We have intentionally streamlined our core documents — including our Framework Agreements, Supplier Master Agreements, and Requests for Standing Offer — to improve clarity, accessibility, and practical usability.
Traditional procurement documents are often lengthy, repetitive, and difficult to navigate. While legal precision remains essential, complexity should not create confusion. Our documents have been carefully structured and refined to reduce unnecessary length, eliminate duplication, and present requirements in clear, organized language.
The result is documentation that remains legally sound and governance-aligned, while being easier for members, suppliers, evaluators, and auditors to read, understand, and apply.
Clarity supports fairness. Accessibility supports transparency. And well-structured documents support defensible decision-making.
Table of Contents
PART 1 – INVITATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS.
1.0. Invitation to Respondents.
1.4. Standing Offer Agreement.
1.8. Proposal Amendment and Withdrawal.
PART 2 – EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS.
2.0. Stage One – Mandatory Submission.
2.1. Stage Two – Technical, Financial and Reference Evaluations.
2.2. Stage Three – Pricing Evaluation.
2.3. Stage Four – Negotiations.
PART 3 – TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFSO PROCESS.
3.0. General Information and Instructions.
3.1. No Incorporation by Reference and Past Performance.
3.2. Information, Estimated Quantities and Specifications.
3.3. Communication after Issuance, Addenda and Extension, and Verification.
3.4. Notification and Debriefing to the Respondents.
3.5. Procurement Dispute Protest.
3.6. Conflict of Interest, Prohibited Conduct and Disqualification, Illegal or Unethical Conduct.
3.7. Confidential Information.
3.8. Procurement Process Non-binding.
3.9. Cancellation or Amendment of the RFSO Process.
EXHIBIT A – STATEMENT OF WORK.
EXHIBIT B – FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT.
EXHIBIT C – EVALUATION PROCESS.
EXHIBIT D – MANDATORY SUBMISSION FORM.
EXHIBIT F – FINANCIAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS.
PART 1 – INVITATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
1.0. Invitation to Respondents
Procurement Solutions is the organization responsible for establishing, administering, and supporting procurement-led Standing Offers. A Standing Offer is an agreement resulting from a competitive procurement process that sets out standardized terms, conditions, and pricing under which eligible organizations may procure Goods and/or Services (the “Standing Offer”).
Members are eligible organizations that have entered a participation arrangement with Procurement Solutions (the “Members(s)”). Membership provides access to Standing Offers on a voluntary basis only. Members are under no obligation to purchase any Goods and/or Services and do not transfer procurement authority to Procurement Solutions. Any purchasing decision remains entirely at the discretion of the Members.
Through competitive procurement processes, Procurement Solutions invites Proposals under this Request for Standing Offers (the “RFSO”) from Respondents. A Respondent is any eligible supplier that submits a Proposal in response to this RFSO (the “Respondent”). A Respondent that successfully qualifies through the RFSO process and executes a Standing Offer Agreement becomes a Supplier. A Supplier is thereby eligible to receive call-ups or orders from Members in accordance with the terms of the applicable Standing Offer Agreement (the “Supplier”).
Under a Standing Offer, Members may, at their discretion, procure Goods and/or Services from a Supplier, as further described in Exhibit A (Statement of Work). Goods and/or Services may be requested through individual call-ups or orders, with no guarantee of volume, value, or frequency of purchases.
1.1. Intention and Purpose
The RFSO aims to establish contracts for nationwide supply of goods and services to Procurement Solution Members, obtain high-quality Goods and/or Services at the best value, and provide their customers with access to a suite of Goods and/or Services.
1.2. Frame work Agreement
Framework Agreement means a non-exclusive agreement established through a competitive procurement process that sets standardized terms, conditions, and pricing under which Members may issue call-ups or orders for Goods and/or Services, without obligation, volume commitment, or transfer of procurement authority. Each contract will be based on the Framework Agreement, which includes the terms of the Standing Offer Agreement. The agreement will be for three years with two optional one-year extensions.
1.3. Multiple Suppliers
Members will purchase from Procurement Solutions contracts based on which best meets their operational requirements, considering factors like service offerings and competitiveness.
1.4. Standing Offer Agreement
The Standing Offer Agreement will be available to Procurement Solution Members after the Framework Agreement is executed.
