NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROCUREMENT

SOLICITATION NUMBER: CSS092421B

CHALLENGE-BASED STANDING OFFER SOLICITATION – CLOUD-BASED SECURITY SERVICES (CSS)

NOTICE TO OFFERORS

This Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation No. CSS0924221B, is a follow-up to the Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation (CBSOS) No. CSS0924221A, dated September 24, 2021, with a closing date of January 30, 2022, at 15:00 EDT. 

This CBSOS process is currently at Stage 4 - Invitation to Qualify Solutions.

Based on findings from the ItR - Wave 1, under the CBSOS No. CSS0924221A, Canada has decided to invite Software Publisher and Original Equipment Manufacturer Offerors to qualify their Solutions. (See paragraph 1.4 Stage 4 of the CBSOS).

UPDATE – MONDAY, MAY 1, 2023.

**PLEASE NOTE**

This notice is to advise that we are extending the closing date for Phase 2 of solicitation CSS092421B to Monday, October 2, 2023, as we finalize the CBSOS – please see the attached amendment (15). Once we have concluded our current process, we will re-engage industry with more information regarding next steps - we encourage you to continue to monitor solicitation CSS092421B via Canada Buys for updates. If you have any questions, please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2023.

**PLEASE NOTE**

This notice is to advise that we are extending the closing date for Phase 2 of solicitation CSS092421B to Monday, May 1, 2023, as we finalize the CBSOS – please see the attached amendment (15). Once we have concluded our current process, we will re-engage industry with more information regarding next steps - we encourage you to continue to monitor solicitation CSS092421B via Canada Buys for updates. If you have any questions, please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2022.

**PLEASE NOTE**

TODAYS “Where We Are Presentation” HAS BEEN RE-SCHEDULED FOR

DECEMBER 1, 2022 AT 1:00 PM EDT.

If you are an OEM or Resellers interested in participating in the “Where We Are Presentation” please confirm your intention via the MS Forms link below.

Information regarding how to enter the presentation (along with the presentation link) will be provided prior to the presentation. Please note: the final day to register for this webinar is November 30, 2022, at 11:00 AM EDT.

• Link for registration / lien pour inscription 

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022.

All OEMs/Resellers interested in participating in our “Where We Are Presentation” on November 17, 2022 at 1:00 PM EDT are requested to confirm their intention via the new MS Forms link below – please disregard the previous link provided.

Information regarding how to enter the presentation will be provided once you have submitted your information. Please note: the final day to register for this webinar is November 16, 2022, at 11:00 AM EDT.

• Link for registration / lien pour inscription 

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022.

** SEE ABOVE**

This notice is to inform you that we will be hosting a “Where We Are Presentation” on November 17, 2022 at 1:00 PM EDT. Our goal is to provide an in depth look at Where we are within the CSS process, What we have finished to date in the CSS process, What’s happening now within the CSS process and where we are aiming to be at the end of the CSS process.

All OEMs/Resellers interested in participating are requested to confirm their intention via the MS Forms link below – information regarding how to enter the presentation will be provided once you have submitted your information. Please note: the final day to register for this webinar is November 16, 2022, at 11:00 AM EDT.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022.

This notice is to advise that we are extending the closing date of solicitation CSS092421B to Monday, January 23, 2023 as we finalize the CBSOS – please see the attached amendment (14). Once our current process has concluded we will re-engage industry with information regarding next steps, until then we encourage you to continue to monitor Buy & Sell for updates. If you have any questions please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2022.

This notice is to advise that we have added our ‘Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation (CBSOS) – Final (Draft)’ to Buy & Sell.

We encourage you to continue to monitor Buy & Sell for updates. As always, if you have any questions please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022.

This notice is to advise that we have added an amended version of the ‘What We Heard Report’ published on July 13^th, 2022. We have also added a Post presentation deck used during 1-on-1 meetings with Canada’s representatives and preselected OEMs surrounding upcoming PoC.

We encourage you to continue to monitor Buy & Sell for updates. As always, if you have any questions please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022.

This notice is to advise that we have added a ‘What We Heard Report’ and have updated our CSS CBSOS Stages – Infographic.

We encourage you to continue to monitor Buy & Sell for updates. As always, if you have any questions please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2022.

This notice is to advise that we are extending the closing date of solicitation CSS092421B to Monday, September 19, 2022 as we finalize the CBSOS – please see the attached amendment (9). Once we have concluded our current process we will re-engage industry with more information regarding next steps, until then we encourage you to continue to monitor Buy & Sell for updates. As always, if you have any questions please reach out to the point of contact listed below.

UPDATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 8^th, 2022.

Please review Amendment (8) as we have responded to questions regarding the Pre-screening Solution and added the slide deck from our ‘CSS – Pre-Screening What We Heard Presentation’ presented Thursday, April 7th, 2022. As always, please advise the enlisted point of contact should you have any questions.

UPDATE – WEDSNESDAY, APRIL 6^th, 2022.

Please review Amendment (7) as we have responded to questions regarding the Pre-screening Solutions Tables and Attachment A - Statement of Challenge. As always, please advise the enlisted point of contact should you have any questions.

UPDATE – TUESDAY, APRIL 5^th, 2022.

