ARCHIVED General Instructions (GI) – Architectural and/or Engineering Services – Two Phase Request for Proposal

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Legal text for SACC item

GI1 Integrity Provisions - Proposal

GI2 Definitions

GI3 Overview of Selection Procedure

GI4 Procurement Business Number

GI5 Responsive Proposals

GI6 Completion of Submission

GI7 Proposal Price

GI8 Communications - Solicitation Period

GI9 Limitation of Submissions

GI10 Licensing Requirements

GI11 Rejection of Proposal

GI12 Not Applicable

GI13 Insurance Requirements

GI14 Joint Venture

GI15 Composition of Consultant Team

GI16 Submission of Proposal

GI17 Late Submissions

GI18 Revision of Proposal

GI19 Acceptance of Proposal

GI20 Legal Capacity

GI21 Debriefing

GI22 Financial Capability

GI23 Performance Evaluation

GI24 Proposal Costs

GI25 Conflict of Interest - Unfair Advantage

GI26 Limitation of Liability

R1110T GI1 (2014-03-01) Integrity Provisions - Proposal

  1. Proponents must comply with the Code of Conduct for Procurement. In addition, proponents must respond to bid solicitations in an honest, fair and comprehensive manner, accurately reflect their capacity to satisfy the requirements stipulated in the bid solicitations and resulting contracts, and submit bids as well as enter into contracts only if they will fulfill all obligations of the contract.
  2. By submitting a bid, proponents confirm that they understand that, to ensure fairness, openness and transparency in the procurement process, the commission of certain acts or offences will render them ineligible to be awarded a contract. Canada will declare non-responsive any bid in respect of which the information requested is missing or inaccurate, or in respect of which the information contained in the certifications is found by Canada to be untrue in any respect, at the time of contract award. If it is determined, after contract award, that the Proponent made a false declaration, Canada will, following a notice period, have the right to terminate the contract for default. The Proponent will be required to diligently maintain up-to-date the information requested. The Proponent and any of the Proponent's Affiliates will also be required to remain free and clear of any acts or convictions specified in these Integrity Provisions during the period of any contract resulting from this bid solicitation.
  3. Affiliates
    For the purpose of these Integrity Provisions, everyone, including but not limited to organizations, bodies corporate, societies, companies, firms, partnerships, associations of persons, parent companies, and subsidiaries, whether partly or wholly-owned, as well as individuals, and directors, are Proponent's Affiliates if:
    1. directly or indirectly either one controls or has the power to control the other, or
    2. a third party has the power to control both.
    Indicia of control, include, but are not limited to, interlocking management or ownership, identity of interests among family members, shared facilities and equipment, common use of employees, or a business entity created following the acts or convictions specified in these Integrity Provisions which has the same or similar management, ownership, or principal employees, as the case may be.
  4. Proponents who are incorporated, including those bidding as a joint venture, must provide a complete list of names of all individuals who are currently directors of the Proponent. Proponents bidding as sole proprietorship, including those bidding as a joint venture, must provide the name of the owner. Proponents bidding as societies, firms, or partnerships do not need to provide lists of names.
    If the required names have not been received by the time the evaluation of bids is completed, Canada will inform the Proponent of a time frame within which to provide the information. Failure to provide the names within the time frame specified will render the bid non-responsive. Providing the required names is a mandatory requirement for contract award.
    Canada may, at any time, request that the Proponent provide properly completed and signed consent forms (Consent to a Criminal Record Verification form - PWGSC-TPSGC 229) for any or all individuals mentioned above within a specified time frame. Failure to provide such consent forms and associated information within the time frame provided, or failure to cooperate to the verification process, will result in the bid being declared non-responsive.
  5. The Proponent must diligently inform Canada in writing of any changes affecting the list of names of directors during this procurement process as well as during the contract period. The Proponent must also, when requested, provide Canada with properly completed and signed consent forms.
  6. By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that it is aware, and that its Affiliates are aware, that Canada may request additional information, certifications, consent forms and other evidentiary elements proving identity or eligibility. Canada may also verify the information provided by the Proponent, including the information relating to the acts or convictions specified in these Integrity Provisions, through independent research, use of any government resources or by contacting third parties.
  7. By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that neither the Proponent nor any of the Proponent's Affiliates have directly or indirectly, paid or agreed to pay, and will not, directly or indirectly, pay a contingency fee to any individual for the solicitation, negotiation or obtaining of the Contract if the payment of the fee would require the individual to file a return under section 5 of the Lobbying Act.
  8. Time Period
    The Time Period is 10 years and is measured from the date of the conviction or from the date of the conditional or absolute discharge.
