NMSO - COMPUTERS

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with
Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: 
Attachment: None
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall  Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
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 solicitation includes an immediate
requirement of Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) (defined
as the "Client" or "Identified User") for Ruggedised Slate
Tablet PCs to be delivered to various locations across Canada. 
The resulting Contract will also include options to purchase
additional quantities at any time within 12 months of the
Contract award date.
This procurement is set aside under the federal government's
Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business, as detailed in
Annex 9.4 Requirements for the Set-aside Program for Aboriginal
Business, of the Supply Manual. This procurement is set aside
from the international trade agreements under the provision each
has for set-asides for small and minority businesses. Further to
Article 1802 of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), AIT does
not apply to this procurement. 
Offerors are not required to obtain security clearance in order
to be issued a Standing Offer, because most Call-ups will be
unclassified - see the article in the Resulting Contract Clauses
entitled "Security Requirement". However, the Standing Offer
Authority or Identified User making a Call-up may, in its
discretion, substitute an alternative Security Requirement for
individual requirements. In those cases, the Call-up will only
be issued to an Offeror who, at the time of the Call-up,
satisfies the Security Requirement specified by the Identified
User. It is recommended that suppliers (and key individuals
within suppliers) who do not currently hold a security clearance
at the level of Secret consider upgrading their security
clearance status, since procurements will not be delayed in
order to provide time for suppliers to obtain required security
clearances.
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). 
For the definition of some of the terms used in this Article,
refer to Article 6.1, "Offer".

The RFSO includes the following Group and Categories of
equipment, as described in Annex B:   	
Systems Group
(a)	 8.0N	Ruggedised Slate Tablet PC
(b)	Within the Group, this Category is then divided in 4
Sections: 
(i)	Default System
(ii)	System Upgrade
(iii)	System Components 
(iv)	Other Related Items

The initial purchase requirement for CFIA includes the equipment
described in Annex B1.:	

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.

For this 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.
For each System proposed, all items listed in the Annex entitled
"List of Products" (for the Category of System offered) must be
offered in order for the offer to be considered for that
Category. 

Call-up Limitations for each Category and Section are defined in
the Annex entitled "Call-up Limitations".  Pre-determined
discount percentages will apply to orders exceeding certain
dollar values.

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. The basis of selection for
the RFSO 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 recommended for issuance of a Standing Offer.

Only offers that satisfy all the mandatory requirements and pass
the financial evaluation of the RFSO will be considered for the
initial purchase requirement for the Client.  The basis of
selection for the initial purchase requirement for CFIA is
described in detail in the Annex entitled "Basis of Selection". 
The offer with the lowest Best Final Offer Price (BFOP) will be
recommended for award of a contract.
After any resulting Standing Offers and the initial purchase
Contract have been issued, all Offerors will be notified in
writing regarding the outcome of this solicitation. 

	NEW RFSO SCHEDULE  
(a)	Deadline for questions, Q1 (by noon EST): 	Wednesday July
10th 2013 
(b)	Release of answers (estimated):		Wednesday July 24th 2013
(c)	Deadline for questions, Q2 (by noon EST): 	Tuesday July 30th
2013 
(d)	 Release of answers (estimated):		Tuesday August 6th 2013
(e)	RFSO closing date: 				Tuesday August 13th, 2013 2PM EST 
(e)	RFSO closing date: 				Tuesday August 20th, 2013 2PM EST
(f)	Systems delivered for Benchmark testing:	Thursday August
15th 2PM EST
(f)	Systems delivered for Benchmark testing:	Thursday August
22nd 2PM EST
(g)	NMSO award (estimated):			Friday August 30th 2013
(g)	NMSO award (estimated):			Friday September 6th 2013

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

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.
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.