REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Tribal Court Video Script Writing and User Testing Evaluation
Issued by: Anishinabe Legal Services · Cass Lake, Minnesota
Funded by: Legal Services Corporation — Technology Initiative Grant
Budget: $25,000 combined for both contracts
Issue date: April 30th, 2026 Submissions due: June 5th, 2026, at 5:00 PM Central
1. About ALS
Anishinabe Legal Services (ALS) is an LSC-funded nonprofit providing free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals on and near the Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Reservations in northern Minnesota. ALS serves clients before tribal courts, state courts, and administrative agencies.
Phone / Email218-335-2223 · cnelson@alslegal.org
Website: alslegal.org
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 157, Cass Lake, MN 56633
Funder: Legal Services Corporation — Technology Initiative Grant, FY 2025
2. Project Overview
ALS received a 2025 LSC Technology Initiative Grant to create AI-generated video tutorials helping unrepresented litigants navigate probate and guardianship cases before the Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Tribal Courts. This RFQ seeks to identify qualified consultants… ALS anticipates selecting one or more consultants and may divide or combine scope areas during contracting.
- Script Writing Consultant (Contract A) — research three tribal court jurisdictions and write plain-language video scripts.
- User Testing & Evaluation Consultant (Contract B) — test completed videos with community members and deliver an evaluation report.
Respondents may apply for one or both contracts. The combined budget is $25,000. ALS staff attorneys will review all content for legal accuracy and cultural appropriateness.
3. Scope of Work
Contract A — Script Writing Consultant
Research probate and guardianship law and procedure across the three ALS tribal court jurisdictions and produce plain-language scripts unrepresented community members can genuinely use.
Deliverables
- Research summary: laws, codes, court rules, required forms, and procedural steps for Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Tribal Courts.
- Content outline by topic and jurisdiction, submitted for ALS approval before drafting.
- ALS anticipates the consultant may develop multiple short scripts covering key probate and guardianship topics. Final scope, number of scripts, and deliverables will be determined during contract negotiation.
- Up to two revision rounds based on ALS staff attorney feedback.
- Final scripts in editable Word format, ALS-approved before video production.
Expectations
- Work closely with ALS staff attorneys as subject matter experts; attend kickoff and check-in meetings (remote accepted).
- Content must be accurate to each specific jurisdiction — do not generalize across tribal courts without ALS approval.
- Cultural sensitivity and respect for tribal sovereignty required throughout.
- No subcontracting without prior written ALS approval
Design and conduct structured user testing of the completed videos and deliver a clear evaluation report supporting ALS’s LSC grant reporting obligations.
Deliverables
- Written user testing plan — research questions, participant criteria, methodology, and data collection tools — submitted for ALS approval before testing.
- Recruit and coordinate 10–15 participants from across the three service areas.
- Facilitate testing sessions (in-person, remote, or hybrid as appropriate).
- Evaluation report: methodology, participant demographics, findings on comprehension and accessibility, and actionable recommendations.
- Plain-language executive summary suitable for ALS’s LSC progress report.
- Brief presentation of findings to ALS staff (remote accepted).
Expectations
- Design tools appropriate for participants with varying literacy levels and limited internet access.
- Schedule to align with the Script Writing Consultant’s timeline and ALS’s video production.
- Engage participants with cultural respect; follow protocols requested by ALS or tribal partners.
- LSC logo required on all final deliverables.
4. Budget
The firm ceiling is $25,000 combined for both contracts. ALS anticipates allocating the majority to Contract A and the remainder to Contract B but will negotiate final amounts with selected consultants.
Provide hourly rates, day rates, or general pricing structure. A detailed budget is not required at this stage.
5. Qualifications
All Respondents
- U.S.-based individual, team, or organization with experience serving legal aid, tribal, or access-to-justice clients.
- Experience producing public-facing educational content for non-lawyer audiences.
- Able to meet deadlines, respond to feedback, and attend virtual meetings.
Contract A — Script Writing
- Tribal court law knowledge, preferably Leech Lake, Red Lake, or White Earth jurisdictions.
- Probate and/or guardianship law experience strongly preferred
- Proven plain-language writing for self-represented litigants (writing samples required).
- Script or instructional content writing experience preferred.
- Cultural competency with Anishinaabe communities strongly preferred.