    In addition, for a conviction under paragraphs a. or b. of subsection 9, following the 10-year period, a pardon or a record suspension must have been obtained, or capacities must have been restored by the Governor in Council. The Proponent must therefore provide with its bid or promptly afterwards a copy of confirming documentation from an official source for its certification to be found true by Canada for the purpose of these Integrity Provisions. If the documentation has not been received by the time the evaluation of bids is completed, Canada will inform the Proponent of a time frame within which to provide the information. Failure to comply within the time frame specified will render the bid non-responsive.
  9. By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that neither the Proponent nor any of the Proponent’s Affiliates have been convicted of an offence or received a conditional or an absolute discharge under any of the following provisions, unless the time period, as defined in the Time Period subsection, has elapsed:
    1. paragraph 80(1)(d) (False entry, certificate or return), subsection 80(2) (Fraud against Her Majesty) or section 154.01 (Fraud against Her Majesty) of the Financial Administration Act, or
    2. section 121 (Frauds on the government and Contractor subscribing to election fund), section 124 (Selling or Purchasing Office), section 380 (Fraud) for fraud committed against Her Majesty or section 418 (Selling defective stores to Her Majesty) of the Criminal Code, or
    3. section 119 (Bribery of judicial officers, etc), section 120 (Bribery of officers), section 346 (Extortion), sections 366 to 368 (Forgery and other offences resembling forgery), section 382 (Fraudulent manipulation of stock exchange transactions), section 382.1 (Prohibited insider trading), section 397 (Falsification of books and documents), section 422 (Criminal breach of contract), section 426 (Secret commissions), section 462.31 (Laundering proceeds of crime) or sections 467.11 to 467.13 (Participation in activities of criminal organization) of the Criminal Code, or
    4. section 45 (Conspiracies, agreements or arrangements between competitors), section 46 (Foreign directives), section 47 (Bid rigging), section 49 (Agreements or arrangements of federal financial institutions), section 52 (False or misleading representation), section 53 (Deceptive notice of winning a prize) of the Competition Act, or
    5. section 239 (False or deceptive statements) of the Income Tax Act, or
    6. section 327 (False or deceptive statements) of the Excise Tax Act, or
    7. section 3 (Bribing a foreign public official), section 4 (Accounting), or section 5 (Offence committed outside Canada) of the Corruption of Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, or
    8. section 5 (Trafficking in substance), section 6 (Importing and exporting), or section 7 (Production of substance) of the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act.
    The Proponent also certifies that no one convicted under any of the provisions under a. or b. are to receive any benefit under a contract resulting from this bid solicitation, unless a pardon or a record suspension has been obtained or capacities restored by the Governor in Council, as defined in the Time Period subsection.
  10. Foreign Offences
    The Proponent also certifies that, within a period, as defined in the Time Period subsection, neither the Proponent nor any of the Proponent’s Affiliates have been convicted of or have received a conditional or an absolute discharge, under any foreign offence that Canada deems to be of similar constitutive elements to the offences listed in these Integrity Provisions. Canada will also consider foreign measures declared by Canada to be similar in nature to the Canadian pardon, record suspension, or restoration of capacities by the Governor in Council.
  11. Sub-consultants
    The Proponent must ensure that subcontracts include Integrity Provisions no less favourable to Canada than those imposed in the resulting contract.
  12. Preventive measures associated with the Time Period
    In cases where the period (as defined in the Time Period subsection), for a conviction, or a conditional or an absolute discharge of the Proponent or any of the Proponent’s Affiliates has elapsed, then the Proponent must also certify for itself and for its Affiliates that measures have been diligently put in place in order to avoid the reoccurrence of such convictions or reprehensible actions.
  13. Public Interest Exception
    Proponents understand that Canada may enter into contract with a proponent, where the Proponent or the Proponent’s Affiliates have been convicted of or have received a conditional or an absolute discharge for an offence specified in these Integrity Provisions, when required to do so by law or legal proceedings, or when Canada in its sole discretion considers it necessary to the public interest for reasons which include, but are not limited to:
    • no one else is capable of performing the contract;
    • emergency;
    • national security;
    • health and safety;
    • economic harm.
    If all bids are found non-responsive for reason of a listed relevant conviction or act, then Canada may invoke the public interest exception, as described in the paragraph above. In such cases, only bids containing a declaration concerning a relevant offence or act will be further considered. Canada may also elect to procure outside of the present process. In all cases, Canada reserves the right to impose additional conditions or measures to ensure the integrity of the procurement process.
  14. Non-application
    For governments, as well as entities controlled by a government, including Crown corporations, the present Integrity Provisions are reduced to complying with article 750 of the Criminal Code, the Government Contracts Regulations and the Code of Conduct for Procurement.

