Request for Proposal (RFP) for strategic planning services

Posted: Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to facilitate and develop a new strategic plan to guide our organization over the next 4 years (April 1,2026 to March 31, 2030). This plan will help focus our efforts and maximize our impact, as we seek to bring vibrancy and prosperity to the downtown, while maintaining the organization’s ongoing relevance.

Like all not-for-profit organizations, DHBC has far fewer resources than it has ambitions or dreams. A strategic plan provides a necessary framework for the board and staff to direct their energies toward the most important objectives, utilizing the most effective strategies, and charting their progress against the most relevant and measurable outcomes. DHBC has always had an active strategic plan, and the current three-year plan ends March 31, 2026. A facilitated process, with external stakeholder, member, board, and staff input, now needs to be undertaken to produce a 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, year one of which can be incorporated into the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget. It will be launched to the membership in June of 2026.

Project Timeline

• Deadline for Questions: All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to Paul MacKinnon, at paul@downtownhalifax.ca by November 4.

• Proposals Due: November 12, by 9:00am 

• Potential Interviews with Shortlisted Finalists: TBD 

• Consultant Selection: Week of November 17 

• Project Kickoff: December TBD  

Please click here, or the PDF link (below) for all the important details on submitting for this work.