Pension Administration Benchmarking

Trade Agreement: NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: Suppliers on permanent list or able to meet qualification requirements
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
FRASERKEN MARKETING SERVICES INC.
459 Roncesvalles Avenue
Toronto Ontario
Canada
M6R2N4
Nature of Requirements: 

1. Advanced Contract Award Notice

An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.


2. Definition of the requirement

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), through the Pension Excellence Sector (PES) requires benchmarking services to capture performance measures relevant to its pension administration processes, systems and organization structure in order to make better business decisions relating to pension administration service improvements. 

Services required 

1. Compile and process the data received from the member organizations and create the benchmarking survey report; and,

2. Facilitate a conference in spring and fall of the member organizations and act as a conduit for networking among organizations.

3. The Contractor will provide:

a. Benchmarking services to compare costs of two (2) domains:

i. Direct, Programmer Activities:

1. Calculation/Issuance of First Awards
2. Collection of and Record Contributions
3. Elections for Prior Services 
4. Mass Communications
5. Pension Benefit Entitlement Estimate
6. Pension Transfer Agreements
7. Deferred Members Maintenance
8. Terminations/Refunds

i. Support, Administrative:

1. Corporate Management
2. Policy Support
3. Computer Services
4. Financial Services
5. Administrative Services 


b. Provide narrative summaries consisting of:

i. A Survey overview, which states the objectives of the survey
ii. Highlights of the survey results
iii. Member organization profiles, which encapsulate functions
iv. Service comparisons, which highlight factors having an impact on rising or falling costs and service levels provided for all clients


c. Benchmark against Comparative Companies

Peer membership for comparison will embody five (5) to ten (10) of the major publicly financed Canadian pension plans partnered at the provincial or municipal government levels.  The survey will compare PWGSC’s pension administration services against its benchmarking peers, and highlight trends and variances among all participants.

d. Data Collection Methodology

The Contractor will:

i. Supply the necessary blank tables for completion to provide all administrative background narrative which has an impact on the cost level for administering pension service programs

ii. Provide electronic financial spreadsheet documents applicable to the programs outlined, which PWGSC/PES will fill out for the company’s analysis and comparison, and which will be detailed under direct and support costs as in the survey report

iii. If required, conduct an information meeting to obtain an understanding of the Public report

iv. Facilitate a review meeting with PWGSC/PES representatives once all data reporting is complete, to discuss the report contents and the significance of various cost figures. Amend the contents if any additional or altered input is required to be submitted. 

Survey - Phase 1

The Contractor will:

1. Provide all survey materials (work process review, input package and output data reports, interim data review, survey explanation), meeting arrangements and dates in a timely manner

2. Meet with PES/Pension Centre representatives to review survey questions and format of input material, and explain changes (where applicable to the methodology for data collection and input, and the significance of the various portions of information to be supplies

3. Provide the format of the reporting tools which must be clearly laid out and easily understood by PWGSC/PES representatives

4. Provide clear, concise written and timely communication of information to the Project Authority concerning survey information needed, scheduled meetings, data, etc.

Reports - Phase II

The Contractor will:

1. Meet with the Project Authority to review the data supplied for the benchmarking survey report to verify the accuracy of cost and narrative data, and correct any apparent anomalies in the data submitted to the Contractor

2. Provide a benchmarking survey report capturing:

a. A summary of key cost and service issues by organization, refined to reflect work process information and other comparative data highlights

b. Consolidated cost tables and charts displaying costs for all member organizations and the average costs of each program activity (direct and support inclusive) for all member organizations

c. Background context information (statistical drivers, organizational drivers and e-business services

d. Work process highlights with Service Response Measurement charts displaying service standards or each peer organization (Target and Actual)

e. A generic PSSA vs. existing benchmarking report group benchmarking survey report, respecting the confidentiality of all participants, while providing benchmarking results that can be shared with the broader spectrum of PWGSC senior management.

3. Comparisons incorporating the following criteria:

a. Costs broken down for all participants
b. Average cost per program for each participant
c. Cost per transaction per program in each organization
d. Number of Full Time Employees, direct and support, devoted to each program for each participating organization
e. Average cost for all participating organizations for each of these specific activities


Meetings/Conferences - Phase III

The Contractor will:

1. Conduct information and review meetings as noted in Timeframes below 

2. Facilitate a spring conference of all member organization within two (2) to three(3) weeks of completion of the benchmarking survey report to discuss findings and highlights of the report and have member organizations share with others at the table their experiences in dealing with issues of others may be facing, e.g. system modernization 

3. Facilitate a fall conference approximately six (6) months after the spring conference discussed in Associated task 2 above, with all benchmarking participant organizations by performing the same duties as above, with an agenda published no later than the end of the second (2nd) week prior to the meeting, based on input from the member organizations concerning the last survey and any issues arising from it. In preparation for such meeting the Contractor will compile and publish for all participants information pertaining to topics of mutual concern to be discussed at this meeting (over and above the agenda)

TIME FRAMES

The PWGSC/PES pension plan benchmarking process will consist of three distinct phases which are to occur as follows:

Phase I - Survey 

- Conduct an information meeting and provide survey materials (various information requirements, such as cost drivers etc. and a cost model spreadsheet to capture Direct and Support Costs).    
   