1.5. Contact
All procurement questions must be sent to Donald Davidge at info@procurementsolutions.ca. Respondents are prohibited from contacting Procurement Solutions employees, except the RFSO Contact, regarding the RFSO.
1.6. Timetable
Only proposals submitted by the deadline will be evaluated. The RFSO timetable is tentative and subject to change. Proposals must be submitted by the Submission Deadline in Table 1 of section 1.7.3 to be evaluated.
Table 1
|
Issue Date of RFSO |
09/03/26 – 8:00am MST |
|
Deadline for Questions |
09/17/26 – 4:00pm MST |
|
Deadline for Issuing Addenda |
10/01/26 – 4:00pm MST |
|
Submission Deadline |
10/22/26 – 4:00pm MST |
|
Rectification Period |
11/05/26 – 4:00pm MST |
|
Agreement Execution |
12/03/26 – (Approximate) |
1.7. Submission of Proposal
Responses to be submitted in the following order: Technical Response Document; Pricing; Insurance Document; Mandatory Submission Form; Reference Form; and List of Subcontractors. Each Submission must be a maximum allowable upload size of 100 MB. Documents must not be embedded in uploaded files or hyperlinks, and additional literature or catalogues must be submitted separately from the proposal.
1.8. Proposal Amendment and Withdrawal
Proposals can be edited before the Submission Deadline, but Procurement Solutions will not accept edits after the deadline unless specified. Respondents can withdraw proposals before the deadline via the electronic bidding system. After the deadline, a signed notice to the RFSO Contact is required.
PART 2 – EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
2.0. Stage One – Mandatory Submission.
Proposals will be reviewed to determine if mandatory requirements are met. Proposals failing to meet mandatory requirements will receive a rectification notice. Proposals not meeting mandatory submission requirements within the Rectification Period will be excluded.
2.1. Stage Two – Technical, Financial and Reference Evaluations.
Technical proposals will be evaluated based on criteria in Exhibit C, with a minimum score of 75% required to proceed. Proposals scoring 75% or higher will advance to the Financial and References Evaluation.
2.2. Stage Three – Pricing Evaluation
Proposals scoring 75% or higher in both stages, one and two, will be evaluated for pricing, which must be fixed for the term of the Framework Agreement unless specified otherwise.
Respondents must provide pricing for three categories, including service lines, total services, and detailed descriptions of each category. Proposed prices must be in Canadian funds, include all applicable costs, and be adjusted for foreign exchange rate fluctuations. The lowest price submitted will take precedence in the event of a discrepancy.
Pricing for Procurement Solutions customers is based on the US MSRP multiplied by the Bank of Canada’s monthly average exchange rate, with a discount applied. Prices are fixed for the first 12 months, after which they may be adjusted annually with justification, subject to a maximum increase of the Canadian Consumer Price Index Yearly Inflation Rate.
2.3. Stage Four – Negotiations
Respondents with the highest combined scores in Technical, References, Financial, and Pricing evaluations will be selected for Framework Agreement negotiations.
Procurement Solutions will evaluate Proposals, potentially using outside consultants who must keep Proposals confidential. Procurement Solutions will negotiate the Framework Agreement terms with the Preferred Proponent within 45 days. If an agreement isn’t reached, Procurement Solutions may request a Best and Final Offer, terminate negotiations, extend the timeline, or publish the Preferred Proponent. Procurement Solutions may discontinue discussions with the successful Respondent(s) if complete agreement is unlikely. They may then invite another Respondent to negotiate a Framework Agreement, starting with the second highest scorer.
Procurement Solutions may invite the second highest ranked Respondent to negotiate a Framework Agreement if having multiple supplier’s benefits Members by expanding product variety, manufacturers, and geographic coverage. The successful Respondent(s) will be notified by Procurement Solutions in writing.
PART 3 – TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFSO PROCESS
3.0. General Information and Instructions
Proposals must follow the order of evaluation criteria in Exhibit C and other instructions in the RFSO, referencing applicable section numbers. All Proposals are to be in English only. Contracts awarded from this solicitation are non-exclusive and the benefit of Procurement Solutions Members, who may obtain similar goods and services from other sources. The Respondent is responsible for all costs related to their Proposal, including interviews and demonstrations. Procurement Solutions and its Members are not liable for these costs. Procurement Solutions will not return any Proposal or accompanying documentation. RFSO Process Terms and Conditions are broadly interpreted, non-exhaustive examples and governed by Alberta and federal Canadian laws.
