Digital navigation matching tool for federal programs and services

Problem statement

Currently Indigenous Services Canada is facing challenges in responding to multiple information requests from Indigenous communities, businesses and organizations across Canada concerning departmental services. The departmental Canada.ca websites provide a wealth of information on government programs and services but do not assist in the navigation of these programs and services and access to eligibility criteria and application materials. There is currently no simple way of tracking what other Indigenous Services Canada or other government departmental programs exist that could potentially fund a proposal. This is mostly done manually and is very time consuming. Indigenous Services Canada currently receive applications and unsolicited proposals that don't quite fit their eligibility and a platform is needed to navigate and match the programs available within the Government of Canada and provide a timely and tailored response to the specific request.  There is a need to develop and pilot an innovative platform that provides Indigenous partners and government employees with immediate access to relevant and up-to-date information adapted to their specific question and needs concerning what programs would be eligible for a given proposal and whether any funds remain in that program. Indigenous Services Canada is seeking a web-based solution that will act as a program/service matching tool that will assist in the navigation of federal programs and services to address, in real time, the various inquiries/funding requests received.

Desired outcomes & considerations

Essential (mandatory) outcomes

Proposed solutions must:

1. Be scalable, and provide users with immediate interactive access (within seconds) to relevant, information adapted to their specific question(s) and need(s);
2. be able to be integrated with current Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)/Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) systems, and should have interoperability with existing Government of Canada online databases and applications;
3. have the capacity for adaptation over time based on supervised or unsupervised machine learning in order to refine the user experience and better meet the information needs of Canadians;
4. be able to provide the same interface to both internal and external users;
5. be able to provide PDF fillable application forms to individuals wishing to apply to a certain program;
6. automatically (perhaps with an algorithm or machine learning) update itself in real time if there is a change, addition or deletion on a federal program website so that this tool can always provide the most current information possible; and,
7. be able to incorporate information from all Government of Canada programs and services. Not only Indigenous Services Canada.

Additional outcomes

Proposed solutions should:

1. Have a chat bot function to interact with users on a real-time basis and be able to respond to queries (e.g. "I would like funding to open a business. What program can I apply to?") in multiple languages including, but not limited to, both official languages English and French with the possibility to extend to Indigenous languages;
2. Be fully accessible for individuals who may have learning, reading, perceptual, physical or visual disability that impacts their ability to read conventional digitally displayed materials.

Background & context

Technological advances over recent years have allowed for the introduction of innovative software platforms such as "chat bot technology" that are based on natural language processing, and demonstrate an ability to emulate human performance. These technologies are increasingly being utilized for speech and text recognition and allow for interaction between user and software (i.e. question answering) using natural sentences. For many years CIRNAC/ISC has identified a gap in the way the departments receives, assesses and responds to program enquiries and funding requests. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to support CIRNAC/ISC and improve access to program and services throughout the whole of government for Indigenous Peoples. When a proposal is rejected from one program, there is no process to refer the applicant to other departmental or other government programs where the proposal may be eligible. Currently program officers must try to make these links on their own which is inefficient, time consuming and a waste of resources. While employees have tried to come together to identify different programs to where applicants can be referred, there are still many human errors. If a technological solution existed to solve this problem, this would save time and help the department improve their service delivery to Indigenous partners. With the constant addition and deletion of federal programs and services, it is becoming more difficult to navigate and respond with relevant, timely and up to date information. This can often lead to frustration and missed opportunity. As the volume and complexity of information grows, innovative platforms will be required to support Indigenous peoples in accessing programs and services that are specific to their needs and allow them to activate their opportunity in real time.

Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

Phase 1:

• The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is: $ 150,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
• The maximum duration for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is: 6 months (excluding submission of the final report).
• Estimated number of Phase 1 contracts: 2

Phase 2:

• The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is: $520,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
• The maximum duration for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is: 12 months (excluding submission of the final report).
  • Note: Only eligible businesses that have completed Phase 1 could be considered for Phase 2.
• Estimated number of Phase 2 contracts: 1

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award any contract for the total approximate funding. Final decisions on the number of Phase 1 and Phase 2 awards will be made by Canada on the basis of factors such as evaluation results, departmental priorities and availability of funds. Canada reserves the right to make partial awards and to negotiate project scope changes.

