Cost of Living Survey

Request for Proposal (RFP) – DND 14/0028104- Cost of Living Survey

Requirement

The Department of National Defense (DND) has a requirement for a cost of living model and methodology, including cost of living surveys, on an annual basis, to deliver a package of reports detailing cost of living variances and Post Living Differential (PLD) allowances.

The initial Contract period is up to 31 March 2016, and there are two (2) irrevocable one-year option periods included in this Contract.

There is no security requirement associated with this requirement.

Background

In June 2000, the Treasury Board of Canada approved a cost of living allowance for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) called Post Living Differential (PLD). This allowance has evolved since its inception. Today, qualifying CAF personnel will be compensated by PLD if their overall cost of living is greater than the simple average of all major Canadian Armed Forces members posted to the location will form a Standard City: the baseline for determining the differential at all designated areas. A cost of living survey – based on the CAF-determined family size and household income – of all CAF locations in Canada is required on an annual basis to determine the PLD amount payable. Surveys for PLD for fiscal year 2015/2016 are required to be done in the January-February 2015 period to support a recalculated PLD rate effective 1 April 2015. Surveys in subsequent fiscal years are required to be done in the October-November period to support a recalculated PLD rate effective 1 April the following calendar year.

Tasks

The Contractor must provide a Canadian Department of National Defence Post-Living-Differential (PLD) Survey Methodology Reports using a comprehensive cost of living model and based on the scope, at Section 3.0 above, of this requirement. These reports include:

a. Total Annual Cost (Renter Profile) Report: This report will represent the rental figures for each location in order to be used in the PLD Calculation.

b. Total Annual Cost of Living Other than Shelter: This report includes components for taxation (income and sales taxes), transportation based on a two-car family scenario and goods and services based on the latest FAMEX figures for a family unit within the designated parameters.

c. PLD Calculation: This report is to provide a summary table of all the various living costs for all CAF locations surveyed and the calculated PLD rate incorporates the reports at A and B to determine rate at D. The differential between the CAF Standard City Baseline and all CAF locations- incorporating the gross-up for the appropriate marginal tax rate.

d. CAF Standard City Baseline: This report is to provide a simple average of all major Canadian Armed Forces locations- 20 or more Canadian Armed Forces members posted to the location- will form the Standard City: the baseline for determining the differential at all designated areas.

Mandatory Technical Criteria

Responses that clearly demonstrate that all of the mandatory criteria have been met will be evaluated further. It is the bidder’s responsibility to clearly demonstrate that all of the mandatory criteria are met. Responses failing to do so will be ruled non-compliant and will not be considered further.

Mandatory Requirements

M1 The bidder must include a detailed plan identifying the methodology to be used in conducting the Cost of Living Surveys identified in this document and must be able to submit the required reports within the timeline detailed in section 5.1 at SOW.

M2 The Bidder must have provided “similar” comprehensive cost of living assessments project (s) within the last 3 years (i.e. previous 36 months to the month this solicitation was issued).

“Similar” comprehensive cost of living assessments projects are described as: a) report having more than fifty (50) locations surveyed; b) report providing regional cost of living data on a national scale.

Bidder must provide at least one (1) sample of the work that captures both (a) and (b).

The Bidder must provide a description of the work, and a Point-of-Contact e.g.name, position and telephone number for clarification purposes only, from companies/institutions who received cost of living studies and analyses.

M3 The Bidder must demonstrate that they have been in business for the past five (5) years, with its main business stream in analytical studies – specifically surveys.

This can be demonstrated by providing company profile / business licence and any other info/document justify the requirement.

M4 The Bidder must demonstrate that their surveying team has the capability to conduct surveys in English and French.

This can be demonstrated by providing at least

- one bilingual team member or - one English team member and one French team member

In addition, the Bidder must demonstrate that it has conducted

- one bilingual survey or - two (2) surveys (one (1) in French and one (1) in English)

within the last five (5) years.

M5 The Bidder must propose a Team Leader/ Lead Statistician assigned throughout the duration of the project.

The Team Leader/Lead Statistician must have a

(a) University degree obtained from a recognized* Canadian university, or the equivalent as established by a recognized* Canadian academic credentials assessment service, if obtained outside Canada, in the discipline of Statistics/Mathematics/ Economics / Computational/Actuarial Sciences

and

(b) two (2) years of experience in conducting Cost of Living survey.

OR

(a) College diploma obtained from a recognized* Canadian college or the equivalent as established by a recognized* Canadian academic credentials assessment service, if obtained outside Canada, in statistical studies

and

(b) five (5) years of experience in conducting Cost of Living survey.

The Bidder must provide a detailed resume of the proposed Team Leader / Lead Statistician and proof of university degree or college diploma. Canada may, at any time, request a copy of the degree or diploma to verify the information, if it is not provided with the bid.

*The list of recognized organizations can be found under the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials website, at the following Internet link:

http://www.cicic.ca/indexe.stm

Point Rated Technical Criteria

Proposals meeting all Mandatory Criteria will be further evaluated against the Rated Criteria. A minimum of 70% (64 out of the 91 possible points) must be obtained for further consideration.

Basis of Selection To be declared responsive, a bid must: a. comply with all the requirements of the bid solicitation; and b. meet all mandatory technical evaluation criteria; and c. obtain the required minimum pass mark 70% (or 64 out of 91 points) for the technical evaluation criteria which are subject to point rating. Bids not meeting (a) or (b) or (c) will be declared non-responsive. Neither the responsive bid that receives the highest number of points nor the one that proposed the lowest price will necessarily be accepted. The responsive bid with the lowest evaluated price per point will be recommended for award of a contract.