Multi-Media News Services

Trade Agreement: LCSA/AIT Tendering Procedures: Attachment: None Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Vendor Name and Address: News Canada Inc. 532 Montreal Road Suite 236 Ottawa Ontario Canada K1K4R4 Nature of Requirements:

ADVANCE CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN) An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good or service contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award. However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting officer will proceed to a full tendering process.

PWGSC FILE NUMBER: EN578-151774

CONTRACTING OFFICER: Jacques Gariépy

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 613-998-8582

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: To provide the Government of Canada with a National Master Standing Offer for communication support services on an as when required basis. The services is in English and French and includes: Print Service (Newspaper and Web articles), Broadcast News Service (Television and Radio), Online Video News Service and Media analysis service.

TRADE AGREEMENTS This requirement is subject to the Agreement on Internal Trade.

REASON FOR SINGLE TENDERING: As per AIT chapter 5, article 506-12b, sole sourcing is allowed when there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and the goods and services can be supplied only by a particular supplier.

Section 6, Article 10.2.1 of the Government Contracting Regulations applies on the basis of limited tendering procedures. Specifically, Article 10.2.1 (d) applied: only one person or firm is capable of performing the contract.

News Canada is the only known Canadian firm capable of producing the full range of news services required and reaching a national audience as described bellow: The contractor will provide feature news production, distribution, monitoring, and analysis services to inform and educate Canadians on public issues in Canada in the following media:

1. Print Service (Newspaper and Web articles)

The Contractor can provide the following services for the Print Service:

· Creation and production of news articles/stories; · Translation to French language or any languages (where possible). · Layout and design for monthly print catalogue · Printing of the monthly print catalogue, production of searchable CD-ROM burning, web formatting for the News Canada web site · Distribution of monthly print catalogue (English & French) and CD-ROM to over 1850 newspaper editors and 1900 web editors across Canada · Posting of articles on the News Canada web sites, www.newscanada.com, www.leditionnouvelles.com, and/or www.newsnorthamerica.com specifically designed to meet the feature news needs of Canadian and/or American print and web editors · Comprehensive monitoring and reporting as proof of media coverage and consumer reach · An audience guarantee is included in the Print Service and if not attained, the Print page (or half page) will be redistributed until the guarantee is achieved - Distribution to American print media outlets in English with a guaranteed audience.

2. Broadcast News Service (Television and Radio)

The Contractor can provide the following services for the Broadcast News Service:

Television

· Concept development and script writing from client-supplied answers to a 1 page News Brief questionnaire · A maximum of 2, on-location interviews/shoots in one of the following cities: Ottawa, Toronto or Montreal · In-person interviews or testimonials · Voice-over narration for English news segments and French voice-over narration of the same segment, editing, and inserting French spoke person's interview news clip (or French voice-over of English spoke person's interview) · A maximum of one full day (8 hours) of shooting including interviews and B-roll footage · Client is responsible for providing shoot locations, participants and all applicable permits if necessary · Creating, editing and production of a 2 minute segment, which includes a Broadcast News Release and isolated interview clips (B-roll) in English and French · A maximum of 6 hours of editing and production for each news segment including client changes and reedits · Digitizing and encoding of each final approved news segment and placement on www.newscanada.com and on www.leditionnouvelles.com · Media notification in English and French to cable and network news broadcasters across Canada of the broadcast segment,(including sending them a summary script and allowing them to preview the news segment on the News Canada web sites): www.newscanada.com and on www.leditionnouvelles.com · Distribution of broadcast news segment via satellite, the News Canada websites or to individual broadcasters in their preferred format · Media monitoring of the usage of the broadcast news segment for 30 days with actual footage of the on-air broadcasts along with a comprehensive usage report with full audience figures · Posting, promoting, and monitoring the downloading activity of client broadcast news segments at www.newscanada.com and www.leditionnouvelles.com for 30 days · An audience guarantee is included with each Broadcast News Service (Television) segment and if not attained, the segment will be re-promoted and re-fed to the media until the guarantee is achieved.

