Notice of Request for Proposals - Electoral Officer
View RFP Notice - Electoral Officer PDF
The British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) is a provincial-territorial organization representing and advocating for the 204 First Nations in British Columbia.
The BCAFN will be hosting its 23rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 15-17, 2026, in-person and online in Vancouver, venue to be determined. BCAFN is requesting proposals for an Electoral Officer to oversee the nomination and electoral process for:
- BCAFN Regional Chief – 3 year term
- BCAFN Board Director Member – 3 year term
- BCAFN Board Director Member – 3 year term
- BCAFN Board Director Member - 3 year term
- BCAFN Female Youth Representative – 3 year term
- BCAFN Male Youth Representative – 3 year term
Objective
The objective of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to inform and solicit applications from qualified candidates who will possess a high degree of professionalism, integrity and confidentiality as the Electoral Officer. Please submit your application in confidence to maureen.buchan@bcafn.ca by April 29, 2026.
The date of the appointment will be no later than May 1, 2026. The Electoral Officer shall be designated by the Board of Directors and accountable to all members of the BCAFN.
The Electoral Officer must be prepared to assume office at least ten (10) weeks prior to the election. The Electoral Officer ceases function two (2) weeks after the election.
The proposal must include:
- A statement and description of the resources required to complete the election process, including software and intellectual material;
- A statement of experience;
- A cost breakdown, including fees and other expenses;
- A statement of what you would require from the BCAFN;
- The name of three (3) references who have used the services of the Bidder as Electoral Officer; and
- A list of all organizations to which you have provided electoral officer services within the past 5 years.
Rights of the BCAFN
The BCAFN reserves the right to:
a) Reject any or all proposals received in response to this Request for Proposals;
b) Enter into negotiation with one or more Bidders on any or all aspects of their respective proposals;
c) Contacting and requesting information related to the Bidder’s qualifications from any of those organizations that the Bidder has worked for over the past 5 years;
d) Accept any proposal in whole, or in part;
e) Cancel and/or re-issue the modified version of a given RFP requirement, including the right to request a confirmation of the Bidder’s legal status and signed documentation; and petition for follow-up work, if any, to the selected Bidder
BCAFN Governance Manual Article 10: Elections
Please find below information regarding the appointment and responsibilities of the Electoral Officer:
The Board will appoint, and replace as required, an Electoral Officer to oversee BCAFN’s secret ballot voting processes and procedures, including nomination and election processes, and be accountable to all members.
The Electoral Officer must be a person who:
(a) has no interest in the outcome of the election;
(b) is at least eighteen (18) years of age; and
(c) has experience in the conduct of elections or has received appropriate training with references.
The Electoral Officer may be removed if at least five (5) members submit a written complaint to the Board setting out reasons for their objection to the current Electoral Officer, in which case the Board may, in its discretion, pass a directors’ resolution to remove the Electoral Officer and appoint BCAFN’s current auditors to act as the Electoral Officer for the upcoming election, or until such time as a replacement Electoral Officer is appointed.
The Electoral Officer is responsible for managing and executing all secret ballot voting processes and procedures, including nomination and election processes, as set out in the BCAFN Governance Manual, and as further set out in Schedule “B” and Schedule “C”.
Recognizing that the Electoral Officer is responsible for managing and executing all secret ballot voting processes and procedures in accordance with Section 10.7 and Schedule “B” and “C” and that, in carrying out his or her responsibilities, the Electoral Officer may require legal advice, the Board will, in advance of every meeting where elections are to be held:
(a) retain legal counsel to be available on the day of the election or other secret ballot vote to advise the Electoral Officer on any legal questions that may arise, and
(b) instruct legal counsel, in responding to legal questions on matters involving electoral or other secret ballot processes and procedures, to only take instructions from the Electoral Officer.
Where the Electoral Officer is unable or unwilling to perform his or her responsibilities for whatever reason, he or she must immediately notify the Board. Upon receiving such notification, the Board must appoint a replacement Electoral Officer.
Miscellaneous
Price
Bidders must provide a firm fixed price, including administrative fees, travel, material costs, the printing of draft concepts, and GST.
Confidentiality
Submissions will be considered confidential information by the BCAFN and will be used solely for the purpose of selecting the successful Bidder.
Questions
All proposals will be acknowledged. Your proposal submission must be received by April 29, 2026. Submissions and questions may be sent by email to:
Maureen Buchan, Senior Policy Director
BC Assembly of First Nations
Email: maureen.buchan@bcafn.ca
Cell: 250.377.5418