The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from experienced and qualified accounting firms to provide accounting services for the Canadian Science Policy Centre. The selected firm will be responsible for all accounting and bookkeeping activities of the organization, ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations, and supporting the financial health and sustainability of CSPC.

About the Canadian Science Policy Conference

The Canadian Science Policy Centre is a non-profit, non-partisan, and non-advocate organization, established in 2009. The Centre’s mission is to act as an inclusive hub for connectivity, convening community members for key discussions, building capacity for the next generation, and catalyzing research supporting effective science and innovation policy. The Centre’s vision is a strong, inclusive, and effective science and innovation policy community that contributes to the well-being of Canadians.

VISION: An interconnected, dynamic, and inclusive science, technology, and innovation policy ecosystem that unlocks Canada’s full socio-economic potential for the  benefit of all Canadians.

MISSION: CSPC’s mission is to serve as an inclusive hub that connects sectors, regions, and communities, mobilizes and disseminates knowledge, and develops human competencies in pursuit of a more effective and efficient STI policy ecosystem.

Scope of Work:

CSPC operates on a calendar fiscal year, with an annual budget ranging from $300,000 to $700,000. Proposals should demonstrate expertise in compliance with Canadian accounting standards, and familiarity with the financial reporting requirements specific to non-profits. The selected accounting firm will be expected to provide the following services:

  1. Financial Management and Reporting
    • Preparation of accurate and timely financial statements.
    • Assistance with budget preparation and ongoing monitoring.
    • Financial forecasting.
    • Development of financial reports for board.
    • Tracking and reporting on funds.
  2. Bookkeeping
    • Preparation of monthly bookkeeping and financial reports.
    • Maintenance and reconciliation of the general ledger.
    • Management of accounts payable and receivable processes.
    • Oversight o payroll systems, including processing and related tax filings.
    • Monitoring of emerging tax regulations impacting non-profits.
    • Bank and credit card reconciliations.
  3. Payroll
    • Calculate bi-weekly payroll for CSPC Staff
    • Ensure compliance with federal and provincial payroll tax regulations
  4. Compliance and Regulatory Reporting
    • Ensuring adherence to all applicable provincial, federal, and local tax regulations.
    • Preparation and filing of corporate tax returns and other required tax forms.
    • Monitoring and implementing updates to relevant accounting standards and regulations.
    • Assistance with compliance for grant and funding requirements, if applicable
  5. Advisory Services
    • Financial planning and long-term strategy development.
    • Cash flow management and optimization.
    • Business performance analysis and recommendations for efficiency improvements.
    • Guidance on financing options, including loans and grants.
  6. Additional Services
    • Support with setting up and/or optimizing accounting software and systems, as applicable

Proposal Requirements

Interested firms should submit a proposal that includes the following components:
  1. Firm Profile, Qualifications and Experience
    • Overview of the firm, including size, history, and areas of expertise.
    • Description of experience working with non-profit organizations.
    • List of key personnel who will be assigned to this engagement, including their qualifications and experience.
  2. Approach and Methodology
    • Detailed description of the approach and methodology to be used in providing the requested services.
    • Outline of the proposed timeline and key milestones.
    • Methodology and tools used for bookkeeping, reporting, and compliance.
  3. Fees and Costs
    • Detailed breakdown of fees for the proposed annual service / agreement
    • We will not consider proposals that work on an hourly basis.
    • Any additional costs or expenses that may be incurred.
  4. References
    • List of at least three non-profit clients for whom the firm has provided similar services.
    • Contact information for references.
  5. Supporting Documentation
    • Copies of relevant certifications, licenses, and professional memberships.
    • Sample financial reports prepared for other non-profit clients (if available).

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  1. Experience and qualifications of the firm and key personnel.
  2. Demonstrated understanding of non-profit accounting and compliance requirements.
  3. Quality and comprehensiveness of the proposed approach and methodology.
  4. Cost-effectiveness of the proposed fees.
  5. Feedback from references.

Term of Contract

The initial contract will be for one year, with the option to renew for up to three additional one-year terms upon mutual agreement. Either party may terminate the agreement with a 30-day written notice.

General Conditions

  • The Organization reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to negotiate with any respondent.
  • The issuance of this RFP does not obligate the Organization to award a contract.
  • All costs incurred in responding to this RFP are the responsibility of the respondent.

Submission Instructions

Deadline: Proposals must be submitted before the deadline of Monday, December 23, 2024. Late submissions will not be considered.

Submission Details: Please provide an electronic copy of the proposal via the submission form below.

We will contact only proposals that have been short-listed. 

For questions or additional information, please contact info@sciencepolicy.ca.

    Files must be less than 2 MB.
    Allowed file types: pdf doc docx.

    Terms and Conditions:

    Confidential Information of CSPC: All information provided by or obtained from CSPC in any  form in connection with this request for RFP either before or after the issuance of this RFP:

    (a) is the sole property of CSPC and must be treated as confidential; 

    (b) is not to be used for any purpose other than replying to this RFP and the performance of any subsequent contract; 

    (c) must not be disclosed without prior written authorization from CSPC; and (d) shall be returned by you to CSPC immediately upon the request of CSPC.

    Proposal and Pre-Award Costs: No payment shall be made for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to this RFP. No payments will be made for costs incurred for clarification(s) that may be required by CSPC.

    Reserved Rights of CSPC: CSPC reserves the right to:

    a) request written clarification or the submission of supplementary written information in relation to the clarification request from you and incorporate your response to that request for clarification into your proposal; 

    b) assess yours and other proposals on the basis of:

      1. Experience in organizing similar scale of conferences
      2. a financial analysis determining the actual cost of the proposal;
      3. information provided by references;
      4. information provided by you pursuant to CSPC exercising its clarification rights under this RFP process; or
      5. other relevant information that arises during this RFP process;

    c) waive formalities and accept proposals which substantially comply with the requirements of this RFP;

    d) verify with you, other proponents, or with a third party any information set out in a proposal; e) check references other than those provided by you;

    f) disqualify any proponent whose proposal contains misrepresentations or any other inaccurate or misleading information;

    g) disqualify any proponent or the proposal of any proponent who has engaged in conduct prohibited by this RFP;

    h) make changes, including substantial changes, to this RFP provided that those changes be communicated to you prior to accepting your proposal;

    i) select any proponent other than the proponent whose proposal reflects the lowest cost to CSPC or the highest score;

    j) cancel this RFP process at any stage;

    k) cancel this RFP process at any stage and issue a new RFP for the same or similar deliverables;

    l) accept any proposal in whole or in part; or

    m) reject any or all proposals;

    These reserved rights are in addition to any other express rights or any other rights which may be implied in the circumstances and CSPC shall not be liable for any expenses, costs, losses or any direct or indirect damages incurred or suffered by any proponent or any third party resulting from CSPC exercising any of its express or implied rights under this RFP.

    By submitting a proposal, you authorize the collection by CSPC of the information described herein as contemplated above.

    Contact Information: For further details about CSPC and Conferences, please explore our website.

    Questions are welcome and encouraged and can be directed to info@sciencepolicy.ca