Note: Selected companies are eligible to receive one contract per phase per challenge.  

Travel

Kick-off meeting

Gatineau, Québec^{Footnote *}

Progress review meeting(s)

Any progress review meetings will be conducted by videoconference or teleconference. 

Final review meeting

Gatineau, Québec^{Footnote *}

All other communication can take place by telephone, videoconference, and WebEx.

Innovative Solution Canada eligibility criteria:

Solution proposals can only be submitted by a small business that meets all of the following criteria:

• for profit
• incorporated in Canada (federally or provincially)
• 499 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees^{Footnote **}
• research and development activities that take place in Canada
• 50% or more of its annual wages, salaries and fees are currently paid to employees and contractors who spend the majority of their time working in Canada^{Footnote **}
• 50% or more of its FTE employees have Canada as their ordinary place of work^{Footnote **}
• 50% or more of its senior executives (Vice President and above) have Canada as their principal residence^{Footnote **}

Annex 1 - Requirements for the set-aside program for aboriginal business

1. Who is eligible?

   1. An Aboriginal business that is a for profit co-operative or corporation in which Aboriginal persons have at least 51 percent ownership and control.

      When an Aboriginal business has six or more full-time employees at the date of submitting the proposal, at least thirty-three percent of them must be Aboriginal persons, and this ratio must be maintained throughout the duration of the contract.

      The supplier will be provided a certification for completion following the Challenge closing date that certifies it is an Aboriginal business as described above.

