Doing Business with the Government of Canada

Transcription

1 Doing Business with the Government of Canada 1

2 Objectives Help participants understand how to make decisions about: whether to do business with the Government of Canada; and how to do business with the Government of Canada. 2

3 Office of Small and Medium Enterprises OSME was created to support small and medium enterprises through the federal procurement process. Role is to engage, assist and inform SMEs on how to sell goods and services to the Government of Canada. OSME will work to reduce barriers to ensure fairness in the process. 3

4 Buyandsell.gc.ca Website The authoritative source for government procurement information One of the online resources that will be of great importance and help to you. 4

5 Opportunities for SMEs One of the largest buyers of goods and services in Canada. Buys billions of dollars of a wide range of goods and services each year. Opportunities for contracts exist ranging from hundreds to billions of dollars. Small and Medium Enterprises received approximately threequarters (more than 14,000 of the close to 18,000 contracts) awarded annually to suppliers in Canada, by PWGSC. 5

6 Contracting with the Government of Canada Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is the main procurement arm of the federal government. It is important that all procurement activities be conducted in an open, fair and transparent manner, and that all suppliers have an equal chance at doing business with us. Federal laws and regulations as well as Treasury Board of Canada policies guide the Government of Canada s procurement process. 6

7 Delegated Purchasing Authorities within the Government of Canada For procurements over these levels, departments and agencies work with PWGSC. 7

8 Registering Your Company 8

9 Registering in the Supplier Registration Information System You will require a Procurement Business Number (PBN) in order to receive payment from PWGSC. A PBN will be supplied to you through the registration process in the Supplier Registration Information (SRI) System. Refer to registration information on Buyandsell.gc.ca 9

10 Registering in Databases and/or Methods of Supply 10

11 Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB) Aims to increase federal contracting opportunities and to gain access to the overall federal procurement process for Aboriginal businesses. A national Government of Canada initiative led by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. The Aboriginal Business Directory lists companies registered under PSAB. 11

12 Building Networks 12

13 Why Build Networks? Connect with officials in departments and agencies to learn about what directions their department's procurement may be heading. To distinguish yourself from the crowd. 13

14 Know Your Business and Know Your Clients What does your research tell you about your end user's needs? Who are the appropriate points of contact outside and/or inside government? Do you want to be the prime or subcontractor? 14

15 Finding Key Government Contacts 15

16 Becoming Part of a Supply Chain Where the government has expressed the need for large, overarching requirements suppliers may wish to explore the possibility of participating as a sub-contractor with another private sector company. 16

17 Canadian Company Capabilities Database The Canadian Company Capabilities is a searchable database of 60,000 current Canadian businesses, maintained by Industry Canada. 17

18 Research and Finding Opportunities 18

19 Buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders Buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders is the official and free source suppliers should rely on to find Government of Canada tenders. Tenders is easy to navigate and allows suppliers to search for new contract opportunities as well as see past contract awards. 19

20 What are the Benefits? Access is free and you don't have to register. Search using plain language, match your good or service to available tenders, narrow down your search results by region, government agency or department. You can find data for any tender, previous contracts, as well as current standing offers and supply arrangements. Share your search results with your professional contacts via s, tweets, or other social media. 20

21 Open Data on Buyandsell.gc.ca Under the Procurement Data section: Contract history, Current Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements Knowing what buyers have bought in the past and which companies have been successful selling to them can be very useful as you develop your business strategy. 21

22 Proactive Disclosure The Treasury Board Secretariat provides links to the Proactive Disclosure sites for each department and agency. These sites list information about past contracts valued over $10,000 awarded directly by departments and agencies. 22

23 Other Organizations Some organizations such as industry associations, regional development agencies, OSME and regional PWGSC offices can also provide advice and guidance on companies that hold contracts for complex high dollar value projects. Can help you explore whether your company may be able to provide goods and services as part of a prime contractor's supply chain or as part of the Government of Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefit (ITB) Policy. 23

