Media Monitoring Services

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
Tendering Procedures: The bidder must supply Canadian goods and/or services
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
News Canada Inc.
920 Yonge Street
Suite 509
Toronto Ontario
Canada
M4W3C7
Nature of Requirements: 

1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) 

An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

PWGSC file number: EN578-201303
Contracting officer:  Cyrielle Djona
Telephone number: 343-542-4022

2. Definition of the requirement 

The objective of this requirement is to provide the Government of Canada with a National Master Standing Offer (NMSO) for communication support services to obtain earned coverage in Canadian media guaranteed on an as when required basis. The services are in English and French and include: Article Service (Newspaper and Web), Radio Broadcast News (ANR) Service, Online Video Distribution to Media Sites Service, and Media analysis tool.

3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

The contractor must provide feature news production, media distribution, monitoring, guaranteed usage and measurement to inform and educate Canadians on public issues with the following services: 

A. Article Service (Newspaper and Web)

The Contractor must provide the following services for the Article Service:

a. Creation and production of news articles/stories;
b. Translation to French language or any languages (where possible);
c. Layout and design for monthly online issue and PDF copy;
d. Distribution and promotion of monthly online catalogue (English & French) to over 2,600 newspapers and web editors across Canada;
e. Posting of articles on the contractor’s website, specifically designed to meet the content needs of Canadian print and web editors;
f. Comprehensive monitoring and reporting including media usage and audience reach delivered in an electronically in a Media Rating Points (MRP) (or equivalent) report;
g. An audience guarantee is included in the Article Service and, if not attained, articles must be redistributed until the guarantee is achieved.

B. Radio Broadcast News Service (ANR) 

The Contractor must provide the following services for the Broadcast News Service:

a. Concept development and script writing of :60 radio Audio News Release (ANR) segment based on client’s key messaging;
b. Production management, including: coordination and scheduling;
c. A maximum of two interviews recordings, one English spokesperson, one French between :15 to :30 spokesperson conducted via telephone; 
d. Voice-over narration to introduce and concluded the radio segment in English and French Editing of :60 audio segment. The French segment is an adaptation of the English version;
e. A maximum of four hours of editing and production of each news segment including client changes and re-edits;
f. A maximum of two client changes/edits to audio tracks if necessary;
g. All segments must be supplied in two formats: Windows Media Player for previewing purposes and MP3 broadcast quality files for downloading and airing;
h. Media notification and promotion in English and French to radio broadcasters across Canada (including script and downloaded audio files);
i. Distribution on a date chosen by clients along with, encoding, posting, promoting and monitoring the downloading activity of the client Audio News Release (ANR) in MP3 format on the contractor’s website for a minimum of 30 days;
j. Comprehensive media monitoring and reporting including station usage, audience reach, sample on-air broadcasts, graphs for a minimum of 30 days delivered electronically in MPR;
k. An audience guarantee is included with each Broadcast Audio News Release (Radio) and if not attained, the release must be re-promoted and redistributed to the media until the guarantee is achieved.
 
C. Online Video Distribution to Media Site Service 
       
The Contractor must provide the following elements in either a live-action video or motion graphic video to secure earned coverage for the online media:
       
a. Concept development and script writing of an English and French editorial online video that must be used by the media in their online editions based on client’s messaging;
b. Production management, including coordination and scheduling;
c. A maximum of one full day (12 hours) of shooting including interviews;
d. On-location interviews/shoots in one of the following cities: Ottawa, Toronto or Montreal;
e. Creation of an English and French online video that is up to 90 seconds in length;
f. Voice-over narration for English segments, and French voice-over of the same segment;
g. A maximum of ten hours of editing and production of each digital news service segment including client changes and re-edits or as per the proposal;
h. Client is responsible for providing shoot locations, participants and applicable permits, if necessary;
i. Promotion, notification and national distribution of the Digital News Service segments to Canadian Internet sites (English and French), Portals and digital content providers;
j. Encoding of each final approved Digital News Service segments and placement on the contractor’s website;
k. Media monitoring and reporting for two months with screen captures of online video coverage with URL;
l. An audience guarantee is included with each Digital News Service segment and if not attained, the release must be re-promoted and re-feed until the guarantee is achieved. 

D. Media analysis tool

Media Rating Points (MRP) (or equivalent) is a measurement and analysis tool for public relations and communication professionals that provides a standardize way to measure earned, paid and owned media campaigns with audited and estimated audience reach.

The Contractor must provide media analysis including:

Basic Service:
a) Using the MRP template (or equivalent), clients can establish the criteria (i.e. Photo/Image, Call to Action, Spokesperson Quote, Tier 1 Media, etc.) that must be used to evaluate media coverage.
b) Evaluate media coverage (i.e. your clips, airings, etc.) for tone and criteria against objectives of the campaign and key performance indicators providing meaningful results to judge effectiveness of the campaign.
c) Enter an audience reach number using the media outlet database provided by the contractor’s platform. The MRP system (or equivalent) must then automatically calculate the MRP score and the return-on-investment (ROI) or Cost-per-Contact (CPC) and include interactive dynamic charts, and graphs to drill down on specific data. 
d) Export MRP reports to MS Excel. 

4. Applicability of the trade agreement to the procurement 

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement: 
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier 

News Canada is the only known Canadian firm capable of producing the full range of news services required and reaching a national audience as described above at section “3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)”.

6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6 (d)"only one person is capable of performing the work.” 

7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons 

The following exclusions and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

a) Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article 513 (b) (iii);
b) World Trade Organization-Government Procurement Agreement (WTO-GPA) - Annex 5 - Services;
c) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Annex 1001.1b-2 - Section B - Excluded Coverage; and
d) Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)- Annex 19-5 - Services.

8. Period of the proposed National Master Standing Offer
 
The proposed standing offer period is for a period of 2 years, from February 1, 2020, to January 31, 2022, with three (3) additional option periods of one (1) year.

9. Estimated Value

The estimated value of all resulting contracts is $1,250,000.00 (including HST) per year.

10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier 

NEWS CANADA INC.
920 Yonge Street, Suite 509
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 3C7 
 
11. Suppliers’ right to submit a statement of capabilities 

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

12. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities 

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is January 7, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. EST.

13. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Cyrielle Djona
Supply Officer
360 Albert St., Ottawa
Telephone: 343-542-4022
E-mail: cyrielle.djona-guiadem@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer identified above.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award.  However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page.

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

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.