REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: Qualitative Public Opinion Research Project
1. Summary and background
The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) is currently accepting proposals to design and conduct qualitative public opinion research exploring Canadians’ attitudes toward global health, international assistance and gender equality. The insights will be used primarily for internal purposes by CanWaCH members to better understand the origin of public attitudes, inform messaging strategies and guide evidence-based engagements with stakeholders and government.
CanWaCH is a coalition of more than 110 Canadian-based organizations — primarily NGOs and CSOs, alongside academic and private partners — working to improve the health and rights of women, children and adolescents worldwide. We convene, equip and amplify our members to deliver stronger programs and solutions, while serving as a trusted source of evidence and insight on Canada’s role in global health.
This project will employ qualitative methodologies (i.e., focus groups, facilitated interviews) to explore how Canadians think, talk and feel about global health and international assistance in their own words. Bidders are invited to propose specific qualitative methods they believe will best achieve the objectives outlined below.
Key research questions
Through this project, CanWaCH seeks to understand:
- What motivations and perceptions shape Canadians’ support, ambivalence or skepticism toward global health, international assistance and gender equality?
- How do Canadians describe these issues in their own words?
- Where do they get information about global health and international assistance, and why do they trust certain sources over others?
- How does common sector terminology (i.e., global health, gender-transformative, climate resilience, feminist foreign policy, etc.) resonate, confuse or create distance with the Canadian public?
- What emotional drivers, values and worldviews influence how Canadians perceive Canada’s role on the world stage?
- What communication opportunities, barriers or narrative patterns emerge that could inform members’ messaging and engagement efforts?
2. Project description and scope
2.1 Project purpose
Through this project, CanWaCH seeks to:
- Conduct qualitative research to uncover the underlying motivations, perceptions and reasoning behind Canadians’ attitudes toward global health, international assistance and gender equality.
- Provide member organizations with insights to inform messaging and programming.
- Generate a final report and presentation that synthesize findings and highlight strategic opportunities for internal use.
2.2 Project scope
CanWaCH is seeking a provider to:
- Design and implement a bilingual (English and French) qualitative research study, including participant recruitment, discussion guides, moderation/facilitation and analysis.
- Bidders are encouraged to propose specific qualitative methods and describe their use-case. Methodologies can be in-person, virtual or a combination of both.
- If in-person, coordinate travel and logistics with participants.
- Ensure diverse participant representation to capture a range of perspectives, including mixed or unfavorable attitudes.
- The participant pool should be a representative sample of Canadians, including Francophone participants.
- Engage regularly with CanWaCH staff and its Public Opinion Research Working Group (PORWG) — a collaborative group comprised of representatives from several CanWaCH member organizations — throughout the process.
- Produce a final report that analyzes and synthesizes findings, highlighting actionable insights, public attitudes, and language and framing implications.
- Deliver a final presentation of findings to a select group of CanWaCH stakeholders.
Note on language: While the research itself must be conducted bilingually to ensure inclusivity, the final report and presentation are only required in English.
3. Timelines and requirements
3.1 Project timelines
Proposals due: 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, January 16, 2026. Note: Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Final selection: The winning bidder will be informed no later than Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Final deliverables: The final report and results must be ready for dissemination no later than Friday, April 17, 2026.
3.2 Submission requirements
- Proposals must be signed by an authorized representative.
- If any work will be outsourced or subcontracted, this must be clearly stated and reflected in the cost breakdown.
- All proposed costs must be itemized with explanations for each fee or expense.
- Contract terms will be negotiated upon selection and will include detailed scope, budget and schedule.
4. Budget
- All proposals must include the proposed costs to complete the tasks described above.
5. Bidder qualifications
Bidders should provide:
- Description of experience designing and implementing qualitative public opinion research, preferably for non-profit organizations and/or within the international development space.
- At least one previous example of a qualitative research project executed by the organization, including methodologies used and outcomes achieved.
- Proposed team members for this project, including roles, experience and expected time allocation.
- Proposed project management approach, including planning, touchpoints with CanWaCH and the PORWG, and consultation process.
- Timeframe for completion and key project milestones, aligned with the final dissemination date.
6. Proposal evaluation criteria
CanWaCH will evaluate proposals based on:
- Overall suitability: how well the proposed solution meets the scope and objectives.
- Relevant experience: experience delivering qualitative research, particularly in a non-profit and/or international development context.
- Previous work samples: examples of completed qualitative research projects.
- Value and cost: assessment of the proposal’s cost-effectiveness.
7. Submission instructions
Bidders should submit their proposal via email to the attention of:
