Government Relations Advisory Services

The Vendor is required to provide government relations advisory service provider for an initial one-year period to provide strategic advice, political and policy intelligence, relationship-mapping support, executive preparation and related services.
- Presidential and VP government relations transition plan
• Support development of a government relations transition plan for the incoming president, to be completed no later than the end of august 2026.
• Support development of a government relations transition plan for the incoming vice-president, research and innovation, to be completed no later than the end of March 2027.
• These plans should support the identification, sequencing and preparation of priority government-facing engagements.
• It may include advice on priority stakeholders, relationship context, meeting objectives, and preparatory materials, follow up processes and measures of progress.
- Stakeholder mapping and relationship strategy
• Support the university in mapping priority government, public-sector and key institutional stakeholders, assessing relationship gaps, identifying engagement opportunities and developing practical relationship-tracking approaches or tools.
• Support the development of a strategy for the internal institutional coordination of key relationships and stakeholders identified above.
• This work should be substantially completed no later than the end of December 2026, with updates and refinements provided as needed through the remainder of the engagement.
- Political, policy and issues intelligence
• Provide ongoing senior-level advice and timely intelligence on political, policy, legislative, regulatory, funding and issues-related developments relevant to waterloo’s government relations activity.
• This support should include practical interpretation of risks, opportunities (including specific funding opportunities tied to waterloo priorities), timing considerations, and stakeholder implications and recommended next steps for consideration by university internal government relations team.
- Advocacy, engagement and executive preparation support
• Support the university internal team by developing engagement plans, briefing materials, key messages, stakeholder profiles, meeting notes, leave-behinds, correspondence and follow up materials for government-facing engagements.
• The successful respondent may provide advice on advocacy strategy and positioning; however, the university will retain responsibility for institutional priorities, approvals, direct advocacy and relationship ownership.
- Reporting, governance and knowledge transfer
• Provide a clear account team and personnel, regular meeting cadence, monthly reporting and timely documentation of advice, activity, risks, opportunities and recommended next steps.
• Support knowledge transfer to university internal government relations team through practical tools, templates, tracking documents and briefings.