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.The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), an agency of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, is responsible for the administration and processing of trademark applications. CIPO processes more than 80,000 new applications for the registration of trademarks in Canada every year and has a legal obligation to assess their registrability. CIPO has traditionally used search mechanisms to carry out its work in determining confusing trademarks against the Canadian Trademarks Register, and other datasets. CIPO requires the provision of access to a customized online Trademarks Search System (the Search System) and associated services to meet its legislative obligations.Canada intends to enter into a sole source contract with Onscope Group Ltd. for the purpose of procuring access to a sophisticated, highly reliable, user-friendly web-based application that will allow bilingual searching capabilities as well as full system support for approximately 250 end-users.The Search System must include the following functionalities:Trademark search and research;Automated classification services;Trademark Report generation capabilities;Automated goods/services validation services; andTranslation and publication formatting services. Suppliers 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 all of the mandatory requirements listed in Annex A.The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) – only one person is capable of performing the work.The proposed contract will be for a period of 3 years, from September 1st, 2022 to August 31st, 2025, and will include the irrevocable option to extend the term of the Contract by up to 2 additional 1-year period(s) under the same terms and conditions.The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is August 4, 2022 at 2 pm ET.You are hereby notified that Canada intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer identified above.Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.
