Purpose
PN-128R1 replaces and supersedes PN-128.
The purpose of Policy Notification (PN) -128R1 is to inform all Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Acquisitions Program's contracting officers of the implementation of an additional receiving method using Canada Post Corporation's epost Connect service in Bid Receiving Units (BRU) across Canada.
Effective date
PN-128R1 is effective immediately.
The Supply Manual, the Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual and the standard procurement templates have been updated to reflect the PN.
Competitive process
The use of epost Connect service by BRUs is to provide suppliers with an additional choice to submit bids, offers or arrangements, as the case may be, in response to solicitations. Suppliers may choose not to use the epost Connect service, and instead submit by other existing means, such as counter service, facsimile, mail, courier, and bid box unless otherwise specified in a solicitation.
The 2003, 2006 and 2008 Standard Instructions have been amended to reflect the implementation of an additional receiving method using Canada Post Corporation's epost Connect service. Changes to the SACC Manual and Supply Manual, have been made to allow for electronic transmission through the epost Connect service to BRUs. The standard procurement templates have been updated to allow for this electronic transmission method and to provide contracting officers with standardized text options to incorporate in solicitations.
Exceptions
Canada Post Corporation's epost Connect service for delivery to the BRUs may not be used in solicitations for:
- procurements involving public opening of bids
- procurements where bid financial security such as bid bond or a security deposit are used, for example procurements for construction services using specialized terms and conditions
- low dollar value procurements
- bids, offers and arrangements submitted in response to non-competitive procurements
- procurements for which bids, offers or arrangements will contain information exceeding Protected B level
Process and responsibility
The epost Connect service provided by Canada Post Corporation allows suppliers to submit bids, offers and arrangements to BRUs. This online accessible service enables the electronic transfer of large files up to Protected B level (up to 1GB per individual document with the capacity to submit multiple documents in a single transmission).
The use of the epost Connect service will only enhance the role BRUs fulfill in the contracting process in support of Acquisitions Program activities. After completing the internal administrative process, the BRUs' agents will store the bids, offers and arrangements in GCdocs procurement files. The access to a specific procurement file will be given only to the specific contracting officer's procurement team unit who has initiated the process.
In addition to receiving bids, offers and arrangements submitted through the use of epost Connect service, BRUs will still receive bids, offers and arrangements by existing means. BRUs will process and transfer to contracting officers bids, offers and arrangements in the format which they have been received. For example, a bid received in hard copy through BRU counter service will be transferred as usual by a BRU to a contracting officer in its original hard copy format and a bid received electronically through the use of epost Connect service will be transferred by a BRU to a contracting officer through GCdocs. An email notification of insertion into GCdocs will be sent to the contracting officer. BRUs will continue to provide contracting officers with the summary sheet of how many bids or offers or arrangements (including those received through the epost Connect service) are received in total in response to each solicitation.
In situations where contracting officers are limiting transmission of bids, offers and arrangements through electronic delivery methods only, the contracting officers must allow transmission of bids, offers and arrangements by the use of both epost Connect service and facsimile. This is to ensure suppliers have an alternative electronic method to submit their bids, offers or arrangements in the event that the epost Connect website is unavailable.
Expected results
This electronic delivery method will:
- offer to suppliers a convenient, secure and flexible way to deliver bids, offers and arrangements
- simplify bid, offer and arrangement submissions and reception procedures by reducing shipping time and cost
- maintain the integrity of data received through epost Connect service through a secure audit trail through GCdocs
- contribute to PWGSC's ongoing efforts to modernize procurement processes, so that these are simpler, less administratively burdensome and include practices that support socio-economic goals, such as greening operations
Summary of changes
Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions Manual changes:
In support of PN-128R1, sections 05, 06, 07 and 08 of Standard Instructions 2003, 2006 and 2008 have been modified to allow contracting officers to offer in solicitations the use of the epost Connect service to suppliers for the delivery of bids, offers, and arrangements.
Supply Manual changes:
In support of PN-128R1, the Supply Manual has been modified to allow contracting officers to offer in solicitations the use of the epost Connect service to suppliers for the delivery of bids, offers, and arrangements.
Standard procurement templates changes:
In support of PN-128R1, modifications have been made to the following standard procurement templates published by the Strategic Policy Development and Integration Directorate:
- Low Dollar Value Bid Solicitation and Resulting Contract Template (Simple)
- Medium Complexity Bid Solicitation and Resulting Contract Template (MC)
- High Complexity Bid Solicitation and Resulting Contract Template (HC)
- Request for Standing Offers (RFSO)Template
- Request for Supply Arrangements (RFSA) Template
Contact persons
Questions related to the epost Connect service initiative can be sent by email to the following address: tpsgc.dgareceptiondessoumissions-abbidReceiving.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.
Questions related to Policy Notification PN-128R1, the Standard Procurement Templates, the Supply Manual and the SACC Manual can be sent by email to the following address: tpsgc.outilsdapprovisionnement-procurementtools.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.
Questions related to the use of GCdocs for procurement file activities can be sent by email to the following address: tpsgc.gidga-abim.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.