Request for Proposal – Records Management Professional
Please Note: Deadline for submissions extended to 11 January 2019
Summary and Background
The Union of BC Indian Chiefs is seeking proposals to create an organization-wide records management plan, resulting in a retention and classification schedule as well as an implementation guide for both physical and digital records. The Union’s current records management practices vary both by department and staff-member and have grown organically with the organization, particularly with the advent of electronic records. UBCIC seeks to harmonize the overall records management and retention systems across all departments.
The UBCIC has a specialized research library and archives focusing on BC land rights research and other issues pertinent to First Nations. The archives is primarily an institutional archives – storing the memory of the organization. The holdings consist of the historical documents, publications, maps, posters, documentary films, and audio and video recordings created and received by the UBCIC. Currently there is no overall system guiding when staff members and departments transfer records to the archives to be processed or how to determine which records to retain for long-term value.
Background:
The UBCIC was founded in 1969 by the Chiefs of First Nations in BC to advance the recognition, protection and implementation of Aboriginal title and rights and treaty rights; to unite the First Nations of British Columbia for the purposes of settling land claims; to build trust, honour and respect in order to advance reconciliation between the Crown and First Nations. Currently UBCIC represents over 120 First Nations from across the province. The UBCIC’s mandate is to work towards the implementation, exercise and recognition of our inherent title, rights and treaty rights, as well as our right of self-determination, and to protect our lands and waters through the exercise and implementation of our own laws and jurisdiction. The UBCIC works collectively as an advocacy body to facilitate information sharing and to provide a cohesive voice (regionally, nationally and internationally) in support of Indigenous Nations and communities. We also work to promote and protect each Nation’s exercise of sovereignty within their traditional territories. We are directed by the mandates provided by our membership at quarterly meetings.
The Union is organized into various units/departments which carry out different aspect of the organizational mandate. Units include the policy department, the research department, the library and archives, and the work of the Union’s executive committee. The Union has two office locations: Vancouver, where the majority of UBCIC staff are based, and its headquarters in Kamloops, which houses the Finance office. UBCIC is incorporated under the Societies Act of British Columbia.
Proposal Guidelines
The objective of this Request for Proposal is to inform and solicit applications from qualified candidates who will possess a high degree of experience, professionalism, integrity and confidentiality as the Records Management Professional. Please submit applications to [email protected]
Proposals will be accepted until 6pm, Friday, January 4, 2018. NOTE: Deadline extended to 6pm, Friday, January 11, 2018.
The date of this appointment will begin no later than January 18, 2019. Specific start date to be negotiated with the successful candidate.
If the candidate must outsource or contract any work to meet the requirements contained within, this must be clearly stated in the proposal.
All costs must be itemized to include an explanation of all fees and costs.
The proposal must include:
- Budget – including fees, GST, and other expenses
- Timeline
- Statement of experience
- Statement of resources required to complete the project
- Statement of what would be needed or requested from the UBCIC
- Statement of what will be produced in the course of the project
- The name of at least three (3) references which have used the services of the candidate in a records management capacity or similar.
Project Purpose and Description
The purpose of this project is as follows:
This project will result in the more efficient management of records created and accumulated by the Union of BC Indian Chiefs through the development and implementation of a Retention and Classification Schedule for the organization. This will enable the UBCIC to carry out operations more efficiently and minimize future risks to our records and information. The project will also greatly enhance the effectiveness of the Archives to meet staff and member community needs.
The organic growth of the UBCIC over the last ten years and changing records management technologies have resulted in our internal departments implementing different records management organization and retention systems. These systems must be harmonized to ensure the overall efficiency of the organization. Harmonization will also greatly enhance the effectiveness of the UBCIC Archives to meet the needs of staff and our member communities who rely on timely access to our archival holdings.
Project description:
The project will review current practices, make recommendations and produce thorough guidelines that will be adhered to by all UBCIC staff and prepare for future innovations in information technology and storage.
The successful candidate will produce a retention and classification schedule as well as an implementation guide. The project will involve developing a standardized file structure, as well as the identification of the office of primary responsibility, the retention period and the disposal location for records. It will also include developing policies and procedures for implementing and maintaining the recordkeeping system. This will be achieved through: a survey of existing records in all formats (onsite, offsite and in digital form); interviews with staff about recordkeeping needs and current practices; and, an environmental scan to identify legal, regulatory and business recordkeeping requirements.
The Retention and Classification Schedule will: provide a standardized structure for organizing records across the institution; state how long records need to be retained based on the existing legal and operational environment; identify the office or position responsible for maintaining the “official” copy of the record; and, identify the appropriate location for disposal of records (e.g., archive, destruction) once they are no longer in active use.
Request for Proposal and Project Timeline
Request for Proposal Timeline:
All propose in response to this RFP are due no later than 6pm, January 4, 2019. Revised deadline: 6pm, January 11, 2019.
Evaluation of proposals will be conducted from January 5 to 18, 2018. If additional information or discussions are needed with any candidates during this time, they will be notified.
The selection decision will be made no later than January 18, 2019.
Project Timeline:
Project initiation and planning phase must begin by February 1, 2019 and must be completed within one month after the start date.
The project planning phase will determine dates for rest of project. Phase includes initial interviews with staff, review of organizational history and current organizational activities, review of current records policies, review of current archival descriptions, and confirmation of finalized timeline and project plan.
Proposal Evaluation Criteria
The UBCIC will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria.
- Overall proposal suitability: proposed solutions must meet the scope and needs included herein
- Organizational Experience: proposals will be evaluated based on candidate’s experience as it pertains to the project, including experience with Indigenous organizations and records management
- Value and cost: proposals will be evaluated on the cost of their solution based on the work to be performed
- Technical expertise: proposals will be evaluated based on descriptions/documentation of technical records management, library studies, and/or archival studies expertise
Rights of UBCIC
The UBCIC reserves the right to:
- Reject any or all proposals;
- Accept any proposal in whole or in part;
- Enter into negotiation with one or more candidates on any or all aspects of their respective proposals;
- Cancel and/or reissue any part of the RFP;
- Award contracts without competition for follow-up work, if any to the selected candidate for a given project requirement.
Confidentiality
Submissions will be considered confidential information by the UBCIC.
Successful candidate will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Questions
All proposals will be acknowledged. Submissions and questions may be sent by email to Melissa Adams at [email protected]. Any questions must be received by December 20, 2018. Submissions must be received by 6pm, January 4, 2018
Revised deadline: 6pm, January 11, 2019. Questions may be submitted prior to this date.