ACAN 20190540

Tara Kaddouh

Senior Contracting Officer

Privy Council Office

Email: Tara.kaddouh@pco-bcp.gc.ca

Phone: (613) 947-0418

1. ADVANCE CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN) # 20190540

An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities.

If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

1. BACKGROUND

On October 30, 2018, the Government of Canada announced that it would establish an independent commission to organize leaders’ debates.

This Commission, named the Leaders’ Debates Commission (“the Commission”) and established by Order in Council (OIC) 2018-1322, has been mandated to organize two leaders’ debates for the 2019 federal general election – one in each official language. The Commission is guided by the pursuit of public interest and by the principles of independence, impartiality, credibility, democratic citizenship, civic education, inclusion and cost effectiveness.

The Commission will work to make debates a more predictable, reliable and stable element of federal election campaigns. The Commission will ensure debates are accessible and will engage in public outreach with Canadians about why debates matter, and to inform them on where, when and how they can watch/listen to the debates.

To date, the Commission has consulted with close to 40 subject-matter experts on issues such as accessibility, inclusivity, civic engagement, debate format and journalistic standards. The Commission has also met with major political parties and media organizations to ensure a healthy, symbiotic, and stable relationship moving forward in the planning process. This consultation process will continue throughout the mandate to engage and conduct outreach with a representational variety of Canadians.

As part of its mandate, the Commission will undertake to evaluate the debates that it organizes and will present an evidence-based assessment of the debates as one component of a final Report to Parliament due no later than March 31, 2020. 

In particular, the OIC mandates the Commission to:

1. “conduct an evidence-based assessment” of leaders’ debates, “including with respect to the number of persons to whom the debates were accessible, the number of persons who actually accessed them and the knowledge of Canadians of political parties, their leaders and their positions;” and

2. “present an in-depth analysis of [its] experience in organizing leaders’ debates” and “provide thorough advice with regards to the future.”

   Lines of Inquiry

    

   The Commission recognizes that it must undertake rigorous analysis and collect sufficient evidence to provide Canadians and future policymakers with the information needed to inform future decision-making. To these ends, the Commission intends to pursue the following lines of inquiry:

Review existing academic and public knowledge:

• What international experience, Canadian history and best practice informs an assessment of the 2019 debates?

  Evaluating the debates:

• What were both the viewership and the potential reach of the debates?

• Did the debates reach target groups from the Commission’s mandate?

• Did the debates optimize the use of both traditional and new media?

• Are debates associated with increases in information and factual knowledge, such as increases in Canadians’ knowledge of parties, their leaders and their positions?

• Are debates associated with increased engagement in politics?

• Are debates associated with increases in positive democratic attitudes?

• Are debates associated with contributing to Canadians’ perceptions of feeling more confident/secure in their voting decisions?

• To what extent was information distributed about the debates accurate?

  Evaluating the Commission:

• Did the Commission deliver “value add” to debate organization?

• Did the Commission ensure the delivery of two informative debates of high journalistic quality?

• Did the Commission ensure debates were organized in the public interest and in a cost-effective manner?

• How effective were Commission initiatives?

• Was the Commission provided with an appropriate mandate?

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of the work under this contract is to support the Commission in pursuing the lines of inquiry outlined in Section 2.0 above, in order to effectively support the Commission’s delivery of high quality evidence for decision-making and thereby support more effective and efficient policies, programs or services that may be considered in the area of debate organization in Canada.

Specifically, work under this contract will fall under two streams:

(1) Contributions to the Commission’s Report to Parliament

Proven expertise and capacity is sought to

1. Complete a literature review of relevant international and domestic experiences with election debates in order to assess variation and determine best practices; 

2. Collect other data and undertake additional research as required;

3. Prepare written material for the Commission – such as research papers, memos, or literature reviews – based on the analysis of the collected data;

4. Attend meetings with the Commission to be held in the national Capital Region;

5. Participate actively by coming to the meetings prepared, sharing ideas and input, and supporting the Commission by meaningfully contributing at the meetings;

6. Contribute to the drafting of the Commission’s final report, with a particular focus on bringing an academic perspective and ensuring the report’s findings are evidence-based;

7. Contribute to the Commission’s efforts to interview stakeholders to collect original data relevant to assessing the perceived effectiveness of the Commission in fulfilling its mandate to organize two leaders’ debates; and

8. Collaborate with the Commission to find opportunities for disseminating the findings of the research to the broader public (e.g. op-eds) and the relevant academic community (e.g. academic conferences, peer-reviewed journals). 

