GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & ADVOCACY SERVICES

The City of Red Deer is soliciting proposals under solicitation number 2026-097 for professional government relations and advocacy services. The objective is to secure specialized expertise to strengthen the City's ability to advance priorities involving provincial and federal government action, policy, and investment. Key responsibilities include identifying funding opportunities, managing relationships with elected officials and decision-makers, and developing an integrated advocacy strategy under the direction of the Executive Advisor, Enterprise Strategy, Governance and Alignment. The anticipated award date is December 15, 2026, with a response deadline of November 10, 2026. The selection process follows a three-stage evaluation: a mandatory requirements review, a rated criteria and pricing assessment, and potential interviews for the top three scoring proponents. Evaluation is heavily weighted toward government relations experience (30%), strategic approach and methodology (25%), and team qualifications (15%). Proponents must provide an estimated monthly retainer based on approximately 40 hours of work per month, along with hourly rates for additional services. The resulting contract includes strict requirements for confidentiality, document retention for seven years, and a liability insurance limit of $2,000,000 for automobile and errors and omissions. Specific individuals named in the agreement must be responsible for deliverables and available on-site during business hours if required. Payment terms are set at 30 days from receipt of invoice, and any physical deliverables must be shipped Duty Paid (DDP) to the City.