1. business and industrial
2. construction

THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF NIAGARA
REQUEST FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION
FOR
IT DATA CENTER AND BACK UP GENERATORS STATION
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
DOCUMENT NUMBER: 2014-RFPQ-09
ISSUE DATE: DECEMBER 10, 2014
CLOSING LOCATION:
CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF NIAGARA
CAMPBELL WEST BUILDING
2201 ST. DAVID’S ROAD
THOROLD, ONTARIO, L2V 4T7
ATTN: TIM CHEN, PURCHASING SERVICES
CLOSING DATE AND TIME:
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015
2:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME
Document source: Request for Prequalification
Revised October 16, 2014
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Table of Contents
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION
DESCRIPTION
PAGE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
3
2.0
SUMMARY AND SCOPE OF WORK
3
3.0
PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS
3
4.0
MANDATORY & MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
4
5.0
EVALUATION
4
6.0
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
5
7.0
RESERVED RIGHTS
6
8.0
PROCUREMENT BY-LAW
6
9.0
DE-BRIEFING
6
10.0
LOBBYING RESTRICTIONS
7
11.0
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
7
APPENDIX
DESCRIPTION
PAGE
A
MILESTONE SCHEDULE
9
B
PRE-QUALIFICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
10
C
CHECKLIST OF MANDATORY SUBMISSIONS
11
2
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Form of Submission
1.0
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
INTRODUCTION
The Regional Municipality of Niagara needs to establish a list of qualified interested firms
to submit bids through the competitive tender process for the construction of the IT Data
Centre and back up Generators at the Regional HQ located in Thorold, ON. This project
is a building addition to a current building, Campbell West of Niagara Region’s
Headquarters, 2201 St. David’s Road, Thorold, ON, L2V 4T7.
This document is a solicitation for information only and may not be construed as a
commitment of any kind. This pre-qualification is a general call intended to capture the
maximum number of eligible interested firms together with company specific information
about the interested firms responding to the call. It shall be at the discretion of the
Region to accept or reject responses from any proponent who elects to submit
proposals.
Only pre-qualified interested firms will be permitted to submit bids for the IT Data Centre
and back up Generators project. To prequalify a proponent must:
1) Meet or exceed mandatory requirements, and
2) Attain a score of 75 or above on the evaluated requirements.
To ensure adequate competition, the Owner reserves the right to re-issue this
prequalification to additional interested firms as needed.
2.0
SUMMARY AND SCOPE OF WORK
The Region has decided to construct the new 2,200 square foot IT Data Centre facility
and back up Generators station. New facilities will completely replace currently used for
the same purpose facilities.
The Scope of Work will be to provide with all required materials, labour and equipment
for construction of the new IT Data Centre and back up Generators station in
accordance with Tender drawings and specifications.
The type of final Contract will be a stipulated sum.
The intention is to start site construction in 2015 calendar year, see Appendix A.
3.0
PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS
The purpose of this call for pre-qualification is to obtain a sufficient number of qualified
General Contractors based on the criteria developed by the Region and set out in this
RFPQ, to participate in a competitive tender process and undertake the work associated
with this project.
Applicants must follow the format identified in the following sections of this document.
The format has been designed to facilitate efficient evaluation of RFPQ submissions.
In the event that any applicant has questions as to any terms, conditions or provisions of
this call for pre-qualification, or the meaning or interpretation thereof, they may request
information or clarification by submitting such requests, in writing, by fax or by e-mail to
the following:
3
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Form of Submission
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
Contact: Tim Chen, Purchasing Services
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 905-685-4225, ext 3470.
Fax:
905-682-8521
4.0
MANDATORY & MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Applicants interested in submitting a response to this call for pre-qualification are to
submit the following mandatory requirements. A summary is included as Appendix C.
4.1
Completed Pre-qualification Acknowledgement Form as provided in Appendix B
4.2
Completed CCDC 11 – 1996(R2006) Contractor’s Qualification Statement. The
number of projects identified in each appendix section is limited to a minimum of
three and maximum of five.
4.3
Letter from a recognized surety, confirming their willingness and ability to provide a
100% Performance Bond and 100% Labour and Material Payment Bond for the
applicant.
4.4
Submission of a valid certificate or other proof of $5M commercial general liability
insurance. Additional insurance requirements may be requested by the Region at
time of tender.
4.5
Copy of applicant’s health and safety policy.
4.6
Current copy of WSIB clearance certificate and CAD 7 WSIB rating form.
4.7
Letter of commitment stating applicant’s intention to be pre-qualified and, if short
listed, to participate in the formal tender process.
4.8
Confirmation of applicant’s ability to undertake the work and meet the proposed
construction schedule identified in Appendix A.
4.9
Applicant to disclose if there are past, current or pending claims or legal actions
with Niagara Region or other municipalities, provincial or federal agencies.
4.10 Letter from applicant’s financial institution regarding the general financial position
of the company, including a named reference and contact information.
