RFI NO. NO. DE LA DDR # A RFI CLOSES / L APPEL D INTÉRÊT PREND FIN ADDRESS ENQUIRIES TO ADRESSER TOUTES QUESTIONS À: NATHANIEL LYON

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1 RETURN RESPONSES TO/ RETOURNER LES RÉPONSES À: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Mail Distribution Services Unit (AAGM) 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2 Destination: SPP c/o Nathaniel Lyon REQUEST FOR INFORMATION TITLE SUJET Medical and Emergency Evacuation Services RFI NO. NO. DE LA DDR # A RFI CLOSES / L APPEL D INTÉRÊT PREND FIN DATE June 29, 2013 On July 17, 2013 at 14:00 hours Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) Le 17 juillet 2013 à 14:00h heure avancée de l Est (HAE) ADDRESS ENQUIRIES TO ADRESSER TOUTES QUESTIONS À: NATHANIEL LYON TELEPHONE: (613) COURRIEL: NATHANIEL.LYON@INTERNATIONAL.GC.CA DESTINATION OF GOODS/SERVICES-DESTINATION DES BIENS/SERVICES DEMANDE DE RENSEIGNEMENTS VENDOR/FIRM NAME AND ADDRESS RAISON SOCIALE ET ADRESSE DU FOURNISSEUR/DE L ENTREPRENEUR Telephone No. - No de telephone.: Facsimile No. No de telecopieur: NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN ON BEHALF OF THE VENDOR/FIRM NOM ET TITRE DE LA PERSONNE AUTORISÉE À SIGNER AU NOM DU FOURNISSEUR/DE L ENTREPRENEUR Corporate Seal Signature Date

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 - INTRODUCTION 1. Background 2. Acronyms and Terms PART 2 - PURPOSE AND NATURE OF THE RFI 1. Purpose of the RFI 2. Nature of the RFI PART 3 - RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION 1. Nature and Format of Responses 2. Response Costs 3. Treatment of Responses 4. Contents of this RFI 5. Format of Responses 6. Enquiries 7. Submission of Responses 8. Security Requirements 9. Official Languages 10. Intellectual Property Rights PART 4 - OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL SOLICITATION STRATEGY 1. Request for Proposal 2. Proposed Contract Strategy 3. Proposed Project Schedule PART 5 SERVICE REQUIREMENT 1. Objective 2. Scope 3. Tasks 4. Language Requirements 5. Quality Program 6. Location of Work 7. Service Volume Data PART 6 - QUESTIONS TO RESPONDENTS Page 2 of 11

3 PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1. Background The Department of through its FSD Service and Policy Bureau (AED) is mandated to provide client oriented advice and administration of the Foreign Service Directives to all Canadian government employees and dependents who are assigned to Canada's missions abroad and who are admissible to the provisions of the Foreign Service Directives. Employees serving outside Canada are required to have comprehensive coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) for themselves and their dependents to ensure that they have sufficient health care coverage. As a result, standard health care coverage for employees and their dependents does not form part of the Department s service requirement. However, the PSHCP does not provide coverage for medical emergency evacuations and case management services. Therefore, the Department will require a Contractor to provide for these services. 2. Terms and Definitions The acronyms and terms used in this RFI are defined as follows: ACRONYM AED AES AEF FSD HQ OGD DFAIT PSHCP TERM Airambulances Air transportation Co-ordinating Coverage Liaising Medical Evacuation Resources Surface transportation DEFINITION FSD Service and Policy Bureau FSD Client Centre FSD Policy and Monitoring Division Foreign Service Directives DFAIT Headquarters Other Canadian Government Department Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Public Service Health Care Plan DEFINITION An air ambulance is an aircraft (fixed-wing or rotary) that is used for emergency medical assistance in situations where required. Transportation via aircraft (fixed wing or rotary) Bringing into common action, movement, or condition In Asia, Africa, South America, Eastern Europe is defined as being able to provide on-site medical services to all Canadian posts and missions in a timely manner. Communication between involved parties The timely and efficient movement of the wounded, injured, or ill while providing en route medical care to and between medical treatment facilities (i.e. bed to bed). Assets available and anticipated for operations. They include people, equipment, facilities and other items used to plan, implement, and evaluate. Ground transportation via motorized vehicle Page 3 of 11

