Request for Information – Wood Buffalo National Park Highway and Road Maintenance

5P420-21-0080/A - Request for Information – Wood Buffalo National Park Highway and Road Maintenance

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Purpose

Under the Parks Canada Act, Parks Canada Agency (PCA) is required to operate and maintain park assets including highways and roads within national parks. In some instances, PCA may elect to seek capacity and capability from non-PCA sources in order to meet these requirements. 

PCA is launching a Request for Information (RFI) process inviting suppliers to review and respond to the scope of a proposed initiative to deliver operations and maintenance services on PCA highways and roads in Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP) under contract. Reponses received will inform and support the adopted contract scope should this initiative proceed.

Operations and maintenance activities include winter / non-winter cyclical activities and elective activities necessary to maintain highways, roads, assets and the right-of-way in a manner that meets the desired service levels.

1.1 Background

WBNP is a remote national park and straddles the two jurisdictional boundaries of the Government of Alberta (Improvement District No. 24) and the Government of the Northwest Territories. The majority of the park is located in the northeast of the Province of Alberta and the balance is immediately above the southern border of the Northwest Territories. Lying between latitudes 58 degrees and 60.5 degrees north, the park is subject to sub-arctic winter conditions (including snow, ice, wind chill and extreme cold) typical of locations this far north.

Although the traffic volumes in this remote part of Canada are low, the highways and roads passing through the park provide critical all year access to the communities of Fort Smith, Hay Camp, Peace Point, Moose Island as well as summer access to key attractions in the park including Salt Plains, Pine Lake and Parson Lookout.

PCA has an internal workforce that delivers some maintenance activities on roads and highways within the park and other contractors are also engaged by PCA to complete renewal and other capital projects as and when required.

2. Nature of Request for Information

This is not a bid solicitation and this RFI will not result in the award of any contract. Procurement of the goods and services described in this RFI will not necessarily follow this request.

Respondents and potential suppliers of any goods or services described in this RFI should not earmark stock or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any information contained in this RFI. This RFI will not result in the creation of any source list; therefore, whether or not any supplier responds to this RFI will not preclude that supplier from participating in any future procurement.

3. Nature and Format of Responses Requested

Respondents are requested to provide their comments, concerns and, where applicable, alternative recommendations regarding how the requirements described in the RFI could be satisfied. Respondents are also invited to provide comments regarding the content, format and/or organization of any draft documents included in this RFI. Respondents should list and explain any assumptions that they make in their responses.

4. Response Costs

PCA will not reimburse any respondent for expenses incurred in responding to this RFI.

5. Treatment of Responses

1. Use of Responses: Responses will not be formally evaluated. However, the responses received may be used by PCA to develop or modify procurement strategies or any draft documents. PCA may, in its discretion, review responses received after the RFI closing date.
2. Review Team: A review team composed of representatives from PCA will review the responses. Canada reserves the right to use any Government resources that it considers necessary to review any response. Not all members of the review team will necessarily review all responses.
3. Confidentiality: Respondents should clearly mark any portions of their response that they consider proprietary or confidential. Canada will treat those portions of the responses as confidential. Individual responses will not be shared with other respondents.
4. Post-Submission Review Meetings: Canada may request individual Post-Submission Review Meetings with respondents to provide clarity on information provided. If required, requests will be handled via email and Canada will determine whether it requires additional information from any given respondent. 

6. Contents of this RFI

Respondents are requested to note that the draft Statement of Work (SOW) referenced below, remains a work in progress and respondents should not assume that new clauses or requirements will not be added to any bid solicitation that is ultimately published by Canada. Nor should respondents assume that none of the clauses or requirements will be deleted or revised. Comments regarding any aspect of the draft document are welcomed.

6.1 This RFI contains the following documents:

1. Annex A – Requirement; and
2. Annex B – Questions to the Industry

7. Format of Responses

Title Page

The name and address of the respondent;

1. The name, address and telephone number of the responder’s contract;
2. The date; and
3. The RFI number.

Annex A – Requirement Reponses

1. Provide information and responses following the numbering scheme if commenting on specific sections and/or providing responses to the questions.
2. Attach any additional pages for comments, technical specification explanations or additional details.

If applicable, an appendix containing additional graphs, product brochures, detailed technical specifications, etc.

8. Enquiries

Because this is not a bid solicitation, Canada will not necessarily respond to enquiries in writing or by circulating answers to all potential suppliers. However, respondents with questions regarding this RFI may direct their enquiries to the Contracting Authority.

Contracting Authority: Kirsten Sage

Email: kirsten.sage@canada.ca
Tel: 587-436-5795

9. Submissions

Please submit your RFI electronically by email or fax.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.
Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.