4.11 Resumes of key personnel including, as a minimum, construction project manager
and site superintendent for general contractor submissions and project manager
and foreman for mechanical/electrical subcontractor submissions.
5.0
EVALUATION
The evaluation of RFPQ submissions will be based on the applicant’s ability to complete
projects on time, within budget and with a minimum of risk. The Region reserves the
right to use its own judgment in rating each of the submissions with the objective of
minimizing risk. In addition to the mandatory requirements outlined in Section 4,
submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
4
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Form of Submission
Category
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
Available
Points
Corporate Profile
20 pts.
Related Projects &
Prior Experience
50 pts.
Corporate Polices &
Safety
15 pts.
References & Past
Performance
15 pts.
Maximum Score
Evaluation Criteria
 Number of years company in business
 Average annual construction volume (last 5
years)
 Capacity to complete the proposed project
 Office location in relation to Project Site
 Experience with Data Centre facilities
 Experience with Generators facilities
 Experience with LEED buildings
 Experience with projects of similar size,
scope & complexity
 Proposed staff experience and resumes
 Safety policy - content and quality
 Safety record – last five years
 Management processes and methodologies
 Applicants core business profile
 Selection process and access to sub-trades
 History of previous or existing claims or legal
actions with Niagara Region or other
municipalities
 Owners references within the last 5 years
 Consultants references within the last 5 years
 Authorities references within the last 5 years
100 pts.
In order to pre-qualify for the project, applicants must score greater than or equal to the
minimum score of 75 points. The Region reserves the right in its sole discretion to clarify
any submission after the closing date. The Region reserves the right to interview any or
all applicants to obtain information about or clarification of their submission. In the event
that the Region receives information at any stage of the evaluation process which results
in earlier information provided by the applicant being deemed by the Region to be
inaccurate, incomplete or misleading, the Region reserves the right to revisit the
Proponent’s evaluation result.
6.0
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Six (six) sets of documents and one digital copy in PDF format are required to be
submitted with each proposal. At least one set must carry original signatures, bonding
letter, insurance verification and WSIB forms and be marked as “MASTER”. Additional
sets may be a photocopy and marked as “DUPLICATE”. Submissions are to be
submitted in sealed packages with the applicants name and RFPQ number clearly
marked on the outside of the package.
The Region may, in its sole discretion, disqualify applicants who fail, in the opinion of the
Region, to meet the requirements of the call for prequalification.
5
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Form of Submission
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
The Region reserves the right to revise this call for prequalification prior to the due date.
Revisions shall be detailed in an addendum and posted on the Region’s website.
Date and Place for Receiving Submissions
Submissions will be received by the Corporate Services Department, The Regional
Municipality of Niagara, Campbell West, 2201 St. David's Road, P.O. Box 1042, Thorold,
Ontario, L2V 4T7, attention: Tim Chen, Purchasing Services, until 2:00:00 p.m. local
time, January 15, 2015.
No further information will be made available at that time. Niagara Region will not, under
any circumstances, reimburse any applicant for any costs associated with the
preparation of the RFPQ.
Fax submissions will not be accepted.
7.0
RESERVED RIGHTS
In addition to any other right expressed or implied in this Request for Prequalification, the Region reserves the right to:
a) make public the names of any or all applicants and members of a applicant's
team;
b) request written clarification of any element of any Pre-qualification from any
applicant and incorporate an applicant’s response to that request into the
applicant’s Pre-qualification;
c) clarify or verify with any Applicant or with a third party any information set out
in a Pre-qualification;
d) check references other than those provided by any applicant;
e) disqualify or invalidate any Pre-qualification that contains material
misrepresentations or any other materially inaccurate or misleading
information;
f) make changes, including substantial changes, to this Request for Prequalification provided that those changes are issued by way of addenda;
g) if a single Pre-qualification is received, reject the Pre-qualification of the sole
Applicant and cancel this RFPQ process or enter into direct negotiations with
the sole Applicant.
8.0
PROCUREMENT BY-LAW
Submissions will be solicited, received, evaluated, accepted and processed in
accordance with the Region’s Procurement By-law as amended from time to time. The
Purchasing By-Law can be viewed on the Region’s website, www.niagararegion.ca.
9.0
DE-BRIEFING
After the RFPQ process is complete, an unsuccessful applicant may request a debriefing
session to discuss their submission. The applicant may contact the Purchasing
representative, as specified in the bid document. The project representative will conduct
a debriefing, by telephone, for the purpose of explaining the evaluation process,
discussing the applicant’s submission and its ranking, and explaining why the applicant’s
submission was not selected. Only the submission of the unsuccessful applicant will be
reviewed.
6
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Form of Submission
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
10.0
LOBBYING RESTRICTIONS
(a)
Suppliers, their staff members, or anyone involved in preparing Bids shall not engage in
any form of political or other lobbying whatsoever or seek to influence the outcome of the
purchasing process or subsequent Award. This restriction extends to all of the
Corporation’s staff and members of Council.