Radio

· Concept development and script writing from client-supplied answers to a 1 page News Brief questionnaire · Production management, including: coordination and scheduling · A maximum of two interviews conducted via telephone · Recording of client approved script by a narrator, including an interview or testimonial · Voice-over narration for English and French wraparound segment, editing, and inserting French spoke person's interview clip · Creation and production of one wraparound voice-over clip with generic sign-off and a 15-45 second spokesperson audio clips in English and French. The French segment is an adaptation of the English version · A maximum of four hours of editing and production of each news segment including client changes and re-edits · A maximum of two client changes/edits to audio tracks, if necessary · All segments are supplied in two formats: Windows Media Player for previewing purposes and MP3 broadcast quality files for downloading and airing · Media notification in English and French to radio broadcasters across Canada (including sending them a summary script); · Distribution on date chosen by client along with, digitizing, encoding, posting, promoting and monitoring the downloading activity of the client Audio News Release (ANR) in MP3 format at www.newscanada.com and www.leditionnouvelles.com for 30 days · Media monitoring of the usage of the Audio News Release (ANR) for 30 days with actual on-air broadcasts, along with a comprehensive usage report with full audience figures. · An audience guarantee is included with each Broadcast Audio News Release (Radio) and if not attained, the release will be re-promoted and re-fed to the media until the guarantee is achieved - Distribution to American radio broadcast media outlets in English with a guaranteed audience (no on airs available).

3. Online Video News Service

The Contractor can provide the following elements for Digital News Service:

· Concept development and script writing of a digital news story in English and French from client-supplied answers to a 1 page News Brief questionnaire, including two opportunities to make changes to the script. Video can also produced in other languages if required. · Production management, including co-ordination and scheduling · A maximum of one full day (8 hours) of shooting including interviews · A maximum of 2, on-location interviews/shoots in one of the following cities: Ottawa, Toronto or Montreal · Creation of an English and French online Digital News Service segment that is 90 seconds to 2 minutes in length · Voice-over narration for English segments, and French voice-over of same segment, editing and inserting French spokesperson's interview clip or French voice-over of English spokesperson's interview · A maximum of six hours of editing and production of each digital news service segment including client changes and re-edits · Client is responsible for providing shoot locations, participants and applicable permits if necessary · All digital news service segments are supplied in either two formats: Windows Media Player or on a FTP server for client previewing and approvals · Promotion, notification and national distribution of the Digital News Service segments to Canadian Internet sites (English and French), Portals and digital content providers · Digitizing and encoding of each final approved Digital News Service segment and placement on www.newscanada.com and www.leditionnouvelles.com · Posting of the digital news segment on content providers' website. · Media monitoring for two months with screen captures of online video coverage with URL · A audience guarantee is included with each Digital News Service segment and if not attained, the release will be re-promoted and re-fed until the guarantee is achieved

4. Media analysis service (Media Relations Rating Points system)

Following the creation, production, distribution and monitoring of a News Canada piece on behalf of the Department, the Contractor can provide media analysis including:

a) Basic Service - Using the MRP template, clients can establish the criteria (i.e. Photo / Image, Call to Action, Spokesperson Quote, Tier 1 Media etc) that will be used to evaluate media coverage - Evaluate media coverage (i.e. your clips, airings etc) for tone and criteria - Enter an audience reach number using the media outlet database provided by MRPdata.com. The MRP system will then automatically calculate your MRP score and your Return-on-Investment (ROI) or Cost-Per-Contact (CPC). - Export MRP reports to MS Excel

b) iBinder - Attach News Canada clips to MRP report. - Provide stakeholders access to MRP reports and media coverage saved on MRP. - Generate clipping books/media reports (in MS Word format) for safe keeping or printing.

c) Charting/Graphing - Charts and graphs are automatically generated to show trends in coverage (tonality, key messages and other ratings)

d) Content analysis - News Canada's trained MRP staff evaluates the News Canada media coverage for the client.

PERIOD OF NATIONAL MASTER STANDING OFFER: From February 1, 2015 to January 31st, 2017 with one (3) optional period of one (1) year.

ESTIMATED VALUE $1,250,000.00 (including GST) per year

NAME AND LOCATION OF ONLY KNOWN SOURCE: NEWS CANADA INC. 532 Montreal Road, Suite 236 Ottawa, Ontario K1K 4R4

CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR WRITTEN SUPPLIER RESPONSES CHALLENGING THIS REQUIREMENT IS 2:00 p.m. EST, JANUARY 7, 2015.

STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, send your questions by e-mail to the contracting officer at: jacques.gariepy@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca. Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer identified above.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award. However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page.

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

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.