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

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R1410T GI1 (2015-07-03) Integrity Provisions - Proposal

  1. Interpretation
    For the purposes of these Integrity Provisions, the following definitions apply:
    "Administrative Agreement"
    is a negotiated agreement between a supplier/potential supplier and the Minister of PWGS as provided for in the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy.
    "Affiliate"
    is a person, including, but not limited to, organizations, bodies corporate, societies, companies, firms, partnerships, associations of persons, parent companies or subsidiaries, whether partly or wholly-owned, as well as individuals, directors, officers and key employees if:
    1. one controls or has the power to control the other, or
    2. a third party has the power to control both.
    "Control"
    means
    1. direct control, such as where:
      1. a person controls a body corporate if securities of the body corporate to which are attached more than 50 percent of the votes that may be cast to elect directors of the body corporate are beneficially owned by the person and the votes attached to those securities are sufficient, if exercised, to elect a majority of the directors of the body corporate;
      2. a person controls a corporation that is organized on a cooperative basis if the person and all of the entities controlled by the person have the right to exercise more than 50 percent of the votes that may be cast at an annual meeting or to elect the majority of the directors of the corporation;
      3. a person controls an unincorporated entity, other than a limited partnership, if more than 50 percent of the ownership interests, however designated, into which the entity is divided are beneficially owned by that person and the person is able to direct the business and affairs of the entity;
      4. the general partner of a limited partnership controls the limited partnership; and
      5. a person controls an entity if the person has any direct or indirect influence that, if exercised, would result in control in fact of the entity.
    2. deemed control, such as where:
      a person who controls an entity is deemed to control any entity that is controlled, or deemed to be controlled, by the entity
    3. indirect control, such as where:
      a person is deemed to control, within the meaning of paragraph (a) or (b), an entity where the aggregate of
      1. any securities of the entity that are beneficially owned by that person, and
      2. any securities of the entity that are beneficially owned by any entity controlled by that person
      is such that, if that person and all of the entities referred to in paragraph (c)(ii) that beneficially own securities of the entity were one person, that person would control the entity.
    "Ineligibility"
    means not eligible for contract award.
    "Suspension"
    means a determination of temporary ineligibility by the Minister of PWGS.
  2. Statement
    1. Proponents must comply with the Code of Conduct for Procurement and be eligible for contract award under the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy. In addition, Proponents must respond to bid solicitations in an honest, fair and comprehensive manner, and that 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 being convicted of certain 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 incomplete 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 by the Minister of PWGS, 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.
  3. List of Names
    1. 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, as well as those bidding as a joint venture, must provide the name of the owner(s). Proponents bidding as societies, firms, or partnerships do not need to provide lists of names.
    2. If the required list of names 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 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.
    3. The Proponent must immediately inform Canada in writing of any changes affecting the list of names of directors during this procurement process.
  4. Request for Additional Information
    By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that it is aware, and that its Affiliates are aware, that Canada may request additional information, certifications, validations from a third party qualified by the Minister of PWGS, and other evidentiary elements proving identity or eligibility to contract with Canada. Canada may also verify the information provided by the Proponent, including the information relating to convictions for certain offences and any conditional or absolute discharges specified in these Integrity Provisions.
  5. Lobbying Act
    By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that neither it nor any of its 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.
  6. Canadian Offences Resulting in Legal Incapacity
    By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that:
    1. it and the Affiliates of the Proponent have not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offence under any of the following provisions which would result in a legal incapacity under section 750(3) of the Criminal Code and for which they have not been pardoned or received a record of discharge under the Canadian Pardons subsection:
      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
    2. the Proponent has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to the offences described in paragraph (a) and certifies that it has not directed, influenced, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission or omission of the acts or offences that would render that Affiliate ineligible to be awarded a contract as described in (a).
  7. Canadian Offences
    By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that:
    1. the Proponent and the Affiliates of the Proponent have not, in the last three years, from the bid submission date, been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offence under any of the following provisions for which they would be ineligible for contract award under these Integrity Provisions and for which they have not been pardoned or received a record of discharge under the Canadian Pardons subsection:
      1. 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
      2. 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
      3. section 239 (False or deceptive statements) of the Income Tax Act, or
      4. section 327 (False or deceptive statements) of the Excise Tax Act,or
      5. section 3 (Bribing a foreign public official), section 4 (Accounting), or section 5 (Offence committed outside Canada) of the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, or
      6. section 5 (Trafficking in substance), section 6 (Importing and exporting), or section 7 (Production of substance) of the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act; or
    2. the Proponent has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to the offences described in paragraph (a) and it has not directed, influenced, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission or omission of the acts or offences that would render that Affiliate ineligible for contract award as described in (a).
  8. Foreign Offences
    By submitting a bid, the Proponent certifies that:
    1. the Proponent and its Affiliates have not, in the last three years, from the bid submission date, been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offence in a jurisdiction other than Canada that would, in Canada's opinion, be similar to an offence referenced in the Canadian Offences Resulting in Legal Incapacity and the Canadian Offences subsections, and for which it would be ineligible for contract award under these Integrity Provisions and for which they have not been pardoned under the Foreign Pardons subsection and:
      1. the court, before which the Proponent or its Affiliate appeared, acted within the court's jurisdiction;
      2. the Proponent or its Affiliate appeared during the court's proceedings or submitted to the court's jurisdiction;
      3. the court's decision was not obtained by fraud, and
      4. the Proponent or its Affiliate was entitled to present to the court every defence that the Proponent or its Affiliate would have been entitled to present had the proceeding been tried in Canada; or
    2. it has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to the offences described in paragraph (a) and certifies that it has not directed, influenced, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission or omission of the acts or offences that would render that Affiliate ineligible to be awarded a contract as described in (a).