24 The Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) Is designed to assist Canadian businesses with innovative goods and services move their innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace. The primary purpose of this program is to stimulate innovation and R&D in the business sector by encouraging federal departments to test new goods and services Suppliers can then use feedback provided to further refine their innovation as they move toward full commercialization. In order to participate in this program, watch Buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders for calls for proposals. 24

25 Types of Procurement 25

26 Procurement Under $25,000 Although the majority of contracts under $25,000 are awarded using a competitive process, noncompetitive approaches are used in some circumstances. Aims to get best value for Canadians while enhancing access, competition and fairness to businesses. Familiar way of working, but an exhaustive list of potential clients can make it challenging to identify the best fit. Suppliers may be identified through networks and research as well as various federal supplier registration systems. 26

27 Competitive Procurement over $25,000 Procurement of goods and services over $25,000 is done through the solicitation of bids and quotes from potential suppliers using a variety of methods. The four most commonly used are: An Invitation to Tender (ITT) A Request for Proposal (RFP) A Request for Standing Offer (RFSO) A Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA) The tender notice will indicate the method of procurement being used and will outline the solicitation documents. 27

28 The Non-Competitive Approach 28

29 Bidding on Opportunities 29

30 Bidding on Opportunities Many Government of Canada contracts are awarded through a competitive process, which requires that you submit a bid. Requirements can be quite specific and you will want to make sure that your bid responds to all of them and that you offer the best value for money. 30

31 To Bid or Not to Bid? As a supplier you should ask yourself: Am I capable of offering the service or product requested? Do I meet the evaluation criteria? and Am I willing to accept all the terms and conditions? If you answered no to any of these questions, then that particular opportunity may not be the one for you. 31

32 Security Clearance and Screening 32

33 Security Requirements A security clearance is necessary when a Government of Canada contract requires your personnel to access classified or protected information, assets or sensitive federal work sites. Security requirements are identified in the solicitation document. If the opportunity that you are interested in requires a security clearance and you do not have one, contact the contracting authority as soon as possible to get the process started. The time required to obtain a security clearance will vary and in some cases may take up to 12 months. Delays in the security process could result in your bid being declared non-responsive. 33

34 Industrial Security Program (ISP) The Industrial Security Program (ISP) is responsible for reviewing and approving Security Requirement Check Lists and providing appropriate security clauses. An ISP officer will provide you with the information, forms and support you require to begin the screening process. A link to their website can be found on Buyandsell.gc.ca, under "Resources for Businesses" 34

35 Contract Award and Payment 35

36 Starting Work It is essential to remember that without a contract in place, there is no mechanism for payment by the Government. Under no circumstance should a supplier begin work until an agreement is in place and signed by the contracting authority. The Government of Canada is not accountable for paying for any work that has been done prior to the signature of an agreement. 36

37 Purchase Orders A purchase order can be used for purchases under $25,000. The purchase order will indicate the buyer s requirements and the price they are willing to pay for the good or service. Once accepted a purchase order becomes a contractual agreement. 37

38 Payment The government has 30 days following receipt of an invoice or receipt of the goods or services, whichever is later, to issue payment before interest accrues. Government acquisition cards are issued to eligible procurement and administrative officers to permit them to buy very low dollar value goods or services. The government is moving toward a direct deposit method of payment rather than cheque check with the departments and agencies with which you do business as to whether they would like you to register for direct deposit with them. 38

39 Buyandsell.gc.ca 39

40 Buyandsell.gc.ca 40

41 OSME Contact Information Buyandsell.gc.ca National Infoline: Atlantic Region Halifax Telephone: Facsimile: Ontario Region Toronto Telephone: Toll free: Facsimile: Québec Region Montréal Telephone: Facsimile: National Capital Region Gatineau Telephone: Facsimile: Western Region Edmonton Telephone: Toll free: Facsimile: Pacific Region Vancouver Toll free: Facsimile:

