Requesting a task and solutions professional services exemption
The task and solutions professional services (TSPS) methods of supply (MoS) are mandatory and must be used before any alternate procurement method is considered.
Government of Canada departments that wish to conduct a procurement process outside of TSPS must request an exemption from the TSPS team.
Before TSPS grants an exemption, client departments must demonstrate their due diligence in trying to use the TSPS MoS.
When to request an exemption
Client departments may request an exemption if they are unable to fulfill a requirement using the TSPS MoS.
Below are potential scenarios and steps that client departments can take to exercise due diligence before requesting an exemption:
- When a specific expertise is needed
- When uncertain if requirement falls under task and solutions professional services
- The request for proposal process using task and solutions professional services was unsuccessful
- Other
When a specific expertise is needed
If a client department is considering using TSPS and has identified potential categories or streams, but is unsure if the sought-after expertise is available within the MoS, a TSPS request for information (RFI) is recommended using the request for information template.
If the RFI leads to positive responses, the client department may send out the request for proposal (RFP) to suppliers that demonstrate interest.
If the RFI does not lead to any positive responses, consult The request for proposal process using task and solutions professional services was unsuccessful section below.
When uncertain if requirement falls under task and solutions professional services
Please ensure that you have carefully reviewed all the categories and/or streams under TSPS to determine if any categories or streams could apply to your requirement:
If no categories or streams are identified that could meet the requirement, please send an exemption request to TSPS with the following documents and information:
- statement of work
- TSPS categories and/or streams considered
- rationale as to why the requirement may or may not fall under the TSPS MoS
The request for proposal process using task and solutions professional services was unsuccessful
If your organization’s RFP process was not successful in identifying any qualified suppliers that could meet the requirements, please consider conducting the following steps:
- solicit feedback from the invited or interested suppliers to determine why they did not submit a bid against your solicitation
- review the TSPS categories and streams to determine if they were the right fit
- if one has not already been done, conduct an RFI to ask the TSPS supplier community if there are interested suppliers that can meet the requirement
If after conducting the steps above, the client department determines that the request for exemption is still needed, it must provide the following documents and information to TSPS:
- statement of work (SOW)
- RFP (including the list of invited suppliers)
- Centralized Professional Services System (CPSS) search result list
- RFI email with confirmation that RFI was sent to all pre-qualified suppliers listed on the CPSS-generated search list
- total estimated dollar value of the requirement
- details of how due diligence was exercised
Other
Please provide any relevant documentation that may need to be reviewed.
More information
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