Financial Services / Services Financiers

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid Attachment: None Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements: Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Acquisitions Branch (AB)

Subject: Canada Student Loans Program Re-Procurement

Introduction

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) have begun work on the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) contract re-procurement. As part of its procurement strategy, PWGSC and HRSDC want to engage industry early, and at certain stages in the re-procurement process, in order to solicit industry feedback on the CSLP business requirements, possible service delivery models as well as the related procurement strategy. The overall objective of collaborating with the industry is to obtain valuable feedback to help shape CSLP business requirements and possible alternative delivery solutions as well as the procurement strategy to achieve an end-state business solution meeting the needs of the Canada Student Loans Program.

This Notice outlines Canada's intended industry engagement strategy. Also, the Notice invites industry to provide any initial feedback at this point, and to identify its organization if interested in participating in the engagement process. While a brief overview of CSLP is included as part of this Notice to help familiarize industry with the business, Canada will be issuing other Notices which will contain more detailed information relating to the re-procurement. Suppliers may also identify themselves as a participating entity at that time.

Suppliers are encouraged to continue to monitor the Government Electronic Tendering Services (GETS) for further information on the CSLP re-procurement process.

Background

The Canada Student Loans Program was created in 1964 to promote access to post-secondary education.

The requirement for the program is legislated through the Canada Student Loans Act R.S.C. 1985, c. S-28 and the Canada Student Loans Regulations, which govern the provision of loans issued to students up to August 1, 1995, and the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act S.C. 1994, C.28 and the Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations, which govern the provision of financial assistance issued to students as of August 1, 1995.

Direct lending, introduced by CSLP in 2000, entails the financing of student loans directly with taxpayer funding instead of bank financing. The loan administration of CSLP was outsourced to Service Providers (Contractors) as part of this change. Following a competitive procurement process, in December 2000, PWGSC awarded a contract to one Service Provider selected to provide financial and related administrative services for students attending Public Educational Institutions, and another contract to a second Service Provider selected to provide the services for students attending Private Educational Institutions. These two contracts expired in March 2008.

A subsequent competitive solicitation was conducted and in December 2006, PWGSC awarded a follow-on contract with a single Service Provider to provide financial and related administrative services for students attending both Public and Private Educational Institutions. The current contract will potentially expire in March 2018.

The provincial Governments of Saskatchewan, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and British Columbia have signed integration agreements with the Government of Canada to incorporate their requirements for provincial loan administration services into the current requirements.

Industry Engagement Strategy

The intended consultation approach involves: 1) initial telephone contact by PWGSC/HRSDC with suppliers and organizations in certain market segments, 2) an Industry Day (an awareness/information session and open forum), 3) in-person individual session(s) with interested suppliers, and 4) written responses to a formal Request For Information and Draft Request For Proposal.

Please note that participation in any of the Industry consultation steps is not a mandatory requirement for eventual submission of proposal; industry representatives that do not participate in the consultation process will remain eligible to submit a proposal in response to any future Request For Proposal relating to the CSLP re-procurement.

1. Initial Contact with Industry

Prior to holding an Industry Day, PWGSC and HRSDC want to contact Industry to collect information on the current marketplace, available technology and supplier capabilities. Industry representatives interested in participating in this early step of the Industry engagement process are invited to provide the following information to the PWGSC contact person identified in this notice.

a. Firm's legal name b. Contact person and title c. Email address and telephone number

2. Industry Day

PWGSC and HRSDC anticipate scheduling an Industry Day in the National Capital Region in Fall 2012. During this session, PWGSC and HRSDC representatives will share the procurement strategy and the business needs underlying the CSLP. The Industry Day is intended to be an open forum allowing Canada to communicate its requirements at a performance outcome level, and for industry to ask questions and seek information in order to gain a sound understanding of the business needs of the Student Loans Program.

Following the Industry Day, Canada may request organizations that participated in the Industry Day to submit written feedback on the CSLP re-procurement (potential alternative procurement strategies, evaluation criteria, project specific risks and appropriate risk management strategies) as well as identify feasible solutions to meet the CSLP operational needs. This written feedback would serve to plan and organize follow up one-on-one consultations with Industry.

Attendance at this event will be strictly reserved to properly registered industry representatives. Details pertaining to the registration process, the location and time of the Industry Day will be provided at a later date through a Notice on GETS.

3. One-on-one sessions with individual firms

Subsequent to the Industry Day consultation session, separate one-on-one meeting(s) with individual firms are anticipated to allow the opportunity to discuss requirements in more detail and possible viable options for service delivery models.

Attendance at these individual meetings will be strictly reserved to properly registered industry representatives. Depending on the level of interest shown by Industry and the demand on government resources and the procurement schedule, Canada may not choose to meet with all interested firms. More details concerning the individual meetings, registration, location and time will be communicated directly to registered Industry representatives.

4. Request For Information/Draft Request For Proposal

Canada intends to issue a Request for Information, including a DRAFT Request For Proposal, which incorporates the findings and recommendations from Industry engagement that meet the CSLP operational needs. The purpose would be to solicit further feedback from Industry prior to developing any final Request For Proposal.

Confidentiality

Canada will handle any material or information provided by Industry in response to this request for input in accordance with the Access to Information Act.

Disclaimer

This document is intended for information purposes only and may be subject to change without notice. Release of this information does not constitute a commitment on the part of the Government of Canada to contract for any of the above-mentioned requirements.

Also, please note that attendees are responsible for their own transportation, accommodation, meals, parking and all other expenses related to participation in the Industry engagement activities. Canada will not reimburse any firm or attendee for expenses incurred in responding to Canada's questions or attending the consultation sessions.

Contact Person

Rob Crober Supply Team Leader PWGSC, Special Procurement Initiatives Directorate 11 Laurier Street, Gatineau (QC), K1A 0S5 Tel: (819) 956-1206 PCPERenouvellement.CSLPRenewal@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca 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.