R1110T GI2 (2013-04-25) Definitions

  1. In this Request for Proposal (RFP), the following words or phrases have the corresponding meaning.

    "Applicable Taxes": The Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), and any provincial tax, by law, payable by Canada such as, the Quebec Sales Tax (QST) as of April 1, 2013.

    "Consultant Team": The team of consultants, specialists and subconsultants, including the Proponent, proposed by the Proponent to perform the services required.

    "Key Personnel": Staff of the Proponent, subconsultants and specialists proposed to be assigned to this project.

    "Phase One Rating": A rating assigned to a proposal in the first phase of the selection procedure, the rating being based on the qualifications and experience of the Consultant Team. The rating is subsequently used to establish a Phase One Score for inclusion as a percentage of the total score to be established following the evaluation and rating of proposals submitted in Phase Two.

    "Phase Two Technical Rating": A rating assigned to the technical component of a proposal in the second phase of the selection procedure and subsequently used to establish a Technical Score for inclusion as a percentage of the total score to be established following the evaluation and rating of proposals submitted in Phase Two.

    "Price Rating": A rating assigned to the price proposal component of a proposal in the second phase of the selection procedure and subsequently used to establish a Price Score for inclusion as a percentage of the total score to be established following the evaluation and rating of proposals submitted in Phase Two.

    "Proponent": The person or entity (or, in the case of a joint venture, the persons or entities) which submits a proposal.

    "PWGSC Evaluation Board": The board established to evaluate and rate proposals. Board members represent a broad cross-section of professional qualifications and experience.

R1110T GI3 (2012-07-16) Overview of Selection Procedure

3.1 Phase One Proposal

  1. In response to the RFP, interested Proponents submit a Phase One proposal in which they:
    1. indicate whether the proposal is submitted by an individual firm or by a joint venture;
    2. if the proposal is submitted by a joint venture, describe the proposed legal and working relationships of the joint venture and the benefits to be gained by the formation of the joint venture;
    3. identify the prime consultants and key sub consultants and specialists proposed for inclusion in the Consultant Team, and the proposed organizational structure of the Team;
    4. describe the extent to which proposed members of the Consultant Team have successfully performed services for projects comparable to the project which is the subject of the proposal;
    5. identify the professional accreditation, experience, expertise and competence of the Consultant Team and Key Personnel proposed to be assigned to perform the required services.
    6. comply with all other requirements set out in the RFP.

3.2 Phase One Proposal Evaluation and Rating

  1. Each responsive proposal received is reviewed, evaluated and rated by a Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Evaluation Board in accordance with the evaluation criteria, components and weight factors set out in the RFP. Upon completion of the evaluation, an initial rating (Phase One Rating) is assigned to the proposal. Phase One Ratings are recorded for subsequent incorporation in the final proposal evaluation and rating.
  2. Each Proponent submitting a responsive Phase One proposal is notified in writing of its Phase One Rating and, in addition, is provided with the following:
    1. an alphabetic list (normally five names) of Proponents with the highest Phase One Ratings;
    2. a list of all Phase One Ratings attained (ratings are not linked to Proponents);
    3. a date, time, and location for a Phase Two briefing meeting, if applicable;
    4. the date and time for receipt of Phase Two proposals, and any supplementary instructions, terms, conditions or addenda which may be applicable to Phase Two proposal preparation and submission.
  3. Proponents that submitted non-responsive Phase One proposals are notified accordingly.

