Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation - Initial - for Robotic Process Automation - Professional Services

NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROCUREMENT

Solicitation Number: 2BS-1-91027/C - Initial

Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation (CBSOS) - Initial

for

Robotic Process Automation - Professional Services

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On June 22, 2021, Shared Services Canada published a Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation no.: 2BS-1-91027/B – Initial, which had a Solicitation Closing date of December 1, 2021. Prior to the Solicitation Closing date, SSC held interactive events including an Information Webinar and Invitations to Refine. Feedback from those events has been integrated into this NEW Solicitation no.: 2BS-1-91027/C – Initial.

Note: This Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation no. 2BS-1-91027/C – Initial, shall not be construed to confer upon any Offeror any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of Solicitation no.: 2BS-1-91027/B – Initial.

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Requirement

Canada lacks Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Solutions to allow business, technical and non-technical resources to automate manual activities through attended and un-attended automations, with minimal dependency on IM/IT subject matter experts. Canada is seeking to qualify RPA Solutions under a separate Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation (Solicitation No.: 2BS-1-91027-Final), to scale up the use of automation across Departments.

In addition, many public servants have yet to be exposed to RPA. In conjunction with these new investments in RPA Solutions, Canada needs business consulting, change management and IT project management expertise to support the business case, buy-in, design, development, implementation and management of RPA. Robotic Process Automation - Professional Services will enable Canada to accelerate the adoption of RPA as part of Canada’s process automation and digital transformation strategy.

Procurement Process

Procurement Process 3.0 (PP3.0) is an innovative procurement framework to improve the ability of Shared Service Canada (SSC) to move quicker and produce better results. This CBSOS is a pilot launched by SSC’s Centre of Expertise in Agile and Innovative Procurement (CoEAIP) and leverages the APP3.0 approach.

The Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation is divided into three parts: Part A - Robotic Process Automation – Professional Services, Part B - Standing Offer, and Part C - Resulting Contract Clauses, plus Annexes and Attachments.

Canada anticipates awarding multiple Standing Offer(s) - Robotic Process Automation – Professional Services.

This procurement process involves the following stages:

• invitation to refine with industry;
• qualification stage (optional, at the discretion of Canada);
• solicitation among Bidders (qualified Bidders if Canada chooses to qualify Bidders);
• the award of Standing Offer(s) and subsequent Call-ups - Proof of Concept
• the deployment of Professional Services in support of the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Solution project.

Any resulting Standing Offer(s) also include Call-up(s) for Shared Services Canada (SSC) to deploy Professional Services to other SSC Clients in support of their Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Solution project.

Technation

SSC will collaborate with TECHNATION in this Agile procurement.

TECHNATION has recently launched an open business intelligence platform called the TECH2GOV Digital Marketplace. This platform is open to all incorporated technology companies in Canada, to register and showcase their areas of technology specialization and experience. (https://technationportal.ca)

The objective of the collaboration with TECHNATION is to see if the combination of TECH2GOV and the simplified procurement process under SSC’s PP3.0 could improve SMEs’ access to SSC’s procurements.

Following are the Expected benefits of the proposed collaboration with TECHNATION.

• Improved outreach: The Digital Marketplace enables greater outreach with SMEs that could potentially have the required capacity to perform in accordance with the requirements of the resulting contract.
• Simplified submission process: PP3.0 offers a less administratively burdensome process for Bidders to participate in the solicitation process.
• SME’s improved access to demonstrations and prototype activities: PP3.0 is designed to improve SMEs’ access to demonstrations and prototypes.
• Provide the Government of Canada with greater visibility into the rapidly evolving technology solutions available in the marketplace.

Security Requirement

The security requirement associated with this CBSOS will be identified during the Solicitation process.

Offeror’s Information Webinar

An optional Offeror’s Information Webinar will be held on the dates and times identified in the Solicitation document.

Trade Agreements

This requirement is subject to the following trade agreements:

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, and World Trade Organization-Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-GPA).

Offer Submission

Details of Offer submission procedures are described in the Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation document. The finalized Proposal Preparation Instructions and Evaluation Procedures and Basis of Selection sections will be included in the Final Challenge-Based Solicitation.

Language

Documents may be submitted in either Official Language of Canada.

Negotiations

SSC retains the right to negotiate with Offerors.

Current Contract

Not Applicable

Enquiries

Enquiries regarding this CBSOS are to be submitted to the email below:

File Number: 2BS-1-91027/C - Initial

Email: coeaip-ceaan@ssc-spc.gc.ca