'What We Heard Presentation’ Stage 4 – Invitation To Qualify  

On Thursday, April 7^th, 2022 at 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM EST we will be holding a bilingual 'What We Heard Presentation’ regarding Solicitation No. CSS092421B, Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation (CBSOS) for a Cloud-based Security Services Solution (CSS). To join us please fill out the registration form below – once filled out, an email with a link to the presentation will be provided. As always, please advise the enlisted point of contact should you have any questions.

• What We Heard Presentation Registration

UPDATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 1^st, 2022.

We are extending our Invitation to Pre-Screening Solutions to Monday, April 11^th, 2022 at 3:00PM EST. Please review the attached Amendment Document (5) to review all changes made to the CBSOS. If you have questions, please contact the enlisted point of contact. 

UPDATE – TUESDAY, MARCH 29^th, 2022.

After meeting with industry, and internal discussion, we are posting an Amendment to our CBSOS (No. 4) which includes our Final Pre-Screening process document. As previously mentioned, the purpose of the pre-screening process is to qualify CSS Solutions against a set of mandatory and rated evaluation criteria, Canada will “rank” Solutions as part of this pre-screening process. One of the highest-ranking Solutions will be a “set-aside” to a Small and Medium Enterprise.

UPDATE – WEDSNESDAY, MARCH 16^th, 2022.

CSS Bilingual Information Webinar

On Thursday, March 17^th, 2022 (1 p.m – 2 p.m EST) we will be providing a complementary information presentation regarding Solicitation No. CSS092421B, Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation (CBSOS) for a Cloud-based Security Services Solution (CSS). To join us please use the following link to enter the presentation:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Join with a video conferencing device

teams@ssc-spc.video.canada.ca

Video Conference ID: 114 913 329 9

Alternate VTC instructions

Or call in (audio only)

+1 343-803-4324,,285015753# Canada, Ottawa-Hull

Phone Conference ID: 285 015 753#

UPDATE – TUESDAY, MARCH 15^th, 2022.

As mentioned, we are currently at Stage 4 - Invitation to Qualify Solutions. On March 4, 2022, SSC published the CBSOS Solicitation No. CSS0924221B, as a follow-up to the CBSOS No. CSS092421A. Based on findings from the ItR - Wave 1, under the CBSOS No. CSS092421A, Canada has decided to invite Software Publisher and Original Equipment Manufacturer Offerors to qualify their Solutions, via a “pre-screening process”. The next step in this CBSOS procurement, is to qualify Solutions, via this pre-screening process.

The purpose of the pre-screening process is to qualify CSS Solutions against a set of mandatory and rated evaluation criteria, Canada will “rank” Solutions as part of this pre-screening process. One of the highest-ranking Solutions will be a “set-aside” to a Small and Medium Enterprise.

OEM: Pre-Selection Questionnaire

Canada is seeking feedback from Industry on the pre-screening process. Canada has included a Pre-Selection Questionnaire designed to contribute to the improvement of the attached Draft for Consultation, Cloud-based Security Services (CSS) Solution Pre-Screening Process, prior to releasing the final version. Canada would like to receive the completed questionnaires by Friday, March 18^th, 2022 at 15:00 EDT.

Please use the following Link to complete the OEM Pre-Selection Questionnaire:

• OEM Pre-Selection Questionnaire

CLOSING DATES AND TIMES

This CBSOS process includes various Stages with corresponding Closing Dates and Times. Offerors should monitor this Notice of Proposed Procurement for any amendments to the CBSOS, including changes to these Closing Dates and Times.

CBSOS Stages Current Closing Dates and Times

Invitation to Qualify Solutions (To be Determined) at 15:00 EDT.

Solicitation Closing - SP/OEM (To be Determined) at 15:00 EDT.

Solicitation Closing - Resellers June 30, 2022 at 15:00 EDT.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Canada lacks an enterprise cloud-based security solution that provides the ability to deliver a consistent user experience from any device, any location, at any time.

In certain cases, Canada lacks cost effective consistent security controls to protect Government of Canada (GC) data and assets to GC department remote sites and GC and Non-GC remote users, including SDAs (small department and agencies), when accessing the Internet, cloud-based SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS, and GC on-premise services. This results in lost productivity, high cost, lower user satisfaction and morale, increased cybersecurity risks, and inconsistent user experience.

In order to solve the problem(s) Canada wishes to improve and optimize the ability to securely consume and deliver cloud-based services effectively, efficiently, and quickly.

Refer to Attachment A - Statement of Challenge (SoC) for a detailed description of the preliminary SoC elements, including the Problem Statement, Challenges, Minimum Viable Requirements and Personas.

PROCUREMENT PROCESS

Agile Procurement Process 3.0 (APP3.0) is an innovative procurement framework to improve the ability of Shared Service Canada (SSC) to move quicker and produce better results. This Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation is a pilot launched by SSC’s Centre of Expertise in Agile and Innovative Procurement (CoEAIP) and leverages the APP3.0 approach.

SECURITY REQUIREMENT

The security requirement associated with this procurement are outlined in the Challenge-Based Standing Offer Solicitation.

TRADE AGREEMENTS

This requirement is subject to the following trade agreements:

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, and World Trade Organization-Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-GPA).

LANGUAGE

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.

NEGOTIATIONS

SSC retains the right to negotiate with Bidders on any procurement.

ENQUIRIES

Enquiries regarding this solicitation are to be submitted to the email below:

File Number: CSS092421B

Email: christopher.bromfield@canada.ca