Information Gathering Services to Support Risk Assessment of Micro-organisms on the Domestic Substances List.

1. SOLICITATION #: 1000165265   

2. CLOSING DATE: December 23, 2014

2 CLOSING TIME and TIME ZONE: 3:00 p.m. EDT

This requirement is for the department of Health Canada.

4. TITLE:	Information Gathering Services to Support Risk Assessment of Micro-organisms on the 	Domestic Substances List.

5. INTRODUCTION: 

The New Substances Assessment and Control Bureau (NSACB) of the Safe Environments Directorate (SED) plays a key role in identifying, assessing and managing the risks posed by micro-organisms. Under the Government of Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP), NSACB conducts the screening assessments of 68 micro-organisms (herein referred to as existing micro-organisms) on the Domestic Substances List (DSL) to determine whether they are harmful to human health or the environment as defined under section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). These micro-organisms were on the DSL because they were in Canadian commerce and released into the environment between 1984 and 1986. The Ministers of Health and the Environment must conduct a screening assessment of these existing micro-organisms under section 74 of CEPA 1999 and publish screening assessment reports in Canada Gazette Part I. The assessment of whether an existing micro-organism poses a risk is based on readily available information, including information gathered from scientific literature, stakeholders (including industry) and ongoing research activities.  

	
6. SECURITY REQUIREMENT: 

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:  
PWGSC FILE # 1000165265

1. The Contractor/Offeror must, at all times during the performance of the Contract/Standing Offer, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS) with approved Document Safeguarding at the level of PROTECTED B, issued by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate, Public Works and Government Services Canada.

2. The Contractor/Offeror personnel requiring access to PROTECTED information, assets or work site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

3. The Contractor MUST NOT utilize its Information Technology systems to electronically process, produce or store PROTECTED information until the CISD/PWGSC has issued written approval.  After approval has been granted or approved, these tasks may be performed at the level of PROTECTED B.

4. Subcontracts which contain security requiments are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of CISD/PWGSC.

5. The Contractor/Offeror must comply with the provisions of the:

(a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex “B”;
(b) Industrial Security Manual (Latest Edition)


In order to receive the information with regards to the masked micro-organisms to submit a proposal for this solicitation the Bidder and all resources that will be proposed by the Bidder must have a Reliability Security Clearance at the Protected “B” level as set out in Section 3.6, Security Requirements prior to receiving this information as well as will be required to sign the “Non Disclosure” document attached at Annex “E”.  Please send the Name and Address of Bidding Company, Security number of the Bidding Company along with the full name and Security Certification number for each resource being proposed in the bid for this solicitation for verification and confirmation as well as the duly completed Non Disclosure document to Donna.pettit@hc-sc.gc.ca

7.  Mandatory Requirements

Attention Bidders: Please Write beside each of the criteria the relevant page number(s) from your proposal that addresses the requirement identified in the criteria.

M1 - The Bidder must provide within their proposal CV’s of all team members proposed, including any back up resources.

The Bidder must propose the following resources as a member of their team:

Project Team (Individuals may fulfill one or more of the following roles and/or responsibilities)

Project Manager:  
Senior Scientist
Scientist and/or Associate Scientist
Research Assisstant/Support
			
M2 - Resource(s) Team

(Project Team must have the following qualifications)

1. The Bidder must provide as a minimum one resource who holds a M.Sc. or Ph.D. in microbiology (or scientific field relevant to microbial risk assessment); a copy of the certification/diploma must be included in the Bidders proposal. 

2. The Bidder must provide as a minimum one resource demonstrating three (3) years’ experience with microbial risk assessment within the last five (5) years from date of this RFP. Experience is to be demonstrated in months and years.

3. The Bidder must propose as a minimum one resource demonstrating two (2) years’ experience in providing scientific/technical or regulatory advice to government agencies or organizations within the last five (5) years from the date of this RFP. Experience is to be demonstrated in months and years

4. The Bidder must propose a Project Manager demonstrating as a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in project management; including but not limited to the following:
•	responsibility for project budget, 
•	allocation of technical personnel
•	adherence to project schedule 
•	experience with international regulatory agencies or organisations in relation to risk   assessment.  

Experience must be demonstrated in months and years.
			
M3 - The Bidder must have at least one team resource with a subscription to or access to libraries that contain the following abstract and citation databases at bid closing: Elsevier Scopus and CABI CAB Abstracts.

The Bidder must provide proof of subscription and/or proof of access to libraries that contain the above abstract and citation databases within their proposal.	
		
M4 - REFERENCE INFORMATION*
The Bidder must provide within their proposal two references from Project Authorities (persons in charge) of previous work/projects undertaken and successfully completed by the proposed Project Manager that is similar to the work outlined within this Statement of Work. At least one of the three remaining resources proposed under the Project Team as per M1 must have worked with the Project Manager on each of the projects. 
The references must include the following information:
1.           The names of the proposed resources that provided their services under the work/projects indicated within their reference information.
2.	The name of the Client organization
3.	A brief description of the scope and intent of project
4.	The date(s) and duration of the project 
5.	The extent to which the project finished on-time, on-budget and in    accordance with the established project goals
6.	Name of the Client providing the reference
7.	Title of the Client providing the reference
8.	Email address of the Client providing the reference
9.	Telephone number of the Client providing the reference.

*Note: Health Canada reserves the right to check references by contacting one or all of the references provided. Health Canada also reserves the right to reject a bidder should one or more of the references provided not be available within one week from completion of bid evaluation and if in checking references they do not confirm the resources work experience, quality of work and information provided by the bidder.
*The information for M4 - must be submitted separate from the Bidders proposal.  For M4 please complete Annex “D” and submit it as outline under Part II, “Proposal Requirements”, Section 7.1.1., item (d).			
				
 

Address inquiries in writing to:

Donna Pettit
Senior Procurement and Contracting Officer
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Donna.pettit@hc-sc.gc.ca