READER EXTENSION / DIGITAL SIGNATURE

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada-Peru FTA/Canada-Colombia FTA
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited
to bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Four Point Solutions Ltd.
106 Colonnade Road N.
Suite 210
Ottawa Ontario
Canada
K2E7L6
Nature of Requirements: 
Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN)

FILE NUMBER:			23240-120563
CONTRACTING OFFICER:		Karen Marcotte
TELEPHONE NUMBER:		(819) 956-1034
FAX NUMBER:			(819) 953-3703
EMAIL:				Karen.marcotte@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE:		Digital Signature Application Service and
Reader
					Extension licenses

Background: 

Natural Resources Canada has implemented an "ePayment" process,
partially automating payment of invoices submitted to the
department.

It is now necessary to activate functionality within Adobe
Reader software (version 9) to enable Natural Resources Canada
to extend business processes and improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of interaction between the three parties involved
in the payment of an invoice:
"	the vendor,
"	the "internal client"(who must certify receipt of goods and
services) and
"	the Natural Resources Shared Services payment unit who must
authorize issuance of the 		payment
"	The product will save data locally, add and save annotations,
apply digital signatures, and 	integrate with web services for
PDF forms and documents.

Objectives:

The purpose of this augmented service is to :
"	reduce the invoice handling time and the level of employee
effort required for processing 		invoices
"	minimize errors
"	meet or exceed security norms associated with digital
signature certification
"	provide assurance of compliance

Performance attributes:

The final product -- a Digital Signature Application Service and
Reader Extension license must:
"	Enable the certification through a call-up routine of
documents generated by main 			workflow application (Coldfusion)
using data, images and form template
"	Enable the automated certification of approximately 40000
documents per year and 		10000 documents per month at peak time.
"	Support the GOVERNMENT OF CANADA PUBLIC KEY INFRASTRUCTURE
(PKI) 		digital signatures
"	Enable the extension of certified documents to allow the
application of digital signatures 		by 5000 users.
"	Enable the activation of a script within the certified
document upon application of digital 		signature to ensure that
it is returned to the main workflow application programmed in
		Coldfusion.
 
"	The application must be compatible with the existing
departmental infrastructure, the 		Operating System and must be
compatible with any Application programming language

The current operating environment is composed of:

System requirements
Operating system: Environment Windows 2008
Database: Oracle

Functional Aspects required:

Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions enables NRCAN to provide
electronic PDF forms that extend the free Adobe Reader,
available to everyone, enabling critical functions that other
software solutions are unable to provide in entirety:

"	The ability to save data locally
"	The ability to interact with the PDF document without being
connected to the internet 		(offline capability)
"	The ability to interact with backend web services
"	The ability to apply digital signatures
"	The ability to generate 2D barcodes dynamically

In addition, Adobe LiveCycle ES also gives NRCAN a solution that
leverages a single platform to create, manage and certify
dynamic PDF Forms.  Using this platform, NRCAN will be able to
extract, sign, certify and validate signatures from generated
PDF Forms using Adobe LiveCycle ES Digital Signatures.  Adobe
LiveCycle allows NRCAN to orchestrate server side processes,
eliminating human intervention.

The Adobe technology allows NRCAN to add signature and remove
signature fields dynamically to generated documents using
Digital Signature module. 

Collectively, all this functionality is part of a common suite
called LiveCycle.  Adobe is the only vendor that provides all
the functionality NRCan needs for this initiative.

Applicable Regulations:

Section 6 of the Government Contract Regulations is being
invoked in this procurement as only one person or firm is
capable of performing the contract.

Annex 4.4 articles 506.12(a) and 506.12(b) of AIT are applicable
on the basis of limited tendering due to compatibility with
existing products, to recognize exclusive rights, such as
exclusive licenses, copyright and patent rights, or to maintain
specialized products that must be maintained by the manufacturer
or its representative, and where there is an absence of
competition for technical reasons and the goods or services can
be supplied only by a particular supplier and no alternative or
substitute exists, respectively.

Articles 1016.2(b) and 1016.2(d) of NAFTA are applicable on the
basis of limited tendering due to reasons where, for works of
art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents,
copyrights or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information
or where there is an absence of competition for technical
reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a
particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute
exists, for additional deliveries by the original supplier that
are intended either as replacement parts or continuing services
for existing supplies, services or installations, or as the
extension of existing supplies, services or installations, where
a change of supplier would compel the entity to procure
equipment or services not meeting requirements of inter
changeability with already existing equipment or services,
including software to the extent that the initial procurement of
the software was covered by this Chapter, respectively.

(b) when, for works of art or for reasons connected with
protection of exclusive rights, such as patents or copyrights,
or in the absence of competition for technical reasons, the
products or services can be supplied only by a particular
supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;

(d) for additional deliveries by the original supplier that are
indented either as replacement parts or continuing services for
existing supplies, services or installations, or as the
extension of existing supplies, services or installations, where
a change of supplier would compel the entity to procure
equipment or services not meeting requirements of
interchangeability with already existing equipment or services,
including software to the extent that the initial procurement of
the software was covered by this chapter;

The conditions of the developer's shrink-wrap license are not
acceptable to the Crown. This software is proprietary, and the
proposed Contractor must have the authority to negotiate the
terms and conditions of the contract and the related software
licensing terms including, but not limited to; limitation of
liability, indemnification, transferability of license,
termination/refund to the Crown.

Definitions:

''The certification of documents'' is the application of a
digital certificate to attest to the document validity, to
certify the document to run privileged scripts requiring special
privileges and to certify the document to be modified only
within given parameters. If the certification is broken, a
document error will be reported.

''The extension of certified documents'' means extending
usability features to users to fill in the form and apply
digital signature within the parameters of the document
certification.

Period of Contract:	

The software must be delivered by March 31, 2012. The
maintenance and support Services will be provided for a period
of one (1) year from contract award date.

CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR WRITTEN SUPPLIER RESPONSES CHALLENGING
THIS REQUIREMENT IS 2:00 p.m. EST, MARCH 28, 2012.

You are hereby notified that the Government intends to negotiate
with one firm only as 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 requirement 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, and then the contracting authority will proceed to a full
tendering process. 

If you wish to submit a written response showing that you are
capable of meeting this requirement, it must be done not later
than the specified closing date and time.  The file number,
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. 
As it is intended to proceed in a timely manner, responses
received after the closing date will not be considered.

Responses received on or before the closing date will be
considered solely for the purpose of deciding whether or not to
conduct a competitive procurement.  Information provided will be
used by the Crown for technical evaluation purposes only and is
not to be construed as a competitive solicitation.  Your written
response must provide sufficient evidence (e.g. specifications,
technical data, drawings, or any other proof) that clearly
demonstrates that your product or service is capable of
fulfilling this requirement.

Suppliers that have submitted a response will be notified in
writing of PWGSC's decision to continue with the non-competitive
procurement or to compete the requirement.
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.