FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING/TESTING

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama Tendering Procedures: Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) 08349-140092/A

Foreign Language Training, Testing and Related Services for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Solicitation No.: 08349-140092/A Contracting Officer: Jenny Lamoureux Telephone number: 819-956-9112 Fax number: 819-956-9235 Email: jenny.lamoureux@pwgsc.gc.ca

************************************************************* BACKGROUND The Centre for Foreign Languages and Intercultural Learning (CFSL) is part of the Canadian Foreign Service Institute (CFSI) in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and provides language training and testing in a number of foreign languages to DFATD staff and their eligible dependants, other personnel from federal, provincial and municipal governments in Canada, foreign governments, and non-governmental organizations.

CFSL delivers its training mandate through a variety of language training programs, each consisting of courses with separate objectives aimed at trainees with different levels of linguistic proficiency in a foreign language.

CFSL has a requirement for professional services in order to provide foreign language training and related services to its clients in the National Capital Region, throughout Canada, the United States and overseas. The training may be either full or part time, in group or individual sessions, distance or on-site, in classrooms provided primarily by CFSL and at times in classrooms provided by the Offeror.

The Offeror could be called to offer services including: • Language Training Services • Language Proficiency Testing Services • Course update, design and development • Test update, design and development • Foreign Language Learning Product design and development • Research and Strategic Advisory Services Related to Foreign Language Training and Testing • Ancillary Services

In the past, CFSL has engaged the services of foreign language training service providers through a competitive Request for Proposal process with the goal of awarding a contract. The current contract for foreign language training services will end in spring 2016. In order to renew these services, CFSL is planning for the first time to issue a Standing Offer. In addition to issuing a Standing Offer, several additional related services have been added to the requirement to best meet CFSL's various needs.

OBJECTIVES OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) to seek feedback from interested companies, understand the current market and what they can offer as well as address any missing or incorrect information. The main objectives of this RFI are to: a) determine the interest and capability of suppliers and offerors to provide services described in this RFI; b) provide the industry with an early opportunity to assess DFATD's requirement and provide comments on the statement of work and technical criteria; c) Solicit feedback and recommendations on any issues that would impact a supplier's or an offeror's ability to fulfill DFATD's requirement; and d) Solicit industry knowledge and expertise with regard to best practices that would increase the likelihood of a successful outcome for this project. e) Solicit industry feedback on the proposed Standing Offer tool.

CONTENT OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION This RFI contains a draft statement of work and draft technical criteria. These documents remains a work in progress and it is possible that requirements will be added to any Request for Standing Offer issued by Canada. It is also possible that some requirements will be deleted or revised. All respondents are asked to provide us with their observations regarding any element contained in this RFI. Respondents are also asked to answer the questions listed in Section 4.

Should respondents consider that the content contained in the draft statement of work and draft technical criteria could be improved technically or technologically, respondents are invited to make suggestions, in writing, to the Contracting Authority named herein. Respondents must clearly outline the suggested improvement as well as the reasons for the suggestion. Suggestions that do not restrict the level of competition nor favour a particular respondent may be given consideration provided they are submitted to the Contracting Authority in accordance with the article entitled "Enquiries" found below. Canada will have the right to accept or reject any or all suggestions.

Respondents should submit only pertinent information in response to this request. The inclusion of general marketing or technical manuals is discouraged unless they are used to provide specific information that has been requested in this document.

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS There are no security requirements associated with responding to this RFI.

Any future procurement actions undertaken in support of this requirement may require suppliers or offerors to hold the security clearance outlined in Appendix C - Security Requirements Check List. All companies that are interested in this requirement are encouraged to review all security requirements in detail. If interested companies do not meet the specified security requirements then they are encouraged to contact the Contracting Authority to initiate sponsorship.

For more information about security requirements governing contracts, visit the Industrial Security Program Web site at the following address: http://ssi-iss.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/.

ESTIMATED SCHEDULE If this RFI leads to a future Request for Standing Offer, PWGSC proposes the following schedule:

Posting of the Request for Standing Offer: September 2015 Complete evaluations of the offers: November 2015 Issuance of the Standing Offer: December 2015 Start of service delivery: Upon signature of contract or depending on client requirements

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.