Trail, Road, and Bridge Work

Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 

Trail, Road, and Bridge Work

EZ899-180707/A
Arthur (PWY), Carolyn
Telephone No. - (604) 364-2752 (    )
Fax No. - (604) 775-6633 (    )

***Please note changes to Information Session information***

Request for Information (RFI)

Pacific Rim Traverse Trail - Trail, Road, and Bridge Works, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, BC

Background of the RFI 


Parks Canada maintains and restores ecological integrity in National Parks, and provides Canadians with opportunities to discover and enjoy them. Parks Canada protects and presents these treasures because they tell stories of who we are, including the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples.

A new multi-use trail, located in the traditional territories of the Tla-o-qui-aht and Yuuthlu-ilth-ath /Ucluelet First Nation, is being designed and constructed. It will extend approximately 25 km from the southern to the northern boundary of the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The trail will provide Canadians with opportunities to explore the vast sandy beaches, coastal rainforest, and special areas of natural and cultural significance in the region. 

Initial work on the multi-use trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve began in February 2017 and included two main steps: environmental protection and site preparation. More specifically, this phase included extensive environmental, archaeological and engineering studies, the preparation of a Detailed Impact Analysis (otherwise known as an environmental assessment), trail design and planning, and  clearing the trail of trees and shrubs.

The next phase of the work will begin in the Spring of 2018. Following Parks Canada's established processes and rigorous standards for ecological protection, work will include completion of clearing trees and shrubs, trail bed preparation, installation of drainage culverts, and fabrication of bridges.

Strict development limits are in place to ensure the protection of ecological integrity in Canada’s national parks. Parks Canada has a rigorous development review and environmental assessment process that ensures all new infrastructure projects comply with these limits and that the park’s ecological integrity is maintained. Additionally, any development in national parks is managed through consultation with Indigenous Peoples, information sharing with stakeholders and Canadians, and planning that is informed by science.

The Government is committed to investing in federal infrastructure assets, including national parks and historic sites, for the benefit of all Canadians. These investments bring Canadians together to celebrate our rich natural and cultural heritage. The new trail is a long-time request from local communities, and will provide opportunities for Canadians to explore and enjoy the natural wonders of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve whether they are walking or cycling.

Purpose of this RFI

The purpose of this RFI is to:

- Gather information and interest in this planned project
- Provide awareness of this planned project to the Indigenous business community, local industry and all interested companies.
- Initiate an industry and community consultative process
- Determine Indigenous Business capacity and industrial capacity of local communities including, the Tla-o-qui-aht and Yuuthlu-ilth-ath /Ucluelet First Nation. 

A Community and Industry Engagement event is scheduled.  This event will provide contractors and Indigenous Firms the opportunity to meet and discuss sub-contracting, and skills development.

Work Description

Trail construction work will include clearing of trees and shrubs in portions of the trails, trail bed preparation for asphalt surfacing, installation of drainage culverts, and installation and fabrication of bridges. The labour, equipment and services required for this contract includes, but is not limited to, the summary provided below.

Summary of Skills/Equipment Needs by Category

Labour
- Occasional use of traffic control (flagging) personnel
- Supervisors and foremen
- Office personnel for book keeping, time keeping, general correspondence, tracking quantities and costs, and record keeping
- Loggers/fallers for falling trees, clearing bush and undergrowth, and cutting up blow down trees
- Carpenter / labour to install metal railing on Jersey barriers 
- Personnel with first aid certifications and experience
- Equipment fueling and maintenance
- Labour for placing geotextiles and gravels
- Cranes, operators, steel erectors, carpenters, and labour for one bridge installation and for elevated trail sections
- Excavation equipment of various sizes and operators
- Certified Arborist for localized root cutting

Equipment & Services
- Local housing and services for personnel not hired locally
- Equipment and labour to construct earth filled retaining walls and concrete block retaining walls
- An area for a lay down yard, temporary offices, and equipment storage
- Excavation equipment of various sizes and operators
- Pile driving equipment, operators, and swampers for steel pipe piles

Estimated Value of Planned Procurement:

The estimated value of the planned procurement is between $20,000,000.00 - $25,000,000.00


Industry Engagement Questions

Canada is interested in determining the current and future capacity for the provision of construction material, equipment, labour and skills within the Pacific Rim National Park and surrounding area.

Please consider the following questions in your response to this RFI.

1) Do you own or operate a company or Joint Venture or are you aware of any companies, Joint Ventures or communities in the area that are able to provide any of the items included in the Summary of Skills/Equipment Needs by Category list above?  If so, can you provide a list of any of the Skills/Equipment Needs specified above.   Please include a detailed summary including a brief history of work and/or projects completed within the last 10 years (if any).

2) For prime contractors considering this opportunity, how could you work with sub-contractors, labour, material, and equipment available from the local First Nations in the region?  How would your company organize and manage this? 

3) For both community members and industry what incentive strategies have you encountered in previous contracts to encourage First Nations engagement resulting in skills development, industrial capacity and economic benefit to local First Nations? 

