Strategic and Advisory Services Related to Climate Change Adaptation in Indigenous and Northern Communities in The North – Request For Standing Offer Agreement(s) (RFSO)

SUMMARY:

The Climate Change and Clean Energy Directorate (CCCED) of Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) requires the services of Offerors capable of providing specialized expertise in Strategic and Advisory Services to support the development of adaptation measures to address the impacts of Climate Change in Indigenous and northern communities in the North, including, for the purposes of this SOA, communities in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. The overall objective of an Offeror’s work will be to support program implementation and policy development surrounding Climate Change Adaptation activities and Strategic Environmental Assessment in Indigenous and northern communities in the North via the provision of:

• Technical services and advice; and
• Strategic program and policy analysis and advice.

  The Standing Offer(s) period will be from award to March 31, 2021 inclusive with an additional two (2) one (1) year option periods.

Security: Pursuant to the Government of Canada Security Policy, the nature of the services to be provided under the Standing Offer Agreement requires a Government of Canada Security Clearance.

WORK STREAM 1 - STRATEGIC PROGRAM AND POLICY ADVISORY SERVICES

1. Corporate Profile
   1. The Bidder MUST provide a company profile and corporate resume demonstrating the Bidder’s knowledge and experience in the provision of services relevant and similar to this work-stream as defined in the Statement of Work (SOW). At a minimum, the Bidder MUST include within the profile:
      1. The full legal name of the firm submitting the Proposal (including, as applicable, all joint venture, partners or subcontractors);
      2. A written description of approximately 1000 words indicating the Bidder’s capabilities as a firm, including the Bidder’s resource availability and access to back-up resources, and the extent of the Bidder’s experience in the provision of Strategic Program and Policy Advisory Services similar to those described in the work stream. This MUST include a description demonstrating the Bidder’s experience and capability as a firm to provide services in Climate Change Adaptation in, and as related to Indigenous and/or northern communities in the North.
2. Project Summaries
   1. The Bidder MUST provide three (3) written project summaries describing in detail the Bidder’s experience in successfully providing Strategic Program or Policy Advice Services related to Climate Change Adaptation, relevant and similar to this work-stream as defined in the SOW. Projects MUST have taken place during the past five (5) years.

      * If more than three (3) projects are included within the Bidder's Proposal, the Evaluation Committee will only consider the specified number of projects (no more than 3), in the order in which they are first presented in the Bidder's Proposal.

   2. Each of the following factors MUST be met by at least one (1) project summary. Any single project may demonstrate more than one (1) of the following factors. Not all projects must demonstrate one (1) of the below:
      1. At least one (1) project summary cited MUST demonstrate direct, applied experience with Climate Change Studies relating to Indigenous and/or northern communities in the North.
      2. At least one (1) project summary cited MUST demonstrate the provision of these services for a Federal Government Client.
      3. At least one (1) project summary cited MUST demonstrate direct, applied experience working with Indigenous and/or northern communities in the North. This may include, but is not necessarily limited to, projects in which Indigenous and northern peoples were directly consulted, projects completed for Indigenous and northern organizations, governments, or projects that involved service delivery within Indigenous and northern communities in the North.
   3. The Bidder MUST provide the name and relevant contact information of the Client Project Authority to whom the Bidder reported.
      1. The Bidder MUST include Project Reference Forms (see Appendix A) completed and signed by the named Client Project Authority for each cited project. The Bidder MUST forwards the Project Summary information to each refereeing Client Project Authority, for completion of the Project Reference. The completed forms, duly signed by the referee must be submitted as part of the Bidder's Proposal. The Bidder MUST NOT sign reference forms on behalf of the referee.

         DIAND reserves the right to contact the named Client Project Authority to verify the information contained within the submitted project summaries.

         In the event that any one (1) cited client reference provides a negative response in regard to the veracity and/or accuracy of the information contained within the Bidder’s submitted project summary, DIAND reserves the right to deem the Bidder’s Proposal non-compliant, whereupon no further consideration will be given.

         The onus is on the Bidder to provide sufficient information to demonstrate it meets the above stated requirements. A simple reiteration of the contents of the RFSO will not be considered.

3. Proposed Resources
   1. The Bidder MUST propose a Resource Team to perform the work described within the work stream, composed of the following numbers and categories of resources:

• Two (2) Project Managers;
• Two (2) Senior Analysts;
• Two (2) Analysts;

  The Bidder must include a detailed CV for each resource proposed.

Named resources cannot be proposed in more than one (1) Resource Category. Only two (2) resources will be evaluated per Category.

If more than two (2) resources are proposed, the Evaluation Committee will only consider two (2) resources in the order in which they are first presented in the Bidder’s proposal.