4 PART 2 PURPOSE AND NATURE OF THE RFI 1. Purpose of the Request for Information In order to support the fulfilment of the services described at Part 5 of this Request for Information, DFAIT is currently seeking information from existing providers of international medical and emergency evacuation services. Additional objectives of this RFI are to: a) Provide industry with an early opportunity to assess and comment on DFAIT s requirement in order to maximize best value to DFAIT if an RFP is posted; b) Determine the capability of suppliers to provide the services described in Part 5 of the Request for Information; c) Solicit feedback and recommendations on any issues that would impact a supplier s ability to fulfill DFAIT s requirement; and d) Solicit industry knowledge and expertise with regard to best practices that would increase the success of the project. 2. Nature of the Request for Information This is not a bid solicitation. This RFI will not result in the award of any contract. As a result, potential suppliers of any goods or services described in this RFI should not reserve stock or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any information contained in this RFI. Nor will this RFI result in the creation of any source list. Therefore, whether or not any potential supplier responds to this RFI, this will not preclude that supplier from participating in any future procurement. Also, the procurement of any of the goods and services described in this RFI will not necessarily follow this RFI. This RFI is simply intended to solicit feedback from industry with respect to the matters described in this RFI. Nothing in this RFI shall be construed as a commitment from DFAIT to issue an RFP for this project. DFAIT may use non-proprietary information provided in its review and/or in the preparation of any formal RFP. DFAIT shall not be bound by anything stated herein and reserves the right to change at any time, any or all parts of the requirement, as it deems necessary. DFAIT also reserves the right to revise its procurement approach, as it considers appropriate, either based upon information submitted in response to this RFI or for any other reason it deems appropriate. Page 4 of 11

5 PART 3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDING TO RFI 1. Nature and Format of Responses Requested DFAIT s current view of the service requirement it intends to address, the characteristics of the service supply solution it is looking for, and the projected project schedule for proceeding is detailed in Part 4 and 5 of this RFI. Part 6 provides specific questions covering input DFAIT is seeking prior to proceeding with finalizing and issuing its RFP. Respondents are invited to provide comments regarding the content of Part 5 and related supplier requirements included in this RFI. Respondents should explain any assumptions they make in their interpretation of the requirements. 2. Response Costs DFAIT will not reimburse any respondent for expenses incurred in responding to this RFI. 3. Treatment of Responses 3.1 Use of Responses Responses will not be formally evaluated. However, the responses received may be used by DFAIT to develop or modify procurement strategies or any draft documents contained in this RFI. DFAIT will review all responses received by the RFI closing date. DFAIT may, in its discretion, review responses received after the RFI closing date. 3.2 Review Team A review team composed of representatives of DFAIT will review the responses. DFAIT reserves the right to hire any independent consultant, or use any Government resources that it considers necessary to review any response. Not all members of the review team will necessarily review all responses. 3.3 Confidentiality Respondents should mark any portions of their response that they consider proprietary or confidential. DFAIT will handle these portions in a confidential manner in accordance with the Access to Information Act. 3.4 Follow-up Activity DFAIT may, at its discretion, contact any respondents to follow up with additional questions or for clarification of any aspect of a response. At its discretion, DFAIT may agree to meet with respondents to provide respondents with the opportunity to present and/or demonstrate their capabilities in relation to this RFI. Respondents presentations shall be at no obligation to DFAIT and respondents will be responsible for all costs associated with DFAIT s invitation to make a presentation. 4. Contents of this RFI This RFI contains a draft Statement of Work. The Statement of Work remains a work in progress and respondents should anticipate that clauses or requirements may be added to or deleted from any bid solicitation that is ultimately published by DFAIT. Comments regarding any aspect of this RFI, including the Statement of Work and supplier requirements are welcome. This RFI also contains specific questions addressed to the industry. 5. Format of Responses 5.1 Cover Page If the response includes multiple volumes, respondents are requested to indicate on the front cover page of each volume the title of the response, the request for information number, the volume number and the full legal name of the respondent. Page 5 of 11

6 5.2 Title Page The first page of each volume of the response, after the cover page, should be the title page, which should contain: a) The title of the respondent's response and the volume number; b) The name and address of the respondent; c) The name, address and telephone number of the respondent's contact; d) The date; and, e) The RFI number. 5.3 Number of Copies DFAIT requests that respondents submit three (3) paper copies of their responses and/or one (1) electronic copy of the response. 6. Enquiries DFAIT will not necessarily respond to enquiries in writing or by circulating answers to all potential suppliers as this is not a solicitation process. However, respondents with questions regarding this RFI may direct their enquiries to the Contracting Authority named below: Nathan Lyon Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2 Telephone: (613) Address: Nathaniel.lyon@international.gc.ca 7. Submission of Responses 7.1 Time and Place for Submission of Responses Suppliers interested in providing a response should deliver it electronically or by mail to the attention of the Contracting Authority by the time, date and to the address indicated on page 1 of this document. 7.2 Responsibility for Timely Delivery Each respondent is solely responsible for ensuring its response is delivered on time to the correct location. 7.3 Identification of Response Each respondent should ensure that its name and return address, the request for information number and the closing date appear legibly on the outside of the response. 8. Security Requirements There are no security requirements associated with responding to this RFI. Any future procurement actions undertaken in support of this requirement will not require a government security clearance. 9. Official Languages Responses to this RFI may be presented in either of the Official Languages of Canada. 10. Intellectual Property Rights Any future procurement action related to DFAIT s supplier requirements may contain provisions awarding the ownership of the Intellectual Property rights to foreground information and a license to Intellectual Property Rights to background information to the Government of Canada. Page 6 of 11

