Request for Proposal

For legal counsel to assist in the drafting of a child and family services law for Weenusk First Nation.

RFP distribution	January 10, 2025
Confirmation of bid deadline	January 16, 2025
RFP question deadline	January 17, 2025
Proposal submission deadline	January 24, 2025

Weenusk First Nation is Accepting Proposals for retention of legal counsel to assist in the drafting of a child and family services law for Weenusk First Nation, and potentially undertaking trilateral negotiations with Canada and Ontario in respect of Bill C-92: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families.

Summary and Background

Weenusk First Nation is a Cree First Nation located on the James Bay coast in Northern Ontario, Canada. Weenusk First Nation members have lived in the Hudson Bay-James Bay lowlands for generations and moved inland to the Peawanuck site in the last 1980s as a result of a disastrous flood in the community. As of 2019, the registered population of Weenusk was 612 (340 living on-reserve,) according to Indigenous Services Canada. Note: there are a number of community members who are not registered.

Currently, Weenusk First Nation’s Child and Family Services Department provides prevention services in-community, and receives additional prevention and protection services from Payukotayno James & Hudson Bay Family Services. Weenusk First Nation has legal counsel that works primarily with the Band Rep in relation to child and family services files, but does not have experience drafting laws related to C-92.

Weenusk First Nation is currently completing Year 4 (WFN’s FY2024/25) work associated with capacity building to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services. In addition to MNP, Weenusk First Nation has a C92 Project Coordinator, as well as a C92 Project Lead. Weenusk First Nation has retained MNP LLP (“MNP”) to support capacity building, including the development of a vision statement, strategy, child and family services delivery model, business plan, and financial model.

The Position

Legal Counsel will be responsible for working with Weenusk First Nation and MNP to draft a law for Weenusk First Nation’s child and family services.

This position may be expanded to include support for negotiations with Canada and Ontario in the development of a Coordination Agreement and Fiscal Agreement.

Legal Counsel will be expected to work closely with Weenusk First Nation’s Chief and Council, the Child and Family Services Department, and MNP.

The development of the law will primarily be undertaken through virtual work; however, some in-community engagement will be required.

The Timeline

There is a need to begin work immediately in order to complete the drafting of the law within the timeline of the capacity building and funding.

About Your Organization

Please respond to the each of the following in your response:

• Please provide information regarding your firm and proposed team.
• Does your firm have specific experience drafting First Nation child and family services laws in respect of Bill C-92: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families?
  • If so, how many laws have you drafted, and with which communities?
• Does your firm have specific experience supporting or undertaking negotiations with Canada and a provincial government in respect of Bill C-92: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families?
  • If so, how many negotiations have you been involved in, and with which communities?
• Does your firm have specific experience working with remote First Nations in northern Ontario?
  • If so, how which First Nations have you worked with, and in what capacity?
• Does your firm have the capacity to complete the drafting of this law within the time period
• What would your workplan for this engagement?
• Does your firm have experience working with Indigenous Services Canada?
  • If so, in what capacity have you worked with Indigenous Services Canada?
• What is the fee and/or structure of fees?
• Please provides references for similar work from the last five years.

Qualifications and Limitations

• The lowest priced RFS response does not have to be accepted.
• This RFS is non-binding.
• Weenusk First Nation may accept or reject any proposal.
• Weenusk First Nation may negotiate with any individual/company to submit a response to this RFS.
• Any response missing any requirement of this RFS may be rejected.
• Weenusk First Nation retains the right to choose whether to publish the results of this RFS.
• Weenusk First Nation is not responsible to compensate any individual or company for the time or costs to respond to this RFS.
• All documents, records, maps and plans become the property of Weenusk First Nation.

Request for Proposal Timeline

All proposals in response to this request are due no later than 5 pm EST on January 24, 2025.

Evaluation of responses will be conducted in late January 2025. Interviews with the shortlisted firms may be scheduled immediately after. A final decision will be made in February 2025.

Please direct questions and submissions to Loreen Hunter-Koostachin, Executive Director by email to loreenk@weenusk.ca. Please copy Rachel Mack, C92 Coordination at rachelm@weenusk.ca and Magali Bibent at magali.bibent@mnp.ca by 4 pm EST on January 24, 2025.