RFI - Buy and Sell

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Mar 29, 2016 - Respondents are requested to submit responses by email to Tara ... Solicit feedback on the effectiveness
Canada Revenue Agency

Agence du revenu du Canada

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) No. 1000329938

Tobacco Stamping Program RFI For The Canada Revenue Agency

Closing Date and Time: April 19, 2016, 2:00 pm (EDT)

Canada Revenue Agency

Agence du revenu du Canada

REF: NO. 1000329938

1. DISCLAIMER Responding to this Request for Information (RFI) is not a prerequisite to receiving or being eligible to bid on any Request for Proposal (RFP). Any RFP will be advertised on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS) commonly referred to as Buy and Sell (https://buyandsell.gc.ca/). This RFI is not to be construed as a solicitation for tenders or proposals. No contract or other form of commitment will be entered into based on responses to this RFI. This RFI is not considered as authorization by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to undertake any work that would result in costs to CRA. Nothing in this RFI shall be construed as a commitment from CRA to issue an RFP for this program. CRA may use non-proprietary information provided in its review and/or in the preparation of any formal RFP. All responses will be held by CRA on a confidential basis (subject to applicable federal legislation) and remain the property of CRA once they have been received. CRA may reproduce or photocopy or transcribe the response and any non-proprietary supporting documentation for the purpose of its review and/or inclusion in any resulting RFP document. Contractors responding to this RFI may be invited to a meeting to further clarify their responses to questions provided herein. CRA shall not be bound by anything stated herein. CRA reserves the right to change, at any time, any or all parts of the requirements, as it deems necessary. CRA 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. Responses to this RFI will not be used to pre-qualify or otherwise restrict participation in any future procurement process (e.g. an RFP). Responses will not be formally evaluated. CRA will not reimburse any expenditure incurred in preparing responses and participating in the presentation sessions related to this RFI.

2. RFI FORMAT The RFI is divided into two sets of questions. The questions in Section 7 are for the suppliers of stamps and the questions in Section 8 are for stamp users (tobacco manufacturers and importers). Respondents are requested to respond to the set of questions that are applicable to their line of business. Respondents must note that this list of questions is not exhaustive, and respondents are invited to provide any additional information that might prove useful and/or beneficial to the CRA.

3. RESPONSES The vendor must provide a contact name, email address and telephone number when submitting their response. Respondents are requested to submit responses by email to Tara Sprigings-Ramsey at [email protected] by April 19, 2016, 2 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

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Canada Revenue Agency

Agence du revenu du Canada

REF: NO. 1000329938

While electronic submissions are preferred, respondents may also submit a hard copy of their response to the following address. Canada Revenue Agency Bid Receiving Unit Ottawa Technology Centre Receiving Dock 875 Heron Road, Room D-95 Ottawa, ON K1A 1A2 Telephone No: (613) 941-1618

The Bid Receiving Unit of CRA is open Monday to Friday inclusive, between the hours of 0730 and 1530, excluding those days that the federal government observes as a holiday.

4. ENQUIRIES All enquiries regarding this RFI must be submitted via email to [email protected].

5. PRESENTATION SESSIONS Respondents to Section 7 of this RFI may be invited to attend one-on-one presentation sessions with CRA representatives. These sessions would allow respondents to present their RFI responses.

6. BACKGROUND Current CRA Tobacco Stamping Program The Canada Revenue Agency currently has in place a Program for the design, production and distribution of tobacco stamps that incorporate overt and covert security features. The tobacco stamps are applied by tobacco manufacturers and importers on duty-paid tobacco products that are to be distributed in Canada. Distribution of the tobacco stamp is international. The program was awarded though a Request for Proposal (RFP) to a single Contractor for a period set to expire on March 31, 2018. The stamp is an integral component of the Tobacco Stamping Program supporting the administration and enforcement of the Excise Act, 2001. For additional information on the current tobacco stamp program please refer to: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/em/edn32/edn32-e.html The purpose of this RFI is to: 

Gather information on industry best practices relating to security features, stamp design, stamp feeder systems and secure transportation.



Solicit feedback on the effectiveness of the current tobacco stamp program.



Solicit feedback on vendor qualifications.

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Canada Revenue Agency

Agence du revenu du Canada

REF: NO. 1000329938

7. RFI QUESTIONS - SUPPLIERS 1. What new proven technologies and/or security features would you recommend be included in a tobacco stamp? Please also describe in your response: a. The benefits of the technologies and/or features; b. Where the technologies or features have been used, such as in other countries/industries; c.

The limitations of these technologies or features.

2. Describe how a single tobacco stamp design can be produced in both a dry form and a selfadhesive form with the same security features such that: a. None of the covert and overt security features in the tobacco stamp are negatively affected by the manufacturing process of the stamp or during the stamp application process; b. The stamps can be permanently applied: i. To any package material (paper, wood, metal, glass, polymer etc.); ii. To any type of surface (flip top, slide and shell, boxes, bags, can, etc.); iii. On any package shape (round, square, cylindrical etc.); iv. In any industrial environment (dust, temperature, humidity, speed of application, etc.) 3. Provide an example of where a stamp has successfully met all of the criteria in question 2 above. 4. What types of controls or tools are available to account for losses of stamps during the stamp application process? 5. What controls or tools are available to mitigate the risks associated with a potential shutdown of the manufacturing operations as a result of a problem with the stamp application process? 6.

What different types of stamp feeder systems are available to increase efficiency and effectiveness of applying the stamp to packages (single application and high-speed, high volume application)?

7. What minimum qualifications do you recommend a stamp manufacturer demonstrate in order to qualify to supply tobacco stamps and supporting systems? 8. What should be the minimum controls and safeguards for distributing, delivering or transferring stamps from the stamp manufacturer to the end-user of the stamp both internationally and domestically (based on the location of the stamp manufacturer)? 9. Describe any concerns you may have with a requirement to have the production and distribution of the Canadian tobacco stamp located in Canada?

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Canada Revenue Agency

Agence du revenu du Canada

REF: NO. 1000329938

8. RFI QUESTIONS - STAMP USERS (TOBACCO MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS) 1. Based on your experience with the current tobacco stamp program, do you have any recommendations to improve the: a. ordering and delivery of the stamps? b. efficiency and effectiveness of the application of the stamp? c.

communications with the CRA (stamp desk) or the stamp supplier?

2. Do you have any recommendations regarding physical changes to the stamp itself that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the application of the stamp? 3. What controls do you have in place to: a. account for stamps lost in the stamp application process; and b. mitigate losses of stamps during the stamp application process? 4. What controls or tools should CRA consider including in its Tobacco Stamp Program to assist users in accounting for or mitigating against losses of stamps while in the users’ inventory or during the users’ application of the stamp. 5. If the supplier of the tobacco stamp were to change do you have any recommendations on transitioning from one supplier to another?

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