Request For Proposal-209247-Evaluation Services Consultant

FedDev Ontario may request a complete team, a partial team, or a single resource in order to provide the required Evaluation and Performance Measurement Services. The Contractor and their proposed resource(s) must work with FedDev Ontario staff identified by Evaluation Directorate (ED) to carry out evaluation and performance measurement work, transfer knowledge and/or job shadow for training purposes. In addition to delivery of the projects on the Evaluation Plan, the Contractor may be called upon, on an ad-hoc basis, to assist ED with development, validation of evaluation or performance measurement methodologies to meet the requirements of the Treasury Board Policy on Results. Since FedDev Ontario was established in 2009 in response to economic downturn, the Agency has been delivering programs to contribute to strengthening southern Ontario's economic capacity for innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration, and to promote the development of a strong and diversified southern Ontario economy.To achieve its mandate, FedDev Ontario delivers three core transfer payment programs designed to address specific opportunities and challenges facing the region such as Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) Program, Southern Ontario Prosperity Program (SOPP) and the Community Futures Program (CFP). FedDev Ontario, like other regional development agencies (RDAs) across the country, also plays an important role as a federal delivery agent for national programs in southern Ontario. Evaluation Function The purpose of the evaluation function is to ensure that the FedDev Ontario has a comprehensive and reliable base of evidence to support policy and program improvement, expenditure management, management and Cabinet decision making and public reporting. Evaluation is the systematic collection and analysis of evidence on the outcomes of programs to make judgments about their relevance, performance and alternative ways of delivering the same results. It provides an evidence-based, neutral assessment of the value for money of FedDev Ontario programs. In doing so, evaluation supports accountability to Parliament and Canadians by helping FedDev Ontario report on results achieved with resources invested. It informs government decisions on resource allocation and reallocation by supporting strategic reviews and providing objective information on potential synergies and avoidance of duplication. In addition, evaluation supports the President in managing for results, and supports managers in making policy and program improvements. Published in 2005 by Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), the discussion paper entitled Decision-Making in Government: The Role of Program Evaluation provides a good overview of the role of evaluation in the federal government (http:www.tbssct.gc.ca/eval/tools_outils/Aucoin/Aucoin e.asp). The document also identified some important principles for evaluation within the government. They are: 1. Recognizing program evaluation as a core function of public management 2. Embedding program evaluation in the decision-making process 3. Linking program evaluation to budgeting and expenditure management 4. Securing independence for program evaluation 5. Enhancing quality in program evaluation