Closing Location: AAMDC 2510 Sparrow Drive Nisku, Alberta T9N 8N5

Transcription

1 Request for Proposal (RFP) Online Registration System Contract for AAMDC s Convention Events Closing Date & Time: Friday, August 8, 2014 at 4:30 pm MDT One (1) electronic copy of response in Word or PDF format MUST be received via to cindy.carstairs@aamdc.com Closing Location: AAMDC 2510 Sparrow Drive Nisku, Alberta T9N 8N5 cindy.carstairs@aamdc.com

2 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC) is seeking quotes for the provision of Online Registration System services during our Fall 2014 Convention. The convention and auxiliary activities will take place from November 17 to November 20, With Registration starting September 15, ISSUE DATE: July 25, 2014 CLOSING DATE AND TIME: One (1) electronic copy of proposal (in Word or PDF format) must be received by 4:30 p.m. MDT on August 8, CLOSING LOCATION: AAMDC 2510 Sparrow Drive Nisku, Alberta T9N 8N5 CONTRACT: The successful proponent would be contracted to provide Online Registration System services for the Fall 2014 Convention. If the AAMDC is satisfied with this work, a three (3) year service contract would be offered for upcoming spring and fall conventions in REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REGISTRATION SERVICES FOR AAMDC FALL 2014 CONVENTION PART 1: SERVICES TO BE PURCHASED 1. Project Purpose and Description The AAMDC will require an online registration provider, requirements include but are not limited to: 1. Fall 2014 Convention Registration System 1.1 Online system to be set up by Contractor with full administration access by AAMDC 1.2 Credit card and invoice payment options (ability to change how delegate is billed, ability to manually send invoices from AAMDC not online) 1.3 Delegate name badge printing 1.4 Online Registration for delegates One main contact able to register multiple delegates Three different options for registrations with different $ Different information collected for individual delegates (e.g. individual addresses, dietary requirements) Ability for questions to be asked depending on previous answers 1.5 Partners Program Up to 150 delegates with different course choices 1.6 Banquet Up to 600 tickets - 1 -

3 1.6.2 Option for delegate to choose table for seating at time of registration (display others at table) If the AAMDC is satisfied with the online system and services offered, the proponent would be offered a three (3) year service contract for upcoming spring and fall conventions in In addition to the aforementioned convention criteria, this registration system would also accommodate the registration for one tradeshow per year. 2. Tradeshow (starting in Spring 2015) Online registration requirements include but are not limited to: 2.1 Online system to be set up by Contractor with full administration access by AAMDC 2.2 Credit card and invoice payment options 2.3 Delegate and Exhibitor name badge printing 2.4 Online Booth Registration for 150 booths Three different booth options with different $ and different booth locations Option for booth selection (display other booth occupants and booth availability) 3. The AAMDC understands that there may be some features that are unique to your company or that are not listed in the requirements. Please include them but price them separately. 4. The AAMDC requires the shortlisted companies to demonstrate the system in its entirety before any decisions will be made. 5. Response Format Please respond to this RFP in detail by addressing the following components. Please order your response using the following letters/categories: 1. A description of who you are and what you do. Include a description of your organizational stability including: a. Year established, type of ownership and parent company, if any; b. Significant or material judgments, claims, arbitration proceedings or suits pending or outstanding against your organization or its officers? If yes, please explain; c. A rationale for why AAMDC should enter into a relationship with you. 2. Your response to our project purpose and description 3. Your response to our specific requirements 4. An outline of your proposed work schedule 5. A detailed budget breakdown and estimated total costs 6. Suggested Schedule 1. RFP circulated to proponents Friday, July 25, Available to answer questions related to the RFP July 25, 2014 to August Submissions due Wednesday, August 6, Shortlist interviews/demonstrations Monday August 11, Vendor chosen Friday, August 15, Initial project kick-off meeting and work plan approval Wednesday, August 20, Online Registration start Monday, September 15, AAMDC Fall 2014 Convention and activities: November 17-20,

4 7. Cost Although cost is not the only consideration in selecting a proponent for this work, it will be a large factor during the selection process. The proponent will provide a total cost for the project and a breakdown outlining the cost for each component and for staffing. Please note that the lowest bidder will not necessarily be the successful proponent. 8. Proposal Evaluation Proposals will be evaluated in an objective manner by a representative review panel using assessment tools that combine weights and scores for each selection criteria. The selection criteria headings briefly described below with the weights for this RFP in the right-hand column. 8.1 Mandatory criteria that must be met for the proposal to be considered: One digital copy of the proposal must be received via by closing date and time at the closing location stipulated on the cover page of this document. Proposal must follow the format and sequence described in 9.1 Proposal Format and Proponent Response. Proposal must be signed by the person(s) authorized to sign on behalf of the proponent and to bind the Proponent to statements made in response to this solicitation. The working language of the AAMDC region and the province of Alberta is English. All responses to this solicitation must be in English. Proposal must clearly identify and explain using a subcontractor. Proposals with joint submissions (joint ventures) must identify the proponent who is prepared to take overall responsibility. Proposal must use fonts and page layout that maximize legibility. Ideally, proposals would be no more than 10 pages, excluding addendums. 8.2 High-level desirable criteria to be evaluated: Proponent Qualifications Weighting as a percentage of total Experience in customizing online registration for events with % 1,000 people, with different registration options Ability to provide support for duration of the registration process 20% Flexibility in making changes or additions as required and in a timely 15% manner. Total weighting for Proponent Qualifications 50% Cost of Delivering the Project Weighting as a percentage of total Total cost and cost-effectiveness (i.e. overall project budget) 30% Budget break down 20% Total weighting for Cost of Delivering the Project 50% - 3 -

