Telecommunication Services

Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: 
Attachment: None
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
Telecommunication services for Elections Canada

This amendment to the notice is to inform the supplier community
that
a copy of the presentation and answers to any questions raised
during the information session held on June 28, 2012
is included within the Letter of Interest amendment available on
MERX.


1.	Introduction
Elections Canada (EC) is moving forward with a new approach for
the agency to procure telecommunications and network services:
it is based on the concept of Telecommunications as a Service
(TaaS).
This approach is to establish a contract vehicle in which
products and services may be acquired and deployed quickly and
avoid capital costs unless they are supported by a return on
investment.
2.	Information Session
On June 28, 2012, Canada held a half-day information session in
the National Capital Region to provide general information on
Elections Canada, background information on how EC managed the
set-up of all field offices for the 41st general election in
2011, and provide a general view on the objectives for this
requirement before a bid solicitation is published on MERX. No
one-on-one meetings will be held.

A copy of the presentation and answers to questions raised
during the information session is now available for download on
MERX.  Suppliers may submit their comments on the presentation
in writing to the Contracting Authority before July 24, 2012.

All media inquiries related to this requirement should be
directed to the Media Relations Office at (613) 947-6276.

3.	Background Information
The general objective to procure Telecommunication as a Service
(TaaS) is to create a long-term, flexible procurement vehicle
for telecommunications products and services that:
provides ongoing services to ECHQ;
establishes a catalogue approach to products and services,
allowing the agency to acquire and deploy additional
telecommunications products and services on an as-and-when
requested basis 
provides for the integration of new devices and technologies,
and for the "evergreening" of products, through regular and
timely replacements
enables the agency to support a general election without a
preceding or concurrent procurement exercise
provides an ongoing and dynamic IT support organization for the
products and services
Elections Canada is looking to implement a new framework for its
telecommunications requirement because, like many public and
private enterprises, it sees telecommunications playing an
increasingly prominent role in its core operations. The agency
also recognizes that its business model supporting
telecommunications must change to meet the emerging
characteristics of this industry, in which rapidly advancing
capabilities and the frequent introduction of new equipment call
for a rethink of return on investment.
3.1	The Catalogue Concept
The central concept behind the TaaS procurement process is a
catalogue of products and services that form the substance of
the contract. The catalogue identifies the products and services
required to support the ongoing business of ECHQ, and the field
offices across Canada during an electoral event. This catalogue
would be comprised of three divisions: 
those products and services that the agency would commit to
order for ECHQ;
products and services in support of an electoral event; and
optional products and services that the agency may request
during the lifetime of the contract.
Of particular importance for electoral event the Contractor will
be responsible to deploy, install and activate all goods and
services to approximately 500 field offices across Canada within
a three-day window.
3.1.1	Ongoing products and services
The following products and services will be required at ECHQ:
toll-free voice services
audio and web conferencing
equipment and services for remote workers
portable devices
instant messaging and presence
They will be described in detail in the bid solicitation
document.
3.1.2	Products and services required for field offices during
electoral events
The following products and services will be required at each of
the approximately 500 field offices opened during an electoral
event:
high-speed access to the Internet
wireless LANs in some or all offices
fully functional preconfigured network hardware
telephone service (both wire-based and wireless)
all related devices used at the offices
They will be described in detail in the bid solicitation
document.
These products and services will be supplied as part of an
overall service package in which hardware is installed, services
activated and support provided for the election period over the
course of approximately 10 weeks. At the conclusion of the
election, the contractor is expected to recover the equipment
from each office.
3.1.3	Optional products and services
Contact centre services
Unified communications
WLAN service for ECHQ
Local access telephony services, including VoIP at ECHQ
Voice mail services
Network services
and fixed VPN services
Polling station connectivity and services on election day
3.2	Role and responsibility of the Contractor
The scope of the products and services included in this project
suggests strongly that the successful contractor may have to
take on the role of a Multi-Sourcing Integrator as it will be
responsible for planning, sourcing and delivering products and
services from diverse suppliers while taking on the
responsibilities for all related integration and support issues. 
The contractor for TaaS will not only be at the forefront of an
emerging model in telecommunications management but will also be
a highly visible enabler of Canada's electoral process. This
relationship, once established, could span an entire decade.
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.