7 PART 4 OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL SOLICITATION STRATEGY This section outlines the solicitation strategy that DFAIT is contemplating for its requirement of Medical and Emergency Evacuation Services. 1. Request for Proposal (RFP) Once the feedback from industry on the RFI has been considered, an RFP may be issued through the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS) at The bidding period will be in accordance to Government of Canada s policies on procurement and subject to any applicable trade agreements. 2. Proposed Contract Strategy It is anticipated that a single contract will be awarded to one (1) contractor to meet the requirement. 3. Proposed Project Schedule DFAIT proposes the following schedule: a) Release of Request for Proposals August 2013 b) Bid evaluation process September 2013 c) Award of contract (s) October 2013 d) Begin delivery of services November 2013 PART 5 SERVICE REQUIREMENTS 1. Objective The Department of requires access to medical and emergency evacuation services on a basis of twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (i.e. 24/7) for Canadian government employees and their dependants assigned to Canada s missions abroad. 2. Scope of Work The Contractor will provide a range of medical emergency evacuation and case management services on an as and when requested basis including medical call center services, medical case consultations and management, referrals, medical emergency evacuation management, and health care travel consultations to employees and their dependents at all Canadian diplomatic missions and posts outside of Canada. This Contract will cover the provision of services to an overseas employee community located in over 179 locations around the globe as follows: a) Approximately 1800 DFAIT employees and employees from other Canadian government departments. b) Approximately 2386 dependents of employees, who are administered by DFAIT under the provisions of a Posting Confirmation form. Page 7 of 11

8 3. Tasks The Contractor must perform (but is not limited to) the following tasks: 3.1 Call Centre Services Provide Canadian diplomatic missions global access to medical call center(s) available on a 24/7 basis including the following: a) The call centre must be accessible on a toll free basis. b) Services must be accessible in both official languages of Canada (i.e. French and English) including those provided by call center staff, medical practitioners and medical dispatchers. c) The call centre must have 24/7 access to the services of Medical Practitioners and Medical Dispatchers that are licensed and in good standing in the host country. d) The Contractor must provide a minimum of 800 wallet size cards to DFAIT for internal distribution to all offices. The card should be printed in both official languages and must contain the name of the Contractor, the toll free access number(s), address and web site. e) The call centre will be the first point of contact for all service requests and responsible for initiating and co-ordinating the evacuation, as well as providing medical consultations, recommendations, case management and if necessary, referrals. 3.2 Medical Evacuation Management Services Medical Case Consultations Provide medical case consultation services upon notification by DFAIT HQ or the DFAIT designated mission point of contacts. Case consultation services must be provided by Medical Practitioners licensed in the host country, and must consist of: a) Receiving the request for services and obtaining the medical details; b) Contacting the on-site doctor for details and the condition of the individual; c) Conducting an assessment of the information gathered and recommending the need for evacuation and if the accompaniment of an escort is appropriate; and d) Providing a recommendation as soon as is practical to the Deputy Director of DFAIT FSD Policy and Monitoring Division (AEF) or their designate of each case requesting medical evacuation and obtaining approval in advance to conducting a medical evacuation. DFAIT will provide the Contractor with a list of departmental contacts, and their telephone numbers, who have delegated authority to approve medical evacuations Medical Evacuation Management Provide medical evacuation management services upon receipt of an authorization to conduct a medical evacuation. Medical evacuation management services must consist of: a) Co-ordinating and assembling the necessary human and material resources for the individual and, when authorized by DFAIT, for an escort to travel with the individual during the medical evacuation; b) Making all the necessary arrangements with the on-site doctor at the source of the evacuation and with the necessary personnel at the destination as appropriate to ensure that the evacuation is efficiently conducted; c) Monitoring and managing all aspects of the evacuation; d) Advising DFAIT by telephone when the individual has arrived at and been admitted to the medical care facility at destination; and e) Informing DFAIT immediately if any problems arise during the performance of the evacuation (e.g. death of a patient, etc.) Page 8 of 11

