacts and Deadline

Please address your proposal to:

Megan Lewis, Director of the Centre for Indigenous Policy and Research

megan@indigenousyouthroots.ca

500-489 College Street, Toronto, ON, M6G 1A5

Please submit your proposal by email to:

Tija Hauta, Research Manager tija@indigenousyouthroots.ca

Questions

We welcome any questions about our organization, our work, and our operations that might help your firm prepare a stronger proposal. Please contact Tija Hauta at tija@indigenousyouthroots.ca with a CC to megan@indigenousyouthroots.ca with any questions.

Closing Date

Proposals signed by the proponent’s authorized representative must be received by IYR no later than Friday, November 21st at 11:59PM ET. IYR will not accept submission of any proposals after the closing date and time. Any submissions received after this date and time will be considered disqualified. Please submit your proposal by email to Tija Hauta at tija@indigenousyouthroots.ca with a CC to megan@indigenousyouthroots.ca.

Appendix A: Project Scoping Details

To fully identify the project direction, IYR engaged in a detailed project scoping exercise. The following is excerpted from the scoping exercise. These sections are provided to guide prospective vendors in understanding the project’s intent, scope, technical priorities, and relational foundations. The excerpts reflect Indigenous Youth Roots’ commitment to Indigenous data sovereignty, accessibility, and community-led innovation.

1. Executive Summary

The Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer Dashboard will serve as an accessible, secure, and empowering tool to share findings from the 2024 Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer. This initiative seeks to amplify how Indigenous youth (ages 18– 29) envision their futures through themes of empowerment, culture and wellness, education and meaningful work, and reconciliation and solidarity.

The dashboard will combine quantitative and qualitative data in an intuitive online space, enabling youth, communities, and partners to explore insights and advocate for systemic change. It will balance accessibility with Indigenous data governance, ensuring that all information is presented in a culturally respectful and secure manner.

  2. Goals and Measuring Software Impact

The dashboard is designed to build a sustainable foundation for Indigenous-led data and advocacy. Its goals include:

  • Collecting, organizing, and stewarding data in culturally appropriate
  • Creating an Indigenous research repository that can be expanded and reused for future
  • Supporting youth and communities in using data for advocacy, funding proposals, and local decision-making.
  • Increasing public understanding of Indigenous youth priorities through accessible data and storytelling.
  • Strengthening Indigenous youth leadership by connecting evidence, rights, and policy

Indicators of success may include expanded data use by communities, increased visibility of youth-defined outcomes, and stronger cross-sector engagement informed by the dashboard’s insights.

3.     Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Analytics

The dashboard must align with Indigenous data sovereignty principles, ensuring that data is governed, shared, and stored in ways that respect Indigenous rights, privacy, and collective benefit. The system will apply at minimum the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance:

  • Collective Benefit – Indigenous youth and their communities should benefit directly from how their data is used.
  • Authority to Control – Indigenous youth maintain authority over how their data and stories are accessed and shared.
  • Responsibility – The project must use data transparently and for positive community
  • Ethics – Data management must prioritize Indigenous rights and wellbeing, minimizing harm and ensuring cultural safety.

All hosting and data storage must occur within Canada and comply with privacy legislation while centering Indigenous-defined ethics.

4. User Roles Overview

The dashboard will serve multiple audiences with various levels of access and interaction:

  • Public Viewers – Can access general overview data and summary
  • Advocates & Allies – May access data for policy and program work, with
  • Indigenous Youth & Community Members – Engage with stories, data, and feedback functions; can comment or react.
  • Content Managers – Maintain public-facing pages and ensure current, accessible
  • Data Managers – Manage datasets, ensure data accuracy, and upload new
  • App Administrators – Manage user roles, permissions, and system settings. These roles ensure a balance between openness, privacy, and accountability.

5. Accessibility Requirements

The dashboard will meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. Accessibility is a foundational design requirement and includes:

  • Text alternatives for non-text content (images, charts, )
  • Compatibility with screen readers and assistive
  • Responsive design for mobile and
  • Clear, plain-language
  • Inclusive colour contrast and readable

Accessibility is essential to ensuring Indigenous youth of all abilities can engage meaningfully with the data.

6.  Software Development Approach

The development process should follow a phased and collaborative approach that emphasizes iteration, testing, and relationship-building. Key expectations include:

  • Early scoping and planning with IYR to refine technical
  • Regular check-ins and transparent communication with the IYR
  • Agile or iterative development cycles to allow testing and
  • Built-in flexibility to expand future features (data visualizations, storytelling modules, ).

The dashboard’s foundation will prioritize security, data integrity, and ease of use, creating a scalable system that grows with IYR’s evolving research and engagement work.

For More Information