EXECUTIVE COUNSELLING SERVICES

Reposting of the RFSO D1120-14-8001.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) recently completed a Request for Standing Offers (RFSO) process for Executive Counselling Services and sought to establish sixty (60) Standing Offers, with a maximum of five (5) Standing Offers by region, with the exception of the National Capital Region.
A total of 21 Standing offers were awarded for the National Capital Region, two (2) for the region of British Columbia and Yukon, none for the region of Alberta and Northwest Territories, none for the Central Prairies and Nunavut Region, one (1) for the Southern Ontario Region, two (2) for the Quebec Region and one (1) for the Atlantic Region.  The PSC concluded that it is necessary to repost the Request for Standing Offer to obtain the desired number of Standing Offers. 

In this RFSO, the PSC will award a maximum of thirty-three (33) Standing Offers, with a maximum of three (3) for the region of British Columbia and Yukon, five (5) for the region of Alberta and Northwest Territories, five (5) for the Central Prairies and Nunavut Region, four (4) for the Southern Ontario Region, three (3) for the Quebec Region and four (4) for the Atlantic Region.  
For each work request, the Project Authority will select the Standing Offer Holder that best meets the criteria identified in PART 5:  Standing Offer and Resulting Contract Clauses, section 5 – Call-up Procedures / Allocation of Work, among the Standing Offer Holders of D1120-14-8001 and D1120-14-8001/B.

Bidders who were awarded a Standing Offers under RFSO D1120-14-8001 will not be considered for this request D1120-14-8001/B. 


STATEMENT OF WORK

1.0  	Objective

The Executive Counselling Services (ECS) group at the Personnel Psychology Centre (PPC) of the PSC provides  competency assessment and related career guidance, counselling and coaching services to the EX and equivalent groups and to employees planning to reach the EX level, such as senior professionals and middle managers.   These services are required at PSC locations across Canada, which includes the following regions: National Capital Region; British Columbia and Yukon Region; Alberta and Northwest Territories Region; Central Prairies and Nunavut Region; Southern Ontario Region; Québec Region; and the Atlantic Region. The Public Service Commission of Canada recognizes that the diversity of its employees' population contributes to its strength and integrity.  It is committed to achieving employment equity and developing a highly capable workforce that is representative of Canadian Society.  It therefore encourages women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minority groups to apply and declare themselves as part of one or more of the above mentioned Employment Equity Designated Groups. 
	
The Public Service Commission of Canada provides executive counselling services in both official languages (English and French) to a highly capable and diverse executive cadre and professionals, approximately half of whom are women.  Also, approximately one third of its clientele requires services in the French language.   

In order to better counsel female clients on the challenges of being a female executive in the federal public service, the PSC aims at providing services by executive consultants who are women.  

In order to better serve its clients who are French speaking, the PSC aims to have available executive consultants able to offer coaching and advisory services in the French language.  

In order to better counsel clients who are Aboriginal, persons with disabilities or members of a Visible Minority, on the challenges of being an Aboriginal, a person with disabilities or a member of a Visible Minority and an executive in the federal public service, the Public Service Commission of Canada also aims at offering services by a diverse pool of executive consultant, including consultants who are Aboriginal, persons with a disability, or members of Visible Minorities.  


2.0  	Background

The ECS provides career assessment and counselling, and coaching services to members of the EX and equivalent groups, and to senior professionals and managers who may soon attain entry to the EX group.

Services are individually tailored and provided in one-on-one meetings with clients.  Services provided in the context of the IPEX (Identification of Pathways for EX Development) assessment package include career assessment and counselling, leadership assessment and interpretation of competency-based assessment tools, planning for leadership learning and management skill development, report-writing, and collaboration with ECS staff who will provide project management and quality control.


3.0  	The PSC-ECS Mandate and Approach

The PSC and specifically the ECS of the PPC assist Departments and Federal government organizations in offering counselling and coaching services to public servants with regards to their ability to perform at work.  Furthermore, ECS offers competency-focused services, aiming at preparing clients for management challenges, career transition, assessment boards, etc.


4.0 	 Tasks/Scope

Work to be performed by the Executive Consultants, on an “as and when requested” basis, as authorized by the Project Authority, includes actual time spent performing any of the following:
	
4.1	Conducting confidential guidance, coaching and/or consulting sessions to help individual Clients who want to develop their management and leadership competencies, who are planning employment transition, or who are looking for support in handling a difficult situation.  Executive Counselling Services include meeting Clients on an individual basis in person or by telephone, teleconferencing, videoconferencing or webex, as agreed upon with the Project Authority;

4.2	Providing interview preparation services to designated Clients of ECS.  Interview preparation services include meeting Clients on an individual basis in person or by telephone, teleconferencing, videoconferencing or webex (as agreed upon with the Project Authority and in agreement with clients), providing information related to selection methods and recommendations regarding approaches to preparation, discussing expectations commonly held by boards as well as expectations for performance at the target level, and providing opportunities for the individual to practice responding to typical interview questions and receive verbal feedback on their performance;

