Printing Services

Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: The bidder must supply Canadian goods and/or services
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: Yes
Nature of Requirements: 

Printing Services

EN578-201407/A
Gagné, Kathleen
TPSGC.padgamiace-appbmpace.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca


REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

REQUEST FOR SUPPLY ARRANGEMENTS FOR PRINTING SERVICES

1. PURPOSE AND NATURE OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

The Communication Procurement Directorate (CPD), which is a part of the Commercial and Alternative Acquisitions Management Sector (CAAMS) of Acquisition Branch at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is requesting Industry feedback regarding the renewal of Supply Arrangements for the provision of printing services (commercial printing services, business card printing services, reprographics/duplicating) and related services for orders originating from federal government departments and agencies. 

There are currently Supply Arrangements (SAs) in place for the provision of printing services that will end on June 30, 2020. In order to renew these services, PSPC in planning to solicit and issue a new Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA).

By using a list of specific questions (see Part A of the RFI), the objectives of this RFI are to:
 
- Modernize procurement practices so that they are simpler, less administratively burdensome, deploy modern comptrollership, and include practices that support our economic policy goals, including green and social procurement.
- Solicit industry knowledge and expertise with regard to best practices that would increase the likelihood of a successful outcome 
- Determine if industry is capable of e-procurement and e-bidding. 
- Gather information to assist in the development of the RFSA.

NATURE OF REQUEST FOR INDUSTRY COMMENTS

This RFI is neither a call for tender nor a Request for Proposal (RFP).  No agreement or contract will be entered into based on this RFI. The issuance of this RFI is not to be considered in any way a commitment by the Government of Canada, nor as authority to potential respondents to undertake any work that could be charged to Canada. This RFI is not to be considered as a commitment to issue a subsequent solicitation or award contract(s) for the work described herein

This RFI includes a Request for Industry Comments at Part A and the draft Request For Supply Arrangement (RFSA) at Part B.  

The written comments received by Canada will not be specifically shared or referred to in the final solicitation document and any comments provided as a result of this RFI should not contain any restrictions of use.  Canada acknowledges that any information collected will be utilized by Canada in an anonymous fashion.

NATURE AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES REQUESTED

Respondents are encouraged to identify, in the information they share with Canada, any information that they feel is proprietary, third party or personal information. Please note that Canada may be obligated by law (e.g. in response to a request under the Access of Information and Privacy Act) to consider disclosing proprietary or commercially-sensitive information provided by respondent (for more information: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/a-1/).

Participation in this RFI is encouraged, but is not mandatory. There will be no supplier list created as a result of this RFI. Similarly, participation in this RFI is not required for the participation in any potential subsequent solicitation.

The RFI closing date is by 2:00 pm Eastern Daylight Savings time on May 29, 2020. Information received before that date will be reviewed and considered when developing the Request for Supply Arrangement.

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.

RESPONSE COSTS

Respondents will not be reimbursed for any cost incurred by participating in this RFI.

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Through this Request for Information (RFI), the Government of Canada (GoC) is seeking feedback on the establishment of Supply Arrangements for the supply of Commercial printing, business card printing, reprographics/duplicating and related services for use by various federal government departments and agencies, on an as and when requested basis.   

The term Commercial printing refers to the general information and printed products produced by departments and includes such products as loose leaf publications, bound publications, newsletters, inserts, posters and speciality single sheet products, etc.  

Printing services refers to various printing methods including offset (sheet-fed and web), digital, business cards and other related printing services.

Resulting Supply Arrangements would not include the following print services: Distribution List Management; Document Management and Print on Demand; Order Fulfillment/Warehousing; or Graphic Design.

SUMMARY OF ANTICIPATED REQUIREMENTS

Should a RFSA be published, Canada expects to authorize Supply Arrangements with all aboriginal and non-aboriginal suppliers that are deemed responsive to the RFSA.

These services would be provided to any Government of Canada department, agency or Crown Corporation listed in Schedules I, I.1, II, and III of the Financial Administration Act, R.S., 1985, c. F-11

The Request for Supply Arrangements (RFSA) would be to establish supply arrangements for the delivery of the requirement detailed in the RFSA to the Identified Users across Canada, including areas subject to Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CLCAs).

