1.0 Summary

The Future Generations Foundation (FG Foundation) invites proposals from qualified translation service providers for ongoing translation from Canadian English into Canadian French. The Foundation intends to engage one provider for an initial one-year term, with potential renewal by mutual agreement, subject to satisfactory service and organizational needs.

Proponents must maintain a business presence in Canada and demonstrate expertise in Canadian French. Preference will be given to Québec-based firms. Experience translating material related to First Nations communities and organizations is an asset. All translations must be revised by a second qualified linguist before delivery.

2.0 Background of FG Foundation

The FG Foundation grants approximately $18 M in funding to individuals and qualified donees for varying education programs and studies every year.  

FG Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to supporting First Nations individuals, communities, organizations, and community partners through cultural revitalization, education, and community development initiatives. As a trusted funder, FG Foundation is committed to fostering strength, opportunity, and self-determination for First Nations people and communities.

As stewards of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) funds, FG Foundation works to ensure responsible and effective allocation of funds to address the harm of residential schools. Our First Nations-led organization practices First Nations principles and values in our policies and decision-making processes, prioritizing meaningful assistance that creates lasting, positive change.

The FG Foundation spent approximately $18,000 CAD on translation services last year, with at least one project per month, including translation of its annual report. Requirements and expenditures vary; this historical information is not a commitment or spending ceiling, and no minimum volume of work is guaranteed.

Additional information can be found at www.fgfoundation.ca

3.0 Scope of Work

  1. Translate annual reports, website content, program and funding materials, application forms, policies, newsletters, correspondence, social media, media releases, educational resources, marketing materials, governance documents, agreements, and procurement documents from Canadian English into Canadian French.
  2. Work primarily from editable Microsoft Word source documents and return clean, publication-ready translations in the corresponding editable format, retaining headings, tables, links, and basic formatting.
  3. Ensure accuracy, completeness, appropriate tone, and consistent Canadian Quebec French usage. Respect First Nations names and preferred terminology, use FG Foundation-approved terms, and flag ambiguities rather than making unsupported assumptions.
  4. Have every translation revised against the English source by a second qualified linguist, distinct from the translator or post-editor, and proofread the final deliverable. The provider is responsible for vetting its linguists and for the quality of all work, including subcontracted work.
  5. Complete standard requests within three business days and accommodate rush requests within 24 hours. Confirm the deadline when accepting each assignment; identify volume limits, operating hours, and any exceptions in the proposal. Larger projects, including the annual report, may follow a mutually agreed schedule.
  6. Disclose any machine translation or AI tools used. Qualified human linguists must check and fully edit machine-generated output, followed by separate second-linguist revision. No unreviewed machine translation may be delivered.
  7. Maintain confidentiality and describe secure file handling, access controls, retention practices, and any third-party processing or storage locations. FG Foundation content must not be used to train AI models or entered into public tools that retain or reuse it without prior written authorization.
  8. Maintain consistent terminology across assignments, using available FG Foundation reference materials and translation memories where appropriate. Describe terminology-management practices and how FG Foundation-specific glossaries and translation assets can be transferred at the end of the engagement.
  9. Provide an itemized quotation and confirmed delivery time before each assignment begins. Correct translation errors or omissions at no additional charge; obtain approval before charging for source-text changes, optional services, or additional work.

Close Collaboration

The successful proponent will coordinate assignments with the FG Foundation’s designated staff contact, clarify terminology and source-text questions promptly, and provide a consistent point of contact. The FG Foundation will supply source files, relevant reference materials, and feedback. Website publishing and specialized desktop publishing are not routine deliverables unless separately requested and approved.

4.0 Proposal Contents Requirements:

To make the evaluation process efficient and obtain maximum comparability, FG Foundation requires that all responses to the RFP be organized in the manner and format described below:

1. Executive Summary
Summarize the proposed services, understanding of the FG Foundation’s requirements, and capacity to support a one-year ongoing engagement. Confirm the mandatory Canadian business presence, Canadian French expertise, human review, and second-linguist revision requirements, and clearly identify any exceptions to the requested services.