2. Are there any other requirements attached to suppliers in the Set-Aside Program for Aboriginal Business?

   Yes

   1. In respect of a contract, (goods, service or construction), on which a supplier is making a proposal which involves subcontracting, the supplier must, upon request by Canada, certify that at least thirty-three percent of the value of the work performed under the contract will be performed by an Aboriginal business. Value of the work performed is considered to be the total value of the contract less any materials directly purchased by the contractor for the performance of the contract. Therefore, the supplier must notify and, where applicable, bind the subcontractor in writing with respect to the requirements that the Aboriginal Set-Aside Program (the Program) may impose on the subcontractor or subcontractors.
   2. The supplier's contract with a subcontractor must also, where applicable, include a provision in which the subcontractor agrees to provide the supplier with information, substantiating its compliance with the Program, and authorize the supplier to have an audit performed by Canada to examine the subcontractor's records to verify the information provided. Failure by the supplier to exact or enforce such a provision will be deemed to be a breach of contract and subject to the civil consequences referred to in this document.
   3. Following the Challenge closing date, the supplier must complete the Certification of Requirements for the Set-Aside Program for Aboriginal Business(certification), upon request by Canada, stating that it:
      1. meets the requirements for the Program and will continue to do so throughout the duration of the contract;
      2. will, upon request, provide evidence that it meets the eligibility criteria;
      3. is willing to be audited regarding the certification; and
      4. acknowledges that if it is found NOT to meet the eligibility criteria, the supplier shall be subject to one or more of the civil consequences set out in the certification and the contract.
3. How must the business prove that it meets the requirements?
   1. It is not necessary to provide evidence of eligibility at the time the proposal is submitted. However, the business should have evidence of eligibility ready in case it is audited.
   2. The civil consequences of making an untrue statement in the proposal documents, or of not complying with the requirements of the Program or failing to produce satisfactory evidence to Canada regarding the requirements of the Program, may include: forfeiture of the bid deposit; retention of the holdback; disqualification of the business from participating in future contracts under the program; and/or termination of the contract. In the event that the contract is terminated because of an untrue statement or non-compliance with the requirements of the Program, Canada may engage another contractor to complete the performance of the contract and any additional costs incurred by Canada shall, upon the request of Canada, be borne by the business.
4. What evidence may be required from the business?
   1. Ownership and control
      1. Evidence of ownership and control of an Aboriginal business may include incorporation documents, business name registration; banking arrangements; governance documents; minutes of meetings of Board of Directors and Management Committees; or other legal documents.
      2. Ownership of an Aboriginal business refers to "beneficial ownership" i.e., who is the real owner of the business. Canada may consider a variety of factors to satisfy whether Aboriginal persons have true and effective control of an Aboriginal business. (See Appendix A Set-aside Program for Aboriginal Business for a list of the factors, which may be considered by Canada.)
   2. Employment and employees
      1. Where an Aboriginal business has six or more full-time employees at the date of submitting the certification and is required by Canada to substantiate that at least 33 percent of the full-time employees are Aboriginal, the business must, upon request by Canada, immediately provide a completed Owner/Employee Certification form for each full-time employee who is Aboriginal.
      2. Evidence as to whether an employee is or is not full-time and evidence as to the number of full-time employees may include payroll records, written offers for employment, and remittance and payroll information maintained for Canada Revenue Agency purposes as well as information related to pension and other benefit plans.
      3. A full-time employee, for the purpose of this program, is one who is on the payroll, is entitled to all benefits that other full-time employees of the business receive, such as pension plan, vacation pay and sick leave allowance, and works at least 30 hours a week. It is the number of full-time employees on the payroll of the business at the date of proposal submission that determines the ratio of Aboriginal to total employees of the business for the purpose of establishing eligibility under the Program.
      4. Owners who are Aboriginal and full-time employees who are Aboriginal must be ready to provide evidence in support of such status. The Owner/Employee Certification to be completed by each owner and full-time employee who is Aboriginal shall state that the person meets the eligibility criteria and that the information supplied is true and complete. This certification shall provide the person's consent to the verification of the information submitted.
5. Subcontracts
   1. Evidence of the proportion of work done by subcontractors may include contracts between the contractor and subcontractors, invoices, and paid cheques.
   2. Evidence that a subcontractor is an Aboriginal business (where this is required to meet the minimum Aboriginal content of the contract) is the same as evidence that a prime contractor is an Aboriginal business.
6. Who is an Aboriginal Person for Purposes of the Set-Aside Program for Aboriginal Business?
   1. An Aboriginal person is an Indian, Metis or Inuit who is ordinarily resident in Canada.
   2. Evidence of being an Aboriginal person will consist of such proof as:
      1. Indian registration in Canada;
      2. membership in an affiliate of the Metis National Council or the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, or other recognized Aboriginal organizations in Canada;
      3. acceptance as an Aboriginal person by an established Aboriginal community in Canada;
      4. enrollment or entitlement to be enrolled pursuant to a comprehensive land claim agreement;
      5. membership or entitlement to membership in a group with an accepted comprehensive claim;
      6. evidence of being resident in Canada includes a provincial or territorial driver's license, a lease or other appropriate document.

For more information on eligibility requirement for this specific challenge, please visit Buy and Sell.

The official source of the Evaluation Criteria for this challenge is the Government Electronic Tendering System (Buy and Sell) https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/tender-notice/PW-20-00899125)

In the event of a discrepancy between the information below and the information published on Buy and Sell, Buy and Sell will take precedence.

The Bidder must complete the Challenge Stream Electronic Submission Form with a degree of information sufficient to enable Canada's assessment of the proposal against the criteria and the Evaluation Schema. The information must demonstrate how the proposal meets the criterion.

Part 1: Mandatory Criteria

Proposals must meet all mandatory criteria identified by achieving a "Pass" in order to proceed to Part 2. Proposals that do not meet all mandatory criteria will be deemed non-responsive and given no further consideration.

Mandatory Criteria

(Bidder's proposal must address)

Part 2: Point-Rated Criteria

Proposals must meet the overall minimum pass mark of 50% to be deemed responsive. Proposals that do not achieve the minimum pass mark will be declared non-responsive and given no further consideration.

Point-Rated Criteria

(Bidder's proposal to address)

Please refer to the tender notice for this challenge on Buy and Sell.

All incoming questions regarding this specific challenge should be addressed to SIC-ISC@pwgsc.gc.ca

You can also consult the Frequently asked questions about the Innovative Solutions Canada Program.

A glossary is also available.