3.3 Phase Two Proposal

  1. Phase Two proposals are prepared and submitted after Proponents have been advised of the results of evaluation of Phase One proposals. All Proponents submitting responsive proposals in Phase One, regardless of their Phase One Ratings, are eligible to prepare and submit a Phase Two proposal. The decision to continue participating in the selection procedure in Phase Two is a decision to be made by each eligible Proponent.
  2. In Phase Two, a Proponent may not substitute or delete any member of the Consultant Team identified in the Phase One proposal without the consent of Canada.
  3. Phase Two proposals are submitted following a "two-envelope" procedure, in which Proponents submit the "technical" component of their proposal in one envelope and the proposed price of the services (price proposal) in a second envelope.
  4. The information that Proponents are required to provide is set out in detail throughout the RFP.

3.4 Phase Two Proposal Evaluation and Final Rating

  1. Technical components of Phase Two proposals are reviewed, evaluated and rated by a PWGSC Evaluation Board in accordance with the criteria, components and weight factors set out in the RFP. Upon completion of the evaluation, Phase Two Technical Ratings are established.
  2. Phase One Rating and Phase Two Technical Rating are combined to establish a Combined Technical Score. Proposals achieving the minimum Combined Technical Score specified in the Submission Requirements and Evaluation section of the RFP are further considered.
  3. The price envelopes of all responsive proposals are opened upon completion of the technical evaluation. When there are three or more responsive proposals, an average price is determined by adding all the price proposals together and dividing the total by the number of price proposals opened. This calculation will not be conducted when one or two responsive proposals are received.
  4. All price proposals which are greater than 25 percent above the average price will cause their respective complete proposals to be set aside and receive no further consideration.
  5. The remaining price proposals are rated as follows:
    1. The lowest price proposal receives a Price Rating of 100.
    2. The second, third, fourth and fifth lowest prices receive Price Ratings of 80, 60, 40, and 20 respectively. All other price proposals receive a Price Rating of 0.
    3. On the rare occasion where two (or more) price proposals are identical, these price proposals receive the same rating and the corresponding number of following ratings are skipped.
    4. The Price Rating is multiplied by a predetermined percentage factor to establish a Price Score.
  6. A price proposal in excess of any maximum funding limit, when this limit has been set in the Supplementary Instructions to Proponents, may result in disqualification of the complete proposal.

3.5 Total Score

  1. The total overall score (Total Score) assigned to each Proponent's complete proposal is calculated as the aggregate of:
    1. the Phase One Score (Phase One proposal on qualifications and experience), and
    2. the Phase Two Technical Score (first envelope of Phase Two proposal), and
    3. the Price Score (second envelope of Phase Two proposal).
  2. The Proponent receiving the highest Total Score is the first entity that the PWGSC Evaluation Board will recommend for the provision of the required services.

3.6 Notification

PWGSC normally expects to advise in writing unsuccessful Proponents within one week after PWGSC has entered into a contractual arrangement with the successful Proponent.

R1110T GI4 (2012-07-16) Procurement Business Number

Proponents are required to have a Procurement Business Number (PBN) before contract award. Proponents may register for a PBN online at Supplier Registration Information. For non-Internet registration, Proponents may contact the InfoLine at 1-800-811-1148 to obtain the telephone number of the nearest Supplier Registration Agent.

R1110T GI5 (2003-05-30) Responsive Proposals

To be considered responsive, a proposal must meet all of the mandatory requirements set out in the RFP. No further consideration in the selection procedure will be given to a Proponent submitting a non-responsive proposal.

R1110T GI6 (2011-05-16) Completion of Submission

The Proponent shall base the proposal on the applicable proposal documents listed in the Supplementary Instructions to Proponents.

R1110T GI7 (2014-03-01) Proposal Price

Unless specified otherwise elsewhere in the proposal documents:

  1. the price proposal shall be in Canadian currency, and
  2. the price proposal shall not include any amount for Applicable Taxes, and
  3. the requirement does not offer exchange rate fluctuation risk mitigation. Requests for exchange rate fluctuation risk mitigation will not be considered. All proposals including such provision will render the proposal non-responsive.

R1110T GI8 (2014-03-01) Communications - Solicitation Period

To ensure the integrity of the competitive bid process, enquiries and other communications regarding the RFP must be directed only to the Contracting Authority identified in the RFP. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the proposal being declared non-responsive.