2. Service Approach and Timeline
Describe the workflow from quotation to delivery, including independent bilingual revision, final proofreading, error correction, terminology consistency, and client communication. Explain how three-business-day standard and 24-hour rush requests will be handled, including volume limits and weekend or holiday availability. Identify translation technologies and AI tools, confidentiality safeguards, subcontracting arrangements, and continuity plans for absences or peak workloads.

3. Professional Experience
Provide the legal business name, office location(s), Canadian business presence, years in business, and company profile. Describe experience translating Canadian English into Canadian French across the document types in this RFP, and explain how translators and revisers are selected, vetted, and monitored. Individual résumés and translation samples are not required.

Describe any experience serving First Nations organizations or translating content about First Nations communities, education, cultural revitalization, community development, funding programs, governance, or reconciliation. Relevant experience is an asset, not an eligibility requirement. Experience with charitable, non-profit, and public-sector clients may also be described.

The proponent must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that may result from the award of the contract or the services provided under the contract and confirm its independence with respect to FG Foundation.

4. Fees
Provide rates in Canadian dollars, excluding applicable taxes, for the initial one-year term. State the English-source-word translation rate and confirm whether second-linguist revision and proofreading are included; if priced separately, show the combined cost. List minimum assignment charges, rush surcharges and triggers, project-management fees, and optional revision-only, formatting, glossary, and terminology-management rates. Explain word-count methods, any translation-memory or repetition discounts, billing arrangements, and proposed renewal-rate changes. Identify all additional charges; optional services require prior approval.

5. References
Provide two client references for comparable translation services, preferably from the past three years. Include the organization, contact name and title, email, telephone number, and a brief description of the services provided. Obtain permission for the FG Foundation to contact them. First Nations or non-profit references are welcome but are not mandatory.

5.0 Selection Criteria:

Proposals will first be reviewed for the mandatory requirements in this RFP. Eligible proposals will be assessed using the following weighted criteria. First Nations experience is rated as an asset; its absence does not disqualify a proponent.

  1. Organizational experience and qualifications: 30%
  2. Quality assurance methodology: 25%
  3. First Nations-related experience: 20%
  4. Capacity, responsiveness, and service approach: 15%
  5. Pricing: 10%

FG Foundation retains the discretion not to engage any provider following this RFP process. Selection is subject to agreement on service terms, pricing, and confidentiality obligations.

The criteria total 100%. References may be used to validate proposal claims. Where proposals are otherwise equally ranked, preference will be given to a Québec-based firm. The Foundation may request clarifications; the lowest-priced proposal will not necessarily be selected.

6.0 Submission Instructions

Please submit your proposal electronically in PDF format to:

Jillian Morgan, Communications and Engagement Manager
[email protected]

Proposal deadline: December 8, 2026 at 4:00p.m. EST.

Late proposals may not be considered.

Please direct all inquiries by email to Jillian Morgan, Communications and Engagement Manager, [email protected].

7.0 Rights of the FG Foundation

This is an RFP and not an invitation to tender. The reader is hereby advised that the FG Foundation reserves the right to:

  • Accept a proposal without negotiation.
  • Negotiate changes to the technical or financial content of the successful proposal.
  • Cancel or reissue this RFP at any time.
  • Reject any or all proposals received in response to this Request for Proposals.
  • Accept any proposal, in whole or in part.
  • Cancel and/or re-issue the modified version of a given RFP requirement at any time.
  • Award a contract to a single service provider.
  • Verify all information provided with respect to a given RFP requirement, including the right to request confirmation of the bidder’s legal status and signed documentation; and
  • Award contracts without competition for follow-up work, if any, to the selected bidder for a given project

FG Foundation thanks all providers for their interest in this opportunity.