Student Parallel Election Program

Trade Agreements: Yes, see below
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: Yes (buyandsell.gc.ca)
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best overall proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: If applicable
Nature of Requirement: Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services

Elections Canada File No:
ECPB-RFP-13-0124

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH BUYANDSELL.GC.CA

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.

In accordance with the Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c.9), as amended from time to time (the “CEA”), the CEOC may implement public education and information programs to make the electoral process better known to students at the primary and secondary levels.

The objective of the Student Parallel Election Program (“SPEP”) is to increase student awareness and understanding of Canadian democracy, elections and voting by providing students with an opportunity to experience a simulated election environment in their classroom or school.  Ultimately, the SPEP seeks to encourage the practice of voting among students before they reach voting age.

Description:

The SPEP is a large-scale, national, in-school civic education program that will be developed for Canadian students in elementary school grades 4 to 6, junior school grades 7 to 9 and secondary school grades 10 to 12.  Students that participate in the SPEP will experience the federal election process through a simulated election that runs in their school or classroom.  Students will vote for an actual candidate running in their school’s riding, play the roles of poll clerks and deputy returning officers and use materials such as Elections Canada ballot boxes and voting screens.  Prior to the election, students will learn about key election and democratic principles and process through curriculum developed by the successful bidder and taught by teachers.  The SPEP will be delivered in both official languages of Canada.

The SPEP will target Canadian teachers teaching any of grades 4 to 12 and education administrators, including principals and principal associations, school boards and school board officials and ministries of education and ministry of education officials, all on a national, provincial or territorial level, as well as any other professional associations involved with the decision-making regarding school curriculum or the operation of education systems in Canada. 

The successful bidder will provide all planning, development and implementation of the services set out in Part II of the Statement of Work (the “SOW”). As and when requested by the Technical Authority and in accordance with a Task Authorization (as defined in Part 6 – Resulting Contract), the successful bidder will provide all services set forth in Sections 15 and 16 of the SOW. 

Period of the Contract:

The term of the contract will be from the effective date of the contract to September 30, 2016.  In addition, the bidder will grant to Elections Canada an irrevocable option to extend the contract for up to two additional general federal elections under the same terms and conditions and at the hourly rates specified in the contract. 

Evaluation Methodology:

Bids will be evaluated in the following progressive stages: 
- Phase 1: Mandatory Technical Requirements; 
- Phase 2: Rated Technical Requirements;
- Phase 3: Mandatory Financial Requirements; and
- Phase 4: Determination of Highest Ranked Bidder.

Proposals which fail to achieve the requirements specified in the RFP for Phases 1, 2, or 3 will be deemed non-responsive and given no further consideration.

In Phase 4, a combined evaluation score for those proposals deemed responsive in Phases 1, 2 and 3 will be determined in accordance with the formula set out in the RFP. 

The bidder with the highest combined evaluation score in the Phase 4 Proposal will be considered for the award of a contract.  

International Trade Agreements:

This procurement process is subject to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement, the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) and the World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP).

Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements:

Portions of the work to be performed by the successful bidder may be performed in areas that are subject to Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CLCAs).  Accordingly, the notice was sent to all of the land claimant groups that fall under the CLCAs on the same day that the RFP was posted on buyandsell.gc.ca.  The SOW requires that the successful bidder use, where available, the services of a local Aboriginal business for the delivery of any materials that are to be delivered to schools within geographical regions covered by CLCAs.

Submission of Bids:

It is requested that bids be provided directly to Procurement and Contracting Services (the “Contracting Authority”) at the address below. Bids must be delivered to that address, sealed, on or before the bid closing date outlined in the RFP (local time).  Bids that are faxed or sent via electronic mail will not be accepted.

Elections Canada Proposal Receiving Unit
c/o Business Centre
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, QC 
K1A 0M6
Attn: Pascal Bouchard-Phillips, Procurement and Contracting Services
Elections Canada File No: ECPB-RFP-13-0124

The Business Centre hours are Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (local time).  The Business Centre is closed on all statutory holidays.

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. 

All enquiries must be submitted in writing to proposition-proposal@elections.ca no later than fifteen (15) calendar days before the RFP closing date.  Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

All other communication with Elections Canada officials are to be directed only to the Contracting Authority at the address on the first page of the RFP. The Contracting Authority will be the bidder’s primary point contact. Bidders who contact anyone other than the Contracting Authority may be disqualified. 

Interested parties wishing to order the solicitation documents for this solicitation must do so through buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders.  The documents downloaded through this site take precedence over any copies that may be available elsewhere.

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.