4) As part of our goal of modernizing procurement practices including that of social procurement and developing initiatives to increase the diversity of bidders on government contracts, including that of Indigenous Peoples, PSPC invites input from the Indigenous business community within Pacific Rim National park and the surrounding area, including the traditional territories of the Tla-o-qui-aht and Yuuthlu-ilth-ath /Ucluelet First Nation.  The information gathered though this exercise is intended to provide greater insight into the types of contributions these First Nations communities feel can be made towards the satisfaction of this requirement.  This feedback may also allow for consideration of potential socio-economic benefits, such as skills and economic development within the area.

Please identify any other issues, concerns, or recommendations not addressed above.


Important Note to Respondents

Respondents may submit their responses to the PSPC Contracting Authority, identified below, preferably via email.

Carolyn Arthur
Supply Specialist, Real Property Contracting
Public Services and Procurement Canada 
219 - 800 Burrard Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 0B9
Carolyn.Arthur@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca | Cell: 604-364-2752 | Facsimile: 604-775-6633

A point of contact for the Respondent should be included in the package.

Community and Industry Engagement Session 

Date:          October 24, 2017 
Time:          6:00pm - 8:00pm local time
Location :     Cix?atin Centre
                700 Wya Road, Hitacu,Ucluelet BC

Directions: 

From the Pacific Rim Highway/BC 4E  
Turn left at the Tofino/Ucluelet junction and drive toward Ucluelet. 
In 1km, turn left onto Port Albion road. Follow the road approximately 8kms.
When you reach the community of Hitacu, stay on the main road for approximately 1.5 kms.
At the top of a large hill, turn left onto Wya Road.

The Cix?atin Centre administration building is the last building at the end of the road on the left.

Contracting and Procurement Session 

Date:           October 25, 2017 
Time:           9:00am - 10:30 am local time
Lieu :          Tiic mis aq kin Health Centre 
                82 uu Piit Taah Chilth Rd, Alberni-Clayoquot C, BC 

Respondents can participate in person. Interested suppliers should register a maximum of two representatives by notifying the Contracting Authority identified above (Carolyn Arthur) no later than 2 p.m. PST on 20 October 2017. Further details will be provided to respondents.  

Attendees are responsible for their own transportation, accommodation, meals and parking. PSPC will not reimburse any attendee for expenses incurred in attending, participating and/or responding to any part of these industry engagement activities.

This RFI is neither a call for tender nor a Request for Proposal (RFP). No agreement or contract will be entered into based on this RFI. The issuance of this RFI is not to be considered in any way a commitment by the Government of Canada, nor as authority to potential respondents to undertake any work that could be charged to Canada. This RFI is not to be considered as a commitment to issue a subsequent solicitation or award contract(s) for the work described herein.

This RFI is not intended to constitute, or be interpreted as, a call for tenders, a call for proposals, or as a pre-qualification process. Submission of a response to this RFI or participation in a meeting is not intended to, nor does it, create any contractual or other legally binding obligation or duty, including any obligation or duty to accept or reject information, to enter into negotiations or decline to enter into or continue negotiations, or to award or decline to award a contract. Participation in this RFI and the submission of a response to this RFI is not a pre-condition to participation in a subsequent commercial process, if any.

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 should explain any assumptions they make in their responses.

There is no formal structure or format that a response to this RFI should meet. The respondent should feel free to submit whatever information it feels would make a useful and relevant contribution to PSPC and Parks Canada’s analysis of this project and the development of solicitation documents to procure a solution to fulfill its requirements.

Canada may, in its sole discretion, contact any respondents to follow up with additional questions or for clarification of any aspect of a response.

This RFI will not 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.

All responses will be treated as confidential, subject to the provisions of the Access to Information Act (R.S. 1985, c. A-1) and the Privacy Act (R.S., 1985, c. P-21).

PSPC will in no way make any direct attribution of any information obtained from respondents that has been identified by respondents as “confidential” or “proprietary” within their responses. 

Responses will not be formally evaluated. However, PSPC and Parks Canada will review all responses received by the RFI closing date. PSPC and Parks Canada may, at their discretion, review responses received after the RFI closing date. 

A review team composed of representatives of PSPC and Parks Canada will review the responses received. PSPC and Parks Canada reserves the right to hire any independent consultant or use any resources that it considers necessary to review any response, in part or in its entirety. Not all members of the review team will necessarily review all responses. 

In addition to any other expressed or implied rights, PSPC reserves the right to: 
.1  Cancel this RFI process at any time; 
.2  Cancel this RFI process at any time and issue a new RFI for the same or similar information; 
.3  Make amendments to the timing and/or structure of this RFI process, including the closing date of the RFI, at its exclusive discretion; 
.4  Request additional supporting information or clarification from any or all respondents, and/or provide to respondents additional clarification and information pertinent to this RFI; 
.5  Contact any customer or reference provided within a respondent’s submission; and 
.6  Not consider any response, in its entirety, containing information which PSPC in its opinion, believes to contain misrepresentations or any other inaccurate, suspicious or misleading information. 

Questions regarding this RFI must be submitted electronically and to the contracting representative named below. Questions must be received no later October 25, 2017 at 2:00pm local time.

Changes to the RFI may occur and will be advertised on the Government Electronic Tendering System (buyandsell.gc.ca). PSPC may provide written answers to questions received on or before the RFI closing date by means of FRI addenda and or Questions and Answers Posted on Buyandsell.gc.ca. Canada asks Respondents to visit Buyandsell.gc.ca regularly to check for changes, if any. 



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.