Request for Proposals (RFP) - Federated Referral Platform Project

1. Project Overview

The Assaulted Women's Helpline (AWHL) is leading the development of a federated referral platform to strengthen coordination, reduce duplication, and deliver trauma-informed, survivor-centered service across its Toronto-based network of shelters and service providers. This project builds on a comprehensive Needs Assessment and Service Design Blueprint completed in 2025.

A digital platform will be built tp address documented gaps in the referral network:

• Eliminate the need for survivors to repeat their stories across agencies
• Provide real-time visibility into service and bed availability across the network
• Enable secure, consent-based referral tracking and case handoffs
• Reduce administrative burden on frontline workers through automation and shared data standards
• Support equity of access for organizations with varied technical capacity

The Assaulted Women’s Helpline (AWHL), in collaboration with its network of service delivery agencies, is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to design and configure a federated referral platform that supports a secure, survivor-centered, cross-agency referral process. The platform will initially be piloted with 10 agencies and must support future scalability.

We welcome proposals from vendors with experience deploying low-code or no-code platforms that are highly configurable and user-friendly for non-technical administrators. This project is informed by a comprehensive needs assessment and consultation process completed with stakeholders across the AWHL network.

A third party has been contracted to conduct this RFP process, Aine McGlynn Consulting will be accepting RFP submissions, conducting the informational webinar, reviewing submissions and recommending a shortlist of candidates to AWHL for selection.

Project Scope

The vendor will be responsible for delivering the following within the pilot implementation phase:

• Platform design and configuration: Including user roles, workflows, and permissions based on the federated model
• Referral intake and case hand-off tools: Secure, structured client handoffs across agencies
• Client and service tracking: Including status updates and outcomes
• Pilot site onboarding: Set up and support for 10 agencies
• Integrations: API or automation links with up to 3 systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft 365, or SharePoint)
• Analytics and dashboards: Real-time reporting, including disaggregated service tracking
• Support and documentation: Including training materials and user support during initial rollout