42 How to Do Business with the Ontario Government

43 Who Does what? Procurement in the Ontario Government Ministry of Government and Consumer Services Supply Chain Ontario Infrastructure Ontario Other Government Agencies Broader Public Sector (Municipal, Education and Health Sectors) Assists ministries to procure IT, goods and services Establishes enterprise contracts for common goods & services for ministries - (mandatory) and agencies/pfo entities (opt) TBS is the policy owner for OPS/BPS Procurement Directives ARB is policy owner for advertising related procurements Oversight of ministry specific procurement Policy owner for accommodation and real property procurements Co-ordinates accommodation and leasehold improvements for OPS and major capital construction projects for OPS and BPS Attracts investment capital for major infrastructure projects Responsible for its own policy Procure for own agency Operate as independent entities Some have commercial mandates (e.g. LCBO, Presto) Subject to the BPS Procurement Directive Responsible for its own policy Procure for own entity Some participate in buying groups 2

44 Agenda To maximize your chances of being successful in obtaining business with the Ontario government, you should know about: Ontario Public Service Procurement Process How to Access Procurement Opportunities Vendor of Record Arrangements How to Prepare a Bid Response How to Market to the Ontario Government 3

45 4 Policy and Key Concepts

46 Procurement Policy Overview The government of Ontario has two key procurement directives: one for the Ontario Public Service (OPS) and one for the Broader Public Sector (BPS) The Directives are designed to support procurement processes in the OPS and BPS that are open, transparent and fair as well as achieve value for money The OPS Procurement Directive applies to goods, services, information technology and consulting services and to all ministries, IT clusters and certain agencies 5

47 Procurement Policy Overview (2) Both Directives reflect Ontario s trade agreement obligations covering procurement: The Agreement on Internal Trade The Ontario Quebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement The World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement 6

48 Procurement Policy Overview (3) Competitive procurement processes must be fair, transparent, open, and advertised publicly using an electronic tendering service to solicit bids for procurement contracts valued at: $25,000 or more for goods acquisitions; and, $100,000 or more for services and construction acquisitions Procurements below these thresholds do not have to be advertised using an electronic tendering service For consulting services, a competitive procurement process must be used for all consulting procurement contracts, regardless of value The Daily Commercial News and the Ministry of Transportation Registry, Appraisal and Qualification System (RAQS) may be used to advertise construction acquisitions 7

49 Where do I find Procurement Opportunities? On the ONTARIO TENDERS PORTAL In 2014, BravoSolution became Ontario s new designated electronic tendering service provider replacing MERX Networks Services include access to Ontario government open procurement opportunities such as Requests for Bids for goods or services Electronic submission of bids is being implemented Vendors will no longer be required to purchase a subscription to access and review procurement documents. Vendors can read all our procurement documents free of charge, prior to deciding whether or not to bid. The new electronic tendering service is available at ontario.ca/tenders 8

50 9 OTP Main Page

51 10 UNSPSC Selection Screen

52 Supplier Landing Page All opportunities are available to the public, but you can only submit responses once you have registered as a Supplier. 11

53 12 Opportunities Screen

54 Tips for a Stress Free Tender Read all supporting documentation thoroughly Always respond at least a day earlier than the close date Use the secure messaging tool Only upload attachments when requested Answer all relevant questions Follow all instructions Keep your username and password safe Save your work regularly! OTP Technical Support 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET - Monday to Friday Toll Free phone: Direct Phone: etenderhelp_ca@bravosolution.com 13

55 Procurement Consultation Potential vendors and/or industry associations may be consulted prior to an actual procurement to provide advice or information relevant to the procurement through: Request for Information (RFI) Vendor consultations prior to the release of the Request for Bids (RFB), or Draft RFB released for comment There is no procurement award from any of these consultation processes When the procurement process starts, all discussions with ministries must cease, except through designated contact 14

56 Procurement Documents The most common procurement documents issued by Ontario are: Request for Bids (RFB) Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Request for Services (RFS) issued under a Vendor of Record Arrangement (VOR) 15

57 Request for Bids Request for Bids (RFB): means a procurement document that requests a response from potential vendors to supply goods or services to meet government business need(s). The RFB may include specific requirements, terms and conditions. Evaluation criteria may either be focused on price alone, or price and other factors. 16

58 Request for Services Request for Services (RFS) means the document used during the second stage selection process to request submissions from a vendor (or vendors) listed on a services Vendor of Record arrangement 17