  9. Ineligibility for Contract Award
    1. The Proponent confirms that it understands that where it or any of its Affiliates have been convicted of certain offences or have been held responsible of certain acts, as described under the Canadian Offences Resulting in Legal Incapacity, the Canadian Offences, the Foreign Offences and the Lobbying Act subsections, the Proponent or its Affiliate is ineligible to be awarded a contract, subject to a Public Interest Exception.
    2. The Proponent confirms that it understands that it is ineligible for contract award where it has been so determined by the Minister of PWGS under the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy and that the period of ineligibility or suspension has not expired.
  10. Declaration of Convicted Offences
    Where a Proponent or its Affiliate is unable to certify that it has not been convicted of any of the offences referenced under the Canadian Offences Resulting in Legal Incapacity, the Canadian Offences and the Foreign Offences subsections, the Proponent must provide with its bid the completed Declaration Form, to be given further consideration in the procurement process.
  11. Period of Ineligibility
    The following rules determine the period for which a Proponent or its Affiliate that has been convicted of certain offences is, ineligible to be awarded a contract:
    1. for all offences referenced under the Canadian Offences Resulting in Legal Incapacity subsection for which a Proponent or an Affiliate of the Proponent has pleaded guilty to or has been convicted of, the period of ineligibility to be awarded a contract is indefinite, subject to the Canadian Pardons subsection.
    2. subject to an Administrative Agreement, for all offences referenced under the Canadian Offences and Foreign Offences subsections for which a Proponent or an Affiliate of the Proponent has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of, as the case may be, in the last three years, from the bid submission date, the period of ineligibility for contract award is ten years from the date of determination by the Minister of PWGS, subject to the Canadian Pardons and Foreign Pardons subsections.
    3. subject to an Administrative Agreement, for violations of matters referenced in the Lobbying Act subsection for which a Proponent or an Affiliate of the Proponent has been found responsible, as the case may be, in the last three years, from the bid submission date, the period of ineligibility for contract award is ten years from the date of determination by the Minister of PWGS, subject to the Canadian Pardons and Foreign Pardons subsections.
  12. Canadian Pardons
    A determination of ineligibility for contract award will not be made or maintained by the Minister of PWGS under these Integrity Provisions, in respect of an offence or act that gave rise or that could give rise to a determination of ineligibility, if the Proponent or its Affiliate has:
    1. been granted an absolute discharge in respect of the offence, or has been granted a conditional discharge in respect of the offence and those conditions have been satisfied;
    2. been granted a pardon under Her Majesty's royal prerogative of mercy;
    3. been granted a pardon under section 748 of the Criminal Code;
    4. received a record of suspension ordered under the Criminal Records Act; and
    5. been granted a pardon under the Criminal Records Act, as that Act read immediately before the day section 165 of the Safe Streets and Communities Act comes into force.
  13. Foreign Pardons
    A determination of ineligibility for entering into government contracts will not be made or maintained, as the case may be, by the Minister of PWGS in respect of matters referenced in the Foreign Offences subsection and with respect to an offence or act that gave rise or will give rise to a determination of ineligibility, if the Proponent or its Affiliate, has at any time, benefited from foreign measures that are similar to Canadian pardons, conditional discharges, absolute discharges, record suspensions, or restoration of legal capacities by the Governor in Council.
  14. Suspension of Period of Ineligibility
    The Proponent confirms that it understands that a determination of ineligibility for entering into government contracts made under these Integrity Provisions may be suspended by the Minister of PWGS through an Administrative Agreement, to the extent that it is permissible in law. The period of ineligibility applicable to that Proponent or its Affiliate and the right to participate in a given procurement process are guided by the terms and conditions of the Administrative Agreement. Subject to the Public Interest Exception, an Administrative Agreement may only suspend a period of ineligibility on solicitations issued after it has been concluded.
  15. Period of Ineligibility for Providing False or Misleading Information
    The Proponent confirms that it understands that where it has made a false declaration or provided false or misleading information under these Integrity Provisions, the Minister of PWGS will declare a Proponent to be ineligible to be awarded contracts for a period of ten years. The period of ineligibility is effective from the date of determination by the Minister of PWGS.
  16. Period of Ineligibility for Breaching Administrative Agreements
    The Proponent confirms that it understands that where it has concluded an Administrative Agreement and that it has breached any of its terms and conditions, the Minister of PWGS will lengthen the period of ineligibility for a period to be determined by the Minister of PWGS.
  17. Suspension of a Proponent
    The Proponent confirms that it understands that the Minister of PWGS may suspend a Proponent from being awarded a contract for a period of up to 18 months, subject to renewal, pending completion of the criminal proceeding, if the Proponent has been charged with any of the offences listed in the Canadian Offences Resulting in Legal Incapacity, the Canadian Offences and the Foreign Offences subsections or if the Proponent has admitted to being guilty of any of these offences. The period of suspension is effective from the date of determination by the Minister of PWGS. A period of suspension does not abridge or suspend all other periods of ineligibility that may be imposed on a Proponent by the Minister of PWGS.
  18. Third Party Validation
    The Proponent confirms that it understands that where it or any of the Proponent's Affiliates has been subject to a period of ineligibility to be awarded contracts, for which the Canadian Pardons and the Foreign Pardons subsections do not apply, the Proponent must provide by bid closing date, a confirmation from an independent third party, recognized in advance by the Minister of PWGS, confirming that measures have been put in place in order to avoid the re-occurrence of such wrongdoings that led to the convictions. Failure to provide the said confirmation from an independent third party renders this bid non-responsive.
  19. Sub-consultants
    The Proponent must ensure that contracts with first tier sub-consultants include Integrity Provisions similar to those imposed in the resulting contract.
  20. Public Interest Exception
    The Proponent confirms that it understands:
    1. that, with the exception of a legal incapacity to contract resulting from section 750(3) of the Criminal Code, Canada may enter in a contract with a Proponent, or any of its Affiliates, which have been convicted of or have pleaded guilty to any of the offences referenced in the Canadian Offences and Foreign Offences subsections, where Canada considers it necessary to the public interest for reasons which include, but are not limited to:
      1. the need is one of pressing emergency in which delay would be injurious to the public interest;
      2. the Proponent is the only person capable of performing the contract;
      3. the contract is essential to maintain sufficient emergency stocks in order to safeguard against possible shortages; and;
      4. not entering into the contract with the Proponent would have a significant adverse impact on the health, national security, safety, security or economic or financial well-being of the people of Canada or the functioning of any portion of the federal public administration;
    2. Canada may only enter into a contract with a Proponent under this subsection where the ineligible Proponent has concluded an Administrative Agreement with the Minister of PWGS, on such terms and conditions that are necessary to safeguard the integrity of the procurement process and can apply to any procurement. The Administrative Agreement need not be concluded in advance of the solicitation.