To ensure consistency and quality of information provided to proponents, significant enquiries received and their replies will be posted on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS).

R1110T GI9 (2013-04-25) Limitation of Submissions

  1. A Proponent may not submit more than one proposal. This limitation also applies to the persons or entities in the case of a joint venture. If more than one proposal is received from a Proponent (or, in the case of a joint venture, from the persons or entities), all such proposals shall be rejected and no further consideration shall be given.
  2. A joint venture is defined as an association of two or more parties which combine their money, property, knowledge, skills, time or other resources in a joint business enterprise agreeing to share the profits and the losses and each having some degree of control over the enterprise.
  3. An arrangement whereby Canada contracts directly with a prime consultant who may retain sub-consultants or specialist consultants to perform portions of the services is not a joint venture arrangement. A sub-consultant or specialist consultant may, therefore, be proposed as part of the Consultant Team by more than one Proponent. The Proponent warrants that it has written permission from such sub-consultant or specialist consultant to propose their services in relation to the services to be performed.
  4. Notwithstanding subsection 3 above, in order to avoid any conflict of interest, or any perception of conflict of interest, a Proponent shall not include in its submission another Proponent as a member of its consultant team, as a sub-consultant or specialist consultant.
  5. The Phase Two portion of the proposal must be made in the same name as the person(s) or entity(ies) named as the Proponent in the Phase One portion. Proponents must utilize, in the preparation of their Phase Two proposal, the same Consultant Team, sub-consultants, specialist consultants and individuals named in the Phase One proposal.
  6. Any joint venture entered into for the provision of professional services or other services must be in full compliance with the requirements of any provincial or territorial law pertaining thereto in the Province or Territory in which the project is located.

R1110T GI10 (2011-05-16) Licensing Requirements

  1. Consultant Team members and Key Personnel shall be, or be eligible to be licensed, certified or otherwise authorized to provide the necessary professional services to the full extent that may be required by provincial or territorial law in the Province or Territory in which the project is located.
  2. By virtue of submission of a proposal, the Proponent certifies that the Proponent's Consultant Team and Key Personnel are in compliance with the requirements of subsection 1 above. The Proponent acknowledges that PWGSC reserves the right to verify any information in this regard and that false or erroneous certification may result in the proposal being declared non-responsive.

R1110T GI11 (2012-07-16) Rejection of Proposal

  1. Canada may reject a proposal where any of the following circumstances is present:
    1. the Proponent has been declared ineligible for selection, following unsatisfactory performance in a previous project as determined in accordance with the department's performance review procedures;
    2. an employee, sub-consultant or specialist consultant included as part of the proposal has been declared ineligible, for selection for work with the department in accordance with the performance review procedure referred to in paragraph 1.(a), which would render the employee, sub-consultant or specialist consultant ineligible to bid on the requirement, or the portion of the requirement the employee, sub-consultant or specialist consultant is to perform;
    3. the Proponent is bankrupt or where, for whatever reason, its activities are rendered inoperable for an extended period;
    4. evidence, satisfactory to Canada, of fraud, bribery, fraudulent misrepresentation or failure to comply with any law protecting individuals against any manner of discrimination, has been received with respect to the Proponent, any of its employees, any sub-consultant or any specialist consultant included as part of the proposal;
    5. evidence satisfactory to Canada that based on past conduct or behavior, the Proponent, a sub-consultant, a specialist consultant or a person who is to perform the Services is unsuitable or has conducted himself/herself improperly;
    6. with respect to current or prior transactions with the Government of Canada,
      1. Canada has exercised its contractual remedies of taking the services out of the consultant's hands, suspension or termination for default with respect to a contract with the Proponent, any of its employees, any sub-consultant or any specialist consultant included as part of the proposal;
      2. Canada determines that the Proponent's performance on other contracts, including the quality of the services provided and the quality and timeliness of the delivery of the project, is sufficiently poor to jeopardize the successful completion of the requirement being bid on.
  2. Where Canada intends to reject a proposal pursuant to subsection 1.(f), the Contracting Authority will so inform the Proponent and provide the Proponent ten (10) days within which to make representations, before making a final decision on the proposal rejection.