5 9. Proposal Organization 9.1 Proposal Format and Proponent Response Evaluation of proposals is made easier when proponents respond in a similar manner. The following format and sequence must be followed in order to provide consistency in proponent response and to ensure that each proposal receives full consideration. All pages should be consecutively numbered. TITLE PAGE Show the Request for Proposals name, proponent name, address, telephone and fax number. LETTER OF INTRODUCTION Maximum of one page introduction to the firm and the proposal. Duly signed by the person(s) authorized, as per mandatory clause to sign on behalf of, and bind the firm to, statements made in the proposal. BODY The body of the proposal will include budget, equipment list, staff support and any additional information. Proposals should not exceed 10 pages, excluding addendums. 9.2 Submission Guidelines Conditions relating to submissions: One (1) digital copy of the proposal must be received by 4:30 p.m. MDT on August 8, Proposals are to be ed to Cindy Carstairs, Administration and Convention Coordinator, at cindy.carstairs@aamdc.com. The proponent s contact information and the RFP title must be included on the proposal. Late proposals will not be accepted. Incomplete proposals will not be considered. AAMDC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals in whole or in part. Only those shortlisted will be contacted. Proponents may be required to supply supplementary information after a decision for successful proponent has been made. PART 2: TERMS AND CONDITIONS 10. Summary of the Requirement 10.1 Purpose The purpose of this RFP is to identify and select the most qualified proponent(s) to provide the services as defined in this solicitation tool AAMDC Background The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties is an independent association representing Alberta s 69 rural municipal governments. The association provides advocacy and aggregated business services. Its business services include a trade division, Jubilee Insurance Agencies and Prairie Fuel Advisors

6 Mission: Through the provision of advocacy, trade and insurance services, the AAMDC will assist rural municipalities in achieving strong and effective local government. Vision: The AAMDC is a progressive association of elected rural councils, representing the interests of rural Albertans, and committed to excellence in meeting the diverse and changing needs of its membership Contract Term The contract be from the initial meeting on August 20, 2014 through to November 30, If the AAMDC is satisfied with this work, we may offer a three (3) year service contract for upcoming spring and fall conventions in Accountability The Contractor will report directly to Cindy Carstairs, Administrative & Convention Coordinator. 11. Administrative Requirements The following terms will apply to this Request for Proposals and to any subsequent contract(s). Submission of a proposal in response to this Request for Proposals indicates acceptance of all the following terms Terminology Through this Request for Proposal, terminology is used as follows: a) Contract means the written agreement resulting from this Request for Proposals executed by AAMDC and the Contractor; b) Members and Rural Municipalities mean all AAMDC members; c) Contractor means the successful Proponent to this Request for Proposals who enters into a written Contract with AAMDC; d) AAMDC means the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties; e) RFP means Request for Proposals; f) Must, mandatory, or required, means a requirement that must be met in order for a proposal to receive consideration; g) Proponent means an individual or a company that submits, or intends to submit, a proposal in response to this Request for Proposals; h) Should or desirable means a requirement having a significant degree of importance to the objectives of the Request for Proposals. 12. Closing Date One digital copy of the proposal must be received by 4:30 p.m. MDT on August 8, 2014 via to: Cindy Carstairs cindy.carstairs@aamdc.com Proposals should be clearly labeled with the name and address of the proponent and the project or program title. Proposals must not be sent by fax. 13. Late Proposals - 5 -

