FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING/TESTING

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: 
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) 
08349-140092/A

Foreign Language Training, Testing and Related Services for the
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development 


Solicitation No.: 		08349-140092/A
Contracting Officer: 	Jenny Lamoureux
Telephone number: 	819-956-9112
Fax number:		819-956-9235
Email:			jenny.lamoureux@pwgsc.gc.ca

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BACKGROUND
The Centre for Foreign Languages and Intercultural Learning
(CFSL) is part of the Canadian Foreign Service Institute (CFSI)
in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
(DFATD) and provides language training and testing in a number
of foreign languages to DFATD staff and their eligible
dependants, other personnel from federal, provincial and
municipal governments in Canada, foreign governments, and
non-governmental organizations.

CFSL delivers its training mandate through a variety of language
training programs, each consisting of courses with separate
objectives aimed at trainees with different levels of linguistic
proficiency in a foreign language.

CFSL has a requirement for professional services in order to
provide foreign language training and related services to its
clients in the National Capital Region, throughout Canada, the
United States and overseas. The training may be either full or
part time, in group or individual sessions, distance or on-site,
in classrooms provided primarily by CFSL and at times in
classrooms provided by the Offeror.

The Offeror could be called to offer services including:
•	Language Training Services 
•	Language Proficiency Testing Services 
•	Course update, design and development
•	Test update, design and development
•	Foreign Language Learning Product design and development
•	Research and Strategic Advisory Services Related to Foreign
Language Training and Testing
•	Ancillary Services

In the past, CFSL has engaged the services of foreign language
training service providers through a competitive Request for
Proposal process with the goal of awarding a contract. The
current contract for foreign language training services will end
in spring 2016. In order to renew these services, CFSL is
planning for the first time to issue a Standing Offer. In
addition to issuing a Standing Offer, several additional related
services have been added to the requirement to best meet CFSL's
various needs.


OBJECTIVES OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is for the
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) to
seek feedback from interested companies, understand the current
market and what they can offer as well as address any missing or
incorrect information.
The main objectives of this RFI are to:
a)	determine the interest and capability of suppliers and
offerors to provide services described in this RFI;
b)	provide the industry with an early opportunity to assess
DFATD's requirement and provide comments on the statement of
work and technical criteria; 
c)	Solicit feedback and recommendations on any issues that would
impact a supplier's or an offeror's ability to fulfill DFATD's
requirement; and
d)	Solicit industry knowledge and expertise with regard to best
practices that would increase the likelihood of a successful
outcome for this project.
e)	Solicit industry feedback on the proposed Standing Offer tool.


CONTENT OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
This RFI contains a draft statement of work and draft technical
criteria. These documents remains a work in progress and it is
possible that requirements will be added to any Request for
Standing Offer issued by Canada. It is also possible that some
requirements will be deleted or revised. All respondents are
asked to provide us with their observations regarding any
element contained in this RFI. Respondents are also asked to
answer the questions listed in Section 4. 

Should respondents consider that the content contained in the
draft statement of work and draft technical criteria could be
improved technically or technologically, respondents are invited
to make suggestions, in writing, to the Contracting Authority
named herein.  Respondents must clearly outline the suggested
improvement as well as the reasons for the suggestion. 
Suggestions that do not restrict the level of competition nor
favour a particular respondent may be given consideration
provided they are submitted to the Contracting Authority in
accordance with the article entitled "Enquiries" found below.
Canada will have the right to accept or reject any or all
suggestions.

Respondents should submit only pertinent information in response
to this request. The inclusion of general marketing or technical
manuals is discouraged unless they are used to provide specific
information that has been requested in this document.


SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
There are no security requirements associated with responding to
this RFI. 

Any future procurement actions undertaken in support of this
requirement may require suppliers or offerors to hold the
security clearance outlined in Appendix C - Security
Requirements Check List. All companies that are interested in
this requirement are encouraged to review all security
requirements in detail. If interested companies do not meet the
specified security requirements then they are encouraged to
contact the Contracting Authority to initiate sponsorship.

For more information about security requirements governing
contracts, visit the Industrial Security Program Web site at the
following address: http://ssi-iss.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/.


ESTIMATED SCHEDULE
If this RFI leads to a future Request for Standing Offer, PWGSC
proposes the following schedule:

Posting of the Request for Standing Offer:  September 2015 
Complete evaluations of the offers:  November 2015
Issuance of the Standing Offer:  December 2015
Start of service delivery:  Upon signature of contract or
depending on client requirements


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.