R1110T GI12 (2013-06-27) Not Applicable

R1110T GI13 (2007-05-25) Insurance Requirements

The successful Proponent shall be required to obtain and maintain Professional Liability and Commercial General Liability insurance coverage in accordance with the requirements set out elsewhere in the proposal documents.

R1110T GI14 (2011-05-16) Joint Venture

  1. A joint venture is an association of two or more parties who combine their money, property, knowledge, expertise or other resources in a single joint business enterprise, sometimes referred as a consortium, to bid together on a requirement. Proponents who bid as a joint venture must indicate clearly that it is a joint venture and provide the following information:
    1. the name of each member of the joint venture;
    2. the Procurement Business Number of each member of the joint venture;
    3. the name of the representative of the joint venture, i.e. the member chosen by the other members to act on their behalf, if applicable;
    4. the name of the joint venture, if applicable.
  2. If the information is not clearly provided in the proposal, the Proponent must provide the information on request from the Contracting Authority.
  3. The proposal and any resulting contract must be signed by all the members of the joint venture unless one member has been appointed to act on behalf of all members of the joint venture. The Contracting Authority may, at any time, require each member of the joint venture to confirm that the representative has been appointed with full authority to act as its representative for the purposes of the bid solicitation and any resulting contract. If a contract is awarded to a joint venture, all members of the joint venture will be jointly and severally or solidarily liable for the performance of any resulting contract.

R1110T GI15 (2003-05-30) Composition of Consultant Team

By submitting a proposal, the Proponent represents and warrants that the entities and persons proposed in the proposal to perform the required services will be the entities and persons that will perform the services in the fulfillment of the project under any contractual arrangement arising from submission of the proposal. If the Proponent has proposed any person in fulfillment of the project who is not an employee of the Proponent, the Proponent warrants that it has written permission from such person (or the employer of such person) to propose the services of such person in relation to the services to be performed.

R1110T GI16 (2014-03-01) Submission of Proposal

  1. Canada requires that each proposal, at closing date and time or upon request from the Contracting Authority, be signed by the Proponent or by an authorized representative of the Proponent. If a proposal is submitted by a joint venture, it must be in accordance with section GI14.
  2. It is the Proponent's responsibility to:
    1. submit a Phase One proposal, duly completed, in the format requested, on or before the closing date and time set for Phase One proposals;
    2. submit, at the Proponent's discretion, a Phase Two proposal, duly completed, in the format requested, on or before the closing date and time set for Phase Two proposals;
    3. send its proposal only to Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Bid Receiving Unit specified on page 1 of the RFP or to the address specified in the RFP;
    4. obtain clarification of the requirements contained in the RFP, if necessary, before submitting a proposal;
    5. ensure that the Proponent's name, return address, the solicitation number and description, and solicitation closing date and time are clearly visible on the envelope or the parcel(s) containing the proposal; and
    6. provide a comprehensive and sufficiently detailed proposal for each phase that will permit a complete evaluation in accordance with the criteria set out in this RFP.
  3. The technical and price components of the Phase Two proposal must be submitted in separate, easily identified envelopes in accordance with the instructions contained in the proposal documents. Both envelopes shall be submitted as one package which shall clearly and conspicuously display and indicate on the outside of the package the information identified in paragraph 2(e) above.
  4. Timely and correct delivery of proposals to the office designated for receipt of proposals is the sole responsibility of the Proponent. PWGSC will not assume or have transferred to it those responsibilities. All risks and consequences of incorrect delivery of proposals are the responsibility of the Proponent.
  5. Proposals and supporting information may be submitted in either English or French.
  6. Canada will make available Notices of Proposed Procurement (NPP), bid solicitations and related documents for download through the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS). Canada is not responsible and will not assume any liabilities whatsoever for the information found on websites of third parties. In the event an NPP, bid solicitation or related documentation would be amended, Canada will not be sending notifications. During Phase One Canada will post all amendments using GETS. It is the sole responsibility of the Proponent to regularly consult GETS for the most up-to-date information. Canada will not be liable for any oversight on the Proponent’s part nor for notification services offered by a third party.

R1110T GI17 (2011-05-16) Late Submissions

Submissions delivered after the stipulated closing date and time will be returned unopened.