The Supply Arrangements would cover the following products:

Category 1 - Business cards
Category 2 - Loose sheet products
Category 3 - Bound publications 
Category 4 - Specialty single sheet products
Category 5 - Other types of related printed products, binding and reproduction of CDs (of publications being printed)
Category 6 - Personalization of certificates and similar printed products (Variable Imaging)
Category 7 - Reproduction of publications and other print matter on electronic media from supplied master documents

Supply Arrangements would be divided into four (4) streams:

Stream A: Business Cards
Stream B: Reprographics/Duplicating: 
Stream C: Low Quantity
Stream D: High Quantity: 

Should a RFSA be published, suppliers will be required to indicate the regions and the streams for which they are submitting an arrangement.

The regions are: 

Region 1: Atlantic Region (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador); 
Region 2: Quebec Region (outside the National Capital Region [Gatineau/Ottawa]);
Region 3: National Capital Region (NCR); 
Region 4: Ontario Region (outside the National Capital Region [Gatineau/Ottawa]);
Region 5: Western Region (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut);
Region 6: Pacific Region (British Columbia and Yukon territory).

There is no security associated with qualifying as a Supplier under this supply arrangement.

Should a RFSA be published and Supply Arrangements (SAs) be issued, PSPC anticipates that the SAs would be valid until such time as Canada no longer considers it to be advantageous to use it.

Ongoing qualification:
 
Additionally, the RFSA would permit additional suppliers to submit arrangements and potentially become Supply Arrangement (SA) holders. New compliant suppliers would be issued SAs and their names would be added to the existing SA holder list(s). 

3. POTENTIAL WORK SCOPE AND CONSTRAINTS

If a follow-on solicitation occurs, it would be posted on BuyandSell.gc.ca in the form of a Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA). 

As the procurement of printing services by governments is exempted under international trade agreements, the Policy on Canadian Content applies and therefore any resulting procurement activity would be solely limited to suppliers who could offer Canadian goods and/or services.

4. LEGISLATION, TRADE AGREEMENTS AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES

The following is some of the legislation, trade agreements and government policies that could impact any follow-on solicitation(s):

a) Treasury Board Policy on Communications and Federal Identity 
b) Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements (CLCAs) 
c) Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Businesses (PSABs) 
d) Canadian Content Policy
e) Policy on Government Security 
f) The Privacy Act 
g) Directive on Official Languages for Communications and Services 
h) Policy on the Management of Information Technology 

5. ENQUIRIES

Respondents with questions regarding this RFI may direct their enquiries to:

Name: Kathleen Gagné
Communication Procurement Directorate
Acquisitions Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada 
E-mail: TPSGC.padgamiace-appbmpace.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca 

Because this is not a bid solicitation, Canada may publish additional questions for the purposes of gaining additional information. Canada asks Respondents to visit Buyandsell.gc.ca regularly to check for changes, if any.

6. NATURE OF RESPONSES

Time and Place for Submission of Responses: Suppliers interested in providing information to the specific questions listed in Part A should send the responses directly to the contact identified in Section 5 Enquiries, by the time and date indicated on page 1 of this RFI. Responses are to be submitted by email.

Respondents are at their own discretion in this regard, but Canada is seeking relevant information, simply and directly stated, in order to avoid undue work by respondents and undue effort by Canada to analyze the results.

Responses from potential suppliers to this RFI will assist Canada in formulating any possible procurement strategy to meet Canadas business and operational requirements. 

Respondents are requested to provide comments, concerns, and suggestions.

Only written responses, submitted by e-mail will be accepted: 
TPSGC.padgamiace-appbmpace.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Respondents should explain any assumptions they make in their responses.

Canada may, in its discretion, contact any respondents to follow up with additional questions or for clarification of any aspect of a response. Canada reserves the right to invite any or all respondents to present their submissions to this RFI.

7. REFERENCES

- Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business - Booklet
- Eligibility for Aboriginal Procurement Set Aside
- Aboriginal Business Directory


Delivery Date: 01/05/2020

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.