Evaluation of Soft Skills Development Outcomes of Students Participating in the Outbound Student Mobility Pilot

Solutions Based Professional Services (TSPS) Requirement

This requirement is for: Employment and Social Development Canada

This requirement is open only to those Supply Arrangement Holders under E60ZT-16TSSB who qualified under Tier 1 ($0 - $3.75M) for the following category(ies):

Annex A: 2. Business consulting/change management services

The following SA Holders have been invited to submit a proposal.

1. Cathexis Consulting Inc.

2. CloseReach Ltd.

3. Cofomo Ottawa

4. DPRA Canada Incorporated

5. FERENCE & COMPANY CONSULTING LTD.

6. Fujitsu Consulting (CANADA-) Inc./Fujitsu Conseil (Canada) Inc.

7. Goss Gilroy Inc.

8. Hickling Arthurs Low Corporation

9. Holonics Inc.

10. Kelly Sears Consulting Group

11. PRA Inc.

12. QATALYST RESEARCH GROUP INC.

13. QMR STAFFING SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED. 3D GLOBAL ENTERPRISES INC. IN JOINT VENTURE

14. RÉSEAU CIRCUM INC.

15. The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation

Description of the Requirement:

The Outbound Student Mobility Pilot (OSMP) is a program under the Supports for Student Learning Program (SSLP). The SSLP aims to bridge gaps in education attainment, build competencies, and create education opportunities for youth in Canada. The SSLP funds a variety of youth-serving organizations to provide supplemental supports (financial and non-financial) needed to empower students to gain in-demand skills and to increase school completion rates. Within the SSLP, the OSMP creates opportunities for college and undergraduate university students to study and/or work abroad in order to develop transferable skills.

This SOW will evaluate the extent to which students who have received funding through the OSMP, also branded as the Global Skills Opportunity (GSO), have developed soft skills and intercultural competencies through their participation in study and/or work abroad. The acquisition of soft skills is a desired outcome and key progress indicator of the OSMP and is considered to be linked to OSMP ultimate outcomes, such as improved labour market outcomes.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is seeking a consultant to:

• Analyze pre- and post- program survey data (quantitative analysis) from participants who completed the OSMP;

• Design, conduct, and analyze the results of interviews with students who completed the OSMP; and,

• Identify, design, conduct, and analyze case studies of GSO projects at post-secondary institutions.

Information collected through the above methods will help understand:

• The extent to which OSMP participants have developed soft skills and intercultural competencies;

• Which skills they have developed; and,

• The variables (e.g. program length, wrap-around supports, student motivation for participation) that may be factors in skill development.

Level of Security Requirement:

Security requirement for Canadian supplier: Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) file # Common-professional services security requirement check list #6

1. The contractor/offeror must, at all times during the performance of the contract/standing offer, hold a valid designated organization screening (DOS), issued by the Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
2. The contractor/offeror personnel requiring access to protected information, assets or sensitive work site(s) must each hold a valid reliability status, granted or approved by the CSP, PWGSC
3. The contractor/offeror must not remove any protected information or assets from the identified work site(s), and the contractor/offeror must ensure that its personnel are made aware of and comply with this restriction
4. Subcontracts which contain security requirements are not to be awarded without the prior written permission of the CSP, PWGSC
5. The contractor/offeror must comply with the provisions of the:
   1. Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex B
   2. Contract Security Manual (latest edition)

Applicable Trade Agreements:

The requirement is subject to the provisions of the, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), Canada–Chile Free Trade Agreement, Canada–Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Canada–Honduras Free Trade Agreement, Canada–Korea Free Trade Agreement, Canada–Panama Free Trade Agreement and the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.

Proposed period of contract:

The proposed period of contract shall be from Contract Award to August 31, 2023

File Number: 100021505

Contracting Authority: Robert Hayman

E-Mail: nc-solicitations-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

NOTE: The Task and Solutions Professional Services (TSPS) Method of Supply is subject to quarterly refresh cycles. If you wish to find out how you can be a “Qualified SA Holder”, please contact SPTS.TSPS@TPSGC-PWGSC.GC.CA