Notice of Proposed Procurement
1.0 Introduction
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (“CATSA”) is a Crown corporation with headquarters at 99 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1P 6B9. CATSA is responsible for the delivery of consistent, effective and efficient screening of passengers and non-passengers in designated airports. Further information about CATSA can be obtained at www.catsa.gc.ca.
1.1 Estimated Contract Value
$379,000
2.0 Description
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (“CATSA”) has a requirement to procure the supply and implementation of a Managed IT Security Education, Training and Awareness Service, including but not limited to, IT security specific content, all required software licenses or subscriptions, configuration, testing, training, and maintenance and support services, for an Initial Term of five years with one optional five-year Extension Term, as further described in Schedule “A” (Statement of Work).
For details see the RFP.
3.0 Procurement Method
This RFP establishes an Open Tendering process to enter into a non-exclusive Contract.
The top ranked bidder will be invited to enter into negotiations with CATSA to finalize an agreement for the provision of the services in accordance with the process set out in this RFP, and any document referenced by CATSA in this RFP.
4.0 Estimated Quantity of Services
During the term of the Contract, CATSA may, subject to the availability of funding, purchase up to an estimated $379,000 of Managed IT Security Education, Training and Awareness Services on an as and when required basis, via purchase orders issued under the Contract.
By responding to the RFP, bidders acknowledge that: (i) the foregoing are estimates only and are subject to change, in CATSA’s sole and absolute discretion, at any time, up to and including any time after any resulting Contract is entered into; and (ii) CATSA cannot commit to purchase any quantity of goods/services until a purchase order is issued in accordance with any resulting Contract.
These estimated requirements are for informational purposes only and do not represent a commitment by CATSA to buy all or any quantities.
5.0 Term of Resulting Contract
It is anticipated that the term of any resulting Contract will be for an initial term of five years, renewable for an additional period of five years at CATSA’s sole option.
6.0 Address for Submission of Questions and Proposals/Responses; Question Acceptance Deadline and Closing Date
The question acceptance deadline and the closing date are set out in the “Dates” section above. CATSA may extend either or both of such dates.
Questions and proposals must be submitted through the MERX Electronic Bid Submission system at www.MERX.com.
7.0 Mandatory Requirements
Description of Mandatory (M) Requirements
M1.By submitting a proposal, the bidder certifies that the bidder’s proposed solution is a commercially available product suitable for the intended application as described in Schedule “A” (Statement of Work) and is currently in use by other organisations for the same purpose.
M2.The bidder must, within its proposal, demonstrate how it meets all of the mandatory system requirements identified as “M” in Schedule “C-2” (Technical Requirements Template). Instructions and details of the evaluation are outlined in Schedule “C-1” (Technical Requirements Response Instructions).
8.0 Rated Requirements
The RFP contains details of the rated requirements.
9.0 Contractor Selection
Step 1: Confirmation of Compliance to the Mandatory Requirements
a. Technical Offers will be reviewed for compliance with the Mandatory Requirements described in Schedule “C” (Technical Offer Requirements and Evaluation) and Schedule “C-2” (Technical Requirements Response Form) of the RFP to confirm that the information, statements and supporting material in the Bidder’s Technical Offer substantiate a compliant response. Mandatory Requirements will be confirmed on a simple pass or fail basis.
b. If a proposal fails to satisfy any of the Mandatory Requirements, CATSA will issue the Bidder a rectification notice identifying the deficiencies and providing the Bidder an opportunity to rectify the deficiencies. If the Bidder fails to satisfy the Mandatory Requirements within the Rectification Period, its proposal will be rejected and will receive no further consideration. The Rectification Period will begin to run from the date and time that CATSA issues a rectification notice to the Bidder. The Mandatory Requirements are set out in Schedule “C” (Technical Offer Requirements and Evaluation).
Step 2: Evaluation of Rated Requirements (six hundred ninety-five (695) Points)
Technical Offers will be evaluated against the Rated Requirements, as outlined in Schedule “C” (Technical Offer Requirements and Evaluation). Technical Offers will be assigned a score for each rated requirement to establish a Step 2 “Technical Score”. The maximum Technical Score is six hundred and ninety-five (695) points.
Bidders must achieve a minimum Technical Score of five hundred twenty-one (521) points in order to receive further consideration.
At the end of this Step 2 (Evaluation of Rated Requirements), CATSA will establish a shortlist of up to the top three bidders with the highest total Technical Scores that are within a twenty percent (20%) range of the highest Technical Score. Only the bidders meeting these criteria will be eligible to proceed to the next step of the evaluation and selection process.
Step 3: Presentation
The Bidders from the shortlist created in Step 2 will be invited to present their proposed Solution to the CATSA evaluation team via web-based Presentation. Presentations will be limited to a duration of no more than two hours.
Bidders will be required to deliver a live, virtual Presentation of their proposed Solution, to tangibly demonstrate its compliance to CATSA’s requirements, as described in Schedule “A” (Statement of Work) and specifically the sections identified in Section 3 (Presentation Requirements) of Schedule “C” (Technical Offer Requirements), as well as address any questions regarding the Technical Offer.
