Request for Information (RFI) – Invitation for Businesses Selling Goods to Engage on Ethical Procurement

The amendment serves to extend the RFI period.

Request for Information (RFI) – Invitation for Businesses Selling Goods to Engage on Ethical Procurement

Description

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) invites businesses selling goods to complete an online questionnaire on the risks of human trafficking, forced labour, and child labour in the supply chains of their goods.

The information we gather through this questionnaire will be used to inform the development of guidance and awareness materials, including content for upcoming supplier engagement sessions.

Ethical procurement engagement sessions will take place with industry. The collection of information from this Request for Information (RFI) questionnaire will be used as a basis for the sessions, so completion within the posted timeframe would be appreciated. Note: Businesses can complete the questionnaire without committing to attend a session.

Important: This is not a bid solicitation process and no contract will result from this request. This RFI is not a condition or prerequisite for your participation in any existing or subsequent solicitation. Please note that respondents will not be reimbursed for any cost incurred by responding to this RFI.

How to participate

Businesses are invited to respond to an online questionnaire.

You may also download an alternative Word version of the questionnaire to complete and submit your responses by email. The Word version is available in the Attachment section of this RFI. Please read the Word document for instructions on how to submit this format.

The questionnaire uses software that adheres to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 level AA. If you require additional accommodations to access or participate in the questionnaire, or if you have any additional questions about the questionnaire, please contact: TPSGC.PAAchatseEthiques-APEthicalProcurement.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Deadline for submission

The deadline to submit responses to the questionnaire is December 16, 2022.

Stay informed

You can follow amendments to this RFI by adding it to your Ariba watchlist. Find out how in the guide Viewing Government of Canada tender opportunities on Ariba Discovery

For more information about the questionnaire, please see the Frequently Asked Questions document found in the Attachment section of this RFI.

Background

The Government of Canada is committed to leveraging its spending power to positively influence ethical business practices, both at home and abroad. As the government’s central purchaser, PSPC is strategically positioned to facilitate incremental change in this area by ensuring that suppliers of goods and services apply the highest ethical standards across their supply chains.

Under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and as part of a whole-of-government approach, PSPC is committed to safeguarding federal procurement supply chains from human rights abuses. To this end, a dedicated policy team has been mandated to address forced labour and human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains, including by working with suppliers to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities in their operations and supply chains.

A risk analysis of PSPC’s supply chains completed in May 2021 determined which categories of goods were at the highest risk of exposure to human trafficking, forced labour, and child labour. The assessment is an important step to understanding the vulnerabilities of supply chains, and the results are key to developing an evidence-based approach to address human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains. PSPC has developed an ethical procurement action plan that includes the following recommendations from the risk assessment:

• Prepare tools and awareness materials for vendors on the results of the risk assessment and risks of forced labour in supply chains
• Assess requirements for an ethical procurement policy and human rights due diligence strategy
• Conduct engagement sessions for suppliers of high-risk goods to raise awareness