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Backgrounder - The Request for Proposal Process

Procurement Policy – Working with Vendors for the Pottersburg Cleanup

Ontario has announced it plans to remove and destroy PCB contaminated soil that is housed in four vaults (cells) in the City of London. Potential contractors are required to submit proposals to do the work involved in the excavation, removal and destruction of PCB impacted soils, sediments and debris stored in the vaults, as well as the completion of remedial and site restoration work.

How is the proposal being made available?

The Request for Proposal has been posted on MERX, which is an internet-based electronic bulletin board that provides information on proposal opportunities for several governments across Canada. The web site for MERX can be found at www.merx.com.

What is in the Request for Proposal (RFP)?

The RFP outlines the project objectives and a description of the work to be done. It requires any interested contractors to prepare a management plan and a work plan which stipulate who will be doing the work and how they plan to complete it. It will include sampling and analysis requirements, dust control and containment plans, an off-site air monitoring plan, an on-site ground water monitoring plan, and an erosion control and storm water management and monitoring plan. A plan that outlines steps to be taken in the event that anything unexpected or unforeseen occurs also needs to be included to ensure that all work involved in this project is completed in a way that is safe for everyone working and living in the area and protects the natural environment.
The interested contractors will also have to submit a plan that provides for effective communication and interaction with the community, including:

• a proposal for an initial Public Information Session
• a process for receiving, recording and addressing concerns and complaints from the public and area businesses
• information on acquiring transportation to a licensed disposal facility
• the development of a web site that will include information on sample monitoring results, a description of upcoming events and contact information.

The interested contractors will be responsible for site security, health and safety of the community and its workers, and providing status reports during the operation, and matters connected to bringing the site back to the industrial use standards once the contaminated material is removed.

The evaluation criteria that the government will use to choose a successful proponent is clearly set out in the RFP documents.

How do interested contractors respond to a Request for Proposal?

The ministry will require that proposals be submitted in writing. The RFP clearly sets out the scope of the work and relevant standards which must be met so that contractors are able to determine exactly what it is they are bidding on.

Interested contractors are required to attend a mandatory site visit and meeting. They will have an opportunity to discuss questions at the meeting, and a record of the discussion will then be prepared and provided to all the participants. If necessary, the record of discussion will include more detailed answers to the questions.

The RFP is posted on MERX website www.merx.com for 50 days. The deadline date for the proposal submission is October 2, 2008.

How will the proposals be evaluated and the contract awarded?

The selection of a contractor will be based on the effectiveness of the proposed solution, not necessarily the lowest cost. The evaluation involves four stages – first, proposals must meet all mandatory requirements; second, proposals are rated according to criteria outlined in the RFP; third, there is an evaluation of pricing and finally, there are detailed reference checks.

For the initial screening, proposals which do not meet or include all the mandatory requirements will be disqualified and not evaluated further.

For stage two, rating criteria include points for experience and qualifications, and the quality of the proposed plans as outlined in the RFP such as: schedule of site activities; proposed operational hours; detailed procedures needed to maintain the safety of the public, workers and the environment; information and equipment; contingency planning; destruction and disposal plans; and, a summary of the proposed restoration plan. Bidders must surpass a cut-off requirement for each of these criteria before being considered further at stage three, which is an evaluation based on price.
Finally, the selection of the highest scoring contract proposal will be subject to reference checks, tax clearance from the Ministry of Revenue, and proof of insurance and submission of documents regarding the professional authorization and standing of engineers and geoscientists that will be working on the project.

Proposals received will be reviewed by a team of ministry specialists and approved by senior government officials. The ministry has retained the services of an independent Fairness Advisor to facilitate the RFP evaluation sessions, oversee the entire RFP evaluation process and ensure that the ministry has conducted the RFP evaluation in a fair and transparent manner. The successful contractor will be notified when the contract is awarded. The contract will set out the responsibilities of the ministry and the contractor. Prices may decrease under the terms of the contract, and may increase, but only under special circumstances. Contracts include cancellation clauses, and describe how the vendor's performance may be evaluated.