Software Licensing Supply Arrangement (SLSA)

Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Subsequent/Follow-on Contracts
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 

The Software Licensing Supply Arrangement (SLSA) EN578-100808/D remains a procurement vehicle managed by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC); however, certain software categories within the SLSA are restricted for the exclusive use of Shared Services Canada (SSC). 

Please see the Amendment Summary section below for a description of the Amendments issued against the RFSA to date.  
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Summary of the Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA):

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), on behalf of Canada, issued this Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA) to implement the Software Licensing Supply Arrangement (SLSA). The SLSA is used to acquire off-the-shelf software licenses and related software maintenance and/or support, as required by Canada, in support of its various programs, operational needs and projects. It should be noted that this procurement vehicle is one of a number of vehicles that may be used to acquire such goods. 

The SLSA procurement vehicle cannot be used to procure professional services, hardware, appliance solutions, hosted solutions, or cloud-based solutions such as software as a service, infrastructure as a service, platform as a service. 

A Notice and the RFSA will be posted continuously on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS) to allow suppliers to become qualified for a Supply Arrangements at any given time.

Description of the Software Licensing Supply Arrangement (SLSA): 

The SLSA is a two-phased procurement vehicle. The first phase requires that suppliers qualify for a Supply Arrangement through the SLSA Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA) that will be posted continuously on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS). Once qualified (i.e. awarded a Supply Arrangement), Suppliers are required to list their products and ceiling prices, in the appropriate category, in the SLSA Catalogue. The second phase of the procurement process consists of the SLSA authorized users issuing directed sole source contracts, competing requirements via Requests for Quotations (RFQs) for no substitute requirements when more than one source of supply exists or issuing bid solicitations when generic requirements exist. All second phase procurements will be processed in accordance with Canada's Government Contracting Regulations (GCR) and the applicable trade agreements. 

Scope:

The RFSA establishes Supply Arrangements, including a Catalogue (hereinafter referred to as the Software Licensing Supply Arrangement (SLSA) Catalogue) for off-the-shelf software licenses and related software maintenance and/or support. No professional service, "as a service "(e.g. software as a service, infrastructure as a service, platform as a service etc.), hardware or appliance solutions may be sold under this vehicle.

Any resulting Supply Arrangements may be used to acquire Goods for any Government Department, Departmental Corporation or Agency, or other Crown entity described in the Financial Administration Act (as amended from time to time), and any other party for which the Department of Public Works and Government Services may be authorized to act from time to time under section 16 of the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (each a "Client").

Delivery:

Any requirement for delivery to a destination in a land claims area will be actioned as a separate requisition outside of the SAs.

Evaluation:

A Notice and the RFSA will be posted continuously on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS) to allow suppliers to become qualified for a SA(s) at any given time.

All firms, including Aboriginal firms, are invited to submit Arrangement sunder this RFSA.

Those fully compliant Arrangements will be recommended for issuance of a Supply Arrangement.

Those fully compliant Arrangements that meet the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB) eligibility criteria will be recommended for issuance of an Aboriginal SA. Aboriginal SAs may be used by Approved PWGSC and Client Authorities, at their discretion, for both set-aside requirements and non-PSAB contracts. 

Once a Supplier qualifies for an SA they will not be required to qualify again for additional categories. Canada will amend the existing SA for these Suppliers, at its sole discretion, to include one or more additional software categories at the Supplier's request, provided the required certifications are met.

Award:

The order of evaluation of arrangements will be at Canada’s sole discretion. The intent is to evaluate arrangements on a first come, first served basis however this may change, as required, to meet Canada’s operational requirements. 

Canada will not award a Supplier a SA or delay award of Contract(s) to other Suppliers if a Supplier has not submitted complete documentation in its response or has submitted documentation that deviates from the terms of the RFSA.  

All SAs will be effective from the date of issuance up to and including September 30, 2023, or until such time as Canada no longer considers it to be advantageous to have the SAs in place.

Security:

There is no security requirement associated with the issuance of a Supply Arrangement. The Contracts issued against this SA may, however, be subject to security requirements. 
 