4.3	Writing and providing up-to-date and accurate consultation notes for each Client meeting, and submitting these in the intended file to the responsible ECS representative immediately after the services have been provided; For any remote work, pre-authorized by the Project Authority and in agreement with clients, providing the ECS representative with appropriate financial and professional content in a format and process approved by the Project Authority; 

4.4	Preparing, in consultation with the ECS board preparation facilitator, or the psychologist, interview questions for use during simulations, based on the documentation provided by the Client or by the psychologist, as required to assist the client;
	
4.5	Participating in simulated board interviews, working collaboratively with the board preparation facilitator or the Client’s ECS psychologist and with other Executive Consultant(s).  The board preparation facilitator or someone in their name should be notified that a mock board is taking place and determine its composition in collaboration with the executive consultant.   
	
4.6	Delivering workshops designed by ECS and using material supplied by ECS to groups of participants, in a team with an ECS psychologist;
	
4.7	When relevant, participating in client progress reviews with the board preparation facilitator or the identified supervising ECS psychologist for a duration of up to one half hour for approximately every ten hours of work assigned;  Providing clarifications or explanations about the work performed or the notes written;
						
4.8	Developing and (or) upgrading services provided by the ECS such as:

4.8.1	Drafting and (or) reviewing documents,	4.8.2	Tailoring workshop materials,	
4.8.3	Providing strategic consulting services,	4.8.4	Participating in a working group, and 	
4.8.5	Helping to promote services through external contacts.

4.9	Participating in special assessment, coaching and other related projects involving the provision of services to groups, as requested by the Project Authority; and

4.10	Participating in mandatory training or meetings, as requested by the Project Authority.


5.0 	 Constraints

Before a first call-up is placed, Executive Consultants must attend an “Orientation Session for Executive Consultants”.  The orientation will consist of an overview of the services required by ECS, the roles of the supervising psychologists and the expectations associated with the Executive Consultant’s role.  The duration of the session will be a minimum of six (6) hours for new consultants but could be shortened for Executive Consultants who have previously worked with ECS. Attendance at an “Orientation Session” shall be at the contractor’s sole expense and at no cost to The Crown.

The consultant’s work will be monitored through feedback completed by ECS psychologists, ECS, assigned professionals, as well as clients. On an as needed basis, the ECS manager or Project Authority will meet with executive consultants in order to follow-up on the feedback received.  

During the Standing Offer Period, the Project Authority will conduct, on an ongoing basis, quality assurance verification to monitor the work performed by each Executive Consultant.  The Project Authority or the supervising professional will meet with each Executive Consultant, as required, for Quality Assurance review and feedback.  The frequency of the monitoring will be no less than once per year, and may or may not be announced in advance. Attendance at a “quality assurance review and feedback session” shall be at the contractor’s sole expense and at no cost to The Crown.

In order for future work to be called-up, an Executive Consultant MUST satisfactorily meet the applicable Quality Assurance criteria each time work is monitored.  These applicable Quality Assurance Criteria will be provided to successful contractors at the orientation session. 
	

6.0	Deliverables:

Executive Consultants shall prepare and deliver to the ECS psychologist or facilitator, consultation notes in a format approved by the Project Authority and to be agreed with the psychologist or facilitator for each client meeting, immediately after the meeting.   When requested, Executive Consultants shall also deliver to ECS, any other notes, plans or other work products prepared in the performance of the services described in Section 4 – Tasks / Scope.
	

7.0	Work Location & Travel:

7.1  Work Location:

•	Executive Counselling Services shall be provided on PSC premises, unless otherwise specified or approved by the Project Authority and in agreement with the client.  In the NCR, the Public Service Commission will provide office space, facilities and equipment on an “as required basis” to perform the in-person services. The executive consultant shall be provided office space equipped with furniture and equipment.  Assistance shall be provided for some administrative tasks; as approved by the Project Authority.   Services could also be provided at the client’s work location, given the Project Authority’s approval and with the client’s agreement. Services provided in any other location will require a request made to the Project Authority.
	
For services provided in the other PSC Regions, Executive Counselling Services provided in person shall normally take place on government premises provided by the client, unless otherwise agreed upon with the client and approved by the Project Authority.  The executive consultant shall be responsible for providing office space equipped with such furniture and equipment, together with such staff and other services as may be necessary for carrying out of the Indirect Services required under this Contract. The PSC will not pay for travel and living expenses for services provided, unless if pre-authorized by the Project Authority. 
	