(2) Workshop on leaders’ debates in Canada

Proven expertise and capacity is sought to

1. Organize and promote a workshop on leaders’ debates in Canada that brings together key stakeholders, academics and Commission staff, to take place at a date and time to be determined by the Commission. This includes:

   1. Expert advice on the format, scope and content required to deliver an effective event;

   2. Expert advice on attendees;

   3. Experience with the logistics of organizing an event such as inviting attendees and working to secure a sufficient number of attendees to ensure a successful event;

   4. Providing logistical support and booking travel and accommodations for workshop attendees in consultation with the Commission and subject to the guidelines in the National Joint Council Travel Directive

   5. Securing a venue in consultation with the Commission;

   6. Attending the workshop; and

   7. Producing a short report that summarizes the workshop discussions within one week of the completion of the workshop.

1. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT

1. Extensive and proven track record of undertaking policy analysis and organizing events related to democratic institutions:

   1. Across multiple policy domains within the above area

   2. at the national and international levels

2. Direct and in-depth experience and involvement in the Government of Canada’s policy development process for the establishment of the present Leaders’ Debates Commission, such as attendance at Government of Canada consultations or appearances before the Parliament of Canada as an expert witness in its consideration of the future of leaders’ debates

3. Direct and in-depth experience in organizing workshops related to democratic institutions

1. 1. Within Canada

   2. Outside of Canada

1. TRADE AGREEMENTS

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),

Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA),

Canadian Free Tarde Agreement (CFTA),

Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA),

Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement (CColFTA),

Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement (CPanFTA) if it is in force.

1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

There is no Intellectual Property for the services in question.

1. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

The research and analysis being sought to support the Leaders' Debates Commission's report to Parliament requires expert knowledge and experience related to the study of leaders' debates and democratic institutions in a Canadian context. 

The University of British Columbia’s Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions (CSDI) is uniquely suited to this task due to its mandate to advance publicly-engaged research, teaching, and dissemination of ideas and knowledge about innovation in democratic practice and institutions. Previous initiatives by the CSDI have brought together academics, practitioners, and politicians to think through pressing issues for democracy, such as electoral reform, foreign digital interference in elections, and the training of future legislators. 

The CSDI is unique in that is has been actively involved in the recent study of leaders’ debates in Canada. CSDI personnel were involved in government consultations in 2017 and 2018 and appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to provide advice on this subject. The Commission requires the expertise that will be provided by CSDI’s involvement and familiarity with the policy development process that creation the Commission in order to assist with an evidence-based assessment of the Commission's debates and its mandate. 

The Commission's consultations with a range of stakeholders revealed a broad consensus that the CSDI was the best partner for the Commission as it seeks to fulfil its mandate to provide an evidence-based assessment to Parliament. 

The CSDI has proven capacity to deliver on the requirements of this contract. Within the context of its Global Challenges to Democracy research area, it has delivered workshops both within Canada and abroad. Moreover, through its work to organize Institutes for Future Legislators it has extensive experience in programming and logistics for in-person events. The Commission will benefit from the strength of CSDI’s experience in this area. 

The CSDI’s stakeholder network is also critical to its ability to deliver on the requirement to organize and administer a workshop on the future of leaders’ debates in Canada. 

1. Government Contracts Regulations Exception:

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for the procurement under subsection Section 6, (d) only one firm is capable of performing the work, of the Government Contracts Regulations set aside the requirement to solicit bids.

1. PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The contract period shall be from date of award of Contract to March 31, 2020.

1. COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The estimated maximum value of the contract is $122,107.0 including of all applicable taxes.

1. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

University of British Columbia

Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions

Vancouver Campus

Liu Institute for Global Issues, 6476 NW Marine Drive

Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z2

1. SUPPLIERS RIGHT TO SUBMIT A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a Statement of Capabilities in writing, preferably by e-mail, to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date and time of this Notice. The Statement of Capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

1. CLOSING DATE AND TIME

The closing date for a submission of a Statement of Capabilities is August 02^nd 2019 at 14:00 Eastern Standard Time.

1.  Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Tara Kaddouh

Senior Contracting Officer

Privy Council Office

Email: Tara.kaddouh@pco-bcp.gc.ca

Phone: (613) 947-0418