EVENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Trade Agreement: NONE Tendering Procedures: Attachment: None Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements: EVENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES

EN578-133309/B Buck, Daniel Telephone No. - (613) 998-8588 Fax No. - (613) 993-2581

THIS IS THE SECOND CONSULTATION FOR

REQUEST FOR INDUSTRY COMMENTS (RFIC) ON THE PROCUREMENT STRATEGY FOR EVENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

Responses must be submitted by 2:00 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Monday July 8, 2013

1. NATURE OF REQUEST FOR INDUSTRY COMMENTS

This is not a bid solicitation. This RFIC will not result in the award of any contract, therefore, potential suppliers of any goods or services described in the attached project outline should not earmark stock or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any information contained in this RFIC. Nor will this RFIC result in the creation of any source list, therefore, whether or not any potential supplier responds to this RFIC will not preclude that supplier from participating in any future procurement. Also, the procurement of any of the goods and services described in this RFIC will not necessarily follow this RFIC. This RFIC is simply intended to solicit feedback from industry with respect to the matters described in this RFIC.

2. NATIONAL PROCUREMENT STRATEGY FOR COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) has undertaken a review of how communication services are procured for federal government departments with the objective of developing a national procurement strategy. The review has identified strengths in the current process; it has also uncovered areas of opportunity that, if leveraged, should benefit government departments, existing and potential suppliers, and Canadians overall. More specifically, standardized approaches to procurement should lead to enhanced transparency, greater efficiency and more predictability.

This National Procurement Strategy for Communication Services (the Strategy), published on the Government Electronic Tendering System (GETS) in February, 2013, aims to provide a Canada-wide approach. When implemented, this approach will improve the ease and effectiveness of the procurement process for all stakeholders.

Event Management Services is a sub-category under the Strategy. In accordance with the strategic direction outlined in the Strategy, PWGSC is seeking to improve the procurement process for Event Management Services by increasing communications with stakeholders through the establishment of supplier-based working groups.

This Request for Industry Comment is further to a meeting with the supplier-based working group for Event Management Service that took place on May 22, 2013. The goals of this meeting were to determine whether event management suppliers wanted to have a new tool or tools established for the procurement of event management services, and if so, which procurement vehicle(s) was/were most appropriate. As a result of the discussion from the meeting, we determined that suppliers would prefer if PWGSC established supply arrangements for the procurement of event management services.

Interested suppliers are invited to comment on the draft Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA) and provide suggestions related to the development of the new procurement vehicle.

Suppliers may submit their comments to Daniel Buck at: daniel.buck@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca. 3. CONTENT OF THIS RFIC

This RFIC contains a draft of the Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA). This document remains a work in progress and respondents should not assume that new clauses or requirements will not be added to any future bid solicitation that is ultimately published by Canada. Nor should respondents assume that none of the clauses or requirements will be deleted or revised. Comments regarding any aspect of the document are welcome.

4. NATURE AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES REQUESTED

Respondents are requested to provide their comments, concerns, and, where applicable, any recommendations that could improve the procurement strategy. Respondents should explain any assumptions they make in their responses.

5. RESPONSE COSTS

Canada will not reimburse any respondent for expenses incurred in responding to this RFIC.

6. TREATMENT OF RESPONSES

Use of Responses: Responses will not be formally evaluated. However, the responses received may be used by Canada to modify procurement strategies or any documents contained in this RFIC. Canada will review all responses received by the RFIC closing date. Canada may, in its discretion, review responses received after the RFIC closing date.

Review Team: A review team composed of representatives from PWGSC and, possibly, other government departments, will review the responses on behalf of Canada. Canada reserves the right to hire any independent consultant, or use any Government resources, which it deems necessary to review any response. Not all members of the review team will necessarily review all responses.

Confidentiality: Respondents should mark any portions of their response that they consider proprietary or confidential. Canada will treat those portions of the responses as confidential to the extent permitted by the Access to Information Act.

Follow-up Activity: Canada may, in its discretion, contact any respondents to follow up with additional questions or for clarification of any aspect of a response.

7. ENQUIRIES

Because this is not a bid solicitation, Canada will not necessarily respond to enquiries in writing or by circulating answers to all potential suppliers. However, respondents with questions regarding this RFIC may direct their enquiries to:

Daniel Buck at 613-998-8588 or by email at: daniel.buck@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

8. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

Time and Place for Submission of Responses: Suppliers interested in providing a response should deliver it directly to the Contracting Authority by the time and date indicated on page 1 of this solicitation document. The preferred method of response is by email at:

daniel.buck@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

Responsibility for Timely Delivery: Timely delivery and correct direction of responses is the sole responsibility of the respondent. PWGSC will not assume or have transferred to it those responsibilities.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Contracting Officer named above.

9. SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Procurement Strategy In your opinion, are the Evaluation Criteria sufficiently clear? Are there any requirements and/or items that are unclear or that would unduly limit a qualified vendor's ability to submit a response? In your opinion, should the Evaluation Criteria and Basis of Payment to be used in RFPs under the Supply Arrangement be firmly or optionally prescribed for clients, if at all? If so, what evaluation criteria should be included? Do you favour a solicitation approach that invites all qualified suppliers to bid on each requirement under the resulting Supply Arrangements? In your opinion, is a $400,000 (taxes excluded) threshold sufficient for the procurement of most event management requirements? If not, why?

10. DRAFT REQUEST FOR SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT

Please see attached. 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.