East Block Rehabilitation Project

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. East Block Rehabilitation Project Requirement
3. Fairness Monitor Attestation of Assurance
4. Scope and Objectives of the Fairness Monitor Assignment
5. Fairness Monitor Methodologies, Activities and Specific Findings
   1. 5.1 RFP Phase
   2. 5.2 RFP Evaluation Phase
6. Reference Documents

1. Introduction

As Fairness Monitor, Hallux Consulting Inc. (hereafter referred to as the Fairness Monitor) hereby submits its Fairness Monitor Final Report pertaining to the competitive procurement process for the Prime Architecture Services (PAS) - East Block Rehabilitation Project undertaken by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) through Request for Proposal Number EP747-141835/A.

Hallux Consulting Inc. is an independent third party with respect to this activity. We reviewed all of the information provided and observed all relevant activities as described below and in accordance with our mandate.

A one-phase selection process approach with a two envelope evaluation was used for this procurement.

This FM Final Report covers the activities of the Fairness Monitor chronologically, commencing with providing feedback on the draft request for proposal (RFP), review of the final RFP and amendments posted to buyandsell.gc.ca, review and comment on questions posed by interested suppliers on the RFP, observation of two site visits for prospective bidders, through to bid closing and continuing with the evaluation and selection process.

2. East Block Rehabilitation Project Requirement

The request for proposal was issued by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to retain an individual consulting firm or joint venture, together with a multidisciplinary team of sub consultants, for the provision of professional services (Architectural & Engineering Services) for the East Block Rehabilitation Project.

The rehabilitation of the East Block is part of a master plan laid out in the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP). The LTVP is a comprehensive 25 year plan and program of work to rehabilitate the Parliament buildings, provide additional parliamentary accommodations and create a secure and welcoming environment for parliamentarians, staff, visitors and tourists.

The firm or joint venture selected to provide architecture services is expected to carry out investigations and analysis as required, prepare the design, prepare construction tender documents, provide contract administration during construction including resident site services, cost, scheduling and project control, commissioning and risk management services required for this project. A Construction Manager as Advisor (CMA) will be engaged separately by PWGSC to provide construction advisory services for the project.

The RFP involved a two envelope approach with mandatory requirements and a minimum technical threshold (envelope one) as a prerequisite to the financial evaluation (envelope two).

3. Attestation of Assurance

It is the opinion of the Fairness Monitor that the competitive procurement process for the Prime Architecture Services of the East Block Rehabilitation Project was conducted in a fair, open and transparent manner.

_____________________________
Howard DuBois, CIA
Contractor Representative

Date: April 10, 2014

4. Scope and Objectives of the Fairness Monitor Assignment

The overall objective of the assignment was to provide PWGSC with independent and fairness related observations.

Our Fairness Monitor Services included the provision of fairness related observations during the period prior to and during the issuance of the RFP and up to the bid closing, continuing through the evaluation process and the selection of the successful bidder.

5. Fairness Monitor Methodologies, Activities and Specific Findings

5.1 RFP Phase

During the period of December 16, 2013 to March 14, 2014, the Fairness Monitor Specialist (FM Specialist) reviewed:

• the preliminary version of the RFP;
• the RFP (EP747-141835/A) published on buyandsell.gc.ca February 5, 2014 with a bid close date of March 17, 2014; and
• a summary of the responses submitted by potential bidders to the RFP.

The FM Specialist also observed two optional site visits of approximately an hour in duration which took place on February 19, 2014 and February 26, 2014 for prospective bidders. During this site visit, prospective bidders had an opportunity to view the exterior of the East Block. PWGSC officials provided an overview of the planned scope of work. Participants in the site visits were requested to send their questions in writing and answers were provided. During the RFP period, which was extended by three days, 50 questions were submitted, and ten amendments were issued, of which three were initiated by PWGSC and the balance were in response to the questions posed. Four bids were received by March 20, 2014.

Fairness related comments were provided when deemed appropriate throughout this period. All comments were addressed appropriately by project officials and as necessary were dealt with through the questions and answers process and the amendments to the Final RFP. A total of four bidders responded to the Final RFP.

No fairness issue were noted during the RFP phase.

5.2 RFP Evaluation Phase

During the period of March 21 to 28, 2014, the Fairness Monitor Specialist observed:

• the training provided to the team of four evaluators^{Footnote 1};
• the distribution of the proposals and the individual evaluator scoring sheets and the signature of the confidentiality and conflict of interest statements;
• mandatory evaluation sheets for the four bidders. All of them were deemed compliant;
• the technical evaluation sessions March 26, 2014 to March 28, 2014, which were undertaken in a consistent fashion and by consensus of all the evaluation board members;
• the presentation by the four bidders March 27 and 28, 2014, which was part of the technical rating process;
• the calculation of the final scores for the technical rating;
• the opening of the price proposal envelopes; and
• the calculation of the final technical and financial scores using an Excel spreadsheet.

The FM Specialist observed that the evaluation processes and instructions published in the Final RFP, the RFP amendments and the Evaluation Plan and Guidelines were followed during the evaluation phase. Comments were provided by the FM Specialist as required throughout the evaluation process to the Technical Team and the Contracting Authority. All comments were addressed appropriately by project officials. No fairness issues were identified. As a result, the evaluation process was carried out in a fair, open and transparent manner.

6. Reference Documents

The following documents are referenced by number in the attached report. Unless otherwise indicated, these documents are available through the PWGSC procurement office.

Table Summary

The following table includes a list of documents referred to in the report such as the Request for Proposal (RFP), amendments, clarification letters, debriefing letters, etc. Each row is numbered, followed by the document title, then a document identifier such as a date or document number.

Reference Documents

No.	Document	Additional information
1	Request for Proposal	Request for Proposal documents released on buyandsell.gc.ca on February 5, 2014
2	Amendment No. 001	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on February 05, 2014
3	Amendment No. 002	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on February 12, 2014
4	Amendment No. 003	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on February 20, 2014
5	Amendment No. 004	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on February 24, 2014
6	Amendment No. 005	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on February 26, 2014
7	Amendment No. 006	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on March 03, 2014
8	Amendment No. 007	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on March 04, 2014
9	Amendment No. 008	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on March 06, 2014
10	Amendment No. 009	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on March 11, 2014
11	Amendment No. 010	Released on buyandsell.gc.ca on March 14, 2014
12	Evaluation Board Procedures - A guide to the evaluation board, July 2013	Distributed to the Technical team at the evaluators' training meeting held on March 21, 2014

Addendum to the Final Report
September 12, 2014

Addendum to Fairness Monitor Final Report dated April 10, 2014 on the competitive procurement process for the Prime Architecture Services for the East Block Rehabilitation Project undertaken by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) through Request for Proposal Number EP747‐141835/A.

This Addendum to the Fairness Monitor Final Report covers the period following the conclusion of the evaluation phase during which the contract was awarded and debriefings were provided to unsuccessful bidders.

The successful bidder was selected and the contract awarded on July 18, 2014. The unsuccessful bidders were advised of the results by email on July 18, 2014. Pursuant to requests from each of the three unsuccessful bidders, feedback on their bids was provided verbally in one-on-one debriefings held on September 4 and 9^th, 2014. The FM observed each of the debriefings.

FM Attestation of Assurance

The FM hereby provides the following unqualified assurance statement concerning the Prime Architecture Services for the East Block Rehabilitation Project: It is our professional opinion that the competitive procurement process we observed was carried out in a fair, open and transparent manner.

_____________________________
Howard DuBois, CIA
Contractor Representative