Expert Advisory and Peer Review Services (4600001603)

RFSO NUMBER: 1000193514

PROJECT TITLE: Expert Advisory and Peer Review Services – Standing Offer Agreements.

SUMMARY:

Specific Claims and Negotiations, Central Branch require expert services and peer review service to provide expertise in relation to proposals, reports and analyses put forward by First Nation / Indigenous experts, as well as to support its own research with regard to various aspects of Specific Claims.

The Client requires services in seven (7) Areas of Expertise Within each Area of Expertise, the Client requires at least one (1) bilingual (English and French) expert.

Category and Areas of Expertise

# of Resources Required

1. Theoretical Advisory Expertise

Economic Models;

Up to eight (8)

Agriculture;

Up to eight (8)

Mining / Minerals;

Up to six (6)

Oil and Gas;

Up to six (6)

Traditional Indigenous Land Uses (e.g. trapping, fur trading).

Up to six (6)

1. Applied Advisory Expertise:

Accounting;

Up to six (6)

Asset valuation.

Up to six (6)

The Standing Offer(s) period will be from award to March 31, 2023 inclusive with an additional two (2) one (1) year option periods.

Security: Pursuant to the Government of Canada Security Policy, the nature of the services to be provided under the Standing Offer Agreement requires a Government of Canada Security Clearance.

1. Mandatory Requirement Theoretical Advisory

1. Proposed Resources
   1. The Bidder MUST propose one (1) Resource in one (1) of the following Areas of Expertise:

      Category 1: Theoretical Advisory

      a. Economic models

      b. Agriculture;

      c. Mining / Minerals;

      d. Oil and Gas;

      e. Traditional indigenous land uses (e.g. trapping, fur trading).

      Resources may be proposed in more than one (1) of the above Areas of Expertise; however, each Area of Expertise will be evaluated separately. The Bidder must include a detailed CV for each resource proposed

   2. The Bidder MUST demonstrate that Resources in the Theoretical Advisory Category possess:
      1. A minimum of six (6) years of professional work experience* in the Area of Expertise in which they are proposed; and
      2. A PhD from a recognized post-secondary institution in a related field or an additional five (5) years of professional work experience* in the Area of Expertise in which they are proposed (for a minimum of 11 years' professional work experience*); and

         *Experience may be gained through work as a professor or researcher at a post-secondary institution, or at a private firm doing research related to the Area of Expertise.

      3. At least one (1) relevant paper published in at least one (1) peer-reviewed academic journal in the Area of Expertise in which they are proposed.

         In order to demonstrate experience, the Bidder MUST provide evidence of the Resource having provided or gained expert knowledge in the Area of Expertise for which the Resource is proposed. This may include, but is not necessarily limited to, completion of published articles, research papers, or books; provision of expert advice to a provincial or federal court; provision of expert advice to an outside client such as the Federal government, or a provincial, territorial, or municipal government, or similar experience.

         Bidders MUST identify within the Proposal the time periods for research conducted for an article, research paper, or book so that evaluators are able to count years of experience of the Resource. Bidders are encouraged to provide as much substantiating information as necessary to ensure that evaluators are able to determine the Resource’s years of experience.

   3. Where the Bidder wishes to propose a Resource capable of providing services in French or bilingually, the Bidder MUST include demonstration that the Resource can provide services and deliverables in French. This may include: demonstration of completed education in French, demonstration of completed research projects in French, or demonstration of an academic paper published in French.

      Bidders that do not respond to this criterion factor, or whose response to this factor is not deemed acceptable, will not be considered eligible to provide French/Bilingual services, however evaluation of the Proposal may continue should all other Mandatory Requirements be met. For clarity: Bidders that do not meet the French requirement will NOT be deemed non-compliant, and may still be considered to provide services in English.

      Where a Resource is proposed in more than one (1) Area of Expertise, Bidders are encouraged to list their experience for each Area of Expertise separately so that the Evaluation Committee can clearly determine compliance. For example, where an article produced by the Resource is clearly related to theoretical economic models and agriculture, that article should be listed twice: once under demonstration of expertise in theoretical economics, once under demonstration of expertise in agriculture.

      2. Mandatory Requirement Applied Advisory

1. Proposed Resources
   1. The Bidder MUST propose one (1) Resource in one (1) of the following Areas of Expertise:

      Category 2: Applied Advisory

      a. Accounting;

      b. Asset valuation

      Resources may be proposed in more than one (1) of the above Areas of Expertise; however, each Area of Expertise will be evaluated separately. The Bidder must include a detailed CV for each resource proposed

   2. The Bidder MUST demonstrate that Resources in the Applied Advisory Category possess a minimum six (6) years of professional work experience in the Area of Expertise in which they are proposed. Bidders should ensure sufficient information is provided to allow the Evaluation Committee to determine the Resource has sufficient years of experience to meet this mandatory minimum requirement.
   3. The Bidder MUST also demonstrate that the proposed Resource possesses valid membership and a professional designation related to their Area of Expertise, as follows:

      i. Accounting: Chartered Professional Accountant or recognized equivalent protected designation (eg. Associated of the Chartered Accountants in NWT and Nunavut, or Associate of the Chartered Professional Accountants in the Yukon), ;

      ii. Asset valuation: Chartered Business Valuator, Accredited Appraiser (Canadian Institute), Canadian Residential Appraiser, or equivalent as determined by INAC.

      Bidders are encouraged to submit questions during the solicitation period as to the equivalency of any Asset Valuation credentials

   4. Where the Bidder wishes to propose a Resource capable of providing services in French or Bilingually, the Bidder MUST include demonstration that the Resource can provide services and deliverables in French. This may include: demonstration of completed education in French, demonstration of completed projects in French, or demonstration of a paper published in French.

      Bidders that do not respond to this criterion factor, or whose response to this factor is not deemed acceptable, will not be considered eligible to provide French/Bilingual services, however evaluation of the Proposal may continue should all other Mandatory Requirements be met. For clarity: Bidders that do not meet the French requirement will NOT be deemed non-compliant, and may still be considered to provide services in English.

      Where a Resource is proposed in more than one (1) Area of Expertise, Bidders are encouraged to list their experience for each Area of Expertise separately so that the Evaluation Committee can clearly determine compliance. For example, where a study produced by the Resource is clearly related to accounting and asset valuation, that study should be listed twice: once under demonstration of expertise in accounting, once under demonstration of expertise in asset valuation.

      The requirement is subject to the provisions of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).