Advance Procurement Notice
Public Engagement and support services in various locations across canada
(with Security Requirements)
Purpose of this Advance Procurement Notice
This is not a bid solicitation nor a request for proposals.
This is an advance notice for a potential contract with anticipated security requirements to provide interested consultants an opportunity to begin the sponsorship process for obtaining (if required) the anticipated security clearance(s). Note that there is no guarantee that this solicitation will proceed or that any security clearance(s) will be granted under the sponsorship process in a timely fashion or otherwise.
Description of the Project and Services
The scope of this project encompasses, but is not limited to, the engagement of the public, including citizens, residents, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders. The selected consultants will provide comprehensive engagement services, facilitating two-way communication using various tools tailored to specific contexts and challenges. The objective is to ensure the government can incorporate input—such as views, concerns, needs, ideas, and proposals—into the development and evaluation of policies, programs, services, and regulatory initiatives.
The selected consultants will be expected to provide “as and when required” services and reports, focusing on one or more of the following activities across the phases of Planning and Development, Implementation and Facilitation, and Analysis, Reporting, and Evaluation:
• Develop a multi-phased public and Indigenous engagement work plan.
• Collaborate with the owner to plan, execute, and facilitate multi-phased public, provincial/municipal, and Indigenous engagement sessions, as well as community consultations.
• Support the owner in planning and facilitating working groups and focus groups with community members and key stakeholders.
• Maintain records or files documenting engagements with working/focus groups, community members, and interested stakeholders.
• Produce communication materials for public distribution, including content suitable for social media, web pages, responses to stakeholder letters, and other materials as directed by the owner.
It is anticipated that this/these solicitations will be initiated in Summer 2025. This is conditional on receiving approval to proceed by the Department of National Defence (DND).
Contract Award and Anticipated Security Requirements
To be eligible for contract award, a proponent will be required to, among other things, actively hold or obtain all required security clearance(s) prior to the date of the award, as further detailed in the solicitation documents.
The anticipated security clearance level for this contract is Designated Organization Screening (DOS).
Industrial Security Program Sponsorship
Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is providing consultants early access to the security clearance application process through sponsorship under its Industrial Security Program (ISP). Accordingly, consultants that intend to submit a proposal or a bid on one or more of these projects and that do not actively hold the above identified security clearance(s) should begin forthwith the security clearance application process by applying through DCC’s ISP.
Under this program, DCC may, at its entire discretion, provide preliminary assistance to all the potential proponents with their respective security clearance sponsorship process.
To begin the security clearance sponsorship process, please submit a sponsorship request application to DCC by following the steps identified on DCC’s website at: https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/security-requirements.
In their sponsorship request application to DCC, consultants or contractors are asked to quote the following information, among other things:
- Advance Procurement Notice (APN) number (Project number on the MERX notice);
- Contract number NR25SL01; and
- Level of clearance requested to be sponsored for.
Sponsorship Process
Upon receipt, DCC will review the sponsorship request application and will communicate directly with the consultants to provide assistance for the completion of the sponsorship request packages.
Once DCC has determined, at its entire discretion, that a consultant:
- has started the sponsorship process prior to the solicitation (Contract number(s) listed on their request for sponsorship) being advertised on MERX,
- has met all the material requirements of the sponsorship request package, and
- has submitted a proposal or a bid
DCC will send the documents to the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) Contract Security Program (CSP).
Following receipt of the sponsorship request package, the CSP will communicate directly with the proponent regarding any further steps or actions to be undertaken or the status of the sponsorship request package processing. At such time, the proponent or bidder will need to promptly cooperate with CSP to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible.
Questions
Any questions pertaining to the sponsoring process through the ISP can be addressed to:
Telephone Number: (613) 998-8974; or
Email address: ISP.Sponsorship@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
Any questions relating to this Advance Procurement Notice can be addressed to:
Antoine am Rhyn
Regional Service Line Leader, Contract Services
Defence Construction Canada
819-431-7650
Antoine.amrhyn@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
Disclaimer
DCC is only providing assistance, at its entire discretion, for the above stated sponsorship process and does not provide any representations or guarantees that a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application forwarded by DCC to the CSP will be successful or result in the granting of the requested security clearance(s) by the CSP. At all times, the processing of a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application is subject to the respective terms, conditions, and timelines of DCC’s ISP sponsorship process and the CSP security clearance granting process. By applying to either of the aforementioned processes, the proponent or bidder agrees to bear any fees and risks associated with: (i) the completeness or accuracy, or lack thereof, of its application or related documents submitted under or in connection with either said processes, and (ii) the timeliness, or lack thereof, of any processing or granting of security clearance(s) under or in connection with either said processes. Notwithstanding anything else stated above, DCC shall in no event be liable to the bidder or proponent for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages arising out or in connection with the above stated sponsorship process.
