Question and Answer Sheet

 

1.    What exactly is the Public Involvement Program (PIP) Tendering Process?

 The PIP tendering process is the Department’s way of providing access and reflecting fairness in the spending of PIP funds.  Groups/people interested in working with the Salmon Enhancement Program (SEP) on salmon and salmon habitat enhancement projects will be asked to express their interest through an advertised process whereby a ‘suppliers’ list will be established.  Groups/people that meet the eligibility criteria will be included on a PIP Participants list which will then be used in a manner similar to a suppliers list.  CAs will select the groups they award funds to from this list.

In order to ensure access to COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER groups that may not be aware of the PIP the PIP application and evaluation criteria (PIP package) will be advertised on MERX for a period of 90 + days.  At the same time, Community Advisors (CAs) will provide the PIP package and timelines to their existing groups.  Groups will be required to complete the PIP application and return it to their CAs within the same 90+ day period as identified on MERX.

The PIP tendering process is not intended to assess a specific project rather it is intended to assess the capacity of a group to collaborate with SEP on a salmon and/or salmon habitat enhancement project.

Once received, all applications will be forwarded to Contracting Services for evaluation.  An evaluation committee (comprised of the Chief of Contracting Services, a Regional rep and a CA rep) will be formed for each area.  The evaluation committees will meet and evaluate the PIP applications against the evaluation criteria.  

When evaluations are completed and the list established, Contracting Services will advise each applicant of the results of the evaluation and advise whether the applicant made or did not make the ‘Public Involvement Program Participants List’. 

Once the PIP Participant List is established CAs will continue work with groups to develop and support their projects through project planning meetings and updates.

2.     What is MERX?

MERX is an electronic tendering service for Canadian Public Tenders and offers businesses and individuals access to contracting opportunities with Government departments.

MERX will be utilised to advertise the PIP application and evaluation criteria to those who are not aware of the opportunity to collaborate with SEP on salmon and salmon habitat enhancement projects.

3.     Do groups that the Community Involvement Program currently works with have to access MERX?

No.  Community Advisors are encouraged to communicate directly with their groups to advise them of the PIP tendering process and to supply the PIP application package.  Groups that communicate directly with their CA will not have to access MERX.

4.     Can Community Advisors help interested groups complete the PIP application form?

No.  As with any tendering process, groups must submit their own tenders (applications).  Detailed instructions regarding the tendering process are included in each PIP application package.  Community Advisors are encouraged, however, to host information workshops to introduce the PIP application and evaluation criteria to interested groups.  The final version of the PIP application must be signed and submitted in sealed envelope either to the CA or mailed to Contracting Services (as per instructions included in the application package).

This process does not mean that a CA can’t be involved in the project development – project development would happen when the CA selects the group(s) from the ‘Public Involvement Program Participants List’.

5.     What if a group has completed PIP projects in the past but does not have a project planned for next year but wants to be considered for project funding sometime over the next three years?

The group should be encouraged to complete the PIP application.  They will be required to provide a project/program overview and project costs associated with either a previously supported PIP project or an anticipated project/program overview.  As noted in the Introduction of the PIP application eligible groups may be contacted at any time during the next three years and asked to submit a more detailed project plan.  As such an example of a previously conducted project with demonstrated costs and contributions will be considered sufficient to meet the eligibility criteria. 

Should a new group form and express interest in collaborating on a PIP project prior to the expiry of the established list – the circumstances will be considered exceptional and the CA may use his/her discretion in exercising other options to provide support to the group or project.

6.     Will the evaluation criteria be used to rank PIP Applications?

No.  The evaluation criteria were developed to assess whether required information was provided in the PIP applications and not to assess or rank the quality of information provided.   The awarding of PIP funds to a group or project will be left to the CA.  

In order to be considered eligible for inclusion on the Public Involvement Program Participant list the applicant must score YES on each of the five evaluation criteria.  ‘Yes’ is equivalent to saying the applicant has completed the relevant section of the application.

7.     Once the Participant List is established are there any additional requirements of our volunteer groups?

There are no additional requirements for volunteer groups once the application period has closed.   CAs may request more information (project details) from groups once the contract award phase is underway.

