Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada-Peru
FTA/Canada-Colombia FTA
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address:
Affirmative Communications Inc
108-3325 North Service Road
Burlington Ontario
Canada
L7N3G2
Nature of Requirements:
5P041-120584/A
Wong, Vincent
Telephone No. - (819) 956-3769
Fax No. - (819) 953-3703
ADVANCED CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN)
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SOLUTION
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
The Parks Canada Agency (Parks Canada) has a requirement for the
supply of an online volunteer management solution with an
electronic database to support their National Volunteer Program.
The solution and all its components must be available in both
official languages (English and French), unless otherwise
specified, in accordance with the Official Languages Act; must
meet all mandatory performance and minimum essential
requirements stated below; and include initial set-up and
training.
This requirement also includes optional services: programming
for bilingual language requirements and Government of Canada
Credential Federation (GCCF) integration, ongoing maintenance
and support services for optional periods, and other
customization programming on an as and when required basis.
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 its solution meets the following
requirements:
3.1 General Requirements
The solution must conform to and be compliant with the current
Government of Canada Standard on Web Accessibility;
Any Public Facing Website of the solution must conform to and be
compliant with the current Government of Canada Standard on Web
Usability;
All products and services delivered must be in both Official
Languages (English and French), unless otherwise specified, in
accordance with the Official Languages Act;
The Contractor must ensure that all databases and servers
containing any information related to the Work are located in
Canada. The Contractor must not be subject to any laws that
allow a government or any other entity or person to seek or to
obtain the right to view or copy any information relating to the
Contract without first obtaining the Contracting Authority's
written consent;
The Contractor must control access to all databases and servers
on which any data relating to the Contract is stored so that
only individuals with the appropriate security clearance are
able to access the database, either by using a password or other
form of access control (such as biometric controls);
The Contractor must ensure that all databases and servers on
which any data relating to the Contract is stored are physically
and logically independent (meaning there is no direct or
indirect connection of any kind) from all other databases or
servers;
The Contractor must ensure that all data relating to the
Contract is processed only in Canada;
The Contractor must ensure that all domestic network traffic
(meaning traffic or transmissions initiated in one part of
Canada to a destination or individual located in another part of
Canada) is routed exclusively through Canada; and
Despite any section of the General Conditions relating to
subcontracting, the Contractor must not subcontract (including
to an affiliate) any function that involves providing a
subcontractor with access to any data relating to the Contract
unless the Contracting Authority first consents in writing.
3.2 Technical Requirements - Training Environment
For the period of the Contract, access to a Training Environment
for the entire solution must be provided to Parks Canada for
staff training purposes. The Training Environment must be
delivered no later than 30 days prior to scheduled commencement
of User Acceptance Testing (UAT);
The Training Environment must have an uptime of 99 % calculated
monthly excluding maintenance windows;
The Training Environment must support a minimum of 20 Concurrent
Users;
The Training Environment must not contain any designated data
from Production (i.e., volunteer data); The Training Environment
must include any required fictitious volunteer data; and
The Training Environment must remain current with the Production
version of the solution, unless upon request from Parks Canada
when providing training prior to the release of a newer version
of the solution.
3.3 Technical Requirements - Production Environment
A Production Environment for the entire solution must be
provided for the period of the Contract to Parks Canada and the
public. The Production Environment must be delivered no later
than 30 days prior to scheduled Production Launch;
The Production Environment must have an uptime of 99.9%
calculated monthly excluding maintenance windows; and
The Production Environment must support a minimum of 100
Concurrent Users.
3.4 Technical Requirements - Support
A Help Desk service must be provided for the period of the
Contract to Parks Canada users. The help desk must be the first
point of contact for reporting solution bugs and issues. The
help desk must be reachable by telephone and e-mail;
An Electronic Ticketing/Issue Tracking System for tracking
issues reported to the Help Desk and for providing technical web
support services must be provided for the period of the contract
to Parks Canada users;
Access to the Help Desk ticketing/issue tracking system must be
provided to approved Parks Canada users. Parks Canada users must
have the ability to enter, view, update and close any and all
tickets related to the provided solution via the web; and
Help Desk services must be accessible by phone and e-mail and be
in operation from 7:00am to 7:00pm EST/EDT, 7 days a week.
3.5 Technical Requirements - Web Browser Support
For the period of the Contract, the solution must be fully
compatible and interoperate with the latest version the
following web browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google
Chrome.
3.6 Technical Requirements - Electronic Credential Management
Services
The solution must integrate and use GC Access Key and the
Commercial Credential Broker as the only Electronic Credential
Management services and must ensure compliance with the
requirements of Shared Services Canada when transitioning to
Production; and
For the period of the Contract, a Chooser Screen must be created
and maintained for use with the solution.
3.7 Compatibility with Parks Canada's Technical Environment
The solution must, at a minimum, be interoperable and compatible
with the Parks Canada technical environment of desktops and
laptops:
Intel P4 1.5Mhz 1GB RAM (minimum)
Windows XP - SP3
McAfee VirusScan 8.5
Internet Explorer 7.0
Microsoft Office Professional 2007
Lotus Notes Client 8.5
Adobe Reader 9.0
3.8 Solution Features
The solution must:
Allow for the design and use of online forms to collect
information from users;
Allow for the design and administrator assignment of user-based
roles, profiles and access rights;
Allow users the option to make changes to their profile
information, preferences and to sign-up, as an individual or as
a group, to listed events or projects;
Allow user profiles and records to be generated in an online
report, including tracking of all user statistics, their input
information and preferences;
Include a querying and reporting wizard/function for ad hoc and
canned reports. The solution must be able to match volunteers
with criteria about skills and availability;
Allow for the creation of events and projects to be listed and
available for user sign-up. Event and project information must
be alterable based on user-roles and access rights;
Allow for the uploading and download documents of any type and
size;
Include e-mail notification services and the option of
signing-up or opting out; and
Have bilingual labels (not a single label that has bilingual
text).
3.9 Solution Report Generation
The solution must include reporting capability to compute:
Number of unique volunteers per year;
Number of volunteers compiled from volunteer projects;
Number of year/hours volunteered per year;
Number of volunteers per age categories;
Number of hours volunteered per year compiled from volunteer
projects;
Number of hours volunteered per year in high-risk activities
compiled from volunteer projects;
Risk management assessment and procedures in place;
Postal codes - list volunteers by postal code;
Type of volunteer projects undertaken at the parks and sites
across Canada (from the drop list);
Agreement for use of images and photos of volunteers for Parks
Canada communication purpose; and
Mailing list and labels for opinion research.
4. Security Requirements
The Contractor must, at all times during the performance of the
Contract, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS)
with approved Document Safeguarding at the level of PROTECTED B,
issued by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate, Public
Works and Government Services Canada.
The Contractor personnel requiring access to PROTECTED
information, assets or work site(s) must each hold a valid
RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the Canadian
Industrial Security Directorate (CISD), Public Works and
Government Services Canada (PWGSC).
The Contractor must not utilize its Information Technology
systems to electronically process, produce or store PROTECTED
information until the CISD/PWGSC has issued written approval.
After approval has been granted or approved, these tasks may be
per-formed at the level of PROTECTED B.
Subcontracts which contain security requirements are not to be
awarded without the prior written permission of CISD/PWGSC.
The Contractor must comply with the provisions of the:
(a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if
applicable);
(b) Industrial Security Manual (Latest Edition)
5. Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement
(WTO-AGP)
6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Affirmative Communications Inc. (operating as "Volunteer
Squared") is the only known supplier of an online software
solution (Volunteer Impact) that is available in both official
languages (English and French) and meets all mandatory
performance and minimum essential requirements.
7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception
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".
8. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
The following exclusions and/or limited tendering reasons are
invoked under the section of the trade agreements specified:
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article 506 paragraph 12 (b)
"where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons
and the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular
supplier and no alternative or substitute exists"
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article 1016.2(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"
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement
(WTO-AGP) - Article XV 1.(b) "when, for works of art or for
reasons connected with protection of exclusive rights, such as
patents or copyrights, or in the absence of competition for
technical reasons, the products or services can be supplied only
by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or
substitute exists"
9. Ownership of Intellectual Property
Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of
the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.
10. Period of the Proposed Contract and Deliverables
The proposed Contract is for a period of 1 year from date of
Contract Award.
The proposed Contract includes options to extend the contract
period for up to an additional seven, one-year periods.
10.1 Mandatory Deliverables
Complete installation of the solution and the training
environment ready for internal, non-public use must occur within
30 days of the date of Contract Award.
Personalization and branding of all Parks Canada corporate
logos, Common Look standards into the solution, meeting all
minimum language and technical standards, must occur within 45
days of the date of Contract Award.
Maintenance and support services for the duration of the
contract period
10.2 Optional Deliverables
This requirement also includes optional services: programming
for bilingual language requirements and Government of Canada
Credential Federation (GCCF) integration, ongoing maintenance
and support services for optional periods, and other
customization programming on an as and when required basis.
11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Affirmative Communications Inc., operating as Volunteer Squared
108-3325 North Service Road
Burlington, Ontario L7N 3G2
12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities
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 the
advertised requirements.
13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of
capabilities is May 7, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Vincent Wong
Software and Shared Systems Procurement Directorate
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Place du Portage III, 4C1
11 rue Laurier, Gatineau (Québec) K1A 0S5
Telephone: (819) 956-3769
Facsimile: (819) 953-3703
E-mail: V••••••••@••••••••.••.ca
Delivery Date: Above-mentioned
You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate
with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any
questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting
officer identified above.
An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and
agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15)
calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it
intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a
pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or
before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets
the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority
may then proceed with the award. However, should a Statement of
Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the
ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full
tendering process.
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available
to provide the services/goods described herein, 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.
The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the
closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the
envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile
transmission, on the covering page.
The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any
procurement.
Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.
