Notice to Vendors
Solicitation number MOTI-NTV-TGP-20231123
Publication date
Closing date and time 2023/12/08 17:00 EST
Description
The Ministry is currently working with Ernst & Young to develop online grant applications and is receiving high value from the contractor and making considerable progress on its objectives.
Ernst & Young provided the Ministry project team with software development resources to work in a team-based agile environment using the Scrum Agile Framework. The services included initial planning, design, software development and coding, prototyping, documentation, testing, and configuration.
The extension work includes changes to the online grant application system including updates to the existing grant portals and the creation of additional grant portals for the Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program (PTAP) as required. The program will support accessibility in the taxi industry by helping to offset extra costs that taxi owner-operators face in providing wheelchair-accessible vehicles, which will help to increase the number of accessible taxis available. Ensuring program success is a ministry priority. The ministry launched PTAP in 2023 with the introduction of the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Maintenance Rebate and has committed to launching additional funding streams under the program over the next two years. The next intake is anticipated in January 2024. Each funding stream requires a grant portal that eligible applicants are required to use to apply for available funding online. The grant portals will improve the client experience and make it more efficient by ensuring a streamlined and consistent application process for all funding streams. The online system will also save staff time, costs and reduce the potential for data error and are required for successful administration to the program.
The expanded scope also includes updates to the existing BC Active Transportation (BCAT) and BC Air Access Program (BCAAP) portals as required. Introduction of additional PTAP grant portals and updates to the PTAP, BCAT and BCAAP grant portals require an extension to the contract to June 30, 2024 to ensure maximum timing flexibility, and an increase to the maximum amount payable by $80,000 to $580,000.
The Ministry has chosen not to call for proposals for the following reasons:
- Mission critical: Replacement of the vendor would result in increased project costs and delays. This project is time-sensitive and is a critical dependency for other projects. Work needs to continue to deliver necessary changes to the grant portal with launch six weeks away in January, 2024
- Time and cost efficiency: The Ministry continues to use and rely on Ernst & Young for its grant portal development expertise and experience with the Ministry. The Ministry has made a significant investment in staff and contractor time to implement and enhance the system to its current state. Ernst & Young has source code field tested and directly relevant to this project which can be leveraged at no cost to the Province of BC;
- Quality of work and velocity: The Ministry is satisfied with the work of Ernst & Young on the online grants software development that they successfully implemented. Having such direct relevant experience with the Ministry’s infrastructure and business processes, and other Province of BC system builds, presents a value proposition represented by the contractor's efforts and thought leadership for agile software development; and
- Continuity of the project: Ernst & Young carried out the contract satisfactorily and successfully implemented the new grant portals and recent enhancements. Ernst & Young has developed extensive knowledge of the ministry’s business processes and linkages with grants application development. The unique in-depth knowledge and stakeholder relationships are critical to completing the system changes and upgrade by January, 2024; and
- Economic and technical savings: As per Article 513 of the Canada Free Trade Agreement, to do otherwise through another net new procurement would cause significant inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs for the Ministry given the interoperability and similar nature of the solutions built by Ernst & Young to that which substantially matches the Ministry’s requirements for a total solution.
This Notice is being issued for the purposes of keeping vendors informed. If you have any questions regarding this Notice, please email:
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Information Management Branch
TRANIMBCONTRACTS@gov.bc.ca
Contract duration
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Trade agreements
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Contact information
Contracting organization
- Organization
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Information Management & Strategic Initiatives
- Email
- tranimbcontracts@gov.bc.ca
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