PASS RFSA Refresh 2015

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with
Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: 
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Subsequent/Follow-on Contracts
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
PROFESSIONAL AUDIT AND SUPPORT SERVICES (PASS) REFRESH 2015

The Professional Audit and Support Services Supply Arrangement
(PASS SA) is a federal government-wide mandatory procurement
tool for the provision of professional services required to meet
obligations set by two Treasury Board policies: the Internal
Audit Policy and the Internal Control Policy.  This solicitation
is a Request for Supply Arrangements (RFSA) to renew the PASS SA
procurement instruments which have been put in place to satisfy
Canada's various requirements for audit and related professional
services across Canada, excluding any locations in areas subject
to any of the Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements.  It allows
new and existing Suppliers to submit an arrangement to qualify
for those Streams for which they wish to have an SA.  Existing
Suppliers are required to re-qualify for any Streams for which
they already have an SA.

Further to PWGSC's Information Notice: Implementation Update on
PWGSC's Professional Services National Procurement Strategy
accessible on the Professional Audit and Support Services Supply
Arrangement(s)
http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/spc-cps/avissnamsp-noticepsn
ps-eng.html.  PASS has incorporated a number of changes to
harmonization as outlined in the solicitation.  For further
information on the Professional Services National Strategy, it
is accessible on buyandsell.gc.ca, reference:
E60ZH-110001/B.

REQUIREMENT:
-----------------------
Each arrangement submitted may result in a Supply Arrangement
(SA). All suppliers capable of meeting the requirements of this
solicitation are invited to submit a proposal for the Services
in an arrangement for a Supply Arrangement.

This procurement vehicle includes the eight following existing
Streams of professional services:

Stream 1: Internal Audit Services;
Stream 2: Practice Inspections;
Stream 3: Information Technology and Systems Audits;
Stream 4: Forensic Audits;
Stream 5: External Audit Services;
Stream 6: Financial and Accounting Services;
Stream 7: Internal Control Training; and
Stream 8: Recipient/Contribution Agreement Audit

SA's resulting from this RFSA will not be used for staffing or
for Temporary Help Services (THS) requirements.

The resulting Supply Arrangements will remain valid until July
31, 2018, or until such time as Canada no longer considers them
to be advantageous to use them. The period for awarding
contracts under the Supply Arrangement begins on the start date
of the Supply Arrangement.

This refresh solicitation will allow new Suppliers to qualify
under one or more streams, and become pre-qualified Suppliers
under the PASS SA.  It will also allow Current SA holders to
qualify under one or more additional streams in which are not
pre-qualified under their current SA(s). All current SA holders
who qualify for additional streams will be issued an amendment
to their SA(s), which will include the additional streams for
which they qualify under the refresh RFSA.

SECURITY REQUIREMENT:
--------------------------------------
There is a security requirement associated with the requirement
of the Supply Arrangement. For additional
information, see Part 4 - Evaluation Procedures and Basis of
Selection, Part 6A - Supply Arrangement.

SET-ASIDE PROGRAM FOR ABORIGINAL BUSINESS:
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Part of this procurement may be designated by one or more
Identified Users as set-aside under the federal government's
Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB). In these
specific cases, (i) the procurement is set aside from the
international trade agreements under the provision each has for
set-asides for small and minority businesses, and (ii) as per
Article 1802 of the AIT, the AIT does not apply.

In order to be considered as an Aboriginal Business under the
PSAB, the Supplier must complete the Aboriginal Business
certification contained in the Data Collection Component of the
CPSS.

By executing the certification, the Supplier warrants that it is
an Aboriginal business as defined in the Set-aside Program for
Aboriginal Business.

LOCATION OF SERVICES:
------------------------------------
The document titled "Definitions of the National Zone, Regions
and Metropolitan Areas" at the following link are incorporated 
by reference into any resulting SA, with the exception that the
National Zone is to be considered as another Region:

Http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/spc-cps/dznrrm-dnzrma-eng.ht
ml

The following Regions and Metropolitan areas may receive
Services under this supply arrangement where a Supplier is
qualified to do so:

Regions: National Zone, Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Western,
Pacific, National Capital.

Metropolitan Areas: Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Quebec City,
Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Vancouver,
Victoria, National Capital Region.
	
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
---------------------------------
The services to be provided will be delivered in one or both of
the two official languages of Canada according to the
requirements of the Identified User issuing a contract against
the SA.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL CRITERIA:
----------------------------------------------------
The technical arrangement should address clearly and in
sufficient depth the points that are subject to the evaluation
criteria against which the arrangement will be evaluated. As the
status and circumstances of each supplier is unique, it is the
responsibility of each supplier to read all documents related to
this solicitation, and to ensure that all mandatory criteria,
Certifications, and elements required for arrangement validity
are met in their arrangement submission. 

SELECTION METHODOLOGY:
-----------------------------------------
The Supplier selection will be conducted for each specific
Stream. 

Each technically responsive arrangement will be recommended for
the issuance of a Supply Arrangement on the terms stated in Part
6 of the solicitation.

CENTRALIZED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SYSTEM (CPSS)
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All suppliers that want to submit an arrangement will have to
establish an account in the Supplier Module of the PWGSC
Centralized Professional Services System (CPSS) e-Portal.
Instructions on accessing the Supplier Module e-Portal
application are specified in the RFSA document published on GETS.

Suppliers will be required to submit a portion of their
technical arrangement through the CPSS e-Portal Supplier Module.

Should suppliers encounter technical difficulties with the Data
Collection Component (for example, not able to access, save, or
enter data as noted), please review the Supplier Easy Steps -
for Data Collection Component at the following link:
http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/spc-cps/espfccd-sesdcc-eng.h
tml or may wish to send an email to the CPSS inbox at
SSPC.CPSS@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.

NOTE: As the CPSS e-Portal does not currently accommodate
digital signatures, Suppliers will also be required to submit
documents in hard copy format through the Bid Receiving Unit. 
Instructions in the RFSA provide further details.

INFORMATION REGARDING RFSA:
------------------------------------------------------
Information regarding the RFSA can be obtained in accordance
with the Enquiries provisions set out in the solicitation and by
sending an e-mail to the PASS mailbox at:

SPSVAAautorite.PASSSAAuthority@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

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

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.

Delivery Date: 11/09/2015

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

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.