The Corporation may reject any Bid by a Supplier that engages in such lobbying, without
further consideration, and may terminate that Supplier’s right to continue in the
purchasing process.
(b)
(c)
During a Bid Solicitation process, all communications shall be made through Purchasing
Services. No Supplier or person acting on behalf of a Supplier or group of Suppliers,
shall contact any elected official, consultant or any employee of the Corporation to
attempt to seek information or to influence the Award.
(d)
Elected officials shall refer any inquiries about a Bid Solicitation process to the
Commissioner of Corporate Services.
11.0
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
(a)
The Corporation encourages competitive bidding and an open, accountable and
transparent process for the Purchase of Goods and/or Services.
(b)
To maintain the integrity of the Bid Solicitation process, Suppliers who believe they have
been treated unfairly in a Bid Solicitation process shall submit a Substantive Objection to
the Director of Procurement and Strategic Acquisitions providing sufficient detail
regarding their complaint within:
(i)
7 days from the conclusion of the Bid opening process for Request for
Quotations or Request for Tenders.
(ii)
7 days of the Supplier being notified of the results of a Request for PreQualification or Request for Expressions of Interest or Request for Proposals.
(c)
The Director of Procurement and Strategic Acquisitions will arrange a debriefing with the
Supplier to explain the Bid Solicitation process that led to the selection of the successful
Supplier.
(d)
The Director of Procurement and Strategic Acquisitions will investigate the complaint
and will make a recommendation to the Commissioner of Corporate Services/Treasurer,
CAO or Council, as appropriate.
(e)
To ensure that the Dispute Resolution process for the particular Bid Solicitation process
is seen to be fair and impartial, elected officials shall not advocate on behalf of Suppliers
who have submitted a Substantive Objection.
(f)
Should a Supplier continue to have concerns respecting the Award and the decision, the
Supplier may then request, in writing to the Commissioner of Corporate
Services/Treasurer, a mediator, to assist in resolving any outstanding issues between
the Supplier and the Corporation.
(g)
The recommended mediator will be approved by both the Supplier and the Corporation.
(h)
The mediator shall make his/her best efforts to assist the parties to reach a mutually
acceptable solution.
7
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Form of Submission
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
(i)
Costs for the mediator shall be equally shared by the Supplier and the Corporation.
(j)
Any resolution reached through the mediation process shall remain confidential if
requested by either of the parties.
8
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Appendices
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
APPENDIX A
MILESTONE SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE:
Task
Duration
Estimated Start
Contractor Pre-qualification
4 weeks
January 2015
Tender & Award
4 weeks
March 2015
Construction
9 months
June 2015
9
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Appendices
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
APPENDIX B
PRE-QUALIFICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
I/We the undersigned, having carefully examined all sections of this request for pre-qualification
for [insert type of service/discipline] for the [insert name of project], do hereby affirm acceptance
of the prequalification requirements and process.
I/We, the undersigned, acknowledge receipt of addenda numbers ___ to ___ inclusive and
my/our response submitted addresses the information contained in these addenda.
_________________________________________________________________________
Discipline: (General Contractor, Mechanical Subcontractor, Electrical Subcontractor)
_________________________________________________________________________
Company: (Must Show Correct Legal Company Name)
_________________________________________________________________________
Address
_____________________
City
_____________________
Province
____________________
Postal Code
_____________________
Telephone Number
_____________________
Fax Number
____________________
Email Address
Signatures:
__________________________
Authorized Signature
____________________________
Name & Title
_________________
Date
__________________________
Witness
____________________________
Name & Title
_________________
Date
(I have the authority to bind the Corporation)
(Please Print)
(Please Print)
10
The Regional Municipality of Niagara
Appendices
Construction of IT Data Centre and Back Up Generator Station
Document Number 2014-RFPQ-09
APPENDIX C
CHECKLIST OF MANDATORY SUBMISSIONS
The following checklist is not a complete list of prequalification requirements. It is the applicant’s
responsibility to confirm all requirements set out in this request for prequalification are satisfied.
Applicants must ensure that the mandatory requirements described below and otherwise
contained in this request for prequalification, have been provided in their submission.
Applicant:
Section
______________________________________________________________
Mandatory Requirements
Meet/Fail
4.1
Signed prequalification acknowledgement form (Appendix B)
4.2
CCDC 11 document submitted
4.3
Letter from applicants bonding company provided
4.4
Proof of commercial general liability insurance provided
4.5
Applicants health and safety police provided
4.6
WSIB clearance certificate and CAD 7 WSIB rating form provided
4.7
Applicants letter of commitment to RFPQ process provided
4.8
Applicants ability to undertake work within project schedule
confirmed
4.9
Litigation status identified
4.10
Letter from financial institution provided
4.11
Resumes of key personnel provided
11