1. OVERVIEW

1.1 Purpose

This Request for Information (RFI) is an open invitation to solicit information from those who may be interested in being part of the initiative to renew the Government of Canada (GC) procurement and materiel management certification program. This is in response to an internal evaluation of the program by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). The information collected will assist in the development of a work plan for the redesign of the new certification program, and for compiling a list of prospective service providers for future consideration.

1.2 Certification Program in Procurement and Material Management in Public Service

1.2.1 Current Program:

The existing Certification Program for Procurement and Materiel Management Communities in the Government of Canada (hereafter Program) managed by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) provides practitioners in procurement and materiel management in federal organizations with the opportunity to acquire a professional designation through a GC certification program. The current Program provides increased professional recognition for the communities and offers designations to formally acknowledge a practitioner's level of achievement. Procurement specialists can acquire certification as a Certified Federal Specialist in Procurement (CFSP), Level I and II, and those in materiel management can acquire certification as a Certified Federal Specialist in Materiel Management (CFSMM), Level I. To learn more about the professional communities that participate in the existing program, please see our attached demographic studies.

Both designations are based on the GC Procurement and Materiel Management Communities Competency Suites. However, the current Program does not encompass the most recently published 2018 GC Procurement Community Competencies and instead is based on the 2014 version, which includes core and functional competencies, rather than technical competencies. A competency describes an employee’s proficiency in a particular job function in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities. Usually each competency has a definition, a proficiency level and behavioural indicator statements.

1.2.2 New Initiative:

A new initiative was recently launched in collaboration with the procurement and materiel management communities across the GC to identify options for replacing the existing Certification Program, including improving the framework, the content and the delivery.

A key component of this initiative is to explore the possibility of identifying or designating external service providers to deliver and take part in essential training and learning for the communities, or for delivering certification in its entirety.

The redesign of the Program will entail a comprehensive review and alignment of the current program structure vis à vis the Government of Canada Procurement Community Competencies, including both the Functional and Technical competencies. The work will also eventually include the realignment to updated Government of Canada Materiel Management Community Competencies, which are currently under development. Thus any service providers with solid understanding and expertise related to these competencies will have an important role to play in this initiative. There is also interest in adopting a graduated approach to accreditation levels and tying departmental requirements to the specific graduated levels.

Furthermore, the renewed Program should encompass the following key elements (see Table I).

TABLE 1: KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

AREA KEY ELEMENTS

Design & Development Graduated approach (multiple levels of Certification)

Program duration

Options for alternative paths to Certification

Membership fees (if applicable)

Maintenance of certification

Relevant and applicable to the GC Context

Transferability of credits

Scope & Certification Nation-wide program accessibility in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act

Availability in both official languages

Cost, Initial and ongoing

Enrolee Competency Profile Encompass GC competencies in materiel management and procurement

Targeted training and learning

Program Promotion & Coordination Program recognition

Stakeholder engagement & coordination

1.3 Nature of this Request for Information

This RFI is a request to solicit information from the reputed service providers who may be interested in being part of this initiative. This is issued solely for information and planning purposes regarding the development or the identification of a new certification program, thus it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not oblige the GC to contract with any service provider. 

The GC is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on buysell.gc.ca It is the responsibility of the potential service providers to monitor buysell.gc.ca for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

Please note: The GC may, in its sole and absolute discretion, schedule meetings with

respondents to allow the opportunity for a demonstration of the information submitted in

response to this RFI. 

2. INSTRUCTIONS

2.1 Online Submission Form:

All interested parties are invited to provide TBS with the requested information by using the online attached information collection form – Appendix 1.

2.2 Response Deadline

The online information submission tool will be accessible until February 21, 2020. Any submissions after that date may be considered but the GC reserves its right to exercise discretion in choosing to consider late submissions or not.

2.3 Costs

GC will not reimburse any organization for expenses incurred in regards to this RFI.

2.4 Follow-up Process

The TBS may, at its discretion, contact any respondent to follow up with additional questions or to clarify any aspect of this RFI.

2.5 Enquiries

All enquiries and other communications related to this RFI and the Certification program engagement activities must be directed exclusively to the TBS Procurement Officer. Since this is not a bid solicitation, TBS will not necessarily respond to enquiries in writing. However, respondents with questions regarding this RFI may contact the Program Authority for any further clarifications up to 10 business days before the closing date.

To ensure consistency and quality of information provided in response to this RFI, TBS reserves the sole right to share any information as it deems appropriate during the subsequent service provider engagement process or the associated solicitation process. The GC will share the same information via amendment(s) to this RFI, listing the received questions & provided answers.

2.6 Contact

Lars Norgaard

Senior Contracting and Procurement Officer

90 Elgin

Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R4

E-mail Lars.Norgaard@tbs-sct.gc.ca

Phone number 343-550-7003

3. TIMELINE AND APPROACH

All information collected through this RFI will be analysed in light of the set objectives of the new initiative regarding the Program and a summary report with potential service providers may be developed for further consideration. The summary report may serve as a basis for future engagements with the industry before finalizing the delivery options for the new Procurement Certification Program.

Some milestones and related timelines shown in the workplan (see Table 2 below) are for general information purposes only and the GC reserves the right to decide on the contemplated procurement approach alongside the key priorities of the Government of Canada.

TABLE 2: WORKPLAN

MILESTONE DESCRIPTION DATE

Launch of RFI Web posting of RFI to solicit info from service providers January 20, 2020

Completion of Info Collection Encouraged deadline for info collection using web-based Info Collection Tool February 21, 2020

Summary Report Analysis and considerations of viable delivery options and service providers (First Draft) March 31, 2020

Launch of RFP (if required) Soliciting proposals from prospective service providers May 4, 2020

5. ANNEX

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

The following terms and conditions apply to the Request For Information (RFI). The respondents agree to:

1. Not reveal or discuss any information with media or social networks during the RFI.
2. Direct any media queries to the contact identified above
3. No obligation on the part of GC to issue any Request for Proposal (RFP) or award any Contract following the RFI
4. Self-finance any cost incurred in participating in this RFI
5. Direct all enquiries related to the RFI to the contact
6. The fact that participation in the RFI is not a mandatory requirement, thus non-participation will not preclude a supplier from submitting a bid on future RFPs;
7. That any information submitted to the GC as part of this RFI may be used by the GC in the development of a potential subsequent RFP with the following exceptions:
   1.  Content that has been specified by respondents as confidential which should not be made part of any requests under the Access to Information Act;
   2. Content marked by respondents as proprietary or confidential, The GC will handle the responses in accordance with the Access to Information Act; and
8. That other Industry participants may join the RFI at any time during the process.

   Reserved Rights

    In addition to any other expressed or implied rights, the TBS reserves the right to:

   · cancel this RFI process at any time and issue a new RFI for the same or similar information;

   · change the structure of the RFI process;

   · vary or extend any date or time in this RFI at any time, and for such a period as the TBS at its sole and absolute discretion considers appropriate;

   · make changes, including substantial changes, to this TBS provided they are issued in an addendum to this RFI;

   · request written clarification or the submission of supplementary information from any or all respondents, or provide additional information or clarification;

   · contact any customer or reference provided within a respondent’s submission, as part of the assessment process; and

   · not consider any response that contains information that the TBS (in its sole and absolute discretion) believes to contain misrepresentations or any other inaccurate or misleading information