3.1. No Incorporation by Reference and Past Performance
Respondent’s Proposal content must be submitted in a fixed form; external documents not attached will not be considered. Procurement Solutions may consider references and past performance when evaluating a Respondent. Procurement Solutions may exclude Respondents for illegal or unethical conduct, refusal to honor commitments, or undisclosed conflicts of interest.
3.2. Information, Estimated Quantities and Specifications
Procurement Solutions and its advisers do not guarantee the accuracy of information in the RFSO. Quantities and data are estimates for Respondents to determine the scope of Deliverables.
Procurement Solutions does not guarantee quantities or usage of contracts. Successful suppliers’ discounts and pricing apply regardless of business volume. Suppliers must comply with specifications, including those stating, “no substitutions,” and must adhere to the intended purpose of the specifications. Specifications are informative and not intended to require a specific manufacturer’s product. Procurement Solutions will determine if proposed goods are substantially equivalent to the named specifications.
3.3. Communication after Issuance, Addenda and Extension, and Verification
Respondents should review the RFSO documents and direct any questions or requests for information to the RFSO Contact by the specified deadline. Procurement Solutions is not obligated to provide additional information beyond what is available through the RFSO Contact. This RFSO can only be amended by addendum, which will be communicated to all Respondents and posted on the same electronic systems as the RFSO. Respondents are responsible for obtaining all addenda. Procurement Solutions may extend the Submission Deadline by notice if an addendum is issued after the Deadline for Issuing Addenda. Procurement Solutions may request further information from Respondents or third parties to verify, clarify, or supplement information provided in Proposals. This information may be used to re-evaluate the Proposal or ranking.
3.4. Notification and Debriefing to the Respondents
Other Respondents will be notified after the selected Respondent(s) executes a Framework Agreement.
Respondents can request a written debriefing within 60 days of receiving the RFSO outcome notification. The debriefing aims to help improve future proposals, not to challenge the RFSO process.
3.5. Procurement Dispute Protest
Suppliers can request a review of a procurement process within 60 days, providing specific information and documentation. The Procurement Solution Review Committee (PSRC) will review the request and provide a response within 20 business days, potentially recommending a resolution.
3.6. Conflict of Interest, Prohibited Conduct and Disqualification, Illegal or Unethical Conduct
Procurement Solutions may disqualify Respondents for conflicts of interest, including lobbying to influence the RFSO process. This includes accessing confidential information or communicating with decision-makers for preferential treatment. Procurement Solutions may disqualify, rescind, or terminate a contract if a Respondent engages in prohibited conduct. Respondents must avoid conflicts of interest and obtain written permission from the RFSO Contact before communicating with the media. Proposals must be free from illegal and unethical business practices, including bid-rigging, price-fixing, bribery, fraud, and collusion, as outlined in the Competition Act.
3.7. Confidential Information
All information from Procurement Solutions related to the RFSO is confidential, their sole property, and must be treated as such. It cannot be used for any purpose other than replying to the RFSO and performing any subsequent contract. Proposals must identify confidential information. Procurement Solutions will maintain confidentiality, except as required by law, but the resulting contract will be disclosed to Members.
3.8. Procurement Process Non-binding
The RFSO process complies with trade agreements and directives but is not legally binding. It is governed by the law applicable to direct commercial negotiations and does not create Contract A tendering law duties or other legal obligations. No legal relationship or obligation exists between the Respondent and Procurement Solutions or any GPO Members until a Framework Agreement is signed.
3.9. Cancellation or Amendment of the RFSO Process
Procurement Solutions can cancel or amend the RFSO process at any time.
EXHIBIT A – STATEMENT OF WORK
[Attached as a separate document in PDF Format]
EXHIBIT B – FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
[Attached as a separate document in MS Word for editing]
EXHIBIT C – EVALUATION PROCESS
[Attached as a separate document in MS Word for editing]
EXHIBIT D – MANDATORY SUBMISSION FORM
[Attached as a separate document in MS Word for editing]
EXHIBIT E – REFERENCE FORM
[Attached as a separate document in MS Word for editing]
EXHIBIT F – FINANCIAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
[Attached as a separate document in MS Word for editing]
