Telecommunication Services

Trade Agreement: NONE Tendering Procedures: Attachment: None Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements: Telecommunication services for Elections Canada

This amendment to the notice is to inform the supplier community that a copy of the presentation and answers to any questions raised during the information session held on June 28, 2012 is included within the Letter of Interest amendment available on MERX.

1. Introduction Elections Canada (EC) is moving forward with a new approach for the agency to procure telecommunications and network services: it is based on the concept of Telecommunications as a Service (TaaS). This approach is to establish a contract vehicle in which products and services may be acquired and deployed quickly and avoid capital costs unless they are supported by a return on investment. 2. Information Session On June 28, 2012, Canada held a half-day information session in the National Capital Region to provide general information on Elections Canada, background information on how EC managed the set-up of all field offices for the 41st general election in 2011, and provide a general view on the objectives for this requirement before a bid solicitation is published on MERX. No one-on-one meetings will be held.

A copy of the presentation and answers to questions raised during the information session is now available for download on MERX. Suppliers may submit their comments on the presentation in writing to the Contracting Authority before July 24, 2012.

All media inquiries related to this requirement should be directed to the Media Relations Office at (613) 947-6276.

3. Background Information The general objective to procure Telecommunication as a Service (TaaS) is to create a long-term, flexible procurement vehicle for telecommunications products and services that: provides ongoing services to ECHQ; establishes a catalogue approach to products and services, allowing the agency to acquire and deploy additional telecommunications products and services on an as-and-when requested basis provides for the integration of new devices and technologies, and for the "evergreening" of products, through regular and timely replacements enables the agency to support a general election without a preceding or concurrent procurement exercise provides an ongoing and dynamic IT support organization for the products and services Elections Canada is looking to implement a new framework for its telecommunications requirement because, like many public and private enterprises, it sees telecommunications playing an increasingly prominent role in its core operations. The agency also recognizes that its business model supporting telecommunications must change to meet the emerging characteristics of this industry, in which rapidly advancing capabilities and the frequent introduction of new equipment call for a rethink of return on investment. 3.1 The Catalogue Concept The central concept behind the TaaS procurement process is a catalogue of products and services that form the substance of the contract. The catalogue identifies the products and services required to support the ongoing business of ECHQ, and the field offices across Canada during an electoral event. This catalogue would be comprised of three divisions: those products and services that the agency would commit to order for ECHQ; products and services in support of an electoral event; and optional products and services that the agency may request during the lifetime of the contract. Of particular importance for electoral event the Contractor will be responsible to deploy, install and activate all goods and services to approximately 500 field offices across Canada within a three-day window. 3.1.1 Ongoing products and services The following products and services will be required at ECHQ: toll-free voice services audio and web conferencing equipment and services for remote workers portable devices instant messaging and presence They will be described in detail in the bid solicitation document. 3.1.2 Products and services required for field offices during electoral events The following products and services will be required at each of the approximately 500 field offices opened during an electoral event: high-speed access to the Internet wireless LANs in some or all offices fully functional preconfigured network hardware telephone service (both wire-based and wireless) all related devices used at the offices They will be described in detail in the bid solicitation document. These products and services will be supplied as part of an overall service package in which hardware is installed, services activated and support provided for the election period over the course of approximately 10 weeks. At the conclusion of the election, the contractor is expected to recover the equipment from each office. 3.1.3 Optional products and services Contact centre services Unified communications WLAN service for ECHQ Local access telephony services, including VoIP at ECHQ Voice mail services Network services and fixed VPN services Polling station connectivity and services on election day 3.2 Role and responsibility of the Contractor The scope of the products and services included in this project suggests strongly that the successful contractor may have to take on the role of a Multi-Sourcing Integrator as it will be responsible for planning, sourcing and delivering products and services from diverse suppliers while taking on the responsibilities for all related integration and support issues. The contractor for TaaS will not only be at the forefront of an emerging model in telecommunications management but will also be a highly visible enabler of Canada's electoral process. This relationship, once established, could span an entire decade. Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.