On March 3, 2014, the Government of Canada announced the launch of the procurement process for the new bridge for the St. Lawrence project. A Request for Qualifications will be posted on www.buyandsell.gc.ca on March 17, 2014 and an information session, site tour and industry trade show to be held March 31 and April 01, 2014.
Purpose
- Highlight key components and dates for the Request for Qualifications
- Outline the approach to ensure a fair, open and transparent procurement process
- Provide information on the project’s information session, site visit and Industry Day
Project Objectives
- Ensure Continued Safety and Service
o Remove traffic from the existing Champlain Bridge by the end of 2018
o Maintain safety of the corridor prior, during and after construction
o Deliver a long-term solution that efficiently meets pre-defined operational and maintenance service requirements
o Improve system connectivity to promote continuous and safe flow of people and goods
o Strengthen the economy through job creation and the improvement of the local, regional and national gross domestic product
- Provide Value for Money for Canadians
o Provide long lasting infrastructure that meets high technical standards and needs of users
o Obtain and maintain high quality infrastructure at the lowest life cycle cost possible
o Ensure appropriate risk transfer to the Private Partner for financing, design, construction, maintenance and operations of the Project
- Foster Sustainable Development and Urban Integration
o Build a bridge which contributes to the corridor’s status as the premier gateway to Montréal through architectural features and quality that complement Montréal’s landscape
o Deliver a project that is shaped by the local environmental and social context
o Plan and construct a project that protects the surrounding natural environment through rigorous environmental monitoring and mitigation measures
o Promote sustainable transportation by building a dedicated public transit corridor and providing for a safe and accessible multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists
Procurement Process
Stage 1 – Request for Qualifications
- Identify the three highest ranked qualified respondents and invite them to proceed to Request for Proposals stage
- Process open to any Canadian or international company
- Respondents will be evaluated according to specific criteria in the following categories:
o Financing, Design, Construction, Operations and Maintenance, Tolling / Technology and Team Partnering
Stage 2 – Request for Proposals
- Invitation to the three proponents identified in stage 1 to submit technical and financial proposals
- The lowest cost technically compliant proposal will be identified as the preferred proponent
- Project agreement will be signed between the private partner and the Government of Canada
Request for Qualifications Overview
- The Request for Qualifications will be composed of the following key sections:
o Section 1: Project Overview
? Will describe key project components, objectives as well as key commercial terms
o Section 2: Public Private Partnership Procurement Process
? Will outline the steps in the procurement process and present key dates
o Section 3: Preparation Instructions
? Will provide detailed information such as submission delivery details, format instructions, etc.
o Section 4: Evaluation Procedures
? Will outline how the evaluation process will be conducted
o Additional Information
? Mandatory forms, rated evaluation criteria, detailed instructions
Key Dates in Procurement Process
Key Activities Timeline
STAGE 1 – REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
RFQ Release March 17, 2014
Information Session and Site Visit March 31 and April 1, 2014
Industry Day March 31, 2014
RFQ Closing Date April 30, 2014
RFQ Response Evaluation Completion June 2014
STAGE 2 – REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
RFP Release to Qualified Proponents July 2014
Proposal Submission Deadline (Financial and Technical may be staggered) February 2015
Announce Preferred Proponent April 2015
Financial Close June 2015
Signing of the Project Agreement July 2015
Public Works and Government Services Canada’s Integrity Framework
- PWGSC is committed to doing business with individuals and companies that respect the law and act with integrity. All respondents will be required to comply with the Integrity Provisions (http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/apropos-about/ci-if-eng.…)
- A respondent is required to certify that neither they, nor any members of their board of directors or affiliates, have been convicted or conditionally or absolutely discharged, of any of the following offences, in the last 10 years, in Canada or in a foreign jurisdiction:
o Frauds against the government under the Criminal Code of Canada and frauds under the Financial Administration Act
o Payment of a contingency fee to a person to whom the Lobbying Act applies
o Corruption, collusion, bid-rigging or any other anti-competitive activity under the Competition Act
o Money laundering, participation in activities of criminal organizations or offences in relation to drug trafficking
o Income and excise tax evasion or bribing a foreign public official
o Extortion, bribery of judicial officers, bribery of officers, secret commissions, criminal breach of contract, fraudulent manipulation of stock exchange transactions, prohibited insider trading, forgery and other offences resembling forgery, and falsification of books and documents
Integrity and Oversight
- Relationship Review Committee
o Independent committee created to review issues such as potential conflicts of interest or areas of unfair advantage
o Committee may suggest mitigating measures
- Independent Fairness Monitor
o An independent Fairness Monitor will observe every step in the procurement process
o He/She will provide formal oversight of the process, ensure an independent validation and attest to the fairness of the process
o A report will be made public at the end of the procurement process
Evaluation Approach
o Members of the evaluation committee will have no interaction with respondents
o Conflict of interest declarations will be produced by each evaluator and by each respondent
- Segregation of Information
o Evaluation committee comprised of separate teams of experts – no single evaluator will see complete response and aggregated scores
- Conducted by experts and overseen by professionals
o Only reputable subject matter experts will be part of the evaluation team
o Evaluation criteria will be clearly articulated and documented in the form of an evaluation guide. Training for evaluators will be mandatory
o Each team consensus meeting will be facilitated by a government contracting expert and overseen by the Fairness Monitor
Information Session and Site Visit
- An information session will be held for potential respondents on March 31, 2014
- A site visit will be held for potential respondents on April 1, 2014
Industry Day
- An Industry Day will be held on March 31, 2014 to provide an opportunity for potential respondents to meet and network with local, regional and national goods and services providers
o This Industry Day will be organized jointly with:
? L’Institut pour le partenariat public-privé
? La Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec
