Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements:
ePassport Solution
This is an Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) for the ePassport Solution.
All references to "Letter of Interest (LOI)" or "Request for Information (RFI)" in this Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP) are replaced with "Invitation to Qualify (ITQ)".
This procurement is subject to national security exception and is, therefore, excluded from all of the obligations of the trade agreements.
Purpose
The purpose of this notice is to invite all suppliers capable of meeting the requirements of this Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) to submit responses to PWGSC for evaluation in an attempt to become a Qualified Supplier. Only Qualified Suppliers will be invited to participate in the subsequent Request for Proposal process.
Requirement Description
Canada would like to enhance the security features of the ePassport book, and is initiating the procurement process to be able to design and be ready to print new secure passport books in approximately four years. The delivery of a secure ePassport that will reduce the risk of tampering and identity fraud is a key component of Canada’s mandate. By having stronger features to support identity and other checks, secure ePassports reduce the risk of other countries putting visa requirements on travelers. Canada has selected a laser-engraved polycarbonate data page personalization process.
This is projected to be a complex multi-year requirement composed of closely linked components. Canada has identified the following as components required for the production of the next generation ePassport:
- Passport books incorporating an ePassport chip (i.e. contactless integrated circuit);
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) environment (Certificate Authority, Document Signer, Certificate Revocation Lists, Master List signers, Active Authentication key pairs, other sub-Certificate Authorities and signers as required (e.g. visa signers), Links to International Civil Aviation Organization Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD));
- Supplemental Access Control (SAC) and Logical Data Structure (LDS) v1.8;
- Personalization of passport books by laser-engraving a polycarbonate data page where the ePassport chip is integrated inside the data page;
- Encoding solution;
- Interfaces between the different components of the solution;
- Quality assurance and quality control equipment and/or services for personalized books;
- Maintenance and Support; and
- Passport book design.
Canada is seeking a contractor to provide the full suite of products, services and technical support required to retrieve passport applicant information from the Passport Program’s internal passport issuance system and personalize both the ePassport book and the embedded chip. This includes the provision of blank travel documents, printers, consumables, ePassport readers, a PKI solution, an ePassport personalization system and other associated products and services.
Nature of this Invitation to Qualify
This ITQ will not result in the award of any contract. Only Qualified Suppliers will be permitted to continue in the ePassport Solution procurement process
Response Costs
Canada will not reimburse any organization for expenses incurred in responding to this ITQ including, but not limited to, expenses incurred for participating in subsequent ePassport Solution Procurement Process activities.
Enquiries
All enquiries and other communications related to this ITQ shall be directed exclusively to the Public Works and Government Services Canada Contracting Authority.
Contracting Authority: Michael Hradecky
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Place du Portage III, 12C1 11 Laurier Street Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0S5
Email Address: m••••••••@••••••••.••.ca
Telephone: 819-420-2212
The use of e-mail to communicate is preferred.
Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.
Delivery Date: Above-mentioned
The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.
Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.
