Proposals due: July 31st, 2026
About the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB):
The Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) is a bilingual association of fifty-nine local governments of all sizes, representing over eighty five percent of New Brunswick’s population.
Since 1994, UMNB has advocated for strong, sustainable communities throughout the province. Our members decide UMNB’s policies & priorities through member resolutions, at regional zone meetings, and at our Annual General Meeting. Together, our members tackle local challenges and share solutions to make life better for their citizens.
In 2022, the local government landscape changed with Local Government Reform and the creation of new municipalities and increased regional mandates. In 2023, the CNBA and the UMNB merged into one organization. UMNB is looking for a strategic plan to guide its growth for the next three to five years.
Our Mission
- Unite New Brunswick municipalities of all sizes (cities, towns, villages, and rural communities) and both official languages
- Represent our members’ interests & concerns and ensure local priorities are on the provincial agenda
- Connect municipal leaders across the province to exchange knowledge and solutions that strengthen their communities
- Inform our members through research, professional development, and insider analysis.
Project Overview:
UMNB is seeking a consultant to lead the development of our next strategic plan. With new councils, new members, and a changed local government landscape the organization is looking for an updated plan to lead the organization forward
The target audience for this project includes the membership, Board of Directors, staff of the UMNB. The desired outcome is a roadmap to identify areas of growth, opportunities, member priorities, a strategy for engaging with municipalities across the province and sector partners.
Project Timeline and Benchmarks
July 31st, 2026 Deadline for submission of proposals
August 2026 Evaluation of proposals and Award of Contract
October 2nd Engagement with UMNB members at AGM (Moncton)
November/December Engagement session with UMNB members (Virtual)
January/February 2027 Board Validation (In person, location TBD)
April 4th 2027 Strategic plan presentation to membership AGM.
Project Goals and Scope of Work
Components from the strategic plan should include:
- Purpose: reason that the organization exists
- Vision and Mission Statement: Review the organization’s purpose and long-term aspirations
- Values: core principles and beliefs that guide the agency’s actions and decisions
- Relevant Party Engagement: including Board of Directors, employees, members, partners
- Situation Analysis: assessment of internal and external factors affecting the agency
- Priorities and Goals: strategic areas of focus and intended impact with relevant goals
- Strategies: action plans for meeting outlined goals
- Resource Allocation: financial, human, technological resources required and allocation
- Review and Evaluation: timeline, implementation milestones, responsibilities, and checkpoints to track progress
Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be considered in the evaluation of the proposal:
- Experience in developing strategic plans for municipalities, industry associations, or provincial associations
- Ability to produce bilingual content and host engagements in both official languages.
- Projected cost
- Responsiveness and answers to the following questions:
- Why should UMNB choose you?
- Provide an example of a challenging project and how you managed the situation constructively
We anticipate a budget of $37,500+HST for the total project.
Submission Requirements and How to Respond
Bidders must adhere to the following guidelines to be considered:
- Proposals must be submitted to Executive Director Dan Murphy at dan.murphy@umnb.ca no later than July 31st, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
- Proposals must include the name and contact information of bidder.
- Include samples and references with your proposal as appropriate.
- Include a clearly expressed proposed schedule of work.
- Include a detailed financial breakdown for the proposal.
Contact Information
For more information, contact:
Dan Murphy, UMNB Executive Director
Email: dan.murphy@umnb.ca, Cell: 506-478-143