Presentations will not be evaluated independently, but will be used to increase or decrease the Technical Scores, if applicable. The purpose of the Presentation is to demonstrate and validate what has been proposed in the Technical Offer. Bidders will not be allowed to present anything that wasn’t included in their Technical Offer. If is confirmed through the Presentation, that any of the Mandatory Requirements are not met, CATSA will proceed with and follow Step 1 b. of this Schedule.
The shortlisted Bidders’ Technical Scores will be adjusted following the Presentations, if required. In the event that the adjusted Technical Score of any of the Bidders would fall outside the twenty percent (20%) threshold, it will be removed from the shortlist and will not continue to Step 4. Further, no other Bidders will be added to the shortlist should any of the shortlisted Bidders be removed at this stage.
Step 4: Evaluation of Financial Offer
Financial Offers will be evaluated and assigned an “Evaluated Price” in accordance with Schedule “D”, (Financial Offer Requirements and Evaluation).
Step 5: Ranking of Bidders
Bidders will be ranked in order of highest Weighted Score as determined by combining the bidders’ Technical and Financial Scores. The top-ranked bidder will receive a written invitation to enter into direct contract negotiations to finalize the Contract with CATSA, subject to Schedule “G” (Security Requirements Assessments) and without limitation to any other provision in this RFP, including but not limited to Section 11 (CATSA’s Reserved Rights).
The weighting for this RFP is 70% for the Technical Offer and 30% for the Financial Offer.
THE TOP RANKED BIDDER WILL BE IDENTIFIED BY CATSA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ABOVE AT WHICH POINT THE RFP WILL BE AT AN END.
THE EVALUATIONS UNDER THIS RFP AND THE PRECEDING STEPS IN THIS RFP, AND ANY SCHEDULE UNDER THIS RFP ARE SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING A TOP RANKED BIDDER WITH WHOM TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS AND NOTHING SHALL LIMIT CATSA’S ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE AND TO CONCLUDE AND AGREEMENT WITH THE TOP RANKED BIDDER (OR SUCCESSIVE RANKED BIDDERS) ON TERMS, COMMITMENTS OR PRICES DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IDENTIFED IN THIS RFP, ANY SCHEDULE UNDER THIS RFP OR THE TOP RANKED BIDDER’S PROPOSAL.
Step 6: Negotiations
1. Negotiations will be subject to the process rules contained in this RFP, including Section 19 of the Instructions to Bidders and will not constitute a legally binding offer to enter into a contract on the part of CATSA or the bidder and there will be no legally binding relationship created with any bidder prior to the execution of a written agreement. The terms and conditions attached as Appendix “A” to Schedule “F” (Contract) are to form the basis for commencing negotiations between CATSA and the top ranked bidder. The scope of negotiations and the process of negotiations will be determined by CATSA and will be identified in a document provided to the top ranked bidder. Without limiting the foregoing, negotiations may include requests by CATSA for supplementary information from the bidder to verify, clarify or supplement the information provided in its proposal or to confirm the conclusions reached in the evaluation, and may include requests by CATSA for improved pricing or performance terms from the bidder.
2. Time Period for Negotiations
CATSA intends to enter into negotiations and finalize the agreement with the top-ranked bidder during the Contract Negotiation Period, commencing from the date CATSA invites the top-ranked bidder to enter negotiations.
3. Failure to Enter into Agreement
Bidders should be aware that CATSA does not represent or warrant that they will be able to conclude an agreement and neither party shall have any obligation to conclude an agreement. If the parties cannot conclude negotiations and finalize the agreement for the Services within the Contract Negotiation Period, CATSA may discontinue negotiations with the top-ranked bidder and may invite the next-best-ranked bidder to enter into negotiations, in CATSA’s best interests. This process will continue until an agreement is finalized, until there are no more bidders remaining that are eligible for negotiations or until CATSA elects to cancel the RFP process.
4. Notification of Negotiation Status
Other bidders that may become eligible for contract negotiations may be notified at the commencement of the negotiation process with the top-ranked bidder.
Step 7: Security Requirements Assessments
Prior to award, pre-condition to award of a contract, CATSA will, for the bidder selected from Step 6 (Negotiations), assess that bidder’s ability to meet the Security Requirements specified in Appendix “A-1” of the Terms and Conditions in accordance with Schedule “G” (Security Requirements Assessments).
10.0 Use of MERX
CATSA will only use MERX as its web-based forum to post solicitations. As such, the attached procurement document has only been posted on MERX, and all related documents, notices, addendums, and questions and responses thereto will only be posted on MERX.
See MERX at http://www.merx.com for details respecting how to access the solicitation documents and any costs related thereto.
CATSA does not authorize, or make any representations or warranties in respect of, any postings relating to its procurements found on any other web-based forum.
11.0 Language
A French language version of the RFP will be made available upon request. Proposals may be submitted in either the English or French language.