Public Involvement Program Tendering Process

 

Question and Answer Sheet

 

 

 

1.    What exactly is the Public Involvement Program (PIP) Tendering Process?

 

The PIP tendering process is the Department’s way of providing access and reflecting fairness in the spending of PIP funds.  Groups/people interested in working with the Salmon Enhancement Program (SEP) on salmon and salmon habitat enhancement projects will be asked to express their interest through an advertised process whereby a ‘suppliers’ list will be established.  Groups/people that meet the eligibility criteria will be included on a PIP Participants list which will then be used in a manner similar to a suppliers list.  CAs will select the groups they award funds to from this list.

 

In order to ensure access to COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER groups that may not be aware of the PIP the PIP application and evaluation criteria (PIP package) will be advertised on MERX for a period of 90 + days.  At the same time, Community Advisors (CAs) will provide the PIP package and timelines to their existing groups.  Groups will be required to complete the PIP application and return it to their CAs within the same 90+ day period as identified on MERX.

 

The PIP tendering process is not intended to assess a specific project rather it is intended to assess the capacity of a group to collaborate with SEP on a salmon and/or salmon habitat enhancement project.

 

Once received, all applications will be forwarded to Contracting Services for evaluation.  An evaluation committee (comprised of the Chief of Contracting Services, a Regional rep and a CA rep) will be formed for each area.  The evaluation committees will meet and evaluate the PIP applications against the evaluation criteria.  

 

When evaluations are completed and the list established, Contracting Services will advise each applicant of the results of the evaluation and advise whether the applicant made or did not make the ‘Public Involvement Program Participants List’. 

 

Once the PIP Participant List is established CAs will continue work with groups to develop and support their projects through project planning meetings and updates.

 

2.     What is MERX?

 

MERX is an electronic tendering service for Canadian Public Tenders and offers businesses and individuals access to contracting opportunities with Government departments.

 

MERX will be utilised to advertise the PIP application and evaluation criteria to those who are not aware of the opportunity to collaborate with SEP on salmon and salmon habitat enhancement projects.

 

3.     Do groups that the Community Involvement Program currently works with have to access MERX?

 

No.  Community Advisors are encouraged to communicate directly with their groups to advise them of the PIP tendering process and to supply the PIP application package.  Groups that communicate directly with their CA will not have to access MERX.

4.     Can Community Advisors help interested groups complete the PIP application form?

 

No.  As with any tendering process, groups must submit their own tenders (applications).  Detailed instructions regarding the tendering process are included in each PIP application package.  Community Advisors are encouraged, however, to host information workshops to introduce the PIP application and evaluation criteria to interested groups.  The final version of the PIP application must be signed and submitted in sealed envelope either to the CA or mailed to Contracting Services (as per instructions included in the application package).

 

This process does not mean that a CA can’t be involved in the project development – project development would happen when the CA selects the group(s) from the ‘Public Involvement Program Participants List’.

 

 

5.     What if a group has completed PIP projects in the past but does not have a project planned for next year but wants to be considered for project funding sometime over the next three years?

 

The group should be encouraged to complete the PIP application.  They will be required to provide a project/program overview and project costs associated with either a previously supported PIP project or an anticipated project/program overview.  As noted in the Introduction of the PIP application eligible groups may be contacted at any time during the next three years and asked to submit a more detailed project plan.  As such an example of a previously conducted project with demonstrated costs and contributions will be considered sufficient to meet the eligibility criteria. 

 

Should a new group form and express interest in collaborating on a PIP project prior to the expiry of the established list – the circumstances will be considered exceptional and the CA may use his/her discretion in exercising other options to provide support to the group or project.

 

6.     Will the evaluation criteria be used to rank PIP Applications?

 

No.  The evaluation criteria were developed to assess whether required information was provided in the PIP applications and not to assess or rank the quality of information provided.   The awarding of PIP funds to a group or project will be left to the CA.  

 

In order to be considered eligible for inclusion on the Public Involvement Program Participant list the applicant must score YES on each of the five evaluation criteria.  ‘Yes’ is equivalent to saying the applicant has completed the relevant section of the application.

 

 

7.     Once the Participant List is established are there any additional requirements of our volunteer groups?

 

There are no additional requirements for volunteer groups once the application period has closed.   CAs may request more information (project details) from groups once the contract award phase is underway.