R1410T GI2 (2016-01-28) Definitions

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.
"Price Rating":
A rating assigned to the price component of a proposal 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 technical proposals.
"Proponent":
The person or entity (or, in the case of a joint venture, the persons or entities) which submits a proposal. It does not include the parent, subsidiaries or other affiliates of the Proponent, or its sub-consultants.
"PWGSC Evaluation Board":
The board established to evaluate and rate proposals. Board members represent a broad cross-section of professional qualifications and experience.
"Technical Rating":
A rating assigned to the technical component of a proposal in the selection procedure and subsequently used to establish a Technical Score for inclusion as a percentage of the total score.

R1410T GI3 (2015-03-25) Overview of Selection Procedure

The following is an overview of the selection procedure.

3.1 Proposal

  1. 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.
  2. The information that Proponents are required to provide is set out in detail elsewhere in the RFP.
  3. In response to the RFP, interested Proponents submit a 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 Proposal Evaluation and Rating

  1. Technical components of all responsive proposals are reviewed, evaluated and rated by a Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Evaluation Board in accordance with the criteria, components and weight factors set out in the RFP. Upon completion of the evaluation, Technical Ratings are established.
  2. Proposals achieving the minimum 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.

3.3 Total Score

  1. The total overall score (Total Score) assigned to each Proponent's complete proposal is calculated as the aggregate of:
    1. the Technical Score (first envelope of the proposal), and
    2. the Price Score (second envelope of the 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.

3.4 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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).

R1410T 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 paragraph 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. 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T GI12 (2015-02-25) Not Applicable

Not Applicable

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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 proposal, duly completed, in the format requested, on or before the closing date and time set;
    2. 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 ;
    3. obtain clarification of the requirements contained in the RFP, if necessary, before submitting a proposal;
    4. 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
    5. provide a comprehensive and sufficiently detailed proposal that will permit a complete evaluation in accordance with the criteria set out in this RFP.
  3. The technical and price components of the 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 subsection 2.(d) 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. 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.

R1410T GI17 (2011-05-16) Late Submissions

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

R1410T 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.(d).

R1410T 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.

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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.

R1410T 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.