Virtual Language Training Services (10073913)

2021-11-30 00:00:00

None

2021/12/14 14:00 Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Canada

Public Works and Government Services Canada

Public Works and Government Services Canada

Canada

Open

PW-21-00976563

10073913

Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier. Definition of the requirement The Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada has a requirement for a part-time individual tutoring/self-paced learning program, using a virtual modeled approach and requires a qualified language school to provide tailored language training services to approximately 55 learners through a phased in approach. Phase one (1) will be for a maximum of 40 learners to commence training from date of contract award with all 40 learners, learning concurrently. Phase two (2) will be up to a maximum of 15 additional learners to commence 5 months post contract award date with the 15 additional learners, learning concurrently. The training will allow employees in bilingual positions to maintain their proficiency or to develop their second language. The learners will require a combination of personal, self-paced study through a virtual learning program followed by weekly virtual tutoring sessions in preparation for the Public Service Commission (PSC) second language evaluation and training to maintain current language levels. Of the 55 learners, 95% of them require French tutoring and 5% require English tutoring. At the end of the training session, the learners should have a good understanding of the PSC’s second language evaluation and be able to apply tips and tools to their day to day activities. The supplier is responsible for providing all the required training material. The learning material in support of the activities must be provided by the school in an electronic, on-line module format. The Contractor who delivers the tutoring services, must be able to provide tutoring services to learners that deliver, enable and support bilingual language training in French and English in accordance with the Government of Canada Qualification Standards in Relation to Official Languages; Tutoring services must enable students to maintain and improve their language skills in accordance with Government of Canada Qualifications Standards in Relation to Official Languages. The work will involve the following: Assessment: The Contractor must evaluate, by virtual platform, each user to determine their proficiency level for each of the three language skills (written comprehension in the second official language; written expression in the second official language; and oral proficiency in the second official language) according to the Government of Canada Qualification Standards in Relation to Official Languages (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/gui/squn03-eng.asp). Training Plan/Schedule: The Contractor must provide a training plan tailored to the proficiency level of each user, levels A, B, or C, along with the estimated number of hours of training. We require a flexible learning approach that adapts to our employees’ different schedules and as such the tutoring sessions must be offered between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST/DST from Monday to Friday. The students will require 3 to 9 hours of weekly self-paced study with a virtual learning program followed by 1 to 3 hours of weekly individual tutoring sessions done virtually– to be scheduled in advance. Tutoring services must be delivered on an as and when requested basis. Progress Reporting: The feedback on the activities must be provided verbally during or after each activity. Online progress reports (End of Session Reports) as well as absence reports on each learner are to be made available to departmental contract management team. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements) Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements: Experience: The Contractor must clearly demonstrate in their Statement of Capabilities that their proposed resources have experience providing bilingual (English and French) language training to adult learners, by remote tutoring through a virtual platform for a minimum of three (3) years within the last seven (7) years, at the beginner (Level A), intermediate (Level B) and advanced (Level C) levels. To demonstrate the experience accumulated, the Contractor must provide, as a minimum, the following information for each of the language levels—beginner (Level A), intermediate (Level B) and/or advanced (Level C): Name(s) of client organizations receiving the services; Start and end dates of the tutoring services provided (month/year to month/year); Total number of hours for each period We require, at minimum, the following amount of tutoring hours per Level: Beginner (Level A): 1,000 hours of tutoring (minimum) Intermediate (Level B):1,000 hours of tutoring (minimum) Advanced (Level C): 3,000 hours of tutoring (minimum) Knowledge and understanding of Online Module Language Training: The Contractor must provide learners with access to a software that delivers, enables and supports bilingual language training in French and English; The software must provide a fully interactive self-study modular based French and English language training program; The software must be able to run and function properly within the technical environment described above, including any laptop or desktop without the requirement to connect to any outside server for any reason whatsoever; The software must provide language training content at the levels A, B, and C in accordance with the Government of Canada Qualification Standards in Relation to Official Languages; The software must enable users to prepare individually for Second Language Evaluation tests (English and French) prescribed by the Public Service Commission of Canada. The Contractor must also provide learners with access to a web portal that delivers, enables and supports bilingual language training in French and English; The web portal must be able to run and function properly within the technical environment described above, including any laptop, desktop or server; The web portal must provide language training content at the levels A, B, and C in accordance with the Government of Canada; Qualification Standards in Relation to Official Languages; The web portal must enable users to prepare individually for Second Language Evaluation tests (English and French) prescribed by the Public Service Commission of Canada; The web portal must be available 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week/365 days a year; The web portal must enable users to register and provide personal data in an automated and secure environment; The web portal must enable users to access their personal profile via a password, including their training schedule (number of hours of training per week and the course schedule with the tutor); The web portal must enable administrators to monitor activities and download usage, and performance reports of all users; The web portal must enable administrators to track the hours billed for any training session and enable administrators to download invoices; The web portal must ensure the security of personal data and Information. The web portal must be accessible from a computer compatible with at minimum four (4) out of the six (6) technical requirements: Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Mac OS 10.X, Internet Explorer 11; Adobe Shockwave Player; and Adobe Flash Player ActiveX and Plugin. Academic qualifications: The Contractor must clearly demonstrate in their Statement of Capabilities that their proposed resources have at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in the field of education, delivered by a recognized Canadian institution or a minimum of three (3) years’ education experience acquired in the last five (5) years, professional attainment related to second language training. To demonstrate their education, the Contractor must provide a copy of the university degree, Professional designation, accreditation, and/or certification from a recognized Canadian institution. The Teaching Resources who do not hold a university degree degree in the field of education from a recognized Canadian institution, but with at least three (3) years’ experience acquired in the last five (5) years in teaching French and/or English as a second language to adults, by remote tutoring through a virtual platform or in class tutoring, should demonstrate this by providing a detailed resume of experience. 4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s) Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA). 5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier It is the intent of the department to enter into a contract with Language Research Development Group (LRDG) to provide identified individuals with virtual language training services through online self-paced module exercises and coaching sessions. The requirement for this type of specific language training services has been solicited competitively in the past and LRDG was the only one to bid which leads us to believe they are the only ones capable of performing this work. 6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s) The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work". 7. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date The proposed contract is for a period of one (1) years, from date of April 1st 2022 to March 31st 2023. There is an option to extend the term of the Contract by up to two (2) additional one (1) year period(s) under the same conditions. 8. Cost estimate of the proposed contract The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $140,990.00 (GST/HST extra). 9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier Language Research Development Group (LRDG) 1407 Rue St Alexandre, Site 300 Montreal, Quebec H3A 2G3 10. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements. 11. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is December 14, 2021, EST. 12. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: Sara Bulhoes Procurement Officer Departmental Acquisitions Services Tel: (873) 355-4903 Statements of Capabilities are to be submitted to the following email address: Sara.Bulhoes@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Bulhoes, Sara

sara.bulhoes@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

873-355-4903

300 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa ON K1A 0S5 CA