RFI for Accessibility Assessment

Trade Agreement: NONE Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements:

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR INNOVATIVE ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION ASSESSMENT APPROACHES FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

This is a Request for Information (RFI). PWGSC is seeking feedback in this RFI regarding the availability of current systems and/or tools for evaluating the accessibility (and greater inclusion) of GoC real property that deeply engage diverse perspectives (including people with lived experience of disability) from the beginning to ensure greater sustainability of any modification, evaluation, certification or recommendation.

PWGSC also wants to understand the feasibility of these processes and tools for assessment of GoC real properties. The information collected through the questions in Annex A will serve to identify:

a) The industry’s interest, capacity, capability, and willingness to complete accessibility assessments of GoC real property in a cost-effective manner; b) The availability of tools, systems and/or approaches to support accessibility assessments of GoC real property; c) Concerns, risks or suggestions with respect to the proposed accessibility assessments.

In an effort to understand, identify, and ultimately adapt spaces, we want to explore the availability of a process and or tools that:

1. Exceeds built environment standards and policies such as: a) Treasury Board Accessibility Standard for Real Property (ASRP); b) New legislation: Bill C-81 c) 2018 Canadian Standards Association (CSA) B651 Accessible Design for the Built Environment; d) 2015 National Building Code; and, e) Provincial buildings codes.

2. Has a mechanism for refinement with the goal of achieving continuous improvement in an innovative manner.

3. Facilitates a deep, authentic engagement of key stakeholders, exploring issues of usability that get fundamentally at how inclusive the spaces are. This engagement should include:

a) An advisory panel consisting of a diverse group of individuals (including people with a lived experience of disability). These advisory panels must NOT reproduce the ?typical’ reductive representation from people categorized by particular disabilities. It must include people on the edge of the distribution of people with disabilities, with diverse needs and some of the biggest barriers to participation. b) Stakeholder walk-throughs of client office space, common building spaces and building premises to determine usability of facilities c) Consideration of the future uses of the space d) A plan of action for soliciting and then following through with stakeholder feedback. e) Description of an ongoing practice and not a task (e.g. going beyond talking to a specific advocacy group, or engaging stakeholders at only one point in the process). f) Stakeholder participation and consultation as a focus that is iterative and ongoing.

The publication of this RFI must not be construed as a commitment on GoC’s part to issue a subsequent ?Request for Proposal? and no Contract or other form of commitment will be entered into with any suppliers based on responses to this RFI. Canada will not be bound by anything stated herein. As a result, potential suppliers of any good or services described in this RFI should not reserve stock or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any information contained in this RFI. Participation in this RFI is encouraged but is not mandatory.

There will be no short-listing of potential firms for the purposes of undertaking any future work as a result of this RFI. Similarly, participation in this RFI is not a condition or prerequisite for the participation in any potential subsequent solicitations. The responses from industry will enable Canada to evaluate the strategy to be taken, if any, in regards to issuing a solicitation for the required goods and services.

Any information submitted to PWGSC in response to this RFI may be used in the development of a subsequent solicitation. Potential suppliers will not be bound by any aspect of their response to this RFI.

All responses to this RFI will be held by PWGSC on a confidential basis (subject to applicable legislation) and remain the property of PWGSC once they have been received.

Responses to this RFI are not, and will not be considered to be, formal bids.

Respondents will not be reimbursed for any costs incurred by participating in this RFI.

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries must be submitted in writing to the Designated PWGSC Contact Officer, Brigitte Loignon, by email at Brigitte.Loignon@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.

Enquiries should be received no later than 10 business days before response submission date to allow sufficient time to respond.

RESPONSE SUBMISSION DATE

Responses for this RFI should be submitted via email to Brigitte.Loignon@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca no later than April 2, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Daylight Saving Time (DST).

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.