1. Proposed resources MUST meet all of DIAND’s minimum qualification requirements for the Resource Category in which they are proposed, as described in section SW7.2 ‘Resource Categories and Qualifications’ of the SOW.
2. At least one (1) resource of the Bidder’s team in the Project Manager or Senior Analyst categories MUST be able to provide service in French. The Bidder MUST identify within its Proposal which of its resources are capable of providing the services in French.

   WORK STREAM 2 - TECHNICAL ADVISORY SERVICES

1. Corporate Profile
   1. The Bidder MUST provide a company profile and corporate resume demonstrating the Bidder’s knowledge and experience in the provision of services relevant and similar to this work-stream as defined in the Statement of Work (SOW). At a minimum, the Bidder MUST include within the profile:
      1. The full legal name of the firm submitting the Proposal (including, as applicable, all joint venture, partners or subcontractors);
      2. A written description of approximately 1000 words indicating the Bidder’s capabilities as a firm, including the Bidder’s resource availability and access to back-up resources, and the extent of the Bidder’s experience in the provision of Technical Advisory Services similar to those described in the work stream. This MUST include a description demonstrating the Bidder’s capability and experience as a firm to provide services in Climate Change Adaptation in, and as related to Indigenous and/or northern communities in the North.
2. Project Summaries
   1. The Bidder MUST provide three (3) written project summaries describing in detail the Bidder’s experience in successfully providing services relevant and similar to this work-stream as defined in the SOW. Projects MUST have taken place during the past five (5) years.

      * If more than three (3) projects are included within the Bidder's Proposal, the Evaluation Committee will only consider the specified number of projects (no more than 3), in the order in which they are first presented in the Bidder's Proposal.

   2. Each of the following factors MUST be met by at least one (1) project summary. Any single project may demonstrate more than one (1) of the following factors. Not all projects must demonstrate one (1) of the below:
      1. At least one (1) project summary cited MUST demonstrate direct, applied experience with Climate Change Studies relating to Indigenous and/or northern communities in the North.
      2. At least one (1) project summary cited MUST demonstrate the provision of these services for a Federal or Provincial or Territorial Government Client.
      3. At least one (1) project summary cited MUST demonstrate direct, applied experience working with Indigenous and/or northern communities in the North. This may include, but is not necessarily limited to, projects in which Indigenous and northern peoples were directly consulted, projects completed for Indigenous and northern organizations, governments, or projects that involved service delivery within Indigenous and northern communities in the North.
   3. The Bidder MUST provide the name and relevant contact information of the Client Project Authority to whom the Bidder reported.
      1. The Bidder MUST include Project Reference Forms (see Annex B) completed and signed by the named Client Project Authority for each cited project. The Bidder MUST forwards the Project Summary information to each refereeing Client Project Authority, for completion of the Project Reference. The completed forms, duly signed by the referee must be submitted as part of the Bidder's Proposal. The Bidder MUST NOT sign reference forms on behalf of the referee.

         DIAND reserves the right to contact the named Client Project Authority to verify the information contained within the submitted project summaries.

         In the event that any one (1) cited client reference provides a negative response in regard to the veracity and/or accuracy of the information contained within the Bidder’s submitted project summary, DIAND reserves the right to will deem the Bidder’s Proposal non-compliant, whereupon no further consideration will be given.

         The onus is on the Bidder to provide sufficient information to demonstrate it meets the above stated requirements. A simple reiteration of the contents of the RFSO will not be considered.

3. Proposed Resources
   1. The Bidder MUST propose a resource team to perform the work described within the work stream, composed of the following numbers and categories of resources:

• Two (2) Project Managers;
• Two (2) Senior Technical Specialists; and
• Two (2) Technical Specialists.

The Bidder must include a detailed CV for each resource proposed.

Named resources cannot be proposed in more than one (1) Resource Category. Only two (2) resources will be evaluated in each Category.

If more than two (2) resources are proposed, the Evaluation Committee will only consider two (2) resources in the order in which they are first presented in the Bidder’s proposal.

1. Proposed resources MUST meet all of DIAND’s minimum qualification requirements for the Resource Category in which they are proposed, as described in section SW7.2 ‘Resource Categories and Qualifications’ of the SOW.
2. At least one (1) resource of the Bidder’s team in the Project Manager or Senior Analyst categories MUST be able to provide service in French. The Bidder MUST identify within its Proposal which of its resources are capable of providing the services in French.

   The onus is on the Bidder to provide sufficient information to demonstrate it meets the above stated requirements. A simple reiteration of the contents of the RFSO will not be considered.

   The requirement is subject to the provisions of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).