R1110T GI18 (2011-05-16) Revision of Proposal

A proposal submitted may be amended by letter or facsimile provided the revision is received at the office designated for the receipt of proposals, on or before the date and time set for the receipt of proposals. The revision must be on the Proponent's letterhead or bear a signature that identifies the Proponent, and must clearly identify the change(s) to be applied to the original proposal. The revision must also include the information identified in GI16.2(e).

R1110T GI19 (2012-07-16) Acceptance of Proposal

  1. Canada may accept any proposal, or may reject any or all proposals.
  2. In the case of error in the extension or addition of unit prices, the unit price will govern.
  3. While Canada may enter into an agreement or contractual arrangement without prior negotiation, Canada reserves the right to negotiate with Proponents on any procurement.
  4. Canada reserves the right to cancel or amend the RFP at any time.

R1110T GI20 (2011-05-16) Legal Capacity

The Proponent must have the legal capacity to contract. If the Proponent is a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporate body, the Proponent must provide, if requested by the Contracting Authority, a statement and any requested supporting documentation indicating the laws under which it is registered or incorporated together with the registered or corporate name and place of business. This also applies to Proponents submitting a proposal as a joint venture.

R1110T GI21 (2013-06-27) Debriefing

Should a Proponent desire a debriefing, the Proponent should contact the person identified on the front page of the RFP within 15 working days of the notification of the results of the solicitation. The debriefing will include an outline of the strengths and weaknesses of the submission, referring to the evaluation criteria. The confidentiality of information relating to other submissions will be protected. The debriefing may be provided in writing, by telephone or in person.

R1110T GI22 (2013-06-27) Financial Capability

  1. Financial Capability Requirement: The Proponent must have the financial capability to fulfill this requirement. To determine the Proponent's financial capability, the Contracting Authority may, by written notice to the Proponent, require the submission of some or all of the financial information detailed below during the evaluation of proposals. The Proponent must provide the following information to the Contracting Authority within fifteen (15) working days of the request or as specified by the Contracting Authority in the notice:
    1. Audited financial statements, if available, or the unaudited financial statements (prepared by the Proponent's outside accounting firm, if available, or prepared in-house if no external statements have been prepared) for the Proponent's last three fiscal years, or for the years that the Proponent has been in business if this is less than three years (including, as a minimum, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Retained Earnings, the Income Statement and any notes to the statements).
    2. If the date of the financial statements in (a) above is more than five months before the date of the request for information by the Contracting Authority, the Proponent must also provide, unless this is prohibited by legislation for public companies, the last quarterly financial statements (consisting of a Balance Sheet and a year-to-date Income Statement), as of two months before the date on which the Contracting Authority requests this information.
    3. If the Proponent has not been in business for at least one full fiscal year, the following must be provided:
      1. the opening Balance Sheet on commencement of business (in the case of a corporation, the date of incorporation); and
      2. the last quarterly financial statements (consisting of a Balance Sheet and a year-to-date Income Statement) as of two months before the date on which the Contracting Authority requests this information.
    4. A certification from the Chief Financial Officer or an authorized signing officer of the Proponent that the financial information provided is complete and accurate.
    5. A confirmation letter from all of the financial institution(s) that have provided short-term financing to the Proponent outlining the total of lines of credit granted to the Proponent and the amount of credit that remains available and not drawn upon as of one month prior to the date on which the Contracting Authority requests this information.
    6. A detailed monthly Cash Flow Statement covering all the Proponent's activities (including the requirement) for the first two years of the requirement that is the subject of the bid solicitation, unless this is prohibited by legislation. This statement must detail the Proponent's major sources and amounts of cash and the major items of cash expenditures on a monthly basis, for all the Proponent's activities. All assumptions made should be explained as well as details of how cash shortfalls will be financed.
    7. A detailed monthly Project Cash Flow Statement covering the first two years of the requirement that is the subject of the bid solicitation, unless this is prohibited by legislation. This statement must detail the Proponent's major sources and amounts of cash and the major items of cash expenditures, for the requirement, on a monthly basis. All assumptions made should be explained as well as details of how cash shortfalls will be financed.
  2. If the Proponent is a joint venture, the financial information required by the Contracting Authority must be provided by each member of the joint venture.
  3. If the Proponent is a subsidiary of another company, then any financial information in 1. (a) to (e) above required by the Contracting Authority must be provided by the ultimate parent company. Provision of parent company financial information does not by itself satisfy the requirement for the provision of the financial information of the Proponent, and the financial capability of a parent cannot be substituted for the financial capability of the Proponent itself unless an agreement by the parent company to sign a Parental Guarantee, as drawn up by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), is provided with the required information.
  4. Financial Information Already Provided to PWGSC: The Proponent is not required to resubmit any financial information requested by the Contracting Authority that is already on file at PWGSC with the Contract Cost Analysis, Audit and Policy Directorate of the Policy, Risk, Integrity and Strategic Management Sector, provided that within the above-noted time frame:
    1. the Proponent identifies to the Contracting Authority in writing the specific information that is on file and the requirement for which this information was provided; and
    2. the Proponent authorizes the use of the information for this requirement.
    It is the Proponent's responsibility to confirm with the Contracting Authority that this information is still on file with PWGSC.
  5. Other Information: Canada reserves the right to request from the Proponent any other information that Canada requires to conduct a complete financial capability assessment of the Proponent.
  6. Confidentiality: If the Proponent provides the information required above to Canada in confidence while indicating that the disclosed information is confidential, then Canada will treat the information in a confidential manner as permitted by the Access to Information Act, R.S., 1985, c. A-1, Section 20(1) (b) and (c).
  7. Security: In determining the Proponent's financial capability to fulfill this requirement, Canada may consider any security the Proponent is capable of providing, at the Proponent's sole expense (for example, an irrevocable letter of credit from a registered financial institution drawn in favour of Canada, a performance guarantee from a third party or some other form of security, as determined by Canada).
  8. In the event that a proposal is found to be non-compliant on the basis that the Proponent is considered not to be financially capable of performing the subject requirement, official notification shall be provided to the Proponent.

