Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT) is seeking proposals from qualified facilitators to support strategic meetings identified in the UCUT 2025-2029 Strategic Plan. The selected consultant will facilitate three meetings in fall 2026, including the UCUT Come-All Committee Meeting, the UCUT Commission Annual Strategic Retreat, and the Regional Update Meeting of the Northwest Regional Northern Pike Coordination Forum, with the potential to continue as UCUT’s ongoing facilitator for future needs.
Proposals are due July 31, 2026, by 5:00 PM PST.
Full details, submission requirements, and selection criteria are available in the RFP document below.
RFP Questions
- The RFP emphasizes experience working with Native American Tribes and identifies prior experience with a Tribe or Tribal organization as a desirable qualification. Is prior Tribal experience a minimum eligibility requirement, or will it be evaluated as one component of the consultant’s overall qualifications?
- Prior experience working with Tribes will be evaluated as one component of the overall qualifications.
- Is Native American ownership of the proposing firm required, or is it a supplier-diversity preference? If it is a preference, does Native American ownership receive points or other consideration in the evaluation?
- Native American ownership of the firm is a preference and will receive consideration in the evaluation.
- Are point values or relative weights assigned to the published selection criteria, including relevant experience, availability, cost, responsiveness, prior Tribal experience, and supplier-diversity status? If so, would UCUT be willing to share that weighting?
- For review, UCUT will be using a general weighted scale in an internal review committee process. The weighted scale will not be shared with bidders.
- Would UCUT consider a team structure in which an experienced strategy and governance facilitator serves as the engagement lead and is supported by a consultant with direct Tribal organizational and culturally grounded facilitation experience? Or must the lead facilitator personally demonstrate prior Tribal engagements?
- Subcontracting to a consultant with direct Tribal experience is not an ideal format, but UCUT will consider it if part of a proposal.
- Has UCUT established an anticipated budget range or not-to-exceed amount for the 2026 engagement?
- Yes, however that will not be shared with bidders at this time.
- Should travel expenses for the two Spokane-area trips be included within the proposed professional fee, or may airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and related expenses be presented separately?
- All expenses should be included in the proposed budget.
- May the technical committee, Senior Managers, Commission, staff, and planning meetings required before the October sessions be attended virtually?
- Prep meetings can be attended virtually, though that is not ideal and UCUT would prefer that the consultant make every effort to attend these meetings in person.
- Regarding Section XI, would UCUT permit a contractual distinction under which UCUT owns all UCUT-specific deliverables and work products while the consultant retains ownership of pre-existing methodologies, frameworks, templates, tools, and intellectual property?
- Any restrictions on the use of data contained in the proposal must be clearly started in the proposal.