NMSO - COMPUTERS

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/Canada-Peru FTA/Canada-Colombia
FTA
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: None
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall  Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
NMSO - COMPUTERS - SERVERS

This solicitation is being issued to satisfy the Government of
Canada's requirement for the supply, delivery, configuration,
installation, integration and implementation of Computer
Systems, including System Upgrades, System Components, Other
Related Items, warranty, maintenance, software support services
and documentation, all of which is to be provided on an
"as-and-when-requested" basis to locations throughout Canada,
excluding any locations in areas subject to any of the
Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements, when a Call-up is made in
accordance with any resulting NMSOs. Any resulting standing
offers may be used by any Government Department, Departmental
Corporation or Agency, or other body of the Government of Canada
(including all those described in the Financial Administration
Act, as amended from time to time) or any other party for which
the Department of Public Works and Government Services has been
authorized to act from time to time under section 16 of the
Department of Public Works and Government Services Act. This
solicitation does not preclude Canada from using another method
of supply for entities of the Government of Canada with the same
or similar needs.

The requirement is subject to the provisions of the World Trade
Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-Chile
Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), the Canada-Peru Free Trade
Agreement (CPFTA), the Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement, the
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement and the Agreement on Internal
Trade (AIT). 

The series of resulting NMSOs, as a whole, will have no expiry
date (unless PWGSC determines, in its sole discretion, to set
aside this procurement vehicle). As demand for new computer
technologies develops, new Categories will be competed on the
GETS, allowing new suppliers to qualify or existing suppliers to
add Categories to their Standing Offer. Each individual Category
will be valid for a period of two years, plus two optional
one-year extension periods from the date it is originally
awarded. Each time a Category is subsequently awarded after
publishing a new competition on the GETS, this two-year period
plus the two one-year extension periods will begin running
again. As a result, different Categories may be subject to
different end dates. At the time individual Categories are
recompeted, or new Categories are added, suppliers who already
hold NMSOs may be exempted from providing certain information
that they have previously provided in order to obtain their
existing NMSO (for example, if the experience requirements
remain unchanged, existing Offerors may not be required to
re-demonstrate that they have the necessary experience). 

This RFSO includes the following Group and Categories of
equipment:   
	
Category 1.0S Rack-Optimized 2-Socket 1 U;
Category 2.0S Rack-Optimized Socket 2-Socket 2U;
Category 2.1S Rack-Optimized Enterprise 2-Socket 2U;
Category 3.0S Rack-Optimized Pedestal-to-Rack Convertible
Departmental 2-Socket 5U;
Category 4.0S Rack-Mount Departmental 4-Socket 4U;
Category 1.0B Blade Chassis / Enclosure;
Category 2.0B 2-Socket Blade;
Category 2.1B 2-Socket Blade Enterprise;
Category 3.0B 4-Socket Blade;
Category 3.1B 4-Socket Enterprise Blade;

All potential suppliers capable of meeting the requirements of
this RFSO are invited to make offers. Suppliers are not required
to be the Manufacturer of any Products to submit an offer,
although the Manufacturer must certify non-manufacturer
suppliers. The Annex entitled "Technical Specifications"
describes the detailed technical specifications for all
Categories.

All offers must consist of a technical offer and a financial
offer. The detailed requirements for these offers are contained
in Annexes entitled "Technical Offer" and "Financial Offer" and
include mandatory requirements. Offerors are limited to a
maximum of two (2) Systems per Category (the first System listed
in the Category will be titled System A, the second System
listed in the same Category will be titled System B); also, the
same System will not be included in one Category more than once;
furthermore, no more than two (2) Systems from any given
Manufacturer will be included in one Category.

The basis of selection is described in detail in the Annex
entitled "Basis of Selection" and consists of four phases:
Confirmation of Compliance to Mandatory Requirements, Evaluation
of Financial Offer, Benchmark Testing and Offeror Selection.
Only offers that satisfy all the mandatory requirements and pass
the financial evaluation will be considered.

For each Category, Canada anticipates qualifying up to eight (8)
Systems that meet the requirements of this RFSO.  If fewer
Systems are qualified in a given Category than Canada considers
advantageous, Canada reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
to issue a further RFSO in order to identify additional offers
eligible for standing offer issuance.

Offers will be evaluated on a "Category" basis. Therefore, if an
Offeror wishes to submit an offer in only one specific Category,
then it has the opportunity to do so. It is not mandatory to
make an offer or be selected in all Categories to be issued a
Standing Offer.  

During the Standing Offer Period for a given Category, as
technology evolves, Offerors will have the opportunity to
propose substitute Products that offer equal or better value to
Canada. Periodically, all Offerors will also have the
opportunity to refresh their prices.

After any resulting Standing Offers have been issued, all
Offerors will be notified in writing regarding the outcome of
this solicitation. 

SCHEDULE  

Deadline for first set of questions, Q1 (by noon EST): October
4, 2012	
Release of answers to Q1 (estimated): November 2, 2012	
Deadline for second set of questions, Q2 (by noon EST): November
16, 2012
Release of answers to Q2 (estimated): November 30, 2012
RFSO closing date: December 7, 2012
Systems delivered for Benchmark testing:  December 12-14, 2:00PM
NMSO award (estimated): January, 2013
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.