Inuit Stewards

The contract, titled “Inuit Stewards,” is a non-competitive, sole-source award to the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) as the Designated Inuit Organization for the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, granted under Article 15.3.1 of the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement and Section 8.4.9 of the Nunavut Agreement. QIA is tasked with deploying Program Observers to regularly patrol the marine waters of TINMCA during the open-water season, monitor vessel activity, and report critical observations including unsafe navigation, environmental pollution, and the presence of wrecked, hazardous, or abandoned vessels. These reports are vital for informing Transport Canada’s program planning, identifying operational risks, and supporting future enforcement actions. The contractor must maintain a consistent presence in five associated Inuit communities—Resolute Bay, Grise Fiord, Arctic Bay, Clyde River, and Pond Inlet—and ensure all personnel can communicate effectively in English. Training participation and capacity-building initiatives coordinated by Transport Canada are mandatory components of performance. The contract period runs through March 31, 2027, with two optional one-year extensions potentially extending the engagement into 2029. The estimated total value is $495,000 CAD, structured over three annual increments of $165,000 each. There are no competitive bidding requirements, as eligibility is legally restricted to QIA under Indigenous land claim obligations. All performance occurs within Nunavut Territory, with no specified FOB terms, packaging, or delivery logistics, as the work is service-based. Payment and invoicing details are not provided, nor are specific accounting codes assigned. The Procurement Officer is Keevin Falk, with no designated Contracting Officer’s Representative or Technical Representative identified. The submission window closed on July 22, 2026, with responses accepted only via email to the designated point of contact, and no formal page limits or structured proposal formats were mandated.