9 3.2.3 Assessment Report Provide to the Project Authority an Assessment Report following a medical evacuation to document, determine and evaluate strengths and weaknesses. The assessment report is to include: a) evaluations of the medical evacuation, from first point of contact to completion of care; b) areas in which difficulty was incurred and areas requiring improvement; c) any notable pieces of information pertinent to the evacuation - either specific to the case, or in general as it would relate to similar situations. The final report is due within 60 days from the date the evacuation was initiated by the client. 3.3 Referrals (instead of medical consultation) In cases where a medical consultation is not required, the Contractor must provide assistance by identifying medical treatment centers in another location when suitable care or the required facilities and/or specialists are not available at the mission. This service will not include consultation with a doctor as it would be used in cases where diagnosis is not necessary. The Contractor is only to provide contact information. The Contractor will not book an appointment and will not make the necessary travel arrangements for the client to attend an appointment. It is intended that this service would only be utilized when all other sources which may be able to provide contact information for suitable treatment centers in other locations have been explored by the client but have failed. Requests for use of this service will come from the employee or employee s dependant requiring the service. The employee or dependant will be required to obtain approval from a designated mission point of contact before requesting this service from the Contractor. 3.4 Health Care Travel Consultations in Non-Emergency Situations Upon notification by DFAIT HQ or the designated DFAIT point of contacts at mission received by the Contractor s toll free medical call centre, the Contractor must provide a combination of medical case consultation services, recommendations on the need for a medical evacuation in non-emergency situations using DFAIT s policies and guidelines, and if necessary referrals Medical Case Consultations and Recommendations Medical case consultation services must be provided by licensed Medical Practitioners with good knowledge of and/or work experience with the Canadian health system and standards. Knowledge of health care services offered internationally is also required. These services must consist of: a) Receiving the request for services and obtaining the medical details; b) Contacting the on-site doctor for details and the condition of the individual; c) Conducting an assessment of the information gathered and recommending the need for evacuation and if the accompaniment of an escort is appropriate; d) Based on the specifics of the case and the availability of suitable medical facilities and services at the mission, provide a recommendation as soon as is practical to the designated DFAIT Mission point of contact, on whether or not health care travel away from post, should be approved Recommendations of Evacuation Locations Provide a recommendation on an evacuation location (Canada or third location) based on the specifics of the case and cost-effectiveness. Page 9 of 11

10 3.5 Support Network The Contractor must have a readily available inventory of and/or access to a network of fully-equipped air ambulances at all times during performance of the Contract. Each air ambulance must be equipped with material which enables the crew to give a first adequate medical treatment to a critically injured or ill patient. The Contractor must provide support documentation (i.e. lease agreements, proof(s) of ownership, etc.) to the Project Authority within fifteen (15) calendar days from award of contract. 4. Language Requirements The Work will be conducted in either of Canada's two official languages (English or French). The services of the Contractor provided to federal public servants, their dependents and members of the public must be provided in the official language of their choice. 5. Quality Program The Contractor must have a Quality Assurance System in place. 6. Location of Work The Contractor must have capacity and capability to deliver all services internationally at all Canadian missions abroad. 7. Service Volume Data The following table summarizes the type and volume of services during the period of The data contained within this RFI is being provided to respondents purely for information purposes. Although it represents the best information currently available to DFAIT, there is no guarantee that the data is complete or free from error. Table 1: Service Volume # Description Quantity Quantity Quantity 1 Medical Case Consultation Medical Evacuation Management Services Referral (no medical consultation) Health Care Travel Consultations in Non- Emergency Situations For 2012 approximately 200 requests Page 10 of 11

11 PART 6 QUESTIONS TO RESPONDENTS As the purpose of the RFI is to solicit feedback from the industry with respect to DFAIT requirements, respondents are invited to submit answers in response to the questions listed below. Respondents are therefore encouraged to submit answers to as many questions as possible; however, Part 5 should be taken into consideration when responding to questions. 1. In which countries and/or regions has your organization provided (and/or currently provides) medical and emergency evacuation services and do you have current capacity to provide services on a 24/7 basis in both English and French? 2. Does your organization currently have contracts for similar services with any other governments or international institutions? Are these contracts international in scope? 3. As described in Part 5 and indicated in Table 1, DFAIT s requirement is for a service provider with the capacity and capability to deliver services to all Canadian missions abroad. Does your organization currently deliver services with this scope and volume? If not, what is the approximate scope and volume that is possible for your organization? 4. Is your organization capable of offering service on a pay per use basis instead of requiring a firm monthly management fee? What is your organization s preferred approach to the basis of payment of the contract? 5. Does your organization produce country and/or culture-specific information for its customers? Please provide any relevant examples. 6. How does your organization ensure quality service and delivery? Please provide any relevant examples. 7. Does your organization use and/or own any software relevant to the provision of services? If so, which one, and can it be accessed by Canadian government employees and their dependants? 8. Does your organization intend to submit a proposal for the services as presently described in the RFI, if not please explain why not and what changes would be necessary for your organization to consider bidding on this requirement 9. Please provide any additional information your organization considers relevant to assist in the preparation of an RFP for the services described in this RFI. Page 11 of 11