59 Vendor of Record (VOR) Arrangements One or more qualified vendors are authorized to provide goods/services for a defined time period on defined terms and conditions, including pricing, as set out in the VOR agreement Arrangements are established to reduce procurement costs, administrative redundancy and overhead when there is a need for the same goods/services Arrangements may be used by the entire government, multiministries or a single ministry (VOR arrangements typically run 3 to 4 years in duration) Use of arrangements is mandatory for the OPS and optional for approved Provincially Funded Organizations (PFO) 18

60 How to Qualify for a VOR Arrangement Monitor Ontario Tenders Portal for VOR Request for Bid (RFB) opportunities in your area of business Download RFB document(s) from Ontario Tenders Portal and submit your proposal on-line If successful, you will receive master agreement to sign to become a qualified vendor on the VOR arrangement Note: please carefully review the RFB evaluation criteria requirements as well as the terms & conditions of the master agreement 19

61 Enterprise VOR/VLA Arrangements 20 Ontario.ca/supplychain

62 21 Supply Chain Ontario Website

63 22 List of VOR Arrangements

64 23 Vendor of Record Program: Three Year Outlook 2017

65 Contractor Security Screening Vendors doing business with the Ontario Government may be required to obtain security screening checks and receive security clearance before contracts can be awarded and work undertaken Vendors will be advised in the procurement document if security screening is a requirement for a specific assignment Questions about the security screening component of the procurement process can be directed to the designated procurement contact 24

66 Conflict of Interest Conflicts of interest, both actual and potential, must be avoided during the procurement process and the ensuing contract During the procurement process vendors must: sign a declaration that they do not have confidential information that would give them an unfair advantage identify former OPS employees who participated in preparing the bid response declare if registered under the Lobbyist Registration Act 25

67 Tax Compliance To do business with Ontario, a vendor must be in compliance with their provincial tax obligations The procurement documents will include the Tax Compliance Declaration Form, that gives the ministry the right to confirm your tax status with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) The Ministry of Finance will advise the procuring ministry whether the tax compliance verification was successful You will be asked to address the matter, if the Ministry of Finance indicates that the tax compliance verification was not successful The contract will not be awarded until Ontario tax obligations are met 26

68 27 The Process

69 Procurement Process Typical procurement process includes: Consultation Issue Request for Bids Question and answer period Bid submission Bid closing Bid evaluation Conditional selection Award Debriefing 28

70 Questions & Answers Review the procurement documents carefully. There are usually one or more opportunities to seek clarification of information presented in the procurement document There will be a designated person to address questions within a period of time specified in the procurement documents There may be a vendor meeting where a presentation and question and answer period will also occur. For some procurements, there may be a site tour All questions and answers are issued as addenda (modifications in erfb) to the procurement documents and are available to all vendors who accessed the original documents Tip: Do not contact anyone other than the designated procurement contact as this could jeopardize the procurement process 29

71 Bid Submission Entering the procurement process can be a binding situation. For many procurements, you are agreeing with the terms and conditions, including the Agreement, at the time you submit your response. In procurement law this is called Contract A Typically, for these procurements there will be a period of irrevocability. For complex procurements this can be 6 months or more. During this period of irrevocability, you may not change any elements of your response regardless of market changes that may occur over the timeframe (e.g. gas prices) Tip: For complex procurements, ensure your response can withstand anticipated market changes over the period of irrevocability 30

72 Bid Evaluation The procurement documents will describe what is required and how your response will be evaluated. Evaluation can include mandatory eligibility requirements, rated requirements and pricing requirements The vendor with the highest ranked response considering all the evaluation requirements will be successful Tip: Be clear in your responses. We cannot evaluate what is not submitted in your responses even if you have done business with a ministry in the past 31

73 Award The successful vendor will be notified following the evaluation and will be asked to satisfy any outstanding requirements of the procurement (e.g. proof of insurance). The ministry will then enter into an agreement with the vendor Once the agreement is signed by the ministry, all vendors who submitted bids will be notified of the contract award and offered a debriefing Contract award notifications will also be published in the same manner the procurement was originally posted 32

