Project Overview
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is undertaking a project to identify barriers that prevent Inuit businesses, as identified in each Inuit Treaty Organization’s business directories, from meaningfully accessing defence contracts. This will in turn inform recommendations to improve defence procurement policies, guidelines, practices and initiatives to increase Inuit access to federal defence procurement and assist in building capacity for Inuit businesses. ITK is seeking a consultant to support this work.
Background
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK)
ITK is the national representational organization for Canada’s 70,000 Inuit, the majority of whom live in four regions, including the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador). Collectively, these four regions make up Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland in Canada. Inuit Nunangat includes 51 communities and encompasses roughly 40 percent of Canada’s landmass and more than 72 percent of its coastline.
The comprehensive land claim agreements that have been settled in Inuit Nunangat form a core component of ITK’s mandate. These land claims have the status of protected treaties under the Constitution. ITK remains committed to working in partnership with the Crown to fully implement these land claims. Consistent with its founding purpose, ITK represents the rights and interests of Inuit at the national level through a democratic governance structure that represents all Inuit regions.
ITK advocates for policies, programs and services that impact the health, social, cultural, political and environmental issues facing Inuit today. ITK is governed by a Board of Directors that is composed of the following members:
- Chair and CEO, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC)
- President, Makivik
- President, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI)
- President, Nunatsiavut Government
- President, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada
- President, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
- President, National Inuit Youth Council
Sovereignty, Defence and Security
Sovereignty, Defence, and Security (SDS) is a key priority area for ITK and a shared priority area of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee (ICPC). The SDS Priority Area formalizes a forum to identify Inuit priority issues, discuss potential benefits to Inuit arising from broader defence and security proposals, provide guidance, and ensure coordinated activities in support of self-determination and reconciliation in relation to the activities of National Defence and other relevant federal government departments and agencies. The SDS joint workplan includes co-developing a proposal recommending improvements to defence procurement policies, guidelines, practices, and initiatives to increase Inuit businesses’ access to defence procurement.
Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence highlights National Defence’s commitment to doing things differently. The Canadian Armed Forces is strengthening its presence, mobility, reach, and responsiveness particularly in Inuit Nunangat. As part of this effort, several significant defence infrastructure projects are being advanced across the region, including – but not limited to – the NORAD Northern Basing Initiative (NNBI) and the Northern Operational Support Hubs and Nodes (NOSH/NOSN). These initiatives create opportunities for National Defence and Inuit partners to identify approaches that maximize contracting, employment, and broader economic benefits while supporting shared priorities for Inuit and Northern communities.
As identified in the ICPC SDS joint workplan, the Defence Procurement Joint Task Group, inclusive of ITK, the four Inuit Treaty Organizations (ITOs), and multiple federal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations, will identify barriers that prevent Inuit businesses from meaningfully accessing defence contracts. This will in turn inform co-developed recommendations to improve defence procurement policies, guidelines, practices and initiatives to increase Inuit access to federal defence procurement and assist in building capacity for Inuit businesses. Identifying and addressing these barriers to ensure Inuit businesses have fair and equitable access to defence procurement contracts in Inuit Nunangat is in alignment with the Inuit Nunangat Policy and the Cabinet Directive on the Implementation of the Inuit Nunangat Policy.
On the long-term, the objective is to implement measure #18 of Chapter 3 of the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UN Declaration Act) Action Plan:
Recognize the strategic role and contributions Inuit and Inuit communities have, including by prioritizing Inuit access to federal procurement, in relation to Canada’s defence policies, programs and initiatives focused on the Inuit Nunangat region.
Scope of Work
The consultant will work closely with ITK staff and the Defence Procurement Joint Task Group to assist with identifying barriers to Inuit businesses in the federal defence procurement process and Inuit businesses’ capacity building needs. By the end of the contracted work, the consultant will:
- Identify barriers for Inuit businesses in accessing federal defence procurement contracts in Inuit Nunangat.
- Identify Inuit businesses’ capacity building needs to enhance their integration into federal defence procurement.
- Identify best practices for Inuit participation in defence procurement and/or lessons learned from successful contracts.
- Gather information on the challenges faced by National Defence in awarding contracts to Inuit businesses through interviews with National Defence representatives, and other departments and agencies representatives as required (e.g., Defence Investment Agency and Defence Construction Canada).
- Identify potential causes for the identified barriers and challenges.
Scope of Activities
To support this work, ITK is requesting the following work be completed:
- Conduct desktop research and literature review of existing research (e.g. Canadian Council for Indigenous Business Reports) on Inuit businesses’ barriers and best practices to defence procurement in Canada and their needs (e.g. financial/credit, proposal writing, planning, etc.) to access defence contracts.
- Conduct engagement sessions and interviews (approximately 15) with:
- ITOs,
- Inuit Development Corporations,
- Inuit Development Corporation Association,
- Nasittuq Corporation,
- Other small and medium Inuit firms that have bid on defence contracts, identified by the ITOs,
- National Defence representatives, and
- Other federal departments and agencies representatives as required. ITK will work with the consultant to identify the right representatives to contact.
- Analyze Inuit business capacities, best practices, and award challenges.
- Provide an evidence-informed discussion on causes related to capacity building and challenges.
- Provide periodic updates to the Defence Procurement Joint Task Group.
Deliverables
- Workplan outlining methodology, engagement approach, timeline, and project schedule
- Literature review (i.e., desktop research on barriers and best practices, and gap analysis)
- Draft findings memo covering the barriers and best practices in the literature, including emerging themes in project management, policies, and procedures
- Preliminary notes on the content of the interviews for the Defence Procurement Joint Task Group before a draft report is submitted
- Draft report on barriers and best practices, including for the enforcement and monitoring architecture
- Final report. ITK will work with the consultant to identify the content and outline of the final report.
Proposal
Proposals should include:
- Company profile and team CVs, specifying who will be working on what part of the proposal
- Relevant experience & references (at least three comparable projects)
- Work plan & methodology, including approach to stakeholder engagement across the four Inuit regions
- Budget & pricing (time and materials with ceiling price)
- Detailed responses to the Questionnaire
Selection Criteria and Process
An evaluation committee composed of representatives from ITK’s contracts unit, Policy Advancement department, and Finance department will assess proposals on the following:
- Appropriateness of the qualifications of the applicant and examples of similar work, including demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Inuit Nunangat.
- Appropriateness of project description, which should outline a sound, collaborative and participatory approach to the tasks outlined in Scope of Work.
- Cost efficiency of the proposed approach, reflected in the budget.
NOTE: Companies that are owned, managed or otherwise represented by a beneficiary under an Inuit Nunangat land claims agreement will be given priority consideration. We encourage all applicants to self-identify.
Shortlisted proponents may be invited to virtual interviews before contract award.
Deadline to submit Requests for Proposals is November 17, 2026.
Contact Information
To apply for this job please visit app.rfpio.com.
