eDNA Analyses – RFSO

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT:

DFO is seeking a lab to perform extraction, amplification, and metabarcoding of eDNA samples with the objective of taxonomic identification (ideally at species level) using the Barque metabarcoding pipeline. These results will be used to enable detection of biodiversity shifts and AIS due to introductions or range expansions, as well as exploration of poorly sampled diversity and species of concern. These services are required on request only, as and when needed.

One (1) Standing Offer will be issued for this requirement.

DURATION OF CONTRACT

Standing Offer Period will be from date of issuance until March 31, 2023 with one (1) three (3) year optional period that may be exercised by DFO.

ENQUIRIES – BID SOLICITATION

All enquiries must be submitted in writing to the Standing Offer Authority no later than seven (7) calendar days before the Request for Standing Offers (RFSO) closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

Offerors should reference as accurately as possible the numbered item of the RFSO to which the enquiry relates. Care should be taken by Offerors to explain each question in sufficient detail in order to enable Canada to provide an accurate answer. Technical enquiries that are of a proprietary nature must be clearly marked "proprietary" at each relevant item. Items identified as "proprietary" will be treated as such except where Canada determines that the enquiry is not of a proprietary nature. Canada may edit the question(s) or may request that Offerors do so, so that the proprietary nature of the question(s) is eliminated, and the enquiry can be answered to all Offerors. Enquiries not submitted in a form that can be distributed to all Offerors may not be answered by Canada.

PROCESS AND SELECTION METHODOLOGY

Basis of Selection

Basis of Selection – Highest Combined Rating of Technical Merit [70%] and Price [30%]

1. To be declared responsive, a bid must:
   1. comply with all the requirements of the bid solicitation; and
   2. meet all mandatory criteria; and
   3. obtain the required minimum of 182 points overall for the technical evaluation criteria which are subject to point rating and obtain the minimum number of points for specific criteria listed.

      The rating is performed on a scale of 280 points.

2. Bids not meeting (a) or (b) or (c) will be declared non-responsive.
3. The selection will be based on the highest responsive combined rating of technical merit and price. The ratio will be 70% for the technical merit and 30% for the price.
4. To establish the technical merit score, the overall technical score for each responsive bid will be determined as follows: total number of points obtained / maximum number of points available multiplied by the ratio of 70%.
5. To establish the pricing score, each responsive bid will be prorated against the lowest evaluated price and the ratio of 30%.
6. For each responsive bid, the technical merit score and the pricing score will be added to determine its combined rating.
7. Neither the responsive bid obtaining the highest technical score nor the one with the lowest evaluated price will necessarily be accepted. The responsive bid with the highest combined rating of technical merit and price will be recommended for award of a contract.

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

There is no security requirement associated with this bid solicitation.