- Arrange and conduct meeting(s) with the PES and Pension Centre representatives to seek clarification to data, on an as needed basis.

Phase II - Reports 

- Provide the final benchmarking survey report  two (2) to three (3) weeks prior to the spring conference

- Provide a generic PWGSC report eight (8) to ten (10) weeks after the spring conference, encompassing PWGSC vs. QSM group comparison of costs

- Provide a meeting summary document to be published following the spring and fall conferences, detailing meeting events and decisions rendered by the attendees at each conference

Phase III  - Meetings/Conferences 

- Phase I - conduct  meeting(s) with PWGSC officials to clarify and /or correct data for the survey report

- The spring conference is to be held within two (2) to three (3) weeks of the publication of the benchmarking survey report

- The agenda for the spring and fall conferences is to be provided two (2) weeks prior to the conference

- The fall conference is to be held approximately six (6) months following the annual spring conference.


PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor will:
 
1. Be responsible for the Contract and management of resources with respect to day to day activities and movement of assigned resources, risk identification and mitigation strategies, critical success factors and accurate monitoring of billing

2. Facilitate the plenary sessions of all member organizations by: setting up the agenda, providing detailed explanation of the benchmarking survey report contents at the meeting, recording issues discussed and publishing any decisions made at the meeting, as well as a summary of  the subject matter discussed as part of the meeting

3. Facilitate a fall conference approximately six (6) months after the spring conference with member organizations, based on input from the member organizations concerning the last survey and any issues arising from it and the spring conference


4. In preparation for such a conference, compile and publish for all participants any background material needed to facilitate discussion of issues by all attendees 


DELIVERABLES

Phase II

a. Consolidate all data provided for the report to reflect accuracy and completeness of the data provided by PES and the Government of Canada Pension Centre 

b. Provide the final benchmarking survey report of Phase II two (2) to three (3) weeks prior to the spring conference with the narrative, graphs and financial spreadsheets displaying the cost comparison details of all member organizations on an annual cycle 
c. Produce and publish a generic PWGSC Own Plan Highlights Benchmarking Report within eight (8) to ten (10) weeks of the annual benchmarking survey report, for reference material which can be used by various levels of  PWGSC senior management

Phase III

1. Meet with Project Authority within a reasonable timeframe, prior to completing final benchmarking survey report, for discussion of draft results and significance of survey outcomes

2.  Facilitate a spring member organizations’ conference and providing an agenda two (2) weeks prior to the conference

3. Produce and publish a meeting summary and record of decisions document detailing issues discussed and decisions made at the spring conference

4. Facilitate a fall conference, with all member organizations approximately 6 months following the spring conference and provide an agenda two (2)  weeks prior to the occurrence of the fall conference 

5. Produce and publish, by the end of week eight (8) following the fall conference a meeting summary document, containing a record of issues discussed and decisions made at the fall conference.


3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

- The supplier must have established one (1) peer based program for public sector pension plan performance review in the last three (3) years;
- The member organizations for comparison in the benchmarking program above must include only Canadian organizations;
- The supplier must have a database that includes pension information from the Canadian organizations identified above for comparison;
- The supplier must have produced at least three (3) annual reports for participants based on data collected under their program;
- The supplier must have a peer network for their members to share information related to pension administration;
- The supplier must have a documented methodology to collect and benchmark the pension service level and the associated administration costs.


4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s): 
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)


5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

Since 1991, Quantitative Service Measurement (QSM) Survey, now offered by Fraser Group, has provided an in-depth survey for participating organizations that benchmarks both their pension administration costs and services. Their proprietary database provides information to pension plan administrators participating in the survey program with benchmarks in a number of critical areas including costs, volume drivers, service response times and qualitative risk management. PSPC relies on this data to help manage the delivery of Pension Services.


6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6 (d) "only one person is capable of performing the contract"


7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

7.1 Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) Article 513 1. b)
if the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist for any of the following reasons: 

(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;"


7.3 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Article 1016 2. b): "where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;"


8. Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.


9. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of three years, from July 1, 2019 until June 30, 2022 with three additional one-year option periods.


10. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

$210,000.00


11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Fraserken Marketing Services Inc.
459 Roncesvalles Avenue
Toronto, Ontario 
M6R 2N4
Canada 


12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.


13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is May 28, 2019 at 2PM EDT.


14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Alain Papineau
Supply Specialist, Acquisitions Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Telephone:  613-858-8997
E-mail: alain.papineau@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer identified above.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award.  However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.