Audits of Internal Controls over Financial Management

Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP)

Professional Audit Support Services (PASS) Supply Arrangement

Audits of Internal Controls over Financial Management

This RFP is only for pre-qualified Suppliers for Stream 6 against Professional Audit Support Services (PASS) Supply Arrangement (E60ZG-060004) for the following categories:

Stream 6 – Financial and Accounting Services

• 1 Partner/Managing Director
• 1 Project Manager/Leader
• 2 Auditors

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 requirement and the full bid instructions.

1. Elections Canada File No: ECHS-RFP-17-0301
2. Applicability of Trade Agreements: Yes
3. Tendering Procedure: Limited Tendering
4. Tendering Procedure: Attachment: No
5. Competitive Procurement Strategy: Highest Combined Rating Technical & Merit
6. Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No

The following SA Holders have been invited to submit a proposal.

A Hundred Answers Inc.

Altis Human Resources (Ottawa) Inc.

Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP

Deloitte LLP

Ernst & Young LLP

FMC Professionals Inc.

IBM Canada Ltd.

KPMG LLP

MNP LLP

Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP

QMR Staffing Solutions Incorporated

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Inc.

Samson & Associés CPA/Consultation Inc.

The Right Door Consulting & Solutions Inc., Collins Barrow Ottawa Management Consultants Inc. in Joint Venture

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 (EC).

Under the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management, EC is responsible for ensuring that a risk-based system of Internal Control over Financial Management (ICFM) is established, monitored and maintained.

EC requires professional services to develop the documentation of significant business processes, to identify and assess the internal controls, and to suggest corrective measures when issues are identified within the significant business processes in regard of the ICFM.

Treasury Board and the Office of the Comptroller General have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening management practices, accountability, and transparency. They have introduced the Treasury Board Policy on Internal Control which came into effect on April 1, 2009 and was replaced on April 1, 2017 with a new Policy on Financial Management. The objective of both policies is to ensure that risks relating to the prudent use and sound stewardship of public resources, including reliability of financial reporting, are adequately managed through the maintenance of effective risk-based systems of internal control across government.

EC’s nature of business is such that in a non-election year, expenses are around $150 million with approximatively 450 employees and in an election year, expenses can reach $500 million with approximatively 325,000 election workers required to conduct the election. Internal controls will have to take into account EC’s financial reality.

Requirement

EC requires professional services on an as and when requested basis to:

1. support continued implementation and monitoring of ICFM
2. develop financial policies
3. develop an account verification directive for salary transactions and other expenses

Period of the Contract

The Contract period will be from the Effective Date of the Contract until October 31, 2018 (the “Initial Term”). The Contractor will grant to Elections Canada irrevocable options to extend the period of the Contract by two additional periods of 1-year each under the same terms and conditions.

International Trade Agreements

This procurement process is subject to the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA), the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement, the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CColFTA), the Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement (CHFTA), the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA), the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

Submission of Offers

Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP)

Professional Audit Support Services (PASS) Supply Arrangement

Audits of Internal Controls over Financial Management

This RFP is only for pre-qualified Suppliers for Stream 6 against Professional Audit Support Services (PASS) Supply Arrangement (E60ZG-060004) for the following categories:

Stream 6 – Financial and Accounting Services

- 1 Partner/Managing Director

- 1 Project Manager/Leader

- 2 Auditors

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 requirement and the full bid instructions.

1. Elections Canada File No: ECHS-RFP-17-0301
2. Applicability of Trade Agreements: Yes
3. Tendering Procedure: Limited Tendering
4. Tendering Procedure: Attachment: No
5. Competitive Procurement Strategy: Highest Combined Rating Technical & Merit
6. Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No

The following SA Holders have been invited to submit a proposal.

A Hundred Answers Inc.

Altis Human Resources (Ottawa) Inc.

Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP

Deloitte LLP

Ernst & Young LLP

FMC Professionals Inc.

IBM Canada Ltd.

KPMG LLP

MNP LLP

Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP

QMR Staffing Solutions Incorporated

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Inc.

Samson & Associés CPA/Consultation Inc.

The Right Door Consulting & Solutions Inc., Collins Barrow Ottawa Management Consultants Inc. in Joint Venture

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 (EC).

Under the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management, EC is responsible for ensuring that a risk-based system of Internal Control over Financial Management (ICFM) is established, monitored and maintained.

EC requires professional services to develop the documentation of significant business processes, to identify and assess the internal controls, and to suggest corrective measures when issues are identified within the significant business processes in regard of the ICFM.

Treasury Board and the Office of the Comptroller General have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening management practices, accountability, and transparency. They have introduced the Treasury Board Policy on Internal Control which came into effect on April 1, 2009 and was replaced on April 1, 2017 with a new Policy on Financial Management. The objective of both policies is to ensure that risks relating to the prudent use and sound stewardship of public resources, including reliability of financial reporting, are adequately managed through the maintenance of effective risk-based systems of internal control across government.

EC’s nature of business is such that in a non-election year, expenses are around $150 million with approximatively 450 employees and in an election year, expenses can reach $500 million with approximatively 325,000 election workers required to conduct the election. Internal controls will have to take into account EC’s financial reality.

Requirement

EC requires professional services on an as and when requested basis to:

1. support continued implementation and monitoring of ICFM
2. develop financial policies
3. develop an account verification directive for salary transactions and other expenses

Period of the Contract

The Contract period will be from the Effective Date of the Contract until October 31, 2018 (the “Initial Term”). The Contractor will grant to Elections Canada irrevocable options to extend the period of the Contract by two additional periods of 1-year each under the same terms and conditions.

International Trade Agreements

This procurement process is subject to the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA), the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement, the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CColFTA), the Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement (CHFTA), the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA), the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

Submission of Offers

It is requested that offers be addressed to the attention of the Contracting Authority and delivered to the Proposal Receiving Unit. Offers must be delivered to the following address, sealed, on or before the bid closing date indicated on the front page of the RFP at 2:00 p.m. (Gatineau, Quebec time).

Mailing Address:

Elections Canada

30 Victoria Street -1st Floor (Business Centre)

Gatineau, QC

K1A 0M6

Attn: Hannah State, Senior Advisor, Procurement and Contracting Services

Elections Canada File No: ECHS-RFP-17-0301

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. (Gatineau, Quebec time).

Bids sent via electronic mail or facsimile 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 Proposition-Proposal@elections.ca no later than the deadline indicated in the RFP. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

Interested parties wishing to obtain the solicitation documents for this RFP must do so through https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/tenders. The documents downloaded through this site 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.

Debriefings

Once the successful bidder has been announced, bidders may request a debriefing on the results of the RFP process. Bidders should make the request to the Contracting Authority as per the terms of the RFP. The debriefing may be in writing, by telephone or in person.