Laboratory Information Management System

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada-Peru FTA/Canada-Colombia FTA
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: None
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Services and Technology Acquisition Management Sector
Software and Shared Systems Procurement Directorate
Enterprise Management Software Procurement Division - XL
Place du Portage, Phase III, 4C1
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau, Quebec
Canada
K1A 0S5



11 June 2012						File Reference:  107XL.47064-124558



REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)
FOR THE 
CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY



PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

This Request for Information is intended to gather information
about the delivery of the software, employee training, optional
consultation services to aid in the configuration of the LIMS
and the option to purchase yearly program upgrades and technical
support.   This Request for Information is also intended to
gather information about the draft specification that was
written (Annex A) and to answer questions about the purchase of
a new LIMS.

The Science and Engineering (S&E) Directorate of the Canada
Border Services Agency (CBSA) is looking to replace its in-house
LIMS with a Configurable off the Shelf (COTS) LIMS.  The LIMS
must offer complete sample tracking throughout its life cycle. 
This includes the following steps:  client sample login,
laboratory user sample login, bar-coding, sample receipt, sample
preparation, chemical inventory, sample testing (including
manual data entry and instrument interfacing), data review,
automated and manual report writing, equipment maintenance, data
query, case approval, electronic report distribution, report
archiving and case data archiving.

The S&E Directorate is the scientific arm of the CBSA.  It
offers a diverse range of scientific, analytical, engineering
and technical advisory services to the CBSA and other government
agencies.  The S&E Directorate's diverse capabilities include:
analysis of goods (foods, textiles, polymers, organic chemicals,
alcohol, tobacco and contraband drugs); expertise in forensic
document analysis and research in the field of chemical,
biological and radiation detection. 

The CBSA laboratory currently utilizes a LIMS (called "LASS")
that was developed in-house in the late 1990s.  Since then,
numerous patches and enhancements were applied to tailor LASS to
suit the evolving needs of the agency.  This program is based on
PowerBuiilder and uses an Oracle Database.  CBSA is now looking
at replacing this in-house developed product with a full-feature
COTS LIMS.  The S&E directorate currently has approximately 120
employees and 250 clients that use its current LIMS.   It is
estimated that at most 20 clients and 60 employees utilize the
LIMS at one time.  Approximately 200 unique tests will need to
be entered into the LIMS (during initial configuration) to
support the different sections of the laboratory.  

The draft technical specifications in the Request for
Information (Annex A) refer to a LIMS; however, based on a
review of some products available on the market, the CBSA
laboratory may need an integrated LIMS and Sample Data
Management System (SDMS), possibly with additional features. 
These specifications are for an integrated LIMS/SDMS and all
references to LIMS in the draft specifications, indicates that
this feature is required within the integrated system.



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

(a)	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.

(b)	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.

(c)	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.

(d)	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

(a)	This RFI contains a draft Statement of Work/Statement of
Requirements. This document remains a work
	in progress and respondents should not assume that new clauses
or requirements will not be added to any
	bid solicitation that is ultimately published by Canada. Nor
should respondents assume that none of the
	clauses or requirements will be deleted or revised. Comments
regarding any aspect of the draft document
	are welcome.


FORMAT OF RESPONSES

(a)	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 (RFI) number, the volume number and
	the full legal name of the respondent.

(b)	Title Page: The first page of each volume of the response,
after the cover page, should be the title page,
	which should contain: 

		i)	the title of the respondent's response and the volume
number;
		ii)	the name and address of the respondent;
		iii)	the name, address and telephone number of the
respondent's contact;
		iv)	the date; and
		v)	the RFI number.

(c)	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.

(d)	Number of Copies: Canada requests that respondents submit
three (3) copies of their responses.


INQUIRIES

(a)	Because this is not a bid solicitation, Canada will not
necessarily respond to enquiries in writing or by
	circulating answers to all potential suppliers. However,
respondents with questions regarding this RFI may
	direct their enquiries to:

		Margo A. Conn-Harbinson
		Supply Specialist
		Enterprise Management Software Procurement Division - XL, 4C1,
Stn. 35
		Software and Shared Systems Procurement Directorate
		Services and Technology Acquisition Management Sector
		Public Works & Government Services Canada
		Place du Portage, Phase III, 11 Laurier Street
		Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0S5
		Tele: (819) 956-1114
		FAX: (819) 953-3703
		E-Mail: margo.conn-harbinson@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca


SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

(a)	Time and Place for Submission of Responses: Suppliers
interested in providing a response should deliver
	it to the following location by the time and date indicated on
page 1 of this document:

	All information packages must be sent directly to:

		Bid Receiving Unit (BRU)
		Public Works and Government Services Canada
		11 Laurier St.
		Place du Portage, Phase III
		Core 0A1
		Gatineau, Québec,
		Canada
		 K1A 1C9

	Responses should not be sent directly to the Contracting
Authority.

(b)	Responsibility for Timely Delivery: Each respondent is
solely responsible for ensuring its response is
	delivered on time to the correct location.

(c)	Bid Receiving Unit Address Solely for Delivery of Responses:
The above address is only for the
	submission of information relative to this RFI. No other
communications are to be forwarded to this
	address.

(d)	Identification of Response: Each respondent should ensure
that its name and return address, the
	solicitation number and the closing date appear legibly on the
outside of the response.
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.