7.2  Availability:  Executive Consultants MUST be available to provide services in person, by teleconferencing, videoconferencing, phone or webex, as approved by the Project Authority to a particular client within 48 hours of receiving a service request, unless otherwise approved by the Project Authority.  If a Consultant is not available within 48 hours, the Project Authority will proceed with the next qualified Standing Offer holder.
	
7.3  Travel:	
	
7.3.1	The PSC will not pay for travel within the National Capital Region.
	
7.3.2	The PSC will not pay for travel and living expenses for services within 100 KM of the proposed resource’s place of business (as identified in Appendix H – Resource Information Sheet)  specified in the Standing Offer, as it is anticipated that the contractor will be assigned on-site work only within their respective regions.  Any work allocated in excess of this 100 KM, or in any another region than the resource’s identified region(s) of work will be delivered remotely (teleconferencing, webex, phone, videoconferencing), unless travel has been pre-authorized by the project-Authority.
	
7.3.3	Should  specific circumstances dictate that travel to a location outside of the regions specified in the Standing Offer be necessary, the Contractor will be reimbursed its authorized travel and living expenses reasonably and properly incurred in the performance of the Work, at cost, without any allowance for profit and/or administrative overhead, in accordance with the meal, private vehicle and incidental expenses provided in Appendices B, C and D of the National Joint Council Travel Directive, and with the other provisions of the directive referring to "travellers", rather than those referring to "employees".

7.3.4	All travel must be authorized and pre-approved by the Project Authority.


8.0	Security Requirements:
	
The Contractor’s personnel requiring access to PROTECTED information, assets or sensitive work site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, approved by the CISD/PWGSC.

Confidentiality and Material:
	
8.1 The Contractor shall keep confidential all information provided to the Contractor by or on behalf of The Crown in connection with the Work, including any information that is confidential or proprietary to third parties.  The Contractor shall not disclose any such information to any person without the written permission of the PSC, except that the Contractor may disclose to a sub-contractor authorized by the PSC, information necessary for the performance of the Subcontract, on the condition that the sub-contractor agrees that it will be used solely for the purposes of such Subcontract.  Information provided to the Contractor by or on behalf of The Crown shall be used solely for the purpose of the Standing Offer and shall remain the property of The Crown or the third party, as the case may be.  Unless the Standing Offer otherwise expressly provides,  the Contractor shall deliver to The Crown all such information, together with every copy, draft, working paper and note thereof that contains such information, upon completion or termination of the Standing Offer or at such earlier time .

8.2 When the Standing Offer, the Work, or any information referred to in subsection 8.1 is identified as PROTECTED by The Crown, the Contractor shall at all times take all measures reasonably necessary for the safeguarding of the material so identified, including those set out in the PWGSC Industrial Security Manual and its supplements and any other instructions issued by the PSC. 

8.3 Without limiting the generality of subsections 8.1 and 8.2, when the Standing Offer, the Work, or any information referred to in subsection 8.1 is identified as  PROTECTED by The Crown, the PSC shall be entitled to inspect the Contractor's premises and the premises of a sub-contractor for security purposes at any time during the term of the Standing Offer, and the Contractor shall comply with, and ensure that any such sub-contractor complies with, all written instructions issued by the PSC dealing with the material so identified, including any requirement that employees of the Contractor or of any such sub-contractor execute and deliver declarations relating to reliability screenings, security clearances and other procedures.


9.0	Restrictions on the use of materials provided by the Crown

The contractor acknowledges and agrees that any and all materials and information provided by the Crown to the contractor in the context of this Standing Offer and its resulting work, are the exclusive property of the Crown and cannot be shared with any third party (private or public) or used outside the context of this Standing Offer and its resulting work without the express written permission of the Public Service Commission (PSC). 

These materials and information include but are not limited to assessment tools, materials provided to assist in the administration of the assessment tools, test simulation binders, documentation (e.g. handouts, sample questions, competency profiles) used as aids to coaching clients, as well as information and materials provided to the contractor by the PSC as part of training sessions given in support of this Standing Offer and its resulting work. 


10.0	Intellectual Property

Other than what is specifically provided for in this Standing Offer, any intellectual property arising from the performance of the services described herein shall vest with the Contractor.
	

11.0	Confidentiality Agreements:

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the commitment that the Executive Counselling Services group makes to its client.  The Confidentiality at the Executive Counselling Services agreement (Appendix “J”), must be sign by each proposed resource(s).


12.0	Official Languages: 

The services specified in Section 4 - Tasks / Scope are required in either the English or French language, or both, as individual client requirements warrant. Language capability will be a consideration in the allocation of call-ups.  See Part 5 – Standing Offer and Resulting Contract Clauses, Section 5 – Call-up procedures/Allocation of Work.


13.0	Green Procurement and Services: 

The Contractor should make every effort to ensure that all documents prepared or delivered are printed double-sided on Ecology certified recycled paper or on paper with equivalent post-consumer recycled content to the full extent to which it is procurable.