74 Debriefing Vendors are entitled to know why their bid was not successful. Vendors who participate in procurements valued at $25,000 or more are offered an opportunity for a debriefing Debriefings are valuable to vendors because they provide vendors the opportunity to learn the strengths and weaknesses of their bid responses. The objective of a debriefing is to help vendors learn how to submit more competitive bids in the future 33

75 34 How to Prepare a Bid Response

76 Timetable Carefully review the procurement document and take note of all important dates including: Vendor Meetings or Site Tours Deadline for Questions Deadline for Publication of Addenda Closing Date, Time and Location 35

77 Tips for Writing Effective Proposals Review opportunities - decide to bid or not to bid Conduct preliminary assessment Is my company capable of offering the goods/services requested? Does my company meet the evaluation criteria? Does my company accept all the terms and conditions? Does my company accept the basis of payment or pricing methods? Is my company capable of winning the contract against the competition? 36

78 Best Practices for Bidding Review all key details and dates included in Part 1 of the RFB Ensure that your bid is structured as set out in Part 2 Contents of a Complete Bid. This can also be used as a checklist to assist in bid preparation Review the deliverables in detail to ensure that you understand the ministry s business requirements Ensure that all mandatory requirements set out in the Bid such as certifications or bonding are included with the bid, if requested Respond to all rated requirements regardless of points value Review the terms and conditions of the Bid All OPS procurements are covered by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) accessible procurement requirements, regardless of value 37

79 Requirements Pricing The procurement document will tell you: what costs should be included in your response (e.g. delivery, travel, maintenance) how to present these costs (e.g. per unit, total cost) in your response 38

80 Form of Agreement The Procurement Document will include a Form of Agreement (or Contract) that you will be required to sign The Form of Agreement is a legal agreement that will also be signed by the ministry if you are successful Unless indicated in the procurement document, the Form of Agreement cannot be amended 39

81 40 Marketing to the Ontario Government

82 Take Advantage of Public Information Information about the government s mandate, programs, priorities, and budget cycle are available through documents like the budget, Throne Speech, ministry business plans, and press releases all of which can be found on the government s website The more you learn about our priorities, challenges and needs, the better you will be able to position your organization to do business with the government This information will also help you to determine who is most likely to be in the market for your goods or services. You can then use use the Ontario government directory: 41

83 42 INFO-GO Website

84 43 Doing Business with the Government Website

85 Supply Chain Ontario Internet Website (2) 44

86 45 Marketplace Canada

87 46 Marcan Screenshot

88 Ontario Budget

89 Supply Ontario Ottawa SUPPLY ONTARIO Reverse Trade Show Tuesday, November 8, 2016 from 1:00 pm 5:30 pm Shenkman Arts Centre 245 Centrum Boulevard, Ottawa, Ontario, K1E 0A1 Cost: Complimentary Join the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and our partners at the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Growth and Public Service Procurement Canada for our annual reverse trade show that brings vendors and buyers together. Learn how to sell to the province of Ontario, and meet buyers and program staff from ministries and agencies of the province as well as other levels of government. For more information please contact: 48

90 Additional Information Resources and Contact Information for: Ministry of Government and Consumer Services Ontario Shared Services Supply Chain Ontario Website: ontario.ca/supplychain Queen s Printer for Ontario,

91 EMOP Elgin Middlesex Oxford Purchasing Cooperative Working together to promote efficiency, economy, and effectiveness in the purchasing management field.

92 Who are we? EMOP is a group of 35 public sector and broader public sector agencies. Our membership includes municipalities, health care agencies, transit commissions, education and social service organizations, libraries, public utilities and conservation authorities. Complete member agency list can be found at: EMOP website access

93 EMOP Executive Executive is made up of 1 representative from each geographic area (Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford) Chairperson: Eric Stockmann (UTRCA Middlesex) First co-chair: Mike Hoogstra (County of Elgin) Second co-chair: Scott Boughner (County of Oxford)

94 History Originally formed in 1998 through forming a Co-operative of three existing purchasing Co-operative groups (London/St. Thomas/Elgin-Oxford) 25 agencies formed the original EMOP Many EMOP member representatives are members of OPBA (Ontario Public Buyers Association)

95 Collaborative Purchases We purchase 28 different commodities collaboratively 22 are called by members; 6 are OSS VOR contracts Agencies with a purchasing agent can call group tenders Not every agency participates in all contracts The calling agency s policy or by-law governs the bid call

96 Commodity List

97 How to bid on collaborative contracts Our calling agencies use a variety of e-procurement solutions: Biddingo esolutions Merx OTP (Bravo) Watch for bid calls on agency websites as well

98 Contact Information EMOP Chairperson: Website: EMOP website access Member agency websites We look forward to working together!