7 Late proposals will not be accepted and will be returned, unopened, to the proponent. 14. Eligibility Proposals will not be evaluated if the proponent s current or past corporate or other interests may, in AAMDC s opinion, give rise to a conflict of interest in connection with this project. Proposals from not-for-profit agencies will be evaluated against the same criteria as those received from any other proponents. 15. Evaluation Committee The project management team will make an evaluation of proposals. 16. Proposal Preparation 16.1 Signed Proposals The proposals(s) must be signed by the persons(s) authorized to sign on behalf of the proponent and to bind the Proponent to statements made in response to this solicitation Irrevocability of Proposals By submission of a clear and detailed written notice, the proponent may amend or withdraw its proposal prior to the closing date and time. Upon closing time, all proposals become irrevocable. By submission of a proposal, the proponent agrees that should its proposal be deemed successful the proponent will enter into a contract with AAMDC Changes to Proposal Wording The proponent will not change the wording of its proposal after closing and no words or comments will be added to the proposal unless requested by AAMDC for purposes of clarification Working Language of the Province The working language of the AAMDC region and the province is English and all responses to this solicitation must be in English Proponents Expenses Proponents are solely responsible for their own expenses in preparing a proposal and for subsequent negotiations with AAMDC, if any. If AAMDC elects to reject all proposals, at whatever stage of the contract acquisition process, including negotiations intended to result in contract award, AAMDC will not be liable to any proponent for any claims, whether for costs or damages incurred by the Proponent in preparing the proposal, loss of anticipated profit in connection with any final Contract, or any other matter whatsoever Firm Pricing Proposals must be firm for at least ninety (90) days after the closing date. Prices will be firm for the entire contract period Currency and Taxes Prices quoted are to include the costs of all goods and services to be rendered including any and all travel and delivery expenses. The price shall be in Canadian dollars, inclusive of all applicable taxes including Goods and Services Tax

8 16.8 Completeness of Proposal By submission of a proposal the proponent warrants that, if this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to design, create or provide a system or manage a program, all components required to run the system or manage the program have been identified in the proposal or will be provided by the proponent at no charge. 17. Compliance with Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) 17.1 Submission of Proposals All documents submitted to the AAMDC become the property of AAMDC and are subject to the disclosure provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This Act allows any person a right of access to records in the custody or under the control of AAMDC subject to limited and specific exceptions. Should you wish to learn more about the application of the Act to the proposal you are submitting, see Parts 3.5 and 5 of the FOIP Policy Manual (ISBN , Pub. PWSS 220) Purpose of Information Collection The purpose of collecting the information required in this RFP is to enable AAMDC to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the proposal, and to enable the selection committee to evaluate responses to this RFP. Authority for this collection is Section 8(2) of the Government Organization Act, S.A. 1994, e. G Compliance of Contractor with the FOIP Act The Contractor acknowledges that Part 2 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies to personal information about Clients. The Contractor shall treat any information, that it acquires as a result of the Contract, in strict confidence, and shall not disclose this information to anyone. The Contractor shall not use personal information about Clients for any purpose other than the provision of the Services. 18. Additional Terms 18.1 Sub-Contracting Using a sub-contractor (who must be clearly identified in the proposal) is acceptable. This includes a joint submission by two or more proponents having no formal corporate links. However, in this case, one of these proponents must be prepared to take overall responsibility for successful interconnection of the two products or service lines, and this must be defined in the proposal. Sub-contracting to any firm or individual whose current or past corporate or other interests may, in AAMDC s opinion, give rise to a conflict of interest in connection with this project will not be permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, any firm or individual involved in the preparation of this solicitation document Acceptance of Proposals This Request for Proposal should not be construed as an agreement to purchase goods or services. AAMDC is not bound to accept the lowest priced or any proposal of those submitted. Proposals will be assessed in light of the evaluation criteria. AAMDC will be under no obligation to receive further information, whether written or oral, from any proponent. Neither acceptance of a proposal nor execution of a contract will constitute approval of any activity or development contemplated in any - 7 -

9 proposal that requires any approval, permit or license pursuant to any federal, provincial, regional district or municipal statute, regulation or bylaw Definition of Contract Only the full execution of a written contract will constitute a contract for the goods or services, and no proponent will acquire any legal or equitable rights or privileges relative to the goods or services until this occurs Liability for Errors While AAMDC has used considerable efforts to ensure an accurate representation of information in this solicitation document, the information contained in this solicitation document is supplied solely as a guideline for proponents. The information is not guaranteed or warranted to be accurate by AAMDC, nor is it necessarily comprehensive or exhaustive. Nothing in this solicitation document is intended to relieve proponents from forming their own opinions and conclusions with respect to the matters addressed in this solicitation document Agreement with Terms By submitting a proposal the proponent agrees to all the terms and conditions of this solicitation document. Proponents who have obtained the document electronically must not alter any portion of the document, with the exception of adding the information requested. To do so will invalidate the proposal Modification of Terms AAMDC reserves the right to modify the terms of the solicitation at any time at its sole discretion prior to the closing date of the competition Use of Request for Proposals This document, or any portion thereof, may not be used for any purpose other than the submission of proposals Confidentiality of Information Information pertaining to AAMDC obtained by the proponent as a result of participation in this project is confidential and must not be disclosed without written authorization from AAMDC

10 RFP Acknowledgement Registration Contract for AAMDC s Fall 2014 Convention Send to: Cindy Carstairs, Administrative and Convention Coordinator cindy.carstairs@aamdc.com Proponent Address Contact Person(s) Telephone Fax I hereby acknowledge that I am in receipt of the RFP. I expect /do not expect to be submitting a proposal in response to this RFP. (Please circle one) Signature: Printed Name: Date: - 9 -