Food Services Information Management Syste

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada-Peru
FTA/Canada-Colombia FTA
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: YES (MERX) Electronic
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING
FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FSIMS)
FOR
CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA (CSC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. 1 Background and Purpose of this Request for Information
(RFI)	2
A. 2 Nature of Request for Information	2
A. 3 Nature and Format of Responses Requested	2
A. 4 Response Costs	3
A. 5 Treatment of Responses	3
A. 6 Contents of this RFI	3
A. 7 Questions to Industry 	3
A. 8 Format of Responses	4
A. 9 Inquiries	4
A. 10 Submission of Responses	5



Annex A: Draft Request for Proposal 
Annex B: Draft Statement of Requirements
Annex C: Draft Evaluation Criteria





REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING
FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FSIMS)
FOR
CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA (CSC)

Background and Purpose of this Request for Information (RFI)
Background
Canada recently issued Solicitations # 21120-102299/C for a
Technical Services Information Management System (TSIMS) with a
closing date of October 1, 2012.  No responsive bids were
received and, as a result, the RFP was been canceled and no
Contract was awarded.  The Request for Proposal and Statement of
Requirements documents have been modified through the RFI
process to reflect feedback from the industry, and Correctional
Service of Canada would like to solicit feedback from the
industry on this revised Request for Proposal and Statement of
Requirements.

Objective
Canada remains committed to finding a Commercial off the Shelf
(COTS) software solution that will meet the needs of
Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).  Canada is reviewing the
procurement process and its requirements, and intends to
re-tender in the near future.  As part of the review, Canada
would like to receive feedback from industry and gain a better
understanding of potential areas where the attached RFP document
and Statement of Requirements could be improved in order to put
industry in a position to bid in the future.

Nature of Request for Information
This is not a bid solicitation. This RFI will not result in the
award of any contract. As a result, potential suppliers of any
goods or services described in this RFI should not reserve stock
or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any
information contained in this RFI. Nor will this RFI result in
the creation of any source list. Therefore, whether or not any
potential supplier responds to this RFI will not preclude that
supplier from participating in any future procurement. Also, the
procurement of any of the goods and services described in this
RFI will not necessarily follow this RFI. This RFI is simply
intended to solicit feedback from industry with respect to the
matters described in this RFI.

Nature and Format of Responses Requested
Respondents are requested to provide their comments, concerns
and, where applicable, alternative recommendations regarding how
the requirements or objectives described in this RFI could be
satisfied. Respondents are also invited to provide comments
regarding the content, format and/or organization of any draft
documents included in this RFI. Respondents should explain any
assumptions they make in their responses.

Response Costs
Canada will not reimburse any respondent for expenses incurred
in responding to this RFI.

Treatment of Responses
Use of Responses: Responses will not be formally evaluated.
However, the responses received may be used by Canada to develop
or modify procurement strategies or any draft documents
contained in this RFI. Canada will review all responses received
by the RFI closing date. Canada may, in its discretion, review
responses received after the RFI closing date.
Review Team: A review team composed of representatives of the
client (where applicable) and PWGSC will review the responses.
Canada reserves the right to hire any independent consultant, or
use any Government resources that it considers necessary to
review any response. Not all members of the review team will
necessarily review all responses.
Confidentiality: Respondents should mark any portions of their
response that they consider proprietary or confidential. Canada
will handle the responses in accordance with the Access to
Information Act.
Follow-up Activity: Canada may, in its discretion, contact any
respondents to follow up with additional questions or for
clarification of any aspect of a response.

Contents of this RFI
Please note that any re-tender of the requirement described in
Solicitation # 21120-102299/C will replace the previous version
entirely.  Any comments with regards to the revised Request for
Proposal and Statement of Requirements (see attached Annex A &
Annex B) are welcome.
This RFI also contains the following specific questions
addressed to the industry.

Questions to Industry 
Which, if any, of the Resulting Contract Clauses in Part 7 of
the draft RFP would prevent you from bidding on this draft RFP?
Please pay special attention to the clauses in:
Section 4003
(https://buyandsell.gc.ca/policy-and-guidelines/standard-acquisit
ion-clauses-and-conditions-manual/4/4003/4); and,
Section 4004
(https://buyandsell.gc.ca/policy-and-guidelines/standard-acquisit
ion-clauses-and-conditions-manual/4/4004/4)

The draft RFP specifies that payment for licenses will not be
made until the software has been accepted by CSC Technical
services through formal user acceptance testing (please see
Section 7.8(a)(i) of the Draft RFP and Section 6.10.4 of the
Statement of Requirements). Would this prevent you from bidding.
Is there any additional information that would assist you in
providing pricing for Training Courses in accordance with Table
6 of Annex B of the draft RFP, entitled "Basis of Payment"?
Training requirements have been defined in Section 6.4 of the
SOR.

In reviewing Section 6.6 of the Statement of Requirements,
entitled "Professional Services Requirements", are there any
additional Professional Services resource categories that you
would recommend?  

Are there any mandatory requirements in the SOR you cannot meet?
If so, which ones?

Are you able to fully substantiate that you meet all of the
mandatory requirements of the SOR at bid closing? In reviewing
the substantiation guidance in Section 3.2(d) of the draft RFP,
are there other forms of substantiation that would be helpful? 

Does your solution meet the bilingualism acceptance criteria
detailed in Section 6.11.3.1 of the SOR? If not, can you
customize/configure your solution to meet the bilingualism
requirements in the six (6) month period specified?


Format of Responses
Cover Page: If the response includes multiple volumes,
respondents are requested to indicate on the front cover page of
each volume the title of the response, the solicitation number,
the volume number and the full legal name of the respondent.
Title Page: The first page of each volume of the response, after
the cover page, should be the title page, which should contain:
the title of the respondent's response and the volume number;
the name and address of the respondent;
the name, address and telephone number of the respondent's
contact;
the date; and
the RFI number.
Numbering System: Respondents are requested to prepare their
response using a numbering system corresponding to the one in
this RFI. All references to descriptive material, technical
manuals and brochures included as part of the response should be
referenced accordingly.
Number of Copies: Canada requests that respondents submit one
soft copy, in PDF format, of their response.

Inquiries
Because this is not a bid solicitation, Canada will not
necessarily respond to inquiries in writing or by circulating
answers to all potential suppliers. However, respondents with
questions regarding this RFI may direct their inquiries to:
Contracting Authority:	Elizabeth Quenville
E-mail Address:	elizabeth.quenville@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca
Telephone:	(613) 937-2727
Facsimile:	(819) 953-3703

Submission of Responses
Time and Place for Submission of Responses: Respondents should
send responses electronically to the Contracting Authority's
e-mail address identified herein by the date specified on the
front page of the RFI.

Responsibility for Timely Delivery: Each respondent is solely
responsible for ensuring its response is delivered on time to
the correct e-mail address.


ANNEXES

(see attachments)
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.