Statistics Canada Pre-Dialing Services

Requirement

For many years, Statistics Canada has conducted some of its household surveys using random digit dialling (RDD) sampling methods. In an effort to improve the efficiency of its methods, Statistics Canada is seeking a private sector supplier of pre- dialling services to determine the status of the not listed telephone numbers in samples of randomly generated telephone numbers.

The principal objective in engaging pre-dialling service is to identify telephone numbers in an RDD sample that are not in service and so can be removed from the sample before it is sent to the field, thereby improving the hit rate of the sample that is sent, which in turn will lead to efficiencies in the field collection activities. To achieve this objective, it is important that the pre-dialling service be:

Trade Agreements

There are no trade agreement associated with this requirement.

Language

The Statistics Canada office provides procurement services to the public in their official languages.

CONDITIONS OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

There shall be no direct payment by StatCan for costs incurred for the presentation and submission of proposals in response to this RFP.

ESTIMATED CONTRACT PERIOD

The estimated contract period is from April 1st 2014 to March 31, 2015 with four (4) one (1) year option period.

Option to Extend Contract The Contractor grants to Canada the irrevocable option to extend the term of the Contract by up to four (4) additional one (1) year period under the same conditions. The Contractor agrees that, during the extended period of the Contract, it will be paid in accordance with the applicable provisions as set out in the Basis of Payment. Canada may exercise this option at any time by sending a written notice to the Contractor at least thirty (30) calendar days before the expiry date of the Contract. The option may only be exercised by the Contracting Authority, and will be evidenced for administrative purposes only, through a contract amendment.

SOLICITATION/BID CLOSING DATE AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Interested suppliers should express their interest in the procurement to the following;

Claude Raymond Contracting Officer Materiel and Contracts Services Statistics Canada Phone: 613-951-4012 E-Mail: MACS-Bids@statcan.gc.ca

The deadline for submissions of bids in response to this RFP is March 28, 2014 @ 2:00pm EDT. Any and all bids received after this date and time will be returned unopened to the Bidder. As per Treasury Board Contracting Policy the onus is on the Bidder to ensure that all solicitation documents reach the stipulated destination before the closing date and time of the RFP.

Bids must be submitted only to

MACS- Bid Receiving Statistics Canada Distribution Centre Room 0702, Main Building 150 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway Ottawa, ON K1A 0T6 ATTENTION: Claude Raymond RFP: 1920-0008589

StatCan will not assume responsibility for proposals directed to any other location. Proposals not received in the Bid Receiving Unit by the closing time, will be return to the Bidder unopened.

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Authority as early as possible within the bidding period. Enquiries must be received no less than five (5) calendar days prior to the bid closing date to allow sufficient time to provide a response. Enquiries received after that time may not be able to be answered prior to the bid closing date.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS M1 Bidder

The bidder must submit a company profile demonstrating they have been in Business for at least five years.

M2

Bidder

The bidder must demonstrate that they have a minimum of two (2) years experience in survey sampling methodology, including pre-dialling methods in the last three (3) years. The experience must be demonstrated by similar projects completed.

For each project completed, the bidder must provide the following: • Name of the organization; • Brief Description of work performed (maximum 1 page per project) • Period: Start date (day/month/year) and end date (day/month/year) of project; • Contact name; • Phone # and e-mail address of the contact.

M3 Bidder – Contract Manager/Liaison Officer

The bidder must identify in their proposal the name of the resource who will act as a Contract Manager/Liaison Officer between the provider and Statistics Canada and administer the Contract on the part of the provider.

The bidder must demonstrate (referencing Résumé is not sufficient) through similar projects completed that the proposed resource has a minimum of two (2) years experience in survey sampling methodology, including pre-dialling. (the person resource could be a member of the personnel, the manager of the firm, the owner of the firm)

The bidder's proposal must include a complete résumé of the Contract Manager/Liaison Officer which will support the skills/expertise being requested/offered.

M4 Proposed Resource

The bidder must demonstrate his capability to provide two (2) resources with a minimum of two (2) years experience each in telephone survey sampling methodology, including pre-dialing methods. The demonstration must be done (referencing résumé is not sufficient) through similar projects completed for each resource.

The bidder must provide for each project the following: -The Organization name -Title of project -Brief Project description (maximum 5 lines per project) -Duration of the project: Start date (Day/Month/Year) and end date (Day/Month/Year)

The bidder's proposal must include a complete résumé of each proposed resource which will support the skills/expertise being requested / offered.

M5 Bidder The bidder must certify that they have the following equipment and procedures in place:

A) Physical Security: Entry to the contractor’s premises is limited to authorizes persons and is controlled at all times by means of a combination of locked entryways accessible only to key, swipe card, secret codes, etc. and that monitoring of entryways by security personnel, receptionist, etc. is in place.

B) EDP Security: Firewall - The system on which the pre-dialling is performed must not be accessible to the public, and must be protected from unauthorized access either by virtue of its being: A separate, stand-alone system (not connected to any other), or located behind a secure firewall system.

1- Virus Protection: The system on which pre-dialling is performed must be continually monitored, using comprehensive and up to date tools, to detect and neutralise computer viruses. Incoming and outgoing files must also be checked for the presence, and removal, of computer viruses, using comprehensive and up to date tools.

2- Login and password controls: The system on which the pre-dialling is performed must be equipped with operational login procedures, including individual passwords for each user, in order to limit access to the system to authorized persons.

3- Encryption: Removable storage media (such as compact disks, diskettes, etc.) holding files containing Statistics Canada information must hold that information in encrypted form, any time such media are removed from the system on which the pre-dialling is performed.

The Bidder must complete and sign ATTACHMENT 1 to PART 5

Compliance with the Security Requirements is a condition of the Contract and subject to verification by the Project Authority of Statistics Canada during the entire period of the Contract. In the event that the Bidder does not comply with these Security Requirements , the Crown shall have the right, pursuant to the default provisions of the Contract, to put aside the Contract for default.

M6 Bidder

The bidder must demonstrate details of the proposed approach and methodology for conducting the pre-dialing operation, including: Codes, with definitions, to be used to illustrate the outcome of each pre-dialed number.

M7 Bidder

The bidder must demonstrate that they have contingency plans systems and / or procedures in place to allow contract obligations to be met in the event of disruption in the contractor’s normal business operations. (Maximum 1page)

M8 Bidder

The bidder must demonstrate ownership of an Entrust Software license. This software is to be used to decrypt and encrypt files.

The bidder must provide a copy of the certificate

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

There is no security requirement applicable to this Contract.

DEBRIEFINGS

Bidders may request a debriefing on the results of the bid solicitation process. Bidders should make the request to the Contracting Authority within 15 working days of receipt of the results of the bid solicitation process. The debriefing may be in writing, by telephone or in person.