Trade Agreements:

Requirement may be subject to the provisions of various Trade Agreements, including the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). Requirements under the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB) are not subject to the international trade agreements and AIT does not apply to procurements that are restricted to Aboriginal businesses under PSAB.

The SLSA Website:

The SLSA Catalogue, a list of the SLSA Suppliers, all SLSA forms and templates, Annex I - List of Approved Clients, Annex G - Software Categories & Descriptions, the SLSA Team contact information and more are available on the SLSA Website at https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/cral-sarc/gnrx-gnrl-eng.html.

Contact Address: 

Supply Arrangement Authority
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
10 Wellington St., 4th floor
Gatineau
Quebéc
K1A 0S5

Email: TPSGC.AAALL-SLSA.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca


Amendment Summary:

Amendment 018
Amednement summary: Issued to streamline the RFSA to improve submission and amendment process, provide new tools as attachments as part of the improvement, modify any reference to the Contracting Policy which was replaced by the Policy on the Planning and Management of Investments and the Directive on the Management of Procurement, update the dates of various SACC manual references, as well as to apply a few additional administrative changes. This amendment replaces the previous amendment entirely and a complete copy is included.

Amendment 017 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 018
Amendment Summary: Issued to correct a technical an error related to the official languages on the cover page of amendment 016. Amendment 017 includes the entire RFSA for convenience.

Amendment 016 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to increase the client delegated authorities and contracting limits to align with the new Contracting Policy issued by Treasury Board in 2019; to remove the requirement for Suppliers to confirm that the requester has not exceeded the contracting limitation for the given requirement before accepting any resulting contract; to update the dates of various SACC manual references, as well as to apply a few additional administrative changes. Amendment 016 includes the entire RFSA for convenience.

Amendment 015 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to extend the end date of the RFSA, to introduce the use of epost Connect service for the submission of arrangements, to update the dates of various SACC manual references, as well as to apply a few additional administrative changes.


Amendment 014 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to extend the end date of the RFSA, to modify the arrangement submission method, to update the dates of various SACC manual references, as well as to apply a few additional administrative changes. Amendment 014 includes the entire solicitation for convenience.

Amendment 013 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to update the Integrity Provisions clauses to align with the new government-wide Integrity Regime, the Federal Contractors Program for Employment Equity clauses to reflect the name change from HRSDC to ESDC and the dates of various SACC manual references.

Amendment 012 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to extend the end date of the RFSA and to modify the arrangement submission and update request processes, as well as to apply a few additional administrative changes. This Amendment includes the entire solicitation for convenience.

Amendment 011 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to update the Code of Conduct Integrity Provision clauses; the Federal Contractors Program for Employment Equity clauses, the Software Licensing and Supply Arrangement Quarterly Reports Template (Annex J) and the dates of various SACC manual references.

Amendment 010 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary: Issued to refresh the solicitation.

Amendment009 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to change the SA Authority (Enquiries Contact), to add a new sub category to Annex G Software Categories & Descriptions and to transfer the RFSA to the new Government Electronic Tendering Service (Buy & Sell website).

Amendment 008 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to reflect the modifications established following negotiations with industry Associations ITAC and CITPA.

Amendment 007 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to remove the client authority contracting dollar limitations for the Client Authority Shared Services Canada.

Amendment 006 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to refresh the solicitation and add the remaining software categories to the list of Software Categories.

Amendment 005 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to add Operations Management Software, Scientific and Engineering Software and Information Management Software to the list of Software Categories.

Amendment 004 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to refresh the solicitation and add Security Operations Software and Development Environments Software to the list of Software Categories.

Amendment 003 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to refresh the solicitation.

Amendment 002 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to respond to bidders questions as well as to modify clauses in the RFSA.

Amendment 001 - Incorporated into/replaced by Amendment 017
Amendment Summary:  Issued to respond to bidders questions.

Request For Supply Arrangement (RFSA) - Incorporated in/replaced by Amendment 017
Summary:  Official RFSA posted on GETS for responses to be submitted to PWGSC by Vendors wishing to obtain a Supply Arrangement through the Software Licensing Supply Arrangement.
Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

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

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.