Microbiology Testing of Food

April 6, 2018 – Amendment Amendment 006 is raised to revise Mandatory Technical Criteria M3PB and Attachment 3 to respond to questions received from Offerors. March 29, 2018 – Amendment Amendment 005 is raised to revise Appendix I to Annex A and Attachment 3 to respond to questions received from Offerors. March 27, 2018 – Amendment Amendment 004 is raised to revise Attachment 3 to respond to questions received from Offerors. March 23, 2018 – Amendment Amendment 003 is raised to revise Appendix IX to Annex A and Attachment 3, to respond to questions received from Offerors. March 20, 2018 – Amendment Amendment 002 is raised to revise Attachment 3 to respond to questions received from Offerors. March 16, 2018 – Amendment Amendment 001 is raised to insert Attachment 3 – RFSO Questions and Answers to the solicitation document to respond to questions received from Offerors. REQUIREMENT To establish multiple National Individual Standing Offers (NISOs) for the provision of laboratory services to provide sample collection and analytical testing services for organisms in food products for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The results of the testing will be used by the CFIA to determine the food safety risk to Canadians and identify areas where food safety issues may need to be addressed. Testing must be in accordance with analytical methods and Standard Operating Procedures accredited by the Standards Council of Canada in the Program Specialty Area for Agriculture and Food Products, or under the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation. Services are required on an “if and when requested” basis through call-ups issued by the CFIA against authorized NISOs. Canada intends to issue up to three (3) NISOs for each organism as identified in Annex A, Requirement, of the Request for a Standing Offer (RFSO). If an Offeror is selected for multiple organisms, only one NISO will be issued to the Offeror to cover all organisms for which the Offeror has been selected. The initial period of the Standing Offer will be from the date of issuance to March 31, 2020. Canada may authorize the use of the Standing Offer beyond its initial period, for three additional one-year periods. The requirement is subject to the provisions of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and is limited to Canadian goods and services. This procurement consists of Commercial Testing Laboratory Services (GSIN: H300C) necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health, which is exempt from the application of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as per Article 1018.2(b); the World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) as per Article XXIII Exceptions to the Agreement; and the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as per Article 19.3(2) (b). The Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CLCAs) are not applicable to this procurement, as Work will not be delivered to, nor conducted within CLCA areas. The Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business is not applicable, as the services will not be delivered to or for an Aboriginal population. Offerors are requested to submit an offer to address the requirements outlined in the RFSO. To be declared responsive, an offer must: (a) comply with all the requirements of the RFSO; and (b) meet all mandatory technical criteria, as per Part 4, article 1.2.1 of the RFSO, for each organism for which the Offeror has submitted an Offer; and (c) meet all mandatory financial criteria for each organism for which the Offeror has submitted an Offer. Offers not meeting (a) or (b) or (c) above will be declared non-responsive.  Each of the eleven (11) organisms will be evaluated individually. Up to three (3) responsive offers with the lowest Total Evaluated Offer Price per organism will be recommended for issuance of a Standing Offer for each organism as identified in Annex A, Requirement, of the RFSO. STANDING OFFER AUTHORITY Heather Wilson Supply Team Leader Public Works and Government Services Canada Acquisitions Branch Life and Earth Sciences Division 10 Wellington Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0S5 Telephone: 819-639-0671 E-mail address: heather.wilson@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca Canada retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement. Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada. PLEASE REFER TO THE REQUEST FOR A STANDING OFFER DOCUMENT FOR COMPLETE DETAILS ON THIS REQUIREMENT.