- Enrolled tribal members and Indigenous-owned firms are especially encouraged to apply.
Contract B — User Testing
- Experience in user research, usability testing, or program evaluation.
- Plain-language testing or human-centered design experience.
- Experience with low-income, rural, or Indigenous research participants.
- Ability to produce evaluation reports for federal funder submission.
- LSC grant reporting familiarity a plus.
- Cultural competency with Indigenous communities strongly preferred.
6. How to Apply
Email a single PDF or Word document to ALS Executive Director Cody Nelson by June 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM Central. Subject line: ALS Video RFQ — [Contract A, B, or Both] — [Name or Organization]
Include:
- Cover letter (2 pages max) stating which contract(s) you are applying for and why you are a strong fit.
- Statement of qualifications referencing Section 5 requirements.
- Two or more work samples — for Contract A, at least one plain-language legal content sample; for Contract, at least one evaluation report. Confidential materials may be redacted.
- Résumé or biography for each contributor.
- Two professional references from legal aid, tribal, or public-interest organizations.
- Proposed fee (see Section 4 for format).
- Brief approach and timeline description (1–2 pages).
Selection Process:
This RFQ is the first stage of a two-step procurement process. ALS will evaluate submissions and develop a shortlist of qualified consultants. Only shortlisted respondents will be invited to submit detailed proposals in a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP).
7. Evaluation
ALS will evaluate submissions against the criteria below and may interview finalists. ALS reserves the right to negotiate scope and fee with finalists. Submissions that are incomplete or do not demonstrate relevant experience may be deemed non-responsive and may not be evaluated.
Contract A — Script Writing
| Critereon | Weight | What We Are Looking For |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge of tribal court law & procedure |
30% | Understanding of Leech Lake, Red Lake, and/or White Earth Tribal Court rules, probate, and guardianship procedure. |
| Plain-language writing quality | 25% | Clarity and accessibility of writing samples for a non-lawyer audience. |
| Relevant experience | 20% | Track record with public legal education, scripts, or instructional content for self-represented litigants. |
| Cultural competency | 15% | Demonstrated understanding of Anishinaabe communities and tribal sovereignty. Preference for Indigenous applicants. |
| Approach, timeline & cost | 10% | Reasonableness of proposed approach and fee within available budget. |
Contract B — User Testing & Evaluation
| Critereon | Weight | What We Are Looking For |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation methodology & experience procedure |
35% | Expertise in user research, usability testing, or plain-language testing. Quality of prior evaluation work. |
| Community research experience | 25% | Experience with low-income, rural, or Indigenous participants using culturally respectful methods. |
| Qualifications & team | 20% | Credentials and experience of all contributors. |
| Approach, timeline & cost | 20% | Clarity of evaluation design and participant strategy; feasibility within remaining budget. |
8. Contact
Project Contact: Cody Nelson
Email: cnelson@alslegal.org
Phone: 218-335-2223
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 157, Cass Lake, MN 56633
Subject Line: ALS Video RFQ — [Contract A, B, or Both] — [Name or Organization]
9. LSC Grant Requirements
LSC Requirements: All contracts are funded by an LSC TIG and governed by the 2025 Special Grant Terms and Conditions, Basic Field Grant Terms (incorporated by reference), and 45 C.F.R. Parts 1627, 1630, and 1631. Key requirements: all materials must meet LSC plain language standards and Section 508 accessibility; ALS and LSC hold a royalty-free, irrevocable license to all work products; the LSC logo must appear on all deliverables; no subcontracting without written ALS approval; consultants must disclose conflicts of interest; ALS will verify SAM.gov eligibility before contracting; itemized records must be maintained for the grant term. These requirements will be incorporated into the written contract.
10. General Terms
Right to reject: ALS may reject any submission, cancel or reissue this RFQ, or negotiate with any respondent. This RFQ does not obligate ALS to award a contract.
Confidentiality: Submissions are confidential during evaluation and may become public record after selection.
No cost to respond: ALS will not reimburse proposal preparation costs.
Native American preference: ALS strongly encourages applications from enrolled tribal members, Indigenous-owned firms, and consultants with ties to the Leech Lake, Red Lake, or White Earth communities. Native American preference is a factor in evaluation.
Contract: All work requires a written contract executed before work begins. ALS will provide a contract template to finalists.