TRADITIONAL FOOD KNOWLEDGE

Closing Location:

Administration 1 Building

12 Akwesasne Street

Akwesasne, QC H0M1Ao

Closing Date and Time:

Proposals must be received at the Executive Services prior to:

4:00 pm (Eastern Time) Seskehko:wa/September 17th, 2021

Budget Range: $5,000 - $8,000

Contact:

Chelsea Francis

Government Support Manager

Telephone: 613-575-2348 ext. 2270

Email: [email protected]

Heather Phillips

Executive Director

Telephone: (613)-575-2250

Email: [email protected]

Introduction

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne is seeking proposals for a qualified consultant to conduct interviews of community elders on traditional practices for successfully growing a family garden. Additionally, the consultant will also interview community elders who have experience with hunting and fishing within the community on the historical importance of hunting and fishing.

Background

The traditional food and harvesting practices of the Iroquois and Haudenoshaunee have been an integral part of the survival of our people, and has remained just as important to the Mohawks of Akwesasne. Through the COVID-19 Pandemic, the insecure access to food became apparent as the community found obtaining healthy foods to be both difficult and more expensive.

The community elders have traditionally grown extensive gardens to support their families and have relied on men within the families to hunt and fish. The number of community members growing these extensive gardens has severely decreased, and during the COVID-19 Pandemic many families have made attempts to grow their own gardens again to subsidize the foods they need to subsist and to provide a stronger sense of food security.

Objective

To select a qualified consultant to provide thorough interviews of community elders while respecting their capabilities of using technology, to meet safely in person if possible, and to document their responses to questions such as: what to grow in a family garden, when to plant the seeds, how to maintain the garden, when to harvest and how to preserve the vegetables.

Scope of Service

The selected consultant will work with Mohawk Government Staff and Council Chiefs to identify elders within the community of Akwesasne to interview and to develop a series of short videos that will allow the community members of Akwesasne to learn from their extensive knowledge and techniques in gardening, harvesting, hunting and fishing.

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne understands that there are a variety of ways in which these interviews can be conducted, and understands that the interviews themselves may be a challenge due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.

The consultant will also work with the Government Support Manager and the Grand Chief in ensuring completion of the accountability report for the project.

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for providing expert interviewing skills and video recordings of all interviews with Akwesasne Community Elders.

Three five-to-seven-minute videos that will include:

Elders Interviews of Gardening, Food Preservation, Hunting, and Fishing

Submission Guidelines

Communication after issuance of RFP

Please direct questions by email to one of the primary contacts for this RFP:

Chelsea Francis ([email protected])

Heather Phillips ([email protected])

Please be advised that your questions and MCA's responses may be shared with all bidders should it be deemed appropriate.

Mandatory Submission Requirements

To be eligible for consideration, the Proponent must provide the Proposal in MS Word or pdf format. It must include the following:

Brief Cover Letter

Proponent Profile with full legal name, address, telephone and email contact information, description of company, evidence of proven track record.

Names and qualifications of all individuals proposed for performing services, including the extent and nature of their roles for the project.

Description of proposed training sessions, including titles and additional materials.

Provisions for ensuring timelines for completion.

Detailed budget.

Proof of Professional Liability Insurance.

Instructions to Proponents

To be eligible for consideration, the proposal must be received no later than:

4pm (EST) on September 17th, 2021.

Via Email to:

Chelsea Francis ([email protected])

Heather Phillips ([email protected])

OR

Delivered by hand/courier:

Administration 1 Building

12 Akwesasne Street

Akwesasne, QC

H0M 1A0

Disclaimer

All information distributed in connection with this RFP is confidential, and is to be used for the sole purpose of completing submissions and for no other purpose unless prior written consent has been provided by the MCA. All material and information distributed will remain the property of the MCA to be used at their discretion.

All Proponents electing not to submit a proposal will dispose of any and all confidential information in a responsible manner.

Proponents will not be compensated or reimbursed for costs incurred in preparing proposals.

The MCA reserves the right to:

Accept or reject any or all proposals

Waive any anomalies in proposals

Negotiate with any or all Proponents

Modify or cancel the RFP

Proponents may withdraw their Proposal at any time prior to the Proposal closing time by submitting a written withdrawal letter to the contact persons listed.

All Proposals are irrevocable for a period of (60) business days from the closing date.

Ownership of Proposals: All Proposals, including attachments and any documentation, submitted to and accepted by the MCA in response to this RFP become the property of the MCA.

Conflict of Interest: Proponents shall disclose in their Proposals any actual or potential Conflict of Interest and existing business relationships it may have with the MCA, its elected officials, appointed officials or employees.

Dispute Resolution: In the event of a dispute arising between the MCA and the Proponent as to their respective rights and obligations under the Agreement, both parties agree to resolve the dispute by:

Frank and open negotiations whereby both parties use their best efforts to resolve the dispute by mutual agreement including the most Senior Management of both parties.

If, after 30 calendar days, the dispute is not resolved, both parties agree to appoint a mediator to resolve the dispute. All costs to be split equally.

If, after the mediation process is complete and the dispute is not resolved, the parties shall proceed to arbitration.

Indemnification: The Proponent shall indemnify and save harmless the MCA, its agents, employees and elected officials from and against any and all liability whatsoever for losses, liens, charges, claims, demands, payments, suits, actions, recoveries, and judgments including legal fees and expenses of every nature and description brought or recovered against either the MCA, its agents and employees, or the consultant by reason of an act, error or omission of the Consultant, its agents employees or licensees in providing the services, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, loss or damage to property, injury to or the death of any persons, alleged copyright, patent or other intellectual property rights infringement or interference, defective design or damage to the environment.

Local Preference: Preference shall be given to local Proponents where quality, service, and price are equivalent.

Confidentiality: The Proponent covenants and agrees that neither it nor its employees shall divulge, publish, or otherwise reveal either directly or indirectly any knowledge, information or facts disclosed to the bidder by reason of this Request for Proposal. All information furnished to the bidder by the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (the "MCA") is confidential and shall remain the sole property of the MCA and shall be held in confidence and safekeeping by the bidder for its sole use.