1. 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
Statistics Canada requires a consultant to collaborate with members of the Methodology group to provide advice both on specific complex mathematical statistical problems arising from research activities as well as day to day methodological problems faced by methodologists.
The work will involve the following:
Tasks/Activities
The consultant will provide assistance to the methodology group at Statistics Canada by providing expert research and development support related to the following areas:
1. Small area estimation methods
Application to ongoing surveys
Methods to produce a designed unbiased estimator of the variance
Exploration of linking models appropriate to the problem at hand
2. Investigation of regression trees and LASSO for feature selection in estimation. Other methods maybe investigated as appropriate
3. Integration of non-probability samples into existing statistical programs.
4. Ad hoc consultations with methodologists to solve problems which require advanced knowledge in statistics and/or survey methodology
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:
Extensive experience in the development of unequal probability sampling methods, small sample approximations, analysis of complex survey data, empirical likelihood based inferences, variance estimation techniques and re-sampling methods, and missing data solutions with sound design-based properties;
Knowledge and understanding of survey methodology and small area estimation;
Academic qualifications: PhD in Statistics with a concentration in survey sampling;
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurementThis procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s):
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement (CColFTA)
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement (CPanFTA)
5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Professor J.N.K. Rao is a Distinguished Research Professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at Carleton University, Canada. He is one of the world's leading researchers in the area of survey methodology and has profoundly influenced the field of sample surveys as used by government agencies and other organizations and businesses. For more than 50 years, he has been a driving force in the development of unequal probability sampling methods, small sample approximations, analysis of complex survey data, empirical likelihood based inferences, variance estimation techniques and re-sampling methods, and missing data solutions with sound design-based properties. His abiding effort in meeting real world needs led to another prolific area of his research on small area estimation, highlighted by his book Small Area Estimation (1st edition in 2003 and 2nd edition with Molina in 2015) published by Wiley.
In addition to his phenomenal research impact, Professor Rao has had a significant influence on official statistics agencies through his participation on advisory boards and panels, and his role as advisor and consultant. He has also inspired several generations of survey statisticians through his teaching, mentoring and research collaboration. In fact, many of the methodologists in the Methodology Branch have either studied or performed research with Professor Rao.
6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)
The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is 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:
Article(s) 513(b)Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
if the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist for any of the following reasons:
i. due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Article(s) 1016(b)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement (CColFTA)
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement (CPanFTA)
(b) where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;
8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The proposed contract is for:
Initial Contract Period: April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020
Option Period 1: April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021
Option Period 2: April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022
9. Cost estimate of the proposed contractThe estimated value of the contract, including options, is $111,226.00 (GST/HST extra).
10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Professor J.N.K. Rao, Ottawa, ON
11. 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.
12. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is March 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. EDT).
13. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilitiesInquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:Name: Francesco Germano
Title: Coordinator
Organization: Statistics CanadaAddress: 150 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
Telephone: 613-882-1902
E-mail address: s••••••••@••••••.ca
