Call for Proposals: Design and Evaluation Consultant

Project: BuildHer Future – Newcomer Women in Construction

Organization: Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW)

Deadline for Submissions: October 30th, 2025

About the Project

BuildHer Future – Newcomer Women in Construction is an innovative initiative led by Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW) aimed at creating equitable pathways for newcomer women to access and build careers in the construction industry. The project brings together community, industry, and training partners to design a gender-responsive program model that bridges skill gaps and addresses labour shortages within Ontario’s construction sector.

Purpose of the Consultancy

NEW is seeking proposals from qualified Evaluation Consultants or Consulting Firms to design a robust evaluation framework for the BuildHer Future project. The consultant will be responsible for developing data collection tools, conducting community consultations, surveys, and analyzing findings to guide program and curriculum design aligned with industry needs and labour market trends.

Scope of Work

The consultant will:

1. Develop a comprehensive evaluation framework for the BuildHer Future project, outlining indicators, data sources, and methodologies including baseline surveys and post project outcomes.

2. Design and facilitate community consultations, including:

• 3 - 5 community consultations/focus groups with key stakeholders (prospective participants, employers in the construction industry, and training partners).

3. Develop and administer surveys to:

• At least gather 200 respondents, including prospective program participants and employers, to identify skills, competencies, and labour market gaps.

4. Synthesize findings to inform program and training design, including recommendations for curriculum development, industry engagement, and participant success indicators.

5. Provide a final report summarizing methodology, findings, actionable recommendations, and provide the evaluation framework and tools to be used throughout the project.

Deliverables

• Evaluation framework and implementation plan.
• Focus group and survey tools (e.g., discussion guides, questionnaires).
• Summary of consultation findings and data analysis.
• Recommendations report to guide program and curriculum design.
• Presentation of findings to NEW’s project steering committee.

Timelines:

All project deliverables should be completed by January 15, 2026

Qualifications

• Proven experience in program evaluation, preferably in the employment, skills development, or newcomer settlement sectors.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, including survey design and focus group facilitation.
• Experience engaging diverse and equity-deserving communities, particularly newcomer and gender-diverse populations.
• Familiarity with labour market research and/or the construction or skilled trades industry is an asset.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills.

Proposal Submission Requirements

Interested consultants should submit:

1. A brief proposal (max 5 pages) outlining:

• Understanding of the project and proposed approach
• Work plan, including key milestones and timeline
• Deliverables and methodology
• Budget breakdown

2. Resume(s) of consultant(s) highlighting relevant experience.

3. Two references from previous evaluation or research projects.

4. (Optional) Sample(s) of relevant work (e.g., evaluation report or framework).