R1110T GI23 (2012-07-16) Performance Evaluation

Proponents shall take note that the performance of the Consultant during and upon completion of the services shall be evaluated by Canada. The evaluation includes all or some of the following criteria: Design, Quality of Results, Management, Time and Cost. Should the Consultant's performance be considered unsatisfactory, the Consultant may be declared ineligible for future contracts. The form PWGSC-TPSGC 2913-1, SELECT - Consultant Performance Evaluation Report, is used to record the performance.

R1110T GI24 (2011-05-16) Proposal Costs

No payment will be made for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to the Request for proposal. Costs associated with preparing and submitting a proposal, as well as any costs incurred by the Proponent associated with the evaluation of the proposal, are the sole responsibility of the Proponent.

R1110T GI25 (2011-05-16) Conflict of Interest - Unfair Advantage

  1. In order to protect the integrity of the procurement process, Proponents are advised that Canada may reject a proposal in the following circumstances:
    1. if the Proponent, any of its sub-consultants, any of their respective employees or former employees was involved in any manner in the preparation of the bid solicitation or in any situation of conflict of interest or appearance of conflict of interest;
    2. if the Proponent, any of its sub-consultants, any of their respective employees or former employees had access to information related to the bid solicitation that was not available to other Proponents and that would, in Canada's opinion, give or appear to give the Proponent an unfair advantage.
  2. The experience acquired by a Proponent who is providing or has provided the goods and services described in the bid solicitation (or similar goods or services) will not, in itself, be considered by Canada as conferring an unfair advantage or creating a conflict of interest. This Proponent remains however subject to the criteria established above.
  3. Where Canada intends to reject a proposal under this section, the Contracting Authority will inform the Proponent and provide the Proponent an opportunity to make representations before making a final decision. Proponents who are in doubt about a particular situation should contact the Contracting Authority before bid closing. By submitting a proposal, the Proponent represents that it does not consider itself to be in conflict of interest nor to have an unfair advantage. The Proponent acknowledges that it is within Canada's sole discretion to determine whether a conflict of interest, unfair advantage or an appearance of conflict of interest or unfair advantage exists.

R1110T GI26 (2011-05-16) Limitation of Liability

Except as expressly and specifically permitted in this RFP, no Proponent or Potential Proponent shall have any claim for any compensation of any kind whatsoever in relation to this RFP, or any aspect of the procurement process, and by submitting a proposal each Proponent shall be deemed to have agreed that it has no claim.