Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
2. Definition of the requirement
The Department of Employment and Social Development Canada has a requirement to support the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of a workplace based Peer Support Program (PSP). The services of a supplier are required to advise and guide the department in establishing what are the required activities that a workplace based Peer Support Program* entails.
*“Program” refers to a cohesive collection of projects that are strategically coordinated to support the achievement of one or more desired outcomes.
The work will involve the following:
Liaise and work with the ESDC Human Resources Services Branch and the departmental PSP Working Group members to propose a program tailored to ESDC needs (e.g. geographical considerations), this may include (but not limited to):
An approach to consult key stakeholders;
A strategy to evaluate the readiness of ESDC to implement a PSP;
A suggested policy/guidelines;
A Peer Supporter recruitment strategy;
A Peer Supporter training program;
An approach for maintaining a network/community of Peer Supporters;
A data collection methodology for monitoring Peer Supporter activities;
An approach to launch the program and maintain its promotion; and
Participate in presenting and validating the proposed program to the ESDC Implementation Committee for the Integrated Framework on Mental Health in the Workplace.
Participate in implementation activities as deemed fit by the PSP Working Group members (e.g. train Peer Supporters), which may include travelling;
Undertake any other activities as deemed necessary; and
Provide a weekly status update to the project coordinator – or more often if need be.
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:
Experience in developing, implementing, maintaining and evaluating a workplace based PSP in at least one federal government organization of over 5, 000 employees working in several geographical locations in Canada.
Capacity to render services in both official languages (French and English–reading, writing and oral communications).
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s)
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Our research demonstrated that:
The supplier performed all activities related to the development, implementation, evaluation and maintenance of a workplace based Peer Support Program within two bilingual workplaces in recent years, namely the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and NAVCAN, which are two federal organizations of over 5, 000 employees situated in several geographical locations across Canada.
Having been under contract with federal government organizations in recent years, as per the Official Languages Act the supplier showed capacity to render services in both Canadian official languages (French and English–reading, writing and oral communications).
Some suppliers can perform certain activities related to a community/clinical Peer Support Program (e.g. train Peer Supporters), but do not offer services on all activities related to a full workplace based program.
6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) - only one person is capable of performing the work.
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering ReasonsThe following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) – Section 12(b) of Article 506 is being invoked in this procurements, as there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and the goods or services can only be supplied by one particular supplier and no alternative or substitute exists (CAP code 71)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – Section 2(b) of Article 506 is being invoked in this procurement, as there is an absence of competition for technical reasons. (CAP code 71)
World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Section 1(b) of Article XV is being invoked in this procurement, as there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and the goods or services can be only supplied by a particular supplier and no alternative or substitute exists (CAP code 71)
8. Ownership of Intellectual PropertyOwnership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.
9. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The contract period will be over 24 months from the date of award of the contract, with a possibility of one extension of no more than one year.
10. Cost estimate of the proposed contractThe estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $250,000.00(GST/HST extra).
11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplierMental Health Innovations
i•••@••••••••.com
12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilitiesSuppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.
13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilitiesAugust12,2016 at 2:00p.m. EST
14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:Andrea Quinn, Contracting Specialist
E-mail: N••••••••@••••••••.••.ca
