Field Liaison Officers and Backup Field Liaison Officers

Notice of Proposed Procurement - NPP

Request for Proposal (RFP) for Field Liaison Officers and Backup Field Liaison Officers

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/CCFTA/CPFTA/AIT/CCOFTA
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: Yes (GETS - Buy & Sell)
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: Yes
Nature of Requirements:  Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Estimated Cost of the proposed Contracts, including the options, is approximately $1,000,000.00 Cdn (applicable taxes excluded)

Elections Canada File No.:  
ECSVT-RFP-13-0460

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH BUY & SELL.

The information contained in this notice is a brief description of the requirement and is for information purposes only. Bidders must refer to the complete Request for Proposal (RFP) document for a full description of the requirements and the full bid instructions.

Background:
The Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (“CEOC”), an agent of Parliament, exercises general direction and supervision over the conduct of elections and referendums at the federal level. The CEOC heads the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, commonly known as Elections Canada.

During each electoral event (general election, by-election or referendum), Elections Canada establishes several helpdesks at its offices in Ottawa to provide centralized support by e-mail and telephone. Elections Canada is seeking to provide regional support for field staff by contracting with field liaison officers (“FLOs”) and backup field liaison officers (“Backup FLOs”). FLOs and Backup FLOs will provide guidance and support to the returning officers and their staff during electoral events to ensure compliance with the provisions and principles of the Canada Elections Act and the Referendum Act and the instructions of the CEOC; this support continues between electoral events as well. 

FLOs and Backup FLOs will also provide services to Elections Canada, on an as requested basis, in connection with the implementation and delivery of public education and information programs to make the electoral process better known to the public and the dissemination of information to the public relating to Canada’s electoral process, the democratic right to vote and how to be a candidate.

Description:
The Statement of Work attached as Appendix A ("SOW”) to the Resulting Contract outlines the services that will be required.

Elections Canada is seeking the services of one (1) FLO and three (3) Backup FLOs. FLOs are responsible for providing support to a specific group of electoral districts (“FLO Region”), while the Backup FLOs are responsible for providing backup services to a group of FLO Regions (“Backup FLO Region”), as required. The electoral districts identified in the RFP are the ones that currently exist. However, following the implementation of the electoral redistribution, the names and the boundaries of such electoral districts may change. This may result in changes to the boundaries of each FLO Region and Backup FLO Region. A separate contract will be issued for each FLO Region and Backup FLO Region.  A bidder can submit one bid covering more than one FLO Region and/or Backup FLO Region, provided that the same resource is proposed for all regions.  If a bidder is proposing more than one resource, such bidder must submit a separate bid for each resource.

FLO Regions:
Northern Canada

Backup FLO Regions:
Atlantic Provinces
Quebec
Greater Toronto Area

Period of the Contract:
The term of the contract will be from the effective date of the contract to November 30, 2016. In addition, the bidder will grant to Elections Canada two (2) irrevocable options to extend the original term of the contract.  Each option is for a twelve (12) month period under the same terms and conditions and at the rates specified in the contract.

Evaluation Methodology:
Bids will be evaluated in progressive stages: 

- Phase 1: Mandatory Technical Requirements; 
- Phase 2: Rated Technical Requirements;
- Phase 3: Telephone Interview;
- Phase 4: Determination of Highest Ranked Bidder for each FLO Region and Backup FLO Region; and
-Phase 5: Multiple Bids.

For each FLO Region or Backup FLO Region, as the case may be, a combined evaluation score for the bids that passed Phases 1, 2 and 3 and that were deemed responsive will be determined in accordance with the following formula:

Phase 2 score (point rated technical evaluation) x 60 / 100
+
Phase 3 score (telephone interview) x 40 / 100
= combined evaluation score

Subject to Phase 5, for each FLO Region and Backup FLO Region, the bidder with the highest combined evaluation score will be considered for award of a contract
 
This procurement process is subject to the World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA), the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) and the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CCOFTA).

This procurement is subject to the following Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements (CLCA): 
Carcross/Tagish First Nation Final Agreement
Champagne and Aishihik First Nation Final Agreement 
Eeyou Marine Region Land Claims Agreement 
First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun Final Agreement 
Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement 
Inuvialuit Final Agreement 
James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement 
Kluane First Nation Final Agreement 
Kwanlin Dun First Nation Final Agreement 
Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement 
Labrador Innu Land Claims Agreement-in-Principle
Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Final Agreement 
Northeastern Quebec Agreement 
Nunavut Land Claim Agreement 
Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement 
Selkirk First Nation Final Agreement 
Ta'an Kwach'an Council Final Agreement 
Tlicho Agreement 
Teslin Tlingit Council Final Agreement 
Tr’ondek Hwech’in Final Agreement 
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Final Agreement 

Bidders may submit a bid for the FLO Region of Northern Canada to either of the following two streams:

(a)	Stream 1 – set aside for Aboriginal businesses in accordance with the federal government's Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB). The bidder must certify in Annex A of Part 10 – Certificates of the RFP that it is an Aboriginal business or joint venture as defined within the PSAB.

(b)	Stream 2 - open to all business (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal businesses). The bids submitted to stream 2 will only be opened and evaluated if no responsive bids have been submitted under stream 1.

Submission of Bids:
It is requested that bids be provided directly to the Contracting Authority. Bids must be delivered to the following address, sealed, on or before February 17, 2014, 2:00 PM, Ottawa time (Ottawa time).

Mailing Address:
 	
Elections Canada
30 Victoria Street, 1st Floor (Business Centre)
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0M6

Attn: Stella Van Tassel, Procurement and Contracting Services
Elections Canada File No: ECSVT-RFP-13-0460

For sending packages by courier or for dropping off, please note that the Business Centre hours are Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (local time).

Bids received after the stipulated closing date and time will not be accepted and will be returned unopened to the bidder. If a late bid must be opened to determine the name and/or address of the bidder or the nature of the enclosure, a covering letter will be sent to explain the necessity of opening the bid. 

Faxed or bids sent via electronic mail will not be accepted.

All enquiries and other communication with Elections Canada officials are to be directed ONLY to the Contracting Authority. The Contracting Authority will be the bidder’s primary contact. All requests for information must be directed to this contact. Bidders who contact anyone other than the Contracting Authority may be disqualified.  All enquiries must be submitted in writing to proposal-proposition@elections.ca no later than fifteen (15) calendar days before the RFP closing date.  Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

Interested parties wishing to order the solicitation documents for this solicitation must place an order with Buy & Sell, either on-line, or by calling 1 800 811-1148.The documents (PDF file, faxed documents, documents in word processor or spreadsheet format and documents downloaded through the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS), etc.) provided by Buy & Sell take precedence over any copies that may also be made available.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.

Elections Canada retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement. 

Further information about Elections Canada may be obtained at www.elections.ca.