99 Doing Business with the City of London We are OPEN for Business!

100 Overview of the City: The City of London is compromised of Fire Services, Engineering & Environmental Services, Fleet Services, Facilities Design and Construction, Community Services, IT Services, Parks & Recreation and Planning. Separate Boards and Commissions exist for Police Services, Public Transit, Library Services, Housing Development Corporation, London Hydro and Museum London. 2

101 What we Buy: All Goods and Services for City use and there is Cooperation with Boards and Commissions. Annual spending is approximately $300M Over 1200 contracts are maintained Request for Tender calls are approximately 100+ annually and Request for Proposals are approximately 50+ annually The City is an active member of the EMOP (Elgin Middlesex Oxford Purchasing Cooperative) 3

102 Role of Purchasing and Supply: OUR MISSION To obtain the right goods and/or services when needed while achieving best value through a transparent, fair and competitive process with a high focus on Customer Service. 4

103 Procurement of Goods and Services Policy Promotes Best Value; through Open, Fair, Transparent and Competitive Procurement processes The Current Policy has been in place since late 2009 and was developed in accordance with National benchmarking, the previous by-law and other City documents combined The Current Policy version is May 27, (Can be found at London.ca under Purchasing & Supply) 5

104 How to Bid on Opportunities: Biddingo.com 6

105 Contact Information: Monitor the Biddingo website for opportunities. We can also be reached at or Our office is located at 267 Dundas Street, 4 th Floor, London, Ontario. Thanks for your time and interest! 7

106 Procurement & Supply Services Manager: John Freeman Contact: x or Mission Statement To obtain the right goods and/or services when needed while achieving best value through a transparent, fair and competitive process with a high focus on Customer Service. Procurement Services Manage > 1300 City Contracts for Goods & Services Manage Procurement of $300M+ annually Each year Procurement completes approximately: 100 Request for Tenders, 60 Request for Proposals, 25 Single/Sole Source Purchases and over 300 Informal and Formal Request for Quotations Custom Procurement of Unique Goods & Services Value Added Services including Biddingo bidding services to maximize competition Customer Focus Driven Staff Specializing in Advanced Public Procurement Advanced Commodity Forecasting Spend Analysis/Planning Leverage Spend with Elgin Middlesex Oxford Purchasing Cooperative Supply Chain Management Total Cost of Ownership Analysis Cross Service Area Supply Analysis Shared Service (Opportunity Analysis) Value Added Service for Corporate Support (Legal, Risk, H&S) Energy Procurement Management Support Supply Operations with appropriate contracts Disposal of Surplus Assets through GovDeals Supply Services Operate three Stores warehouse locations on multiple shifts with a talented Supply Services Staff trained to support a wide variety of unique City facilities and equipment 24/7 Inventory Support for Fleet, Water, Wastewater, Facilities, Transportation Operations, Community Services, Parks & Recreation and many other customers (stock and non-stock needs) Maintain $1M in inventory with a turnover rate of > 4 times annually while attempting to support a zero stock out philosophy Regularly review inventory usage and identify obsolete or slow moving items for deletion/return in addition to new items to add Supply Services Staff: Ops Manager Steve Mollon x Located at Greenway PCC, AJ Tyler and Exeter Road Operations Centers Procurement Services Staff: Ops Manager - Geoff Smith x Located at 267 Dundas Street (4 th floor J. Allyn Taylor) Clients Community Services Environmental Services Construction Administration Facilities Design & Construction Financial Services Planning & Development City Manager